Electronic Warfare in the EA-6B Prowler | Behind the Wings
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- Опубликовано: 9 июн 2024
- Electronic Warfare in the EA-6B Prowler | Behind the Wings
Join Wings' curator Chuck Stout as we go Behind the Wings of a carrier-based, twin-engine, four-seat electronic warfare aircraft - the Grumman EA-6B Prowler.
We’ll also meet a Naval Aviator who flew the Prowler operationally and taught other pilots to fly it. THIS is going to be cool!
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The EA-6B was the loudest thing on the flight deck. Man, my teeth hurt just thinking about how loud those babies were.
One of the things I liked the most when I go there is the stunned looks on visitor's faces when they realize how big the B-1, Prowler and the Tomcat really are up close and personal. It is extremely impressive to a casual visitor.
Second to the Harrier. 😂
@@user-cl5zy5qn5dHarrier is on the CV or CVN.
As an Army Engineer at Bagram where my hut was next to the flight line, I can confirm that the Prowler was a consistent, persistent alarm clock every morning around 0430.
Not to mention just idling how dangerous they could be if you became inattentive for a moment... Scoop😮
Didn’t realise the EA-6B was a 4 person jet, genuinely surprised. Good interview!
There were more then one version. And their were more two seat versions.
@@raywhitehead730 Well, yes, at the very start, designated as the EA-6A. When the US Navy transitioned over to the F-18 aircraft, the new designation was EA-18G, and was called the Growler. This aircraft has only 2 seats, 1 in front of the other, with the pilot in front and the ECMO in the rear.
yep, before 71. 2 seat versions. Like you said both the prowlers and intruders had several versions.
It's cool to look back at the Grummies. What a time for Naval Aviation....@@raywhitehead730
@@raywhitehead730there
The thing that amazes me is the complex mechanisms that folded the wings on any carrier aircraft. Wonders of engineering!
My dad was a Navy pilot and transitioned from the A-3D to the EA-6B in 1971, he was assigned to VAQ-129 for training and eventually became the CO of VAQ-133 (The Wizards) in 1977. Between the A-3 and EA-6B squadron assignemnts , I spent most of my life as a Navy dependent on Whidbey Island, our entire family loved Whidbey Island. My dad took me out to the base once and I got to fly the EA-6B carrier simulator, what fun. I have a lot of fond memories of my dad's years flying the Prowler and Whidbey Island Wa. Great video.
I thank your dad for his service.
You and I were prowling around Whidbey at the same time. My dad was a USAF fighter guy, so we had NAS Whidbey access when he retired. Later in life I flew out of Bayview-Skagit Airport a lot and frequently interacted with USN when maneuvering through their airspace. Occasionally I would fly practice radar approaches late at night when Whidbey was pretty quiet and the guys in the tower were bored. Had a lot of fun working with them to hone approach skills. Cheers.
I was stationed at NAS Whidbey starting in 1988 and worked in the AIMD department, where my shop repaired the ALQ-99 radar systems - I specifically worked on the receivers and antennas. I supported 2 different EA-6B squadrons: VAQ-142 "Grey Wolves" in 1989-1990 and VAQ-133 "Wizards" in 1991, both aboard USS Forrestal.
@@jbazinga2385My mother worked in AIMD at NAS Whidbey for about 10 years. She retired in 92.
My father retired from the Navy at Whidbey in 1969. I grew up in Oak Harbor from 1967 until moving in 1988. We may have been in the same schools at some point.
I feel planes like the Prowler, SparkVark or Growler don't get the attention they deserve. While F117s were dropping warheads on vents, EW planes were wreaking havoc with all the enemy comms and equipment.
As a I level engine mechanic for Prowlers we were working 80+ hours a week they flew so many sorties
F111 were beasts! Gaddafi & Saddam found out the hard way.
Spakvark , I like that. I've always heard it called the Raven. But Sparkvark sounds great.
@tyrannosaurus_stfutheiii5088 they used the J52-P8B or was it the P6? I was O level PC on the A4s and we used the P8Bs in the A4M
@@rayclark474 -P-408A....
Believe it was the last turbjet to be employed outside of possibly some random cargo aircraft I don't know of.
I retired from Grumman in 1994, I was honored to be assigned to the EA6B program office on Long Island. My job was in Materials Management primarily coordination of procurement and manufacturing. It was very exciting to be directly in the action of engineering changes, updates and manufacturing. Some of my fondest memories of my Grumman career was being on the Prowler program.
I was a USAF EWO who flew the EF-111 then was assigned to NAS Whidbey Island to fly the EA-6B. Being a Plank Owner in VAQ-128 was one of the highlight of my 20+ year career.some may remember that VA-128 was the West Coast RAG for the Intruder. We flew in combat from either Incirlik AB, Turkey or PSAB, Saudi Arabia for many years. In late 2000 over Northern Iraq we shot many a HARM since Saddam was a bit frisky during that time. I was in one of those flights as ECMO 3 working the reactive HARM mission since the AF HARM shooters were in reset. That day I worked a SAM and we ended up shooting the HARM based on the footballs receivers detection. A couple of weeks later that HARM shot became a confirmed kill.
To clarify, the HARM was an air to surface missile. They very likely took out the ground (radiating) site. Which was their job, and bravo.
Plank owner my azz. My father worked on them with that squadron for many years before the air force got involved
@@melvance7281 He was most likely working on A-6 Intruders when it was VA-128 and training new Intruder crews. I am a Plank Owner for VAQ-128 when the squadron was recommissioned as one of the Expeditionary Prowler Squadrons.
VAQ-131 plank owner. I was one of the first guys in the Navy to work "I" level maintenance on the ALQ-99. It was a great job as they didn't mess with us much due to the very few people trained to maintain the system. No weekend duty, worked about 3.5 days a week prior to deployment (I worked nights), made it to the Steakhouse every Friday by 10 pm 😜. Worked with a great bunch of guys, excellent technicians and a lot of fun (Motley, King, Lemkuil, Carlson, Maclane to name a few). The ALQ-99 was so new that we had to use blueprints for troubleshooting as the MIMS were not published yet. It was a very big deal during Vietnam as we provided an electronic envelope that protected the other aircraft. Big competition to see who could deploy first, 131 or 132.All of us were orignally assigned to VAQ-129, the training outfit. We only had a couple of old A6's from VA-128 to practice on. I don't remember exactly when we got the first EA6B but it was a nice shiny one. Jim King and I were tasked with placing an ALQ-100 in the aircraft, in the starboard shoulder right behind the cockpit. Never did figure out why we stuck that thing in the new aircraft. It weighed a bunch and it wouldn't quite fit in the opening. Without missing a beat, King grabbed a file and filed down the dzus screw mounting while commenting that "we just made the first modification to the EA6B". Still laughing about that one 52 years later.
Living less than an hour away, I was thrilled to find that a Prowler was at the museum! I went down there the very next weekend. Was good to touch one again - brought back many memories. It's been a long time for this sailor. AT2 in VAQ-129 and VAQ-135, 1985-1991. Oh yeah, she's loud!
I was fortunate enough to follow this aircraft, while it was towed through Denver very early one morning, on its way to the museum.
That must have been cool !
Wow I bet it melted your hood if you were behind for that long. Hope you had your AC on. Did it use turn signals?
@@lemmingsfly strange thing ,my phone did not work, GPS was going crazy and lighting was going out block by block as this bird was towed through the city.😉🤣
Brings back memories. I did two tours with the EA-6B. 72-75 in VAQ-131 and 85-88 in VAQ-132. Makes me feel old that some of the jets I actually worked on are now static displays.
Thanks for the great video.
The Safety Wire on the engines OMG. I still have scars.😂😂
Great interview by Curator Chuck. Thanks to you, and to Ethan, and all those who have and are serving in the forces. Best regards from Canada.
Nostalgia is real, seeing the old usmc version (i was VMAQ-3 2014-sundown) seeing old pilots and maintainers i knew and still know would love to visit this museum.
Yoooo Caldwell!
Our names should be on the bird down in Texas I think.
VMAQ-4 here, 1993-1996
I was a GSE rep for Q-4 from 16-sundown.
Q-2 represent
Moondog here, '93-'98, USS America and Aviano deployments. Q-3 was always way ahead of the curve, tip of the spear, and outside the box!
Thanks to Ethan Williams for helping us tell this story on the Prowler! We couldn't cover everything, so leave your questions or comments under the video and we'll get to as many as we can.
Brings back a lot of memories. I used to be an AT. I was in VAQ-129, VAQ-140, VAQ-139, VAQ-128, and 2nd tour in VAQ-129.
Sound of freedom baby! VAQ-135 "Black Ravens" '93-97.
We were in your Museum just last month, spending an most enjoyable 5 hours with your collection and staff (It was an item on my Bucket list that has been crossed off)! I'd love to stroll your Museum and learn more stories from you, Chuck! As a Docent for the National Air and Space Museum for DECADES, on every vacation if there is an Aviation Museum , I'm THERE! We, too have a EA-6B (CAG Bird) in the National Collection. It was the final one in service (with the USMC), retiring in March 2019
😀
This was a very cool interview. Very rare to find the other guys highlighted. Usually we like the gunners fighter pilots. Bombers. But I'm sure they're actually more important for the rest of the pilots!
VAQ-130 ATs, 86-89. Go Zappers! Great airframe, I'm super-proud of my service with them.
The call sign Fester is well chosen, great video.
Love it, we need more quality content like this on RUclips
I enjoyed this video because of the great questions and the answers. I know a lot about the Prowler community and this video was awesome.
The creative employment of the Prowler in a counterinsurgency role proves how indispensable airborne EW platforms can be. It will be interesting to see how airborne EW will be used in future conflicts.
By using the F35 together with AWACS and other (highly secret) counter electronics
Grumman really love their cats
What a pleasant surprise to find this channel.
I really liked the simple yet pertinant questions, they sounded as if an English teacher or a novelist contructed them.
Brevity is a virtue and so are clarity and succinctness.
I hope I can visit your hangar one day. Greetings from Australia. Subscribed.
Yes, the interviewer was spot on. It's refreshing to see.
There was also an EA-6A Electric Intruder, which had a tailfin "football" like the Prowler. Too high workload meant there was a demand for a four-seater.
Dope, very loud little bird. Shout out VMAQ-4.
One of my fav aircraft so glad I got to see it up close. Being a Veteran Royal Navy Electronic Warfare Operator always love EW Naval Aircraft
What a masterpiece
I spent a large portion of my youth growing up on Whidbey. My Dad was an ECMO during his Navy Career. He finished his flying portion of it as CO of VAQ-139 Cougars. I've cataloged his logbooks in excel so I could look at different aircraft he flew and total hours by BuNo through different filters. He has over 200 hrs in BuNo 163886. He flew this aircraft while with VAQ-135 in '96-'97 and with VAQ-139 in '02-'03. Logbook showed combat hours flown as well during the Iraq Invasion off of the Stennis. Very cool it's just north of me here in Colorado Springs.
Still remember I was at Nas oceana and heard our div o talking about the new York city power outage being caused by an nfo in an ea6b hitting the wrong switch
The EA-6A was a two-seat Electronic warfare bird flown by Navy and Marine units, like my alma mater VMCJ-2 (which also flew photo birds. The EA-6A replaced the EF-10B in about 1965.
The LOUDEST plane, period!! The A6 did it all; EW, Bomber, Ground Support, Fighter and Tanker. The most capable plane we've ever had. My Carrier had the Intruders and the Prowlers, Tomcats and A-7 Corsairs. The COD, Viking and E2-C. One of my posts was on top of the Flag Bridge and man, the A6 was frigging LOUD. I mean it blew right through the sound powered phones. Probably why I have bad hearing loss and Tinnitus now. A6 Drivers were some of the coolest Officers onboard. Thanks for posting this video. If anybody wants to see what it was like, Flight of The Intruder was a great flick. It was shot on my ship just after I'd left.
I knew of EA-6B's by seeing them online and didn't think much of them until I seen one at an air show. It was such a cool and unique looking plane, I was shocked how it's presence in person was so much more than I expected.
Way back when I was trained by the Air Force to maintain and repair electronic warfare equipment. My first assignment was a B-52 base.
The B-52 is a stunningly large, powerful, beautiful and deadly machine crammed with aggressive and defensive equipment, typically served by a small town of several thousand people.
One of my more interesting memories is of walking behind a B-52 carrying my tool bag. Suddenly I heard the sound of the tail gun of the bomber swivel and lock onto me. That was a 20 mm (think 80 caliber) cannon capable of firing 50 rounds of high-speed and incredibly powerful bullets per second.
Yuk-yuk. It was a fellow tech testing the radar guidance of his equipment.
My grandfather was one of the head engineers who designed / worked on the radar on this plane at grumman from the 60's into the 90's. Amazing airplane, amazing grandfather.
This video is quality. Everything about it. Well done.
Fester!! Good to see a fellow Black Raven. Good job.
EA-6B is my favorite jet. It's a badass looking plane.
Thank you so much. So many people get infatuated with the pointy nose fighters that they forget about the “chunky” and “ugly” round nose support craft like the Viking and the Prowler that allowed the “sexy” fighter planes the space they needed to do their jobs.
The "sailor of the year" stenciled on the side of the jet, I served with that guy when he was in VAQ-140 as a PO2, glad to see he made first class. I'm pretty sure that my squadron had that exact jet, too, at one point, as BUNO 163886 looks familiar.
It’s amazing that you randomly recognize the bureau number on that jet. Repetition breeds familiarity I guess.
I worked at RAYTHEON during the Viet Nam conflict where we were producing ECM equipment for the EA6 aircraft. The often unsung hero of the series was the two-place EA-6A which carried the AN/ALQ-76 Tactical Jamming Transmitter System (TJTS) as opposed to the slightly larger EA-6B where we were carrying the more complex AN/ALQ-99 system still receiving some operational use today on the Growler aircraft.
Awesome, always been a Prowler/Growler fan. Critical work.
"I'd reach over, pat my Pilot on the left leg..."
That's quite the stretch from the right seat, LOL.
Unlike many commenting here, I didn’t serve (I wanted to, believe me), but my dad did. And this plane right here? This was his baby for some of my most vivid memories.
He started out as the Navigation Officer on the S-3 Viking, flying missions off the USS Carl Vinson. But when the Viking was retired, he chose to learn how to operate in a Prowler. So we went to Rhode Island for a year so he could attend the Naval War College, and then it was off to Anacortes Washington, and he was assigned to VAQ-134 (The Garudas). Yes, the exact squadron this plane came from! The only thing that was different about when my dad was in charge of the Garudas, was that they weee deployed as Expeditionary Units in Afghanistan, based out of the Air Base Camp McCool instead of off of a carrier.
I once had to endure a couple of army brats talking smack about “what the f are the navy doing right now? We are fighting in a dessert! We don’t need their stupid boats!” I wanted to punch them both so bad. But I digress.
It was always really cool getting to go over the Deception Pass Bridge to get to the base all the EA-6Bs were housed at, and I remember getting to hang out in the ready room while my parents did “boring adult stuff”
I also got to see the planes being worked on in the hangers, got to attend both Change of Command’s where my dad became XO and then CO of 134, as well as the time I got to hose him down with a water based fire extinguisher after his final flight.
The planes were loud, my dad loved his job, and I was and AM so proud of him and his ENTIRE career.
Love THEM. MIDWAY and Ranger.
Unbelievable time.
If you get the chance to visit the Midway, they have a Prowler on the flight deck now!
"There is nothing more symbolic of Naval Aviation than the tail hook." - Words to live by! - Annette
@10m20s
This is the best series on RUclips
Great video. Much appreciated. Awesome guest too.
Visited this museum recently and highly recommend it. There's a great lunch cafe just a short walk away, Lowry Beer Garden....Come out of the museum doors and turn right and keep walking or ask the staff how to get there.
How cool is that! o7
Nice job Fester. Go Black Ravens!
When I was there, I couldn’t believe how big it was. It’s way bigger in person than it looks on here I swear
Yea it’s weird to think that it’s a four person aircraft.
Great interview! I really enjoy the show!😃
As a flight test engineer with over 40 years of experience the Prowler was the only USN and USMC aircraft I never worked on. Truly my loss. I am very partial to Grumman Iron Works aircraft.
love these videos, keep up the good work!
Love from California!!
Hi there from Brazil! As an aviation lover i must say that the Prowler is the plane i've wish i could buy to fly with friends haha! Nice content as always.
Much more interesting with someone that flew in the plane.
Well done! Great video! Keep on going!
Former Garuda myself, good to see the Sky pigs!
Went to that museum on my trip to Denver in 2021, a good museum I was looking forward to seeing.
SWEET! Nice video & interview!!👍🏽🇺🇸
Super Video & great Interview !
I love how this thing has 4 seats. If it was in civilian hands you could go on a crazy adventure with your friends.
That’s what four knuckleheads did while serving in Italy….they accidentally severed a cable supporting a mountain cable car, and a whole bunch of people plummeted to their deaths.
Awesome information!
I spent 10 years as an AT (Aviation Electronics Technician) on the EA-6B in VAQ-137, AIMD, and VAQ-142 (1998-2008 in Whidbey Island). Surprised they didn't open/talk about the birdcage. Good video nonetheless. Brought back memories.
I fueled these beasts while serving on USS Carl Vinson CVN-70 🇺🇲95-97.
I petition that the next platform after the growler be called the Fowler/fouler.
amazing
i really love this plane in addition to TOmcat
I'm one of the few people that know the inner secrets of the ALQ-99 and other stuff on this aircraft. That AT/EW life... I've designed fun RF/HAM toys based on it, and had A LOT of fun 😘. Anyway, he mentioned the Growler. Yeah that might be used in some carrier based flight ops that need certain types of EW support, but by and large it's been superseded by the advanced electronics suites on drones.
Great video thanks for sharing 🍻👍
These videos are really good.
The aircraft is impressive
I was an Aviation Electronics Technician in Va-34 my specialty was ECM the A6-B was pretty new in 1970 .Being a flight deck troubleshooter I was attracted to the line division. One day I was asked to help bring in and secure just the extended airframe of what would be a EA6B. Thinking pretty cool. TomFoster AT2 VA34 plank holder third person assigned to the recommissioned squadron.
Nice work Fester!
As Italian, I remember the Prowler for the 1998 Cavalese cable car crash.
Great video! I noticed two of the underwing attachments had fans on the front of them? What are they? I'd guess some electrical generating system?
Gens
The Electronic Warefare Tech in the Pods Use so much electricity the plane cant provide enough power so each pod has a small propeller connected to a generator to provide power.
So yes you were right they are electrical generators to run the "warfare gadgets"
@@tbas8741 thanks
RAT Gens - Ram Air Turbine Generators.
Just beautiful plane...life is just too short. Flying this plane as a professional would be on my list if I could have a 1000 years..
This guy must have been the ultimate professional.
Flew over Oak Harbor Wa for years.
Good information
I saw one of the Prowler squadrons while I was over in Afghanistan they were stationed at Kindhar airbase and thoes suckered could move really cool to see also been to the museum in Denver and I have pics of this particular Prowler really cool place and one awesome aircraft
I was stationed with VAQ129 between 83-87 as an ADJ..
Cool to see an "AJ" aircraft! Funny how that is one of the first things I look for on Naval aircraft.
We had them at Cherry Point. Loud AF
I was a Aviation corpsman, I originally had orders to VAQ 135. However, there was a VP squadron out of NAS Barbers Point HI, that had lost a HM2 and needed the billet filled since they had just deployed to Diego Garcia for a Westpac deployment. So they cancelled my orders to NAS Whidbey Island and sent me to catch up to the VP 4 Squadron in Diego Garcia B.I.O.T.
Part of me wishes I not been reassigned. I wanted a carrier squadron. I wanted to work Flight Deck Medical. Oh well, VP4 was good to me. I got deployments to Adak AK and Diego Garcia. did evolutions with the Marines and provided Medical to a Seal team evolution in Adak. I really enjoyed my time in the Navy.
Thank you for knowledge see you on neck video
Would like to see a Behind the Wings episode about the Skyraider or Intruder some day
I level J-52 mech 98'-03'
Semper Fi... Finally seeing my girl get some love. I was pissed I was working on it and not a fighter till I learned it's capabilities.
Plus 18 mechs are just glorified, Jiffy Lube. They can barely safety wire.
They are powerful
Garuda also happens to be Indonesia's state symbol as well as its state airline
GO GARUDAS!
No love for the EA-6A?
NFO's don't "fly" the aircraft.
That's the pilots job.
I could tell when a EA-6b prowler was flying over head…miss that sound✈️
เป็นเครื่องที่สวย และทรงพลังมากๆ
Isn't this the aircra- wait... that was the F-111 aardvark where the whole cockpit ejects
Growler Jams is a good watch. He flies the F18G and talks us thro landings and refuelling.
"He flies the F18G"(sic)
EA-18G
What an amazing plane and a great interview! Ethan presented everything very professionally and he seemed like a personable guy. I also got a kick out of that call sign “Fester” and can immediately see where they got that!
I was always surprised and wondered why the Air Force did not embrace the electronic warfare mission with the same gusto as the Navy did. The Air Force had for a time the EF-111A "Spark-Vark" (1983- 1998) that had the electronic warfare mission with no replacement. It seems a bit short sighted of the Air Force.
My observation wass that (and this is purely conjecture) the AF put all their eggs into the stealth basket and forgot about the F-15s and F-16s (and other non stealth aircraft) and that was why they never modernized their ECM platform. What is interesting about the EF-111 is that they used the same ECM system (the ALQ-99) as the Prowler but it was a much older version. I spent 12 years working on the Prowler and was in VAQ-134 until 2000. Back in the mid-nineties, the Navy was looking to stand down some VAQ squadrons while simultaneously the AF came to the realization that they still needed ECM. After looking at the ageing F-111 platform and the need to modernize their ECM capability, the AF came to the conclusion that it would be too expensive. They turned to the Navy and was able to contract them out to perform this mission for the AF. The Navy was able to stand up 2 VAQ squadrons to perform an expeditionary role for the AF (they eventually had more as the years progressed) and I was fortunate enough to transfer to VAQ-134, which became the first VAQ squadron to work for the AF in this role. It was truly an interesting time during my stint in the Navy.
@@heiferhopper I watched congressional testimony a few years back where the Air Force Chief of Staff was asked about airborne electric warfare. He basically said that they gave that mission to the Navy. I suspect it was all about funding priorities. I had heard rumored they Air Force may be reevaluating that decision.
EW isn't sexy and Congress allowed the zoomies to leech off of the Marine Corps and Navy EA-6B squadrons for AEA for two+ decades and continues to let them leech off of the Navy and the EA-18G. Until the politicians in DC hold them accountable and forces them to fund their own electronic attack platform, it will continue.
@@WWeronkoThat makes sense. The AF ECM platform was about 10 years behind the Navy's in the mid 90s already. I was in VAQ-129 when an EF-111 landed at NAS Whidbey. I ran out to the aircraft and asked the aircrew if I could take a look inside the aircraft and was astounded at how old the system was compared to the Prowler's. After I left the Navy, I got a job working for Dyncorp and maintained their EA-6Bs in Pax River for a couple years. I assisted Grumman engineers on the ICAP 3 updates on the Prowler. Not sure if these updates made it out to the fleet before the Navy transitioned to the Growler. In a way, I wish that I had stayed in the VAQ community to see the changes, but it is what it is.
@@heiferhopperThe Air Force did not give the electronic warfare mission to the Navy but the electronic attack part as the air force still has a large Electronic warfare assets and from the looks of it they are reaquiring the capability with the Air force buying a brand new stand off jammer