David Axe
Security,
Can the U.S. Marine Corps apply F-35s ought earnings electrical Warfare?
The U.S. Marine Corps is trying ought pattern 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 invasion plane, at length bowed out of service at March 2019.
The Prowler carried AN/ALQ-99 jamming pods beneath its wings and though robust could remove High-Speed Anti-Radiation Missiles, or HARMs. fleet and Marine Corps EA-6Bs suppressed and destroyed opponent air defenses at each chief American collide after 1970.
But by 2019 the Prowlers were old and sole a little remained at service. The fleet retired its Prowlers at 2015. The final six Marine EA-6Bs spent their final months flying battle missions at the center East.
The fleet replaced its EA-6Bs with new EA-18G Growlers, besides 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 along 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 along aviation platforms ought supply commanders with an organic and continuous airborne E.W. capability.”
For starters, the Marines are counting above the F-35 stealth fighter with its powerful AN/ASQ-239 electronic-warfare suite, datalink and new weapons partially ought replace the EA-6B’s own jamming capability. The Marine Corps plans ought buy 420 F-35s ought replace, by 2030, complete 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 involve emitter geolocation, identification and parametric news sharing via mingle 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 though robust 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 supply a real-time, 360-degree progposal 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 complete by itself will exist able ought oppress complete opponent air defenses. The Corps though robust is developing the Intrepid Tiger II, a radio- and radar-jamming pod that’s compatible with about any rotorcraft or fixed-wing plane. The Corps is integrating I.T. II above 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 sustain and electronic-attack capabilities,” the 2019 aviation plot states. “I.T. II deploys with each AV-8B ... detachment and has though robust 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 competence though the MV-22B began at F.Y. ’16, [research and development] is ongoing along F.Y. ‘21. Throughout F.Y.18 I.T. II was deployed at sustain of the 15th, 31st, 26th and 13th [Marine Expeditionary Units].”
As of 2018, the Marines though robust planned ought add Intrepid Tiger II ought the recent RQ-21 drone and the future Marine Unmanned Expeditionary drone, or MUX. “The initial research and compose though an I.T. II E.W. payload above the RQ‐21 began at F.Y. ‘18,” the 2018 aviation plot explained. ‘Payload product is planned though F.Y. ‘21‐’23. … Integrating I.T. II above the RQ‐21 will lay the base though farther E.W. expansion.”
“Future Marine aviation E.W. capabilities will though robust exist provided by MUX,” the 2018 plot continued. “In addition ought providing continuous reconnaissance/ surveillance and communications, MUX will though robust 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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