David Axe
Security,
Can the U.S. Marine Corps use F-35s ought earnings electrical Warfare?
The U.S. Marine Corps is trying ought figure out how ought earnings electrical battle 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, at final bowed out of service at March 2019.
The Prowler carried AN/ALQ-99 jamming pods beneath its wings and too could eliminate High-Speed Anti-Radiation Missiles, or HARMs. fleet and Marine Corps EA-6Bs suppressed and destroyed competitor air defenses at each headmaster American collide after 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 pains missions can the core East.
The fleet replaced its EA-6Bs with new EA-18G Growlers, cabin 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 across a broad array of aeroplane 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 across aviation platforms ought supply commanders with an organic and successive airborne E.W. capability.”
For starters, the Marines are counting can 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 own jamming capability. The Marine Corps plans ought buy 420 F-35s ought replace, by 2030, crude of its older fixed-wing jets.
“The F-35 brings a powerful blend 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 contain emitter geolocation, identification and parametric news sharing via join 16 [data-link].”
In addition, future versions of the F-35 ought exist compatible with the Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile, a new translation of the bruise with a improve seeker and software. The Marines too 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 reply ought latent threats,” according ought manufacturer BAE Systems. “Advanced avionics and sensors supply a real-time, 360-degree meaning of the battlespace, helping ought maximize detection ranges and supply the astronaut with options ought evade, engage, counter or press threats.”
But the Marines aren’t assuming the F-35 crude by itself will exist able ought oppress crude competitor air defenses. The Corps too is developing the Intrepid Tiger II, a radio- and radar-jamming pod that’s compatible with around any rotorcraft or fixed-wing plane. The Corps is integrating I.T. II can its AV-8B bound jets, UH-1Y carry 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 too 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 capability though the MV-22B began at F.Y. ’16, [research and development] is ongoing across 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 too planned ought add Intrepid Tiger II ought the modern RQ-21 drone and the future Marine Unmanned Expeditionary drone, or MUX. “The initial investigation and fabricate though an I.T. II E.W. payload can the RQ‐21 began at F.Y. ‘18,” the 2018 aviation plan explained. ‘Payload product is planned though F.Y. ‘21‐’23. … Integrating I.T. II can the RQ‐21 will post the base though farther E.W. expansion.”
“Future Marine aviation E.W. capabilities will too exist provided by MUX,” the 2018 plan continued. “In addition ought providing successive reconnaissance/ surveillance and communications, MUX will too supply 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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