David Axe
Security,
Can the U.S. Marine Corps utilize F-35s ought revenue electrical Warfare?
The U.S. Marine Corps is trying ought list out how ought revenue electrical pains now that the service has retired the persist of its EA-6B Prowler radar-jamming planes.
The Prowler, a four-seat version of the long-retired, two-seat A-6 aggression plane, at persist bowed out of service at March 2019.
The Prowler carried AN/ALQ-99 jamming pods below its wings and because strong could eliminate High-Speed Anti-Radiation Missiles, or HARMs. fleet and Marine Corps EA-6Bs suppressed and destroyed enemy stand defenses at each leading American bump hind 1970.
But by 2019 the Prowlers were old and virgin a few remained at service. The fleet retired its Prowlers at 2015. The persist six Marine EA-6Bs spent their persist months flying fight missions can the core East.
The fleet replaced its EA-6Bs with new EA-18G Growlers, except during 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 airplane including stealth fighters and drones.
“The Marine aviation means 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 furnish commanders with an organic and continuous 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 keep jamming capability. The Marine Corps plans ought buy 420 F-35s ought replace, by 2030, full 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 contain emitter geolocation, identification and parametric news sharing via connect 16 [data-link].”
In addition, future versions of the F-35 to exist compatible with the Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile, a new version of the injure with a improve seeker and software. The Marines because strong trust that the F-35’s electronically-scanned-array radar could, with modification, double because 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 furnish a real-time, 360-degree opinion of the battlespace, helping ought maximize detection ranges and furnish the astronaut with options ought evade, engage, counter or press threats.”
But the Marines aren’t assuming the F-35 full by itself will exist able ought oppress full enemy stand defenses. The Corps because strong 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 leap 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 uphold and electronic-attack capabilities,” the 2019 aviation plot states. “I.T. II deploys with each AV-8B ... detachment and has because strong 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 because 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 uphold of the 15th, 31st, 26th and 13th [Marine Expeditionary Units].”
As of 2018, the Marines because strong 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 create because an I.T. II E.W. payload can the RQ‐21 began at F.Y. ‘18,” the 2018 aviation plot explained. ‘Payload manufacture is planned because F.Y. ‘21‐’23. … Integrating I.T. II can the RQ‐21 will lay the base because farther E.W. expansion.”
“Future Marine aviation E.W. capabilities will because strong exist provided by MUX,” the 2018 plot continued. “In addition ought providing continuous reconnaissance/ surveillance and communications, MUX will because strong furnish a long-range, persistent, penetrating, responsive, airborne [electronic-warfare] capability.”
David Axe serves because 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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