77-744: The Northrop Grumman (formerly Grumman ) EA-6B Prowler is a twin-engine , four-seat, 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 and United States Navy ; it was used during the Vietnam War . Development on the more advanced EA-6B began in 1966. An EA-6B aircrew consisted of one pilot and three Electronic Countermeasures Officers , though it
154-493: 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. Over the next several years, the three aircraft were dismantled and reassembled to create
231-457: A portmanteau of " aviation electronics ". Radio communication was first used in aircraft just prior to World War I . The first airborne radios were in zeppelins , but the military sparked development of light radio sets that could be carried by heavier-than-air craft, so that aerial reconnaissance biplanes could report their observations immediately in case they were shot down. The first experimental radio transmission from an airplane
308-540: A traffic alert and collision avoidance system (TCAS), which can detect the location of nearby aircraft, and provide instructions for avoiding a midair collision. Smaller aircraft may use simpler traffic alerting systems such as TPAS, which are passive (they do not actively interrogate the transponders of other aircraft) and do not provide advisories for conflict resolution. To help avoid controlled flight into terrain ( CFIT ), aircraft use systems such as ground-proximity warning systems (GPWS), which use radar altimeters as
385-554: A Naval Air Reserve Force squadron at NAS Whidbey Island in 1979 with EA-6A aircraft, transitioning to the EA-6B in 1989 as part of Carrier Air Wing Reserve THIRTY (CVWR-30). Disestablished on 31 Dec 1994 following the decommissioning of CVWR-30 due to budget cuts; aircraft returned to the Regular Navy. 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,
462-649: A Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron. These Navy Electronic Attack squadrons carried the letters VAQ (V-fixed wing, A-attack, Q-electronic); most of these squadrons were carrier -based, while others were "expeditionary" and deployed to overseas land bases. VAQ-128 : Established as an expeditionary squadron in October 1997, utilizing the insignia and heritage of the former A-6 Intruder Fleet Replacement Squadron at NAS Whidbey Island. Disestablished in September 2004 due to budget reductions. VAQ-309 : Established as
539-506: A business on December 6, 1929, and officially opened on January 2, 1930. While maintaining the business by welding aluminum tubing for truck frames, the company eagerly pursued contracts with the US Navy . Grumman designed the first practical floats with a retractable landing gear for the Navy, and this launched Grumman into the aviation market. The first Grumman aircraft was also for the Navy,
616-832: A combination of technical expertise, precision, and adherence to stringent regulatory standards. The process typically involves: Avionics installation is governed by strict regulatory frameworks to ensure the safety and reliability of aircraft systems. In the United States, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) sets the standards for avionics installations. These include guidelines for: The field of avionics has seen rapid technological advancements in recent years, leading to more integrated and automated systems. Key trends include: Specialized avionics installation shops provide these services to aircraft owners, ensuring compliance with industry standards and
693-613: A crash to determine control settings and other parameters during the incident. Weather systems such as weather radar (typically Arinc 708 on commercial aircraft) and lightning detectors are important for aircraft flying at night or in instrument meteorological conditions , where it is not possible for pilots to see the weather ahead. Heavy precipitation (as sensed by radar) or severe turbulence (as sensed by lightning activity) are both indications of strong convective activity and severe turbulence, and weather systems allow pilots to deviate around these areas. Lightning detectors like
770-562: A crew of four, a pilot and three Electronic Countermeasures Officers (known as ECMOs). The two ECMOs in the rear cockpit operated the Prowler's primary jamming equipment, while the ECMO in the front right seat handled navigation, communications, and defensive electronic countermeasures. Powered by two non- afterburning Pratt & Whitney J52-P-408A turbojet engines, it was capable of speeds of over 500 knots (580 mph; 930 km/h), with
847-435: A key element. One of the major weaknesses of GPWS is the lack of "look-ahead" information, because it only provides altitude above terrain "look-down". In order to overcome this weakness, modern aircraft use a terrain awareness warning system ( TAWS ). Commercial aircraft cockpit data recorders, commonly known as "black boxes", store flight information and audio from the cockpit . They are often recovered from an aircraft after
SECTION 10
#1732773302842924-459: A memorial at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island was dedicated to 44 crew members lost in EA-6B aircraft accidents. Data from US Navy Fact File, US Navy history page General characteristics Performance Armament Avionics Related development Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era Related lists Grumman The Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation , later Grumman Aerospace Corporation ,
1001-606: A range of over 1,000 nautical miles (1,200 miles; 1,900 kilometres). Design particulars included the refueling probe being asymmetrical, appearing bent to the right to improve pilot visibility over that of the A-6 Intruder. It contained an antenna near its root. The canopy had a shading of gold to protect the crew against the radio emissions that the electronic warfare equipment produces. The EA-6B entered service with Fleet Replacement Squadron VAQ-129 in September 1970, and Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 132 (VAQ-132) became
1078-524: A single aircraft, b/n 158542, which the Navy dubbed "FrankenProwler". It was returned to active service on 23 March 2005. 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
1155-455: A single screen, greatly simplifying navigation. Modern weather systems also include wind shear and turbulence detection and terrain and traffic warning systems. In‑plane weather avionics are especially popular in Africa , India , and other countries where air-travel is a growing market, but ground support is not as well developed. There has been a progression towards centralized control of
1232-537: A wave of mergers as aerospace companies shrank in number; in 1994 Northrop bought Grumman for $ 2.1 billion to form Northrop Grumman , after Northrop topped a $ 1.9 billion offer from Martin Marietta . The new company closed almost all of its facilities on Long Island and converted the Bethpage plant to a residential and office complex, with its headquarters becoming the corporate headquarters for Cablevision and
1309-420: A while, there are strict rules about using it to navigate the aircraft. Dipping sonar fitted to a range of military helicopters allows the helicopter to protect shipping assets from submarines or surface threats. Maritime support aircraft can drop active and passive sonar devices ( sonobuoys ) and these are also used to determine the location of enemy submarines. Electro-optic systems include devices such as
1386-713: Is also used for line of sight communication such as aircraft-to-aircraft and aircraft-to-ATC. Amplitude modulation (AM) is used, and the conversation is performed in simplex mode. Aircraft communication can also take place using HF (especially for trans-oceanic flights) or satellite communication. Air navigation is the determination of position and direction on or above the surface of the Earth. Avionics can use satellite navigation systems (such as GPS and WAAS ), inertial navigation system (INS), ground-based radio navigation systems (such as VOR or LORAN ), or any combination thereof. Some navigation systems such as GPS calculate
1463-689: The 366th Operations Group at Mountain Home AFB , Idaho . Though once considered being replaced by Common Support Aircraft , that plan failed to materialize. 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 were based at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island . VAQ-136
1540-721: The Grumman FF-1 , a biplane with retractable landing gear developed at Curtiss Field in 1931. This was followed by a number of other successful designs. During World War II , Grumman became known for its "Cats" (Navy fighter aircraft ): the F4F Wildcat and F6F Hellcat , the Grumman F7F Tigercat and Grumman F8F Bearcat , and also for its torpedo bomber , the Grumman TBF Avenger . Grumman ranked 22nd among United States corporations in
1617-547: The Gulfstream G‑IV private jet in 1985. One of the key challenges in glass cockpits is to balance how much control is automated and how much the pilot should do manually. Generally they try to automate flight operations while keeping the pilot constantly informed. Aircraft have means of automatically controlling flight. Autopilot was first invented by Lawrence Sperry during World War I to fly bomber planes steady enough to hit accurate targets from 25,000 feet. When it
SECTION 20
#17327733028421694-573: The Single European Sky ATM Research (SESAR) initiative in Europe. The Joint Planning and Development Office put forth a roadmap for avionics in six areas: The Aircraft Electronics Association reports $ 1.73 billion avionics sales for the first three quarters of 2017 in business and general aviation , a 4.1% yearly improvement: 73.5% came from North America, forward-fit represented 42.3% while 57.7% were retrofits as
1771-772: The U.S. Marine Corps and Navy . VMAQ squadrons operated the EA-6B Prowler. Each of the three squadrons operated five aircraft; the squadrons were land-based, although they were capable of operating aboard U.S. Navy aircraft carriers and did 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,
1848-571: The head-up display (HUD), forward looking infrared (FLIR), infrared search and track and other passive infrared devices ( Passive infrared sensor ). These are all used to provide imagery and information to the flight crew. This imagery is used for everything from search and rescue to navigational aids and target acquisition . Electronic support measures and defensive aids systems are used extensively to gather information about threats or possible threats. They can be used to launch devices (in some cases automatically) to counter direct threats against
1925-636: The magnetron vacuum tube , in the famous Tizard Mission , significantly shortened the war. Modern avionics is a substantial portion of military aircraft spending. Aircraft like the F-15E and the now retired F-14 have roughly 20 percent of their budget spent on avionics. Most modern helicopters now have budget splits of 60/40 in favour of avionics. The civilian market has also seen a growth in cost of avionics. Flight control systems ( fly-by-wire ) and new navigation needs brought on by tighter airspaces, have pushed up development costs. The major change has been
2002-507: The 1970s when flight-worthy cathode-ray tube (CRT) screens began to replace electromechanical displays, gauges and instruments. A "glass" cockpit refers to the use of computer monitors instead of gauges and other analog displays. Aircraft were getting progressively more displays, dials and information dashboards that eventually competed for space and pilot attention. In the 1970s, the average aircraft had more than 100 cockpit instruments and controls. Glass cockpits started to come into being with
2079-762: The 2 MH-60 Black Hawk stealth helicopters and 2 Chinook helicopters raiding Osama Bin Laden's compound in Operation Neptune Spear . VMAQ-3 began flying Prowler missions against Islamic State militants over Iraq in June 2014. Once Operation Inherent Resolve began in August, VMAQ-4 took over. The Prowlers were the first Marine Corps aircraft in Syria and support strike packages, air drops, and electronic warfare requirements against militants. By January 2015,
2156-674: The Airlines Electronic Engineering Committee (AEEC) and published by ARINC. Avionics installation is a critical aspect of modern aviation, ensuring that aircraft are equipped with the necessary electronic systems for safe and efficient operation. These systems encompass a wide range of functions, including communication, navigation, monitoring, flight control, and weather detection. Avionics installations are performed on all types of aircraft, from small general aviation planes to large commercial jets and military aircraft. The installation of avionics requires
2233-562: The Calverton plant being turned into a business/industrial complex. Former aircraft hangars have become Grumman Studios , a film and television production center. A portion of the airport property has been used for the Grumman Memorial Park. Avionics Avionics (a portmanteau of aviation and electronics ) are the electronic systems used on aircraft . Avionic systems include communications, navigation ,
2310-469: The EA-6B was 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 was capable of gathering electronic signals intelligence . The EA-6B Prowler was continually upgraded over the years. The first such upgrade was named "expanded capability" (EXCAP) beginning in 1973. Then came "improved capability" (ICAP) in 1976 and ICAP II in 1980. The ICAP II upgrade provided
2387-913: The EA-6B was withdrawn from U.S. Navy service in June 2015, followed by the USMC in March 2019. The EA-6A "Electric Intruder" was developed for the U.S. Marine Corps during the 1960s to replace its EF-10B Skyknights and AD Skyraiders in the Electronic countermeasure (ECM) role. The EA-6A was a direct conversion of the standard A-6 Intruder airframe, with two seats, equipped with electronic warfare (EW) equipment. The EA-6A first entered service in Marine Corps squadrons in December 1965, and saw action in Operation Rolling Thunder ; it
Grumman EA-6B Prowler - Misplaced Pages Continue
2464-649: The EA-6B with the capability of firing Shrike missiles and AGM-88 HARM missiles. The Advanced Capability EA-6B Prowler (ADVCAP) 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
2541-603: 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 (OSD) program memorandum to establish 4 land based "expeditionary" Prowler squadrons to meet the needs of the Air Force. From 2004 to 2014 the U.S. Air Force augmented Navy Prowler units with Electronic Warfare Officers from the 388th and 390th Electronic Combat Squadrons assigned to
2618-680: The Gulfstream I was operated by several regional airlines in scheduled passenger services. The Gulfstream I-C (Grumman model G-159C) version was "stretched" to carry 37 passengers. In the early 1970s, Grumman acquired majority interest in the American Aviation line of very light aircraft -- relabeling its planes as "Grumman-American" or "Grumman American" -- eventually joining it with their Gulfstream division before selling off that combined enterprise in 1978. In 1978, Grumman sold Gulfstream to American Jet Industries , which adopted
2695-594: The Gulfstream name. Since 1999, Gulfstream has been a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics . For much of the Cold War period, Grumman was the largest corporate employer on Long Island . Grumman's products were considered so reliable and ruggedly built that the company was often referred to as the " Grumman Iron Works ". As the company grew, it moved to Valley Stream, New York , then Farmingdale, New York , finally to its facility in Bethpage, New York , with
2772-689: The Intruder in 1990. The U.S. Navy still employs the Hawkeye as part of Carrier Air Wings on board aircraft carriers, while the U.S. Marine Corps, the last branch of service to fly the Prowler, retired it on March 8, 2019. Grumman was the chief contractor on the Apollo Lunar Module , the first spacecraft to land humans on the Moon. The firm received the contract on November 7, 1962, and built 13 lunar modules. Six of them successfully landed on
2849-596: The Moon, with one serving as a lifeboat on Apollo 13 , after an explosion crippled the main Apollo spacecraft. LM-2, a test article which never flew in space, is displayed permanently in the Smithsonian Institution . As the Apollo program neared its end, Grumman was one of the main competitors for the contract to design and build the Space Shuttle , but lost to Rockwell International . In 1969,
2926-862: The Multifunction Information Distribution System (MIDS), which includes the Link 16 data link system. Northrop delivered two lots and delivered two more beginning in 2010. The EA-6B Prowlers in service toward the end of its life were the ICAP III version, carrying the ALQ-99 Tactical Jamming System. Designed for carrier-based and advanced base operations, the EA-6B was 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
3003-522: The Stormscope or Strikefinder have become inexpensive enough that they are practical for light aircraft. In addition to radar and lightning detection, observations and extended radar pictures (such as NEXRAD ) are now available through satellite data connections, allowing pilots to see weather conditions far beyond the range of their own in-flight systems. Modern displays allow weather information to be integrated with moving maps, terrain, and traffic onto
3080-1133: The U.S. deadline of January 1, 2020 for mandatory ADS-B out approach. The cockpit or, in larger aircraft, under the cockpit of an aircraft or in a movable nosecone, is a typical location for avionic bay equipment, including control, monitoring, communication, navigation, weather, and anti-collision systems. The majority of aircraft power their avionics using 14- or 28‑volt DC electrical systems; however, larger, more sophisticated aircraft (such as airliners or military combat aircraft) have AC systems operating at 115 volts 400 Hz, AC. There are several major vendors of flight avionics, including The Boeing Company , Panasonic Avionics Corporation , Honeywell (which now owns Bendix/King ), Universal Avionics Systems Corporation , Rockwell Collins (now Collins Aerospace), Thales Group , GE Aviation Systems , Garmin , Raytheon , Parker Hannifin , UTC Aerospace Systems (now Collins Aerospace), Selex ES (now Leonardo ), Shadin Avionics, and Avidyne Corporation . International standards for avionics equipment are prepared by
3157-700: The USMC investigated an electronic attack role for the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II to replace their Prowlers. The Marines began retiring the EA-6 in 2016 and replaced them with the Marine Air-Ground Task Force Electronic Warfare (MAGTF-EW) concept, which calls for a medium to high-altitude long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle to off-load at least some of the electronic warfare mission. In November 2018, VMAQ-2 returned from performing
Grumman EA-6B Prowler - Misplaced Pages Continue
3234-550: The USN planned to fly the EA-6B until 2015, while the USMC expect to phase out the Prowler in March 2019. The last Navy deployment was on George H.W. Bush in November 2014, with VAQ-134. The last Navy operational flight took place on 27 May 2015. NAS Whidbey held a retirement commemoration for the EA-6B from 25 to 27 June 2015 of the EA-6B culminating on the last day with the Navy's last operational EA-6B Prowler, bureau number 163890, taking off from NAS Whidbey Island. In 2007, it
3311-531: The amount of fuel aboard. Using various sensors, such as capacitance tubes, temperature sensors, densitometers & level sensors, the FQIS computer calculates the mass of fuel remaining on board. Fuel Control and Monitoring System (FCMS) reports fuel remaining on board in a similar manner, but, by controlling pumps & valves, also manages fuel transfers around various tanks. To supplement air traffic control , most large transport aircraft and many smaller ones use
3388-424: The backbone for safe flight, the tactical systems are designed to withstand the rigors of the battle field. UHF , VHF Tactical (30–88 MHz) and SatCom systems combined with ECCM methods, and cryptography secure the communications. Data links such as Link 11 , 16 , 22 and BOWMAN , JTRS and even TETRA provide the means of transmitting data (such as images, targeting information etc.). Airborne radar
3465-639: The company changed its name to Grumman Aerospace Corporation , and in 1978 it sold the Grumman-American Division to Gulfstream Aerospace . That same year, it acquired the bus manufacturer Flxible . The company built the Grumman LLV (Long Life Vehicle), a light transport mail truck designed for and used by the United States Postal Service . The LLV was produced from 1987 until 1994. Its intended service life
3542-424: The display and management of multiple systems, and the hundreds of systems that are fitted to aircraft to perform individual functions. These can be as simple as a searchlight for a police helicopter or as complicated as the tactical system for an airborne early warning platform. The term " avionics " was coined in 1949 by Philip J. Klass , senior editor at Aviation Week & Space Technology magazine as
3619-667: The final deployed operations of USMC Prowlers. The Marines retired the aircraft on 8 March 2019, with some placed in storage and on static display at the Smithsonian Institution Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center of the National Air and Space Museum in Chantilly, Virginia and the Frontiers of Flight Museum at Dallas Love Field . While in U.S. Navy service four EA-6B Prowlers were typically assigned to
3696-523: 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
3773-513: The five aircraft of VMAQ-4 had flown 800 hours during 110 sorties in support of operations in both countries, including supporting coalition airstrikes and providing EW support for Iraqi Army forces to degrade enemy systems. Marine Prowlers had not dropped munitions themselves and host nations basing them have not been revealed. In April 2016, a squadron of EA-6B Prowlers from Marine Corps Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 4 (VMAQ-4), based at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina,
3850-615: The latest generation of airliners . Military aircraft have been designed either to deliver a weapon or to be the eyes and ears of other weapon systems. The vast array of sensors available to the military is used for whatever tactical means required. As with aircraft management, the bigger sensor platforms (like the E‑3D, JSTARS, ASTOR, Nimrod MRA4, Merlin HM Mk 1) have mission-management computers. Police and EMS aircraft also carry sophisticated tactical sensors. While aircraft communications provide
3927-433: The latest technologies. Notable shops include: Communications connect the flight deck to the ground and the flight deck to the passengers. On‑board communications are provided by public-address systems and aircraft intercoms. The VHF aviation communication system works on the airband of 118.000 MHz to 136.975 MHz. Each channel is spaced from the adjacent ones by 8.33 kHz in Europe, 25 kHz elsewhere. VHF
SECTION 50
#17327733028424004-478: The multiple complex systems fitted to aircraft, including engine monitoring and management. Health and usage monitoring systems (HUMS) are integrated with aircraft management computers to give maintainers early warnings of parts that will need replacement. The integrated modular avionics concept proposes an integrated architecture with application software portable across an assembly of common hardware modules. It has been used in fourth generation jet fighters and
4081-1057: 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 VAQ-135 on 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. A total of 39 EA-6B Prowlers were involved in Operation Desert Storm in 1991 with 27 from six aircraft carriers and 12 from USMC bases. During 4,600 flight hours, Prowlers fired over 150 AGM-88 HARM missiles. Navy Prowlers flew 1,132 sorties and USMC flew 516 with no losses. With
4158-527: 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: The added modifications increased the aircraft gross weight approximately 2,000 lb (910 kg) 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
4235-702: The pilot in a single seat aircraft could use it while flying. Radar , the central technology used today in aircraft navigation and air traffic control , was developed by several nations, mainly in secret, as an air defense system in the 1930s during the runup to World War II . Many modern avionics have their origins in World War ;II wartime developments. For example, autopilot systems that are commonplace today began as specialized systems to help bomber planes fly steadily enough to hit precision targets from high altitudes. Britain's 1940 decision to share its radar technology with its U.S. ally, particularly
4312-420: The position automatically and display it to the flight crew on moving map displays. Older ground-based Navigation systems such as VOR or LORAN requires a pilot or navigator to plot the intersection of signals on a paper map to determine an aircraft's location; modern systems calculate the position automatically and display it to the flight crew on moving map displays. The first hints of glass cockpits emerged in
4389-497: The recent boom in consumer flying. As more people begin to use planes as their primary method of transportation, more elaborate methods of controlling aircraft safely in these high restrictive airspaces have been invented. Avionics plays a heavy role in modernization initiatives like the Federal Aviation Administration 's (FAA) Next Generation Air Transportation System project in the United States and
4466-507: 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 (bureau number 158547) 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,
4543-617: 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 was flown in almost all American combat operations from 1972 until its retirement in 2019, and was frequently flown in support of the U.S. Air Force missions. In 2001, 124 Prowlers remained, divided between twelve Navy, four Marine, and four joint Navy-Air Force "Expeditionary" squadrons. A Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) staff study recommended that
4620-460: The squadron, the last equipped with the EA-6B, was disbanded on 8 March 2019, with its remaining two Prowlers being reallocated to museums. The Marine Corps' four members of VAMQ-2 flew the last EA-6B on its final flight on 14 March 2019 from their station at Cherry Point , North Carolina, to the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center . The EA-6B Prowler was operated by the U.S. Armed Forces with squadrons in
4697-489: The testing and final assembly at the 6,000-acre (24 km ) Naval Weapons Station in Calverton, New York , all located on Long Island. At its peak in 1986 it employed 23,000 people on Long Island and occupied 6,000,000 square feet (560,000 m ) in structures on 105 acres (0.42 km ) it leased from the U.S. Navy in Bethpage. The end of the Cold War at the beginning of the 1990s reduced defense spending and led to
SECTION 60
#17327733028424774-675: The value of wartime production contracts. Grumman's first jet aircraft was the F9F Panther ; it was followed by the upgraded F9F/F-9 Cougar , and the F-11 Tiger in the 1950s. The company's big postwar successes came in the 1960s with the A-6 Intruder and E-2 Hawkeye and in the 1970s with the Grumman EA-6B Prowler and F-14 Tomcat . Grumman products were prominent in several feature movies including The Final Countdown in 1980, Top Gun in 1986, and Flight of
4851-469: The vertical fin housed the additional avionics equipment. It was the primary electronic warfare aircraft for the U.S Navy and U.S. Marine Corps. The EA-6B's primary mission was to support ground-attack strikes by disrupting enemy electromagnetic activity. As a secondary mission it could also gather tactical electronic intelligence within a combat zone, and another secondary mission was attacking enemy radar sites with anti-radiation missiles. The Prowler had
4928-509: Was 24 years, but some of them were still in service in 2020. In 1983, Grumman sold Flxible for $ 40 million to General Automotive Corporation of Ann Arbor. In the 1950s, Grumman began production of Gulfstream business aircraft, starting with the Gulfstream I turboprop (Grumman model G-159) and the Gulfstream II jet (Grumman model G-1159). Gulfstream aircraft were operated by many companies, private individuals, and government agencies including various military entities and NASA . In addition,
5005-716: Was a 20th century American producer of military and civilian aircraft . Founded on December 6, 1929, by Leroy Grumman and his business partners, it merged in 1994 with Northrop Corporation to form Northrop Grumman . Leroy Grumman worked for the Loening Aircraft Engineering Corporation beginning in 1920. In 1929, Keystone Aircraft Corporation bought Loening Aircraft and moved its operations from New York City to Bristol, Pennsylvania . Grumman and three other ex-Loening Aircraft employees, ( Edmund Ward Poor , William Schwendler, and Jake Swirbul ) started their own company in an old Cox-Klemin Aircraft Co. factory in Baldwin on Long Island , New York. The company registered as
5082-413: Was conducted by the U.S. Navy in August 1910. The first aircraft radios transmitted by radiotelegraphy . They required a two-seat aircraft with a second crewman who operated a telegraph key to spell out messages in Morse code . During World War I, AM voice two way radio sets were made possible in 1917 (see TM (triode) ) by the development of the triode vacuum tube , which were simple enough that
5159-474: Was deployed to Incirlik Air Base , Turkey for operations over Syria. U.S. European Command confirmed that the deployment was expected to last through September 2016. The Center for Strategic and International Studies suggested that the Prowlers may be used to prevent Russian and Syrian air defense systems from tracking U.S. and coalition aircraft. Prowlers of VMAQ-2 completed their last operational deployment to Al Udeid Air Base , Qatar in November 2018, and
5236-651: 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
5313-512: Was first adopted by the U.S. military , a Honeywell engineer sat in the back seat with bolt cutters to disconnect the autopilot in case of emergency. Nowadays most commercial planes are equipped with aircraft flight control systems in order to reduce pilot error and workload at landing or takeoff. The first simple commercial auto-pilots were used to control heading and altitude and had limited authority on things like thrust and flight control surfaces. In helicopters , auto-stabilization
5390-413: Was initiated in the late 1980s and was broken into three distinct phases: Full-Scale Development (FSD), Vehicle Enhancement Program (VEP) and the Avionics Improvement Program (AIP). 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
5467-434: Was not uncommon for only two ECMOs to be used on missions. It was capable of carrying and firing anti-radiation missiles (ARMs), such as the AGM-88 HARM . The Prowler was in service with the U.S. Armed Forces from 1971 until 2019. It carried out numerous missions for jamming enemy radar systems , and in gathering radio intelligence on those and other enemy air defense systems . Following its last deployment in late 2014,
5544-419: Was one of the first tactical sensors. The benefit of altitude providing range has meant a significant focus on airborne radar technologies. Radars include airborne early warning (AEW), anti-submarine warfare (ASW), and even weather radar ( Arinc 708 ) and ground tracking/proximity radar. The military uses radar in fast jets to help pilots fly at low levels . While the civil market has had weather radar for
5621-404: Was powered by two Pratt & Whitney J52 turbojet engines , and it was capable of high subsonic speeds. Due to its extensive electronic warfare operations, and the aircraft's age (produced until 1991), the EA-6B was a high-maintenance aircraft, and had undergone many frequent equipment upgrades. Although designed as an electronic warfare and command-and-control aircraft for air strike missions,
5698-546: Was reported that the Prowler had been used in counter 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
5775-568: Was stationed at Naval Air Facility Atsugi , Japan, as part of Carrier Air Wing 5 , the forward deployed naval forces (FDNF) 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 were located at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point , North Carolina . In 2013,
5852-502: Was used by three Marine Corps squadrons during the Vietnam War . A total of 27 EA-6As were produced, 15 of which were newly manufactured. 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
5929-412: Was used in a similar way. The first systems were electromechanical. The advent of fly-by-wire and electro-actuated flight surfaces (rather than the traditional hydraulic) has increased safety. As with displays and instruments, critical devices that were electro-mechanical had a finite life. With safety critical systems, the software is very strictly tested. Fuel Quantity Indication System (FQIS) monitors
#841158