Posted on 09/22/2006 10:59:01 PM PDT by Srirangan
The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] has delivered the first EA-18G Growler airborne electronic attack (AEA) aircraft to the U.S. Navy test site at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md.
The first EA-18G, known as aircraft EA-1, made the two-hour flight from St. Louis to Maryland with U.S. Navy pilot Lt. Matt Doyle and weapons system operator U.S. Navy Cmdr. Jamie Engdahl on board. EA-1 is the first of two test aircraft built under a System Development and Demonstration contract Boeing signed with the Navy on Dec. 29, 2003.
"Delivering this aircraft today continues a promise we made to our customer," said Kevin Fogarty, Boeing EA-18G chief engineer. "We're delivering new capability ahead of schedule, and we look forward to the next step in flight test, where we can prove the advanced concepts and technologies the Growler brings to the AEA community and the Navy."
(Excerpt) Read more at militaryglobal.com ...
Formidable, isn't it.
Sweet!
LOL
Quite the mammy - jammer, 'eh?
You could just imagine the look on the face of the enemy when they see this thing come screaming in for a bomb drop (not to mention the loss of bodily control).
It is a jammer aircraft, all those pods are EW platforms, not bombs, tho one *just has* to be a gas tank.
EF-111 Raven was pretty cool in the day.
Compass Call has the best toys....
Another variation on the classic C-130 (the air frame that just keeps on giving)
Okay, well it looks formidable. Might this not be outfitted for other than EW?
I suppose, but the cockpit and GIB controls would be purpose built for working the EW effort. There would be larger engine mounted generator or Ram Air turbines to run the electric hungry pods.
THe EF-111 Raven is much larger and I suspect, not nearly as fast. This unit replaces the EA-6B - and about time I would say.
Well, it looks real cool.
Indeed it does. Really deadly stuff looks really cool. Like, say, the F22.
Enjoy your evening, such as remains.
Goodnight.
It is carrying sidewinder air to air missles. I am sure it will be fitted with other munitions to strike radars and other high value targets as part of its mission.
Goodnight ASOC, Sleep well and may God watch over you.
When it was first announced, I was at a school where one of the instructors was an 0-6 Navy Captain who used to be the Air Boss on the USS Kennedy.
"Growler" is aviation speak for taking a dump.
He could not believe the Navy was so stupid as to pick this name for the aircraft.
pukin - see #16. Am I right here?
That's a picture of a normal A-6....The EA-6B has 4 passengers and a big jammer thingy on the tail.
http://www.realultimatepower.net/index4.htm
Heres a site with a picture of an EA-6B.
oops wrong link.
http://www.vaq136.com/ea6bphotos/index.html
Wow. I didn't know they had airbags.
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