| Milestones,
Schedule Set for Prowler Replacement
By RICHARD R. BURGESS
Managing Editor
The Navy has laid out a plan for development and procurement of its
next-generation carrier-based electronic attack aircraft, which is expected
to reach operational capability in 2009. The EA-18G--a derivative of
the two-seat F/A-18F Super Hornet strike fighter--will capitalize on
the Improved Capability III (ICAP III) electronic warfare suite being
developed as an upgrade for the Navy's current EA-6B Prowler.
Among the upgraded systems and equipment planned for the Block 1 EA-18G--which
is funded through fiscal year 2009 and will offer an equivalent ICAP
III capability--are the ALQ-99 tactical jamming pods, ALQ-218 radar receiver,
wingtip pods, advanced crew station, the AESA (Airborne Electronically
Scanned Array) multimode radar, and a communications receiver and jammer.
The wingtip pods will displace the AIM-9X Sidewinder air-to-air missiles
carried by the F/A-18E/F. The EA-18G will be armed with AIM-120C AMRAAMs
(Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles) and AGM-88 HARMs (High-Speed
Antiradiation Missiles), but, unlike the F/A-18E/F, will not have a gun
installed in its nose. It will have space available for the ATFLIR (Advanced
Tactical Forward-Looking Infrared) system, but will not be fitted with
the SHARP (Shared Reconnaissance Pod).
Block 2 and 3 EA-18Gs--not currently funded--are expected to have the
ability to launch precision-guided weapons such as the AGM-154 JSOW (Joint
Standoff Weapon) and the AGM-158 JASSM (Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff
Missile). Blocks 2 and 3 also may be equipped with a radar warning receiver,
the IDECM (Integrated Defense Electronic Countermeasures) system, and
advanced receiver modes, and will be able to integrate operation of the
AESA radar with the aircraft's electronic attack suite.
The AESA is scheduled to be flown for the first time in July 2003 on
F/A-18F No. 19.
Boeing has conducted aerodynamic test flights for the EA-18G concept
by using the first F/A-18F development aircraft, fitted with ALQ-99 jamming
pods.
The Navy decided to configure all of its F/A-18Fs--beginning with Lot
30 in FY 2008--with 55 pounds of additional structural modifications
to enable them to be manufactured on the production line as EA-18Gs or
converted later to EA-18Gs if needed. All aircraft earmarked for production
as EA-18Gs will be equipped with the AESA radar. The Navy decided in
late May that, after a Super Hornet is converted to an EA-18G, it will
not revert to the F/A-18F configuration.
Lisa Nyalko, program manager for the EA-18G at the Naval Air Systems
Command, said that the EA-18G has sufficient electrical power for its
jamming mission--which, she said, "can be accomplished by a two-man
crew." The EA-6B carries a four-man crew; recent technological advances,
though, particularly in automation, will enable a smaller crew to carry
out an electronic attack.
The Navy earlier had formed a Hornet Tactics Advisory Team in order
to facilitate a paradigm shift in getting crews to fly the Super Hornet "not
as a Hornet" but to exploit the new capabilities and other advantages
provided by the Super Hornet. "We envision we will do the same thing
with the EA-18G," said Capt. John Sheffler, the electronic attack
program manager at the Naval Air Systems Command. He emphasized that
the EA-18G's smaller (two-man) crew will require new procedures to avoid
crew overload.
The EA-18G development program is estimated to cost $1.5 billion; $4.5
billion is planned for procurement of the first 56 EA-18Gs. The unit
cost of the EA-18G is estimated at $66 million per aircraft, compared
with $59 million for the F/A-18F.
The Navy's decision to proceed with the EA-18G is the result of an analysis
of alternatives conducted by the Department of Defense. Surprising to
many observers was the apparent decision of the Navy and Air Force to
proceed on divergent paths to a future electronic attack solution. The
Air Force has not yet decided on its platforms.
"It is essential for Congress to begin working with the services
immediately to replace the EA-6B Prowler," said Rep. Joe Pitts (R-Pa.),
chairman of the Electronic Warfare Working Group in Congress. "I
expect there ... [will] be support in Congress to move forward with [the
EA-18G] for the Navy. But several of my colleagues and I remain concerned
that each of the services appears intent on developing its own distinct
plan to replace the Prowler. Congress must provide the necessary oversight
to ensure that plans to replace this critical part of our arsenal remain
on track. As we move forward with the service plans, we must ensure that
funding is adequate, without cutting into other vital procurement programs."
Navy and Boeing EA-18G program managers have projected a long-term procurement
schedule for the new aircraft under which two F/A-18Fs--converted to
an EA-18G configuration as the first two SDD (System Design and Development)
aircraft (EA-1 and EA-2)--will be procured in fiscal year 2005 and four
more SDD aircraft, built new as EA-18Gs, will join the program in FY
2008. The latter aircraft will become fleet aircraft after the EA-18G's
operational evaluation, which is scheduled for late FY 2008 and early
FY 2009.
Low-rate initial production (LRIP) is expected to begin in FY 2009 with
12 EA-18Gs, followed in FY 2010 with 18 aircraft. Full-rate production
is scheduled to begin in FY 2011 with 22 aircraft, followed by 20 more
in FY 2012 and 14 in FY 2013. Initial operational capability is planned
for FY 2009, when the fleet readiness squadron and the first fleet squadron
are scheduled to be ready for service.
The Navy's electronic attack requirements officer, Cdr. Sterling Gilliam,
said that the planned procurement of 90 EA-18Gs is intended to equip
10 fleet electronic attack (VAQ) squadrons--one per carrier air wing--as
well one fleet readiness VAQ squadron. The number of EA-18Gs per squadron
is under study; current planning calls for five per deploying squadron.
At present, only four EA-6Bs are in each deploying VAQ.
The Navy also currently fields four additional VAQs in a land-based
expeditionary role to provide electronic warfare support for Air Force
expeditionary wings. Plans to bring a fifth unit--VAQ-143--to full operational
capability have been cancelled. Gilliam said that the Air Force plans
to "re-enter this [electronic attack] mission" and that "currently
there are no plans to replace the expeditionary EA-6Bs with EA-18Gs."
The Marine Corps--which fields four squadrons of five EA-6Bs per squadron--has
not decided on a platform to replace its Prowlers. Because the Corps
does not fly the Super Hornet, adoption of the EA-16G would not be a
natural progression for the Marines in terms of logistics and training,
but the Navy's development of the EA-18G gives the Marine Corps the opportunity
to join the EA-18G program in 2006. A derivative of the F-35 Joint Strike
Fighter also is being contemplated by the Marine Corps as a replacement
for the EA-6B.
The nickname "Growler" that has been used informally for the
EA-18G is not official. Nickname recommendations are being generated
by personnel in the Prowler community at the Electronic Attack Wing,
U.S. Pacific Fleet, at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Wash. *
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