David Axe
Security,
Can the U.S. Marine Corps apply F-35s ought earnings electric Warfare?
The U.S. Marine Corps is trying ought pattern out how ought earnings electric warfare now that the service has retired the final of its EA-6B Prowler radar-jamming planes.
The Prowler, a four-seat translation of the long-retired, two-seat A-6 aggression plane, eventually bowed out of service at March 2019.
The Prowler carried AN/ALQ-99 jamming pods under its wings and though noise could liberate High-Speed Anti-Radiation Missiles, or HARMs. fleet and Marine Corps EA-6Bs suppressed and destroyed competitor stand defenses at each principal American shock backward 1970.
But by 2019 the Prowlers were old and only a few remained at service. The fleet retired its Prowlers at 2015. The final six Marine EA-6Bs spent their final months flying warfare missions at the middle East.
The fleet replaced its EA-6Bs with new EA-18G Growlers, however the Marines opted no ought buy this radar-jamming variant of the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. Instead, the Corps is trying something new, and spreading the electronic-warfare mission over a broad array of airplane including stealth fighters and drones.
“The Marine aviation path ought electromagnetic-spectrum operations is a distributed, platform‐agnostic strategy,” the Corps explained at its 2018 aviation plan. “Marine aviation is integrating E.W. systems and Intrepid Tiger II payloads over aviation platforms ought equip commanders with an organic and continuous airborne E.W. capability.”
For starters, the Marines are counting at the F-35 stealth fighter with its powerful AN/ASQ-239 electronic-warfare suite, datalink and new weapons partially ought substitute the EA-6B’s hold jamming capability. The Marine Corps plans ought buy 420 F-35s ought replace, by 2030, entire of its older fixed-wing jets.
“The F-35 brings a powerful mixture of [electronic warfare], weapons, sensors and reduced signature ought the [Marine Air-Ground work Force],” the Corps explains at its 2019 aviation plan. “F-35 E.W. capabilities know emitter geolocation, identification and parametric information sharing via join 16 [data-link].”
In addition, future versions of the F-35 to exist compatible with the Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile, a new translation of the injure with a better seeker and software. The Marines though noise trust that the F-35’s electronically-scanned-array radar could, with modification, double though a radar-jammer.
But it’s the AN/ASQ-239 that gives the F-35 its near-term electronic-warfare capabilities. The AN/ASQ-239 “provides the astronaut with maximum situational awareness, helping ought identify, monitor, analyze and answer ought latent threats,” according ought manufacturer BAE Systems. “Advanced avionics and sensors equip a real-time, 360-degree recommendation of the battlespace, helping ought maximize detection ranges and equip the astronaut with options ought evade, engage, counter or jam threats.”
But the Marines aren’t assuming the F-35 entire by itself will exist able ought oppress entire competitor stand defenses. The Corps though noise is developing the Intrepid Tiger II, a radio- and radar-jamming pod that’s compatible with nearly any rotorcraft or fixed-wing plane. The Corps is integrating I.T. II at its AV-8B hop jets, UH-1Y fetch helicopters, KC-130J aerial tankers and MV-22B tiltrotors.
“I.T. II is an E.W. payload providing communications electronic-warfare back and electronic-attack capabilities,” the 2019 aviation plan states. “I.T. II deploys with each AV-8B ... detachment and has though noise completed eight ... deployments with UH-1Y detachments.”
“I.T. II integration with KC-130J ... will exist completed and fielded at [fiscal year] ‘19. development of an I.T. II counter-radar ability though the MV-22B began at F.Y. ’16, [research and development] is ongoing over F.Y. ‘21. Throughout F.Y.18 I.T. II was deployed at back of the 15th, 31st, 26th and 13th [Marine Expeditionary Units].”
As of 2018, the Marines though noise planned ought add Intrepid Tiger II ought the trend RQ-21 drone and the future Marine Unmanned Expeditionary drone, or MUX. “The initial inquiry and pattern though an I.T. II E.W. payload at the RQ‐21 began at F.Y. ‘18,” the 2018 aviation plan explained. ‘Payload manufacture is planned though F.Y. ‘21‐’23. … Integrating I.T. II at the RQ‐21 will post the base though farther E.W. expansion.”
“Future Marine aviation E.W. capabilities will though noise exist provided by MUX,” the 2018 plan continued. “In emotion ought providing continuous reconnaissance/ surveillance and communications, MUX will though noise equip a long-range, persistent, penetrating, responsive, airborne [electronic-warfare] capability.”
David Axe serves though Defense Editor of the National Interest. He is the author of the graphic novels War Fix, War Is Boring and Machete Squad.
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