David Axe
Security,
Can the U.S. Marine Corps use F-35s to earnings electrical Warfare?
The U.S. Marine Corps is trying to pattern out how to earnings electrical trouble now that the service has retired the final of its EA-6B Prowler radar-jamming planes.
The Prowler, a four-seat version of the long-retired, two-seat A-6 invasion plane, at final bowed out of service at March 2019.
The Prowler carried AN/ALQ-99 jamming pods beneath its wings and also could remove High-Speed Anti-Radiation Missiles, or HARMs. fleet and Marine Corps EA-6Bs suppressed and destroyed competitor air defenses at each headmaster American shock 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 warfare missions above the core East.
The fleet replaced its EA-6Bs with new EA-18G Growlers, besides during the Marines opted no to 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 aeroplane including stealth fighters and drones.
“The Marine aviation manner to 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 to furnish 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 to replace the EA-6B’s possess jamming capability. The Marine Corps plans to buy 420 F-35s to replace, by 2030, full of its older fixed-wing jets.
“The F-35 brings a powerful blend of [electronic warfare], weapons, sensors and reduced signature to the [Marine Air-Ground work Force],” the Corps explains at its 2019 aviation plan. “F-35 E.W. capabilities embrace emitter geolocation, identification and parametric news 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 version of the injure with a better seeker and software. The Marines also trust that the F-35’s electronically-scanned-array radar could, with modification, double during 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 to identify, monitor, analyze and answer to latent threats,” according to manufacturer BAE Systems. “Advanced avionics and sensors furnish a real-time, 360-degree meaning of the battlespace, helping to maximize detection ranges and furnish the astronaut with options to evade, engage, counter or press threats.”
But the Marines aren’t assuming the F-35 full by itself will exist able to oppress full competitor air defenses. The Corps also is developing the Intrepid Tiger II, a radio- and radar-jamming pod that’s compatible with approximately any rotorcraft or fixed-wing plane. The Corps is integrating I.T. II above its AV-8B leap jets, UH-1Y cause 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 project states. “I.T. II deploys with each AV-8B ... detachment and has also 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 genius during 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 also planned to add Intrepid Tiger II to the tendency RQ-21 drone and the future Marine Unmanned Expeditionary drone, or MUX. “The initial inquiry and compose during an I.T. II E.W. payload above the RQ‐21 began at F.Y. ‘18,” the 2018 aviation project explained. ‘Payload product is planned during F.Y. ‘21‐’23. … Integrating I.T. II above the RQ‐21 will lay the base during farther E.W. expansion.”
“Future Marine aviation E.W. capabilities will also exist provided by MUX,” the 2018 project continued. “In appendix to providing continuous reconnaissance/ surveillance and communications, MUX will also furnish a long-range, persistent, penetrating, responsive, airborne [electronic-warfare] capability.”
David Axe serves during 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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