US Navy retires Prowler electronic attack aircraft after close to 45 years' service

[Zarvan]

Having entered service in 1971, the EA-6B Prowler electronic attack aircraft has now been retired in favour of the more modern and capable EA-18G Growler. Source: US Navy
The US Navy (USN) retired from service the last of its Grumman EA-6B Prowler electronic attack (EA) aircraft during a three-day 'sundown' ceremony at Naval Air Station (NAS) Whidbey Island in Washington state from 25 to 27 June.

The four-seat Prowler, which was developed from the twin-seat A-6 Intruder attack aircraft, first entered service with the US Navy in 1971. With the final unit (Electronic Attack Squadron [VAQ] 134) having now fully transitioned over the successor Boeing EA-18G Growler, the Prowler was withdrawn after nearly 45 years of operations.

Although a highly capable EA platform, the Prowler had for a long time been showing its age and a need for replacement.

With no real self-defence capability, the Prowler needed a fighter escort when operating in denied environments. With a relatively modest (for a jet) top speed of 556 kt, the Prowler could not keep up with the navy's modern crop of fighters, requiring them to slow down to a sub-optimum performance envelope, which is far from ideal when flying in enemy airspace.

This is not an issue for its successor, since it is based on the same F/A-18E/F Super Hornet airframe as the navy's current fleet defence fighter. As well, the Growler is capable of defending itself with air-to-air missiles and so does not need an escort in the first place.

While the transition from Prowler to Growler has largely seen the current capabilities cross-decked from one platform to the other, one issue that the navy had to deal with was the 50% reduction in the number of crew members needed. With only half as many crew members as the Prowler, one of the navy's biggest priorities was to redefine the different roles of the Growler's two-man crew. The pilot is no longer fully occupied with flying the aircraft, but instead spends much of his or her time operating the mission systems as well.

Whereas each crew station in the Prowler is fitted with specific kit for specific tasks, in the Growler both crew members have access to the full range of onboard mission systems. However, the specific systems tasked to each crew member largely depend on the mission being flown at that time.

As well as being more capable than its predecessor, the Growler is also easier to maintain, needing 1.6 man-hours of servicing per flight hour compared with 30 man-hours per flight hour for the Prowler.

At the height of its service, there were 170 Prowlers in the USN's inventory. These have been replaced by 114 Growlers.

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US Navy retires Prowler electronic attack aircraft after close to 45 years' service - IHS Jane's 360
@Horus @nair @SpArK @AUSTERLITZ

 

[C130]

still could be used as an attack aircraft for Iraq/Afghanistan air forces.

interesting the engine that powers the A-6 also powered the long range nuclear cruise missile Hound Dog

 

[TheFlyingPretzel]

Having entered service in 1971, the EA-6B Prowler electronic attack aircraft has now been retired in favour of the more modern and capable EA-18G Growler. Source: US Navy
The US Navy (USN) retired from service the last of its Grumman EA-6B Prowler electronic attack (EA) aircraft during a three-day 'sundown' ceremony at Naval Air Station (NAS) Whidbey Island in Washington state from 25 to 27 June.

The four-seat Prowler, which was developed from the twin-seat A-6 Intruder attack aircraft, first entered service with the US Navy in 1971. With the final unit (Electronic Attack Squadron [VAQ] 134) having now fully transitioned over the successor Boeing EA-18G Growler, the Prowler was withdrawn after nearly 45 years of operations.

Although a highly capable EA platform, the Prowler had for a long time been showing its age and a need for replacement.

With no real self-defence capability, the Prowler needed a fighter escort when operating in denied environments. With a relatively modest (for a jet) top speed of 556 kt, the Prowler could not keep up with the navy's modern crop of fighters, requiring them to slow down to a sub-optimum performance envelope, which is far from ideal when flying in enemy airspace.

This is not an issue for its successor, since it is based on the same F/A-18E/F Super Hornet airframe as the navy's current fleet defence fighter. As well, the Growler is capable of defending itself with air-to-air missiles and so does not need an escort in the first place.

While the transition from Prowler to Growler has largely seen the current capabilities cross-decked from one platform to the other, one issue that the navy had to deal with was the 50% reduction in the number of crew members needed. With only half as many crew members as the Prowler, one of the navy's biggest priorities was to redefine the different roles of the Growler's two-man crew. The pilot is no longer fully occupied with flying the aircraft, but instead spends much of his or her time operating the mission systems as well.

Whereas each crew station in the Prowler is fitted with specific kit for specific tasks, in the Growler both crew members have access to the full range of onboard mission systems. However, the specific systems tasked to each crew member largely depend on the mission being flown at that time.

As well as being more capable than its predecessor, the Growler is also easier to maintain, needing 1.6 man-hours of servicing per flight hour compared with 30 man-hours per flight hour for the Prowler.

At the height of its service, there were 170 Prowlers in the USN's inventory. These have been replaced by 114 Growlers.

What is probably not known to many is that Boeing subcontracted the construction of the cockpit subassembly of the E/A-18 Growler to Bangalore-based Bharat Electronics Limited. BEL has successfully placed itself at the front of absorbing American technology mostly enabled by India's recent acquisition of the P-8 Poseidon.

Here's a link and text for those interested:

Boeing [NYSE: BA] on May 3 delivered to the U.S. Navy the first EA-18G Growler electronic attack aircraft with a cockpit subassembly produced by Bangalore-based Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL). The subassembly provides cockpit floodlighting compatible with the aircraft's Night Vision Imaging System (NVIS).

Boeing awarded BEL an initial contract in March 2011 for work on Super Hornet cockpit subassemblies. That contract included options to renew annually for up to four years. As a result of BEL's demonstrated performance, Boeing recently exercised an option to renew the contract for another year.

"BEL continues to demonstrate its capabilities and its position as a valued partner to Boeing," said Dennis Swanson, vice president of International Business Development for Boeing Defense, Space & Security in India. "BEL's work on P-8I, Super Hornets and Growlers is another example of how Indian companies are becoming a part of the global supply chain while Boeing helps them expand their opportunities across the global aerospace industry."

Other EA-18G parts produced by BEL include a complex-machined stowage panel for the Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System connector cable and an avionics cooling system fan test switch panel with an NVIS-compatible floodlight assembly. Some of these cockpit subassemblies also will be installed on Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornets.

In addition to its F/A-18E/F and EA-18G work, BEL provides Identification Friend or Foe interrogators and Data Link II communications systems for the Indian Navy's fleet of P-8I maritime reconnaissance aircraft. Boeing and BEL also partnered to establish the Analysis & Experimentation Centre in Bangalore in 2009. The center is a resource for collaboration, experimentation and discovery where the two companies work together to help the Indian Armed Forces understand the potential operational impacts of new system concepts, innovative technologies, and emerging and evolving processes.

BEL is an Indian defense public sector company and a leading Indian defense electronics company. It is engaged in the design, development and manufacture of a wide range of cutting-edge Command, Control, Communications, Computing and Intelligence solutions; military communication systems; radars and sonars, as well as naval and electronic warfare systems for defense and security applications.

Boeing Delivers 1st EA-18G Growler Featuring Bharat Electronics Limited Cockpit Subassembly​

Very commendable.

 

[GR!FF!N]

Thats means now they'll use only Growler..

Growler is a highly capable platform.It surely can serve next 2 decades easily.