Paul Lewis/WASHINGTON DC
Northrop Grumman has delivered to the US Navy the first of 20 rebuilt and upgraded EA-6B Prowlers, planned to equip five new expeditionary squadrons, as part of a wider programme of rolling improvements to sustain its fleet of electronic warfare aircraft.
The EA-6s are being upgraded from the earlier Block 82 to Block 89 standard. The nine-month refurbishment includes the installation of new avionics, a newly manufactured wing centre section, wiring and depot level maintenance. The 20 jets, built in fiscal year 1982, have been stored at the company's St Augustine plant for the last two to three years.
Dave Stafford, Northrop Grumman director of business development and strategic planning, says: "All of the aircraft needed a new section from the wingfold through the keel, a halon fire extinguisher, electronic flight instrumentation systems [EFIS] and new radios."
The aircraft will replace a mix of Block 82 and 86 machines on loan from USN carrier air groups to the five land-based expeditionary squadrons set up to replace the USAF's Grumman EF-111A, which was withdrawn from service in March 1998.
Each of the squadrons, three of which are already heavily committed meeting deployments in Italy, Turkey and Saudi Arabia, will be equipped with four Block 89 Prowlers. "These 20 aircraft are sorely needed-It is important to do this in a timely fashion. We'll be delivering one EA-6B a month for the next 20 months," says Stafford.
Another 20 Block 82 aircraft operated by four US Marine Corps squadrons are being upgraded to the slightly more advanced Block 89A standard. The improvements include a new embedded global positioning and inertial navigation system, AYK-14 computers, EFIS and radios.
Northrop Grumman, as part of a second upgrade project, was awarded a $150 million contract in early 1998 to develop the new Improved Capability (ICAP III) electronic warfare package. It will provide a new reactive tactical jamming system and new mission displays, controls and software to deal with today's advanced radar threats.
The USN plans to upgrade its mixed fleet of ICAP II equipped Block 82/86/89A standard aircraft - now equipping 11 aircraft carrier squadrons - to the new ICAP III configuration from early 2004.
Source: Flight International
