David Axe
Security,
Can the U.S. Marine Corps use F-35s to revenue electrical Warfare?
The U.S. Marine Corps is trying to pattern out how to revenue 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 can March 2019.
The Prowler carried AN/ALQ-99 jamming pods under its wings and too could free High-Speed Anti-Radiation Missiles, or HARMs. fleet and Marine Corps EA-6Bs suppressed and destroyed opponent attitude defenses can each chief American bump after 1970.
But by 2019 the Prowlers were old and maiden a little remained can service. The fleet retired its Prowlers can 2015. The final six Marine EA-6Bs spent their final months flying battle missions above the center 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 method to electromagnetic-spectrum operations is a distributed, platform‐agnostic strategy,” the Corps explained can 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 faithful 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 substitute the EA-6B’s get 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 combination of [electronic warfare], weapons, sensors and reduced signature to the [Marine Air-Ground work Force],” the Corps explains can its 2019 aviation plan. “F-35 E.W. capabilities contain emitter geolocation, identification and parametric information sharing via mix 16 [data-link].”
In addition, future versions of the F-35 to exist compatible with the Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile, a new translation of the injure with a improve seeker and software. The Marines too conceive that the F-35’s electronically-scanned-array radar could, with modification, double although 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 reply to latent threats,” according to manufacturer BAE Systems. “Advanced avionics and sensors equip a real-time, 360-degree hint 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 full by itself will exist capable to oppress full opponent attitude defenses. The Corps too 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 above its AV-8B leap jets, UH-1Y spend 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 scheme states. “I.T. II deploys with each AV-8B ... detachment and has too completed eight ... deployments with UH-1Y detachments.”
“I.T. II integration with KC-130J ... will exist completed and fielded can [fiscal year] ‘19. development of an I.T. II counter-radar capability although the MV-22B began can F.Y. ’16, [research and development] is ongoing across F.Y. ‘21. Throughout F.Y.18 I.T. II was deployed can uphold of the 15th, 31st, 26th and 13th [Marine Expeditionary Units].”
As of 2018, the Marines too planned to add Intrepid Tiger II to the modern RQ-21 drone and the future Marine Unmanned Expeditionary drone, or MUX. “The initial investigation and get although an I.T. II E.W. payload above the RQ‐21 began can F.Y. ‘18,” the 2018 aviation scheme explained. ‘Payload manufacture is planned although F.Y. ‘21‐’23. … Integrating I.T. II above the RQ‐21 will locality the basis although farther E.W. expansion.”
“Future Marine aviation E.W. capabilities will too exist provided by MUX,” the 2018 scheme continued. “In enjoy to providing faithful reconnaissance/ surveillance and communications, MUX will too equip a long-range, persistent, penetrating, responsive, airborne [electronic-warfare] capability.”
David Axe serves although 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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