David Axe
Security,
Can the U.S. Marine Corps apply F-35s to revenue electrical Warfare?
The U.S. Marine Corps is trying to mould out how to revenue electrical war 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 length bowed out of service at March 2019.
The Prowler carried AN/ALQ-99 jamming pods below 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 main American collide after 1970.
But by 2019 the Prowlers were old and unique a little remained at service. The fleet retired its Prowlers at 2015. The final six Marine EA-6Bs spent their persist months flying campaign missions at the heart East.
The fleet replaced its EA-6Bs with new EA-18G Growlers, besides 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 across a broad array of plane including stealth fighters and drones.
“The Marine aviation highway 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 across aviation platforms to equip commanders with an organic and continual airborne E.W. capability.”
For starters, the Marines are counting at 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 get jamming capability. The Marine Corps plans to buy 420 F-35s to replace, by 2030, entire of its older fixed-wing jets.
“The F-35 brings a powerful mixture 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 involve emitter geolocation, identification and parametric data sharing via join 16 [data-link].”
In addition, future versions of the F-35 to be compatible with the Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile, a new translation of the hurt with a improve seeker and software. The Marines also 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 to identify, monitor, analyze and answer to latent threats,” according to manufacturer BAE Systems. “Advanced avionics and sensors equip a real-time, 360-degree meaning of the battlespace, helping to maximize detection ranges and equip the astronaut with options to evade, engage, counter or press threats.”
But the Marines aren’t assuming the F-35 entire by itself will be able to oppress entire competitor air defenses. The Corps also is developing the Intrepid Tiger II, a radio- and radar-jamming pod that’s compatible with almost any rotorcraft or fixed-wing plane. The Corps is integrating I.T. II at its AV-8B leap jets, UH-1Y bring helicopters, KC-130J aerial tankers and MV-22B tiltrotors.
“I.T. II is an E.W. payload providing communications electronic-warfare aid and electronic-attack capabilities,” the 2019 aviation plan 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 be completed and fielded at [fiscal year] ‘19. development of an I.T. II counter-radar ability 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 aid of the 15th, 31st, 26th and 13th [Marine Expeditionary Units].”
As of 2018, the Marines also planned to add Intrepid Tiger II to the present RQ-21 drone and the future Marine Unmanned Expeditionary drone, or MUX. “The initial inquiry and compose because an I.T. II E.W. payload at the RQ‐21 began at F.Y. ‘18,” the 2018 aviation plan explained. ‘Payload manufacture is planned because F.Y. ‘21‐’23. … Integrating I.T. II at the RQ‐21 will spot the base because farther E.W. expansion.”
“Future Marine aviation E.W. capabilities will also be provided by MUX,” the 2018 plan continued. “In appendix to providing continual reconnaissance/ surveillance and communications, MUX will also equip 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.
Read complete article
