The Northrop Grumman EA-6B Prowler is a twin-engine, mid-wing electronic warfare aircraft derived
from the A-6 Intruder airframe. The EA-6A was the initial electronic warfare version
of the A-6 used by the United States Marine Corps in the 1960s. Development on the more
advanced EA-6B began in 1966. An EA-6B aircrew consists of one pilot and three Electronic
Countermeasures Officers, though it is not uncommon for only two ECMOs to be used on
missions. It is capable of carrying and firing anti-radiation missiles, such as the AGM-88
HARM missile. Prowler has been in service with the U.S.
Armed Forces since 1971. It has carried out numerous missions for jamming enemy radar
systems, and in gathering radio intelligence on those and other enemy air defense systems.
From the 1998 retirement of the United States Air Force EF-111 Raven electronic warfare
aircraft, the EA-6B was the only dedicated electronic warfare plane available for missions
by the United States Navy, the United States Marine Corps, and the United States Air Force
until the fielding of the Navy's EA-18G Growler in 2009.
Development Origins
The EA-6A "Electric Intruder" was developed for the U.S. Marine Corps during the 1960s
to replace its EF-10B Skyknights. The EA-6A was a direct conversion of the standard A-6
Intruder airframe, with two seats, equipped with electronic warfare equipment. The EA-6A
was used by three Marine Corps squadrons during the War in Vietnam. A total of 27 EA-6As were
produced, with 15 of these being newly manufactured ones. Most of these EA-6As were retired from
service in the 1970s with the last few being used by the Navy with two electronic attack
"aggressor" squadrons, with all examples finally retired in the 1990s. The EA-6A was essentially
an interim warplane until the more-advanced EA-6B could be designed and built.
The substantially redesigned and more advanced EA-6B was developed beginning in 1966 as a
replacement for EKA-3B Skywarriors for the U.S. Navy. The forward fuselage was lengthened
to create a rear area for a larger four-seat cockpit, and an antenna fairing was added
to the tip of its vertical stabilizer. Grumman was awarded a $12.7 million contract to develop
an EA-6B prototype on 14 November 1966. The Prowler first flew on 25 May 1968, and it
entered service on aircraft carriers in July 1971. Three prototype EA-6Bs were converted
from A-6As, and five EA-6Bs were developmental airplanes. A total of 170 EA-6B production
aircraft were manufactured from 1966 through 1991.
The EA-6B Prowler is powered by two turbojet engines, and it is capable of high subsonic
speeds. Due to its extensive electronic warfare operations, and the aircraft's age, the EA-6B
is a high-maintenance aircraft, and it also has undergone more frequent equipment upgrades
than any other aircraft in the Navy or Marine Corps. Although designed as an electronic
warfare and command-and-control aircraft for air strike missions, the EA-6B is also capable
of attacking some surface targets on its own, in particular enemy radar sites and surface-to-air
missile launchers. In addition, the EA-6B is capable of gathering electronic signals
intelligence. The EA-6B Prowler has been continually upgraded
over the years. The first of which was named "expanded capability" beginning in 1973. Then
came "improved capability" in 1976 and ICAP II in 1980. The ICAP II upgrade provided the
EA-6B with the capability of firing Shrike missiles and AGM-88 HARM missiles.
Advanced Capability EA-6B
The Advanced Capability EA-6B Prowler was a development program initiated to improve
the flying qualities of the EA-6B and to upgrade the avionics and electronic warfare systems.
The intention was to modify all EA-6Bs into the ADVCAP configuration, however the program
was removed from the Fiscal Year 1995 budget due to financial pressure from competing Department
of Defense acquisition programs. The ADVCAP development program was initiated
in the late 1980s and was broken into three distinct phases: Full-Scale Development, Vehicle
Enhancement Program and the Avionics Improvement Program.
FSD served primarily to evaluate the new AN/ALQ-149 Electronic Warfare System. The program utilized
a slightly modified EA-6B to house the new system.
The VEP added numerous changes to the aircraft to address deficiencies with the original
EA-6B flying qualities, particularly lateral-directional problems that hampered recovery from out-of-control
flight. Bureau Number 158542 was used. Changes included:
Leading edge strakes Fin pod extension
Ailerons Re-contoured leading edge slats and trailing
edge flaps Two additional wing stations on the outer
wing panel New J52-P-409 engines per engine)
New digital Standard Automatic Flight Control System
The added modifications increased the aircraft gross weight approximately 2,000 lb and shifted
the center of gravity 3% MAC aft of the baseline EA-6B. In previous models, when operating
at sustained high angles of attack, fuel migration would cause additional shifts in CG with the
result that the aircraft had slightly negative longitudinal static stability. Results of
flight tests of the new configuration showed greatly improved flying qualities and the
rearward shift of the CG had minimal impact.
The AIP prototype represented the final ADVCAP configuration, incorporating all of the FSD
and VEP modifications plus a completely new avionics suite which added multi-function
displays to all crew positions, a head-up display for the pilot, and dual Global Positioning/Inertial
navigation systems. The initial joint test phase between the contractor and the US Navy
test pilots completed successfully with few deficiencies.
After the program was canceled, the three experimental Prowlers, BuNo 156482, 158542
and 158547, were mothballed until 1999. During the next several years, the three aircraft
were dismantled and reassembled creating a single aircraft, b/n 158542, which the Navy
dubbed "FrankenProwler". It was returned to active service 23 March 2005.
Improved Capability Northrop Grumman received contracts from the
U.S. Navy to deliver new electronic countermeasures gear to Prowler squadrons; the heart of each
ICAP III set consists of the ALQ-218 receiver and new software that provides more precise
selective-reactive radar jamming and deception and threat location. The ICAP III sets also
are equipped with the Multifunction Information Distribution System, which includes the Link
16 data link system. Northrop has delivered two lots and will be delivering two more beginning
in 2010. The majority of EA-6B Prowlers in service today are the ICAP II version, carrying
the ALQ-99 Tactical Jamming System. Design
Designed for carrier-based and advanced base operations, the EA-6B is a fully integrated
electronic warfare system combining long-range, all-weather capabilities with advanced electronic
countermeasures. A forward equipment bay and pod-shaped fairing on the vertical fin house
the additional avionics equipment. It is now the primary electronic warfare aircraft for
the U.S Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, and U.S. Air Force. The primary mission of the EA-6B
is to support ground-attack strikes by disrupting enemy electromagnetic activity. As a secondary
mission it can also gather tactical electronic intelligence within a combat zone, and another
secondary mission is attacking enemy radar sites with anti-radiation missiles.
The Prowler has a crew of four, a pilot and three Electronic Countermeasures Officers.
Powered by two non-afterburning Pratt & Whitney J52-P-408A turbojet engines, it is capable
of speeds of up to 590 mph with a range of 1,140 miles.
Design particulars include the refueling probe being asymmetrical, appearing bent to the
right. It contains an antenna near its root. The canopy has a shading of gold to protect
the crew against the radio emissions that the electronic warfare equipment produces.
Operational history
The EA-6B entered service with Fleet Replacement Squadron VAQ-129 in September 1970, and Tactical
Electronic Warfare Squadron 132 became the first operational squadron, in July 1971.
This squadron began its first combat deployment to Vietnam on America 11 months later, soon
followed by VAQ-131 on Enterprise and VAQ-134 on Constellation.
Two squadrons of EA-6B Prowlers flew 720 sorties during the Vietnam War in support of US Navy
attack aircraft and USAF B-52 bombers. During the 1983 invasion of Grenada, four Prowlers
supported the operation from USS Independence (CV-62). Following the Achille Lauro hijacking, on
10 October 1985 Prowlers from USS Saratoga (CV-60) provided ESM support during the interception
of the EgyptAir 737 carrying four of the hijackers. Prowlers jammed Libyan radar during Operation
El Dorado Canyon in April 1986. Prowlers from USS Enterprise (CVN-65) jammed Iranian Ground
Control Intercept radars, surface to air missile guidance radars and communication systems
during Operation Praying Mantis on 18 April 1988.
39 EA-6B Prowlers were involved in Operation Desert Storm, 27 from six aircraft carriers
and 12 from USMC bases. During 4,600 flight hours, Prowlers fired over 150 HARM missiles.
Navy Prowlers flew 1,132 sorties and USMC flew 516 with no losses.
With the retirement of the EF-111 Raven in 1998, the EA-6B was the only dedicated aerial
radar jammer aircraft of the U.S. Armed Forces, until the fielding of the Navy's EA-18G Growler
in 2009. The EA-6B has been flown in almost all American combat operations since 1972,
and is frequently flown in support of the U.S. Air Force missions.
124 Prowlers remained in 2001, divided between twelve Navy, four Marine, and four joint Navy-Air
Force "Expeditionary" squadrons. A Joint Chiefs of Staff staff study recommended that the
EF-111 Raven be retired to reduce the types of aircraft dedicated to the same mission,
which led to an Office of the Secretary of Defense program memorandum to establish 4
land based "expeditionary" Prowler squadrons to meet the needs of the Air Force.
Though once considered being replaced by Common Support Aircraft, that plan failed to materialize.
The EA-6B remains in active service today. In 2009, the Navy EA-6B Prowler community
began transitioning to the EA-18G Growler, a new electronic warfare derivative of the
F/A-18F Super Hornet. All but one of the active duty Navy EA-6B squadrons are based at Naval
Air Station Whidbey Island. VAQ-136 is stationed at Naval Air Facility Atsugi, Japan, as part
of Carrier Air Wing 5, the forward deployed naval forces air wing that embarks aboard
the Japan-based George Washington. VAQ-209, the Navy Reserve's sole EA-6B squadron, was
stationed at Naval Air Facility Washington, Maryland. All Marine Corps EA-6B squadrons
are located at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina. The USN plans to fly
the EA-6B until 2015, while the USMC expect to phase out the Prowler in 2019. The last
Navy deployment was on George H.W. Bush 2014, with VAQ-134.
Operations in Afghanistan and Iraq According to news reports in 2007, the Prowler
has been used in anti-improvised explosive device operations in the conflict in Afghanistan
for several years by jamming remote detonation devices such as garage door openers or cellular
telephones. Two Prowler squadrons were also based in Iraq, working with the same mission.
According to Chuck Pfarrer in his book SEAL Target Geronimo, an EA-6B was also used to
jam Pakistani radar and assist the 2 MH-60 Black Hawk stealth helicopters and 2 Chinook
helicopters raiding Osama Bin Laden's compound in Operation Neptune Spear. The Department
of Defense disputed certain aspects of his book, though not specifically the mention
of EA-6B involvement. Operators
The EA-6B Prowler is operated by the U.S. Armed Forces, and has squadrons in both the
U.S. Marine Corps and Navy. USMC squadrons
VMAQ squadrons operate the EA-6B Prowler. Each of the four squadrons operates five aircraft
and are land-based, although they are capable of operating aboard U.S. Navy aircraft carriers
and have done so in the past. In 2013, VMAQ-1 converted from an active to
a training squadron as the USN stopped training on the Prowler and switched over to the Growler.
The Marine Training squadron first received students for training in October 2013 and
produced its first training flights in April 2014.
In 2008, the USMC was investigating an electronic attack role for the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning
II to replace their Prowlers. USN squadrons
A typical Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron consists of four EA-6B Prowlers. Navy Electronic
Attack squadrons carry the letters VAQ. Most VAQ squadrons are carrier-based, however a
number are "expeditionary", deploying to overseas land bases.
Notable accidents While no Prowler has ever been lost in combat,
nearly fifty of the 170 built were destroyed in various accidents as of 2013. In 1998,
a memorial at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island was dedicated to 44 crew members lost in EA-6B
aircraft accidents. On 26 May 1981, a USMC EA-6B crashed onto
the flight deck of Nimitz and caused a fire, killing 14 crew men and injuring 45 others.
The Prowler was running out of fuel after a missed approach, and its crash and the subsequent
fire and explosions destroyed or damaged 11 other aircraft.
A USMC EA-6B Prowler, BuNo 163045, from VMAQ-2 caused the Cavalese cable car disaster on
3 February 1998, accidentally cutting the cables of a cableway in Italy during a low
level flight in mountainous terrain, killing 20 persons.
On 10 November 1998, a USN EA-6B landed on a Lockheed S-3 Viking during night landing
qualifications on Enterprise; four crew members were killed.
On 11 March 2013, a VAQ-129 EA-6B crashed in Eastern Washington, killing all three crew
members on board. An investigation determined the cause to be pilot error.
Specifications
Data from US Navy Fact File, US Navy history page
General characteristics Crew: four
Length: 59 ft 10 in Wingspan: 53 ft
Height: 16 ft 8 in Wing area: 528.9 ft²
Empty weight: 31,160 lb Max. takeoff weight: 61,500 lb
Powerplant: 2 × Pratt & Whitney J52-P408A turbojet, 10,400 lbf each
Performance Maximum speed: 566 knots
Cruise speed: 418 kt Range: 2,022 mi / 2,400 mi
Service ceiling: 37,600 ft Rate of climb: 12,900 ft/min
Wing loading: 116 lb/ft² Thrust/weight: 0.34
Armament Hardpoints: 5 total: 1× centreline/under-fuselage
plus 4× under-wing pylon stations with a capacity of 18,000 pounds and provisions
to carry combinations of: Missiles: Up to 4× AGM-88 HARM Anti-radiation
missiles Other:Up to 5× 300 US gallons external drop
tanks Up to 5× AN/ALQ-99 Tactical Jamming System
external pods AN/ALE-43(V)1&4 Bulk Chaff Dispensing System
pod AN/AAQ-28(V) LITENING targeting pod
Avionics AN/ALQ-218 Tactical Jamming System Receiver
AN/USQ-113 Communications Jamming System See also
Related development Grumman A-6 Intruder
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era
General Dynamics/Grumman EF-111A Raven Boeing EA-18G Growler
Related lists List of active military aircraft of the United
States References
Notes
Bibliography
External links EA-6B Prowler Fact File and EA-6B history
on Navy.mil EA-6B Prowler on GlobalSecurity.org
EA-6B Gondola Mishap, Cavalese, Italy, 3 February 1998, Aviation Safety Consulting Services,