EA-6B Prowler: The Sky Pig Aircraft That You Have Never Seen
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- Опубликовано: 14 июн 2022
- The EA-6B Prowler is the primary tactical jamming aircraft of the US Navy, US Air Force and the US Marine Corps. Outfitted with advanced avionics and jamming equipment, the Prowler was designed to protect aerial strike forces by jamming enemy radar and communications. It also performed electronic surveillance and gathered electronic intelligence.
The Prowler is armed with the Raytheon HARM high-speed anti-radiation missile, AGM-88. The HARM missile is used against land-based and seaborne radar-directed air defence artillery systems and surface-to-air missile systems.
The aircraft has two Pratt & Whitney J-52 -P-408 turbojet engines each rated at 50kN. The aircraft carries a maximum internal fuel supply of 7,000kg and can also carry an extra 4,500kg externally in fuel pods.
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My sister flew this plane and did two tours in it. Her husband also flew this plane. Now he works with the growler since this one is retired.
That aircraft is a major part of why I live where I do. My father worked on them for a large part of his navy career. Been at Nas Whidbey since '69. He retired in '80. Miss him
From 1972 to 75 I was stationed at NAS Whidbey Island, I got to take a few ride Along's on the EA-6B and the A-6. They were an amazing aircraft. Oh and I got a ride along on a visiting F-4 Phantom, that was the thrill ride of a lifetime.
This was a great plane. Worked on it on my first sea tour and didn't know how good I had it, not once did we crack open a fuel cell. Went from the Prowler to the Hornet in the mid 80"s and it seemed like every two or three months we had to open up a fuel cell. On the beach it wasn't so bad but at sea it was such a pain in the ass.
I would have loved to have a job like yours and work in a Prowler. Much more so than a fighter jet honestly. I actually really like the aesthetics. Never been in the military myself though, but always loved flying
Thank you for your service
Any hangar bay maintenance on the boat is a nightmare 😂. But yes fuel cell especially.
I saw it every day on the flight deck of the USS America (CV66). I always loved the gold tinted canopy.
Oh I seen this plane all time growing up! I grew up on Whidbey Island, home of the A6 and the EA6B. I can still hear the roar of those engines in my head from time to time all these years later!
These planes were iconic in the navy fleet for sure!
I still remember them flying low enough to shake the house I grew up in. Oak Habor is my home town and I was born on base. NAS Whidbey was the last naval air station my late father was stationed at before passing away in Australia on shore leave back in 1985.
I was in A-6’s while I was in the Navy. My first tour I was a plane captain in VA-65. During that time I qualified as a PC as I managed to accumulate 5 Daily and 5 Turnaround inspections on visiting EA-6B’s. I made rate as a Aviation Machinist Mate and during my shore duty time (33 months) I became qualified on the J-52 p8b and the J -52 p408 engines. Couldn’t beat that P-408. I was in VF-43 during that time. Got to run the engine during low power turn ups. Lots of fun!!!!
Flight crews loved the upgrade to P408's - finally enough thrust to really accelerate that heavy airframe.
I was a PH in the Navy in the early eighties stationed on the Carl Vinson. One of our jobs was manning the PLAT camera. The EA6 and the A6 were the planes we dreaded the most. Their engines just screamed so loudly that it was actually painful even with double ear protection!
The A6 had the same engine as the A4 Skyhawk. They had a whine
Air Force T-37s were real screamers too. Ouch. And we had the SR-71s at Beale, but those T-37s were soooo shrill.
I was on the Indy CV-62 and an OS. One of our lookout posts was above the Flag Bridge. The A6 is the LOUDEST plane, ever. That frigging plane, whatever the variant, blew right through the sound-powered phones we wore. I have the Tinnitus and the hearing loss thanks to the A6. There was the Intruder, The Prowler and the Tanker. Great plane.
Had them on the Connie and Indy when I was in.. not my favorite but did the job. Lost an A-6 on my first 6 month deployment and an EA-6 on my 2nd. In both cases they lost visual gauges, at night, and both went down with no survivors… Very sad.
As a Island Camera Operator on Saratoga, I have to disagree with you. Those F-14’s parked under me were the worst. Besides the noise, the deck would get so hot my boots smoked. My eyes watered, I poured sweat, and I struggled to breath. I would take an A6 or EA-6 any day.
My dad was a plane captain for A-6 Intruders on the Connie CV-64, glad to see them still flying even though the Connie has been broken down in Brownsville already.
Loved that ship. I was an aviation ordinanceman in Helicopter antisubmarine squadron 8
More years ago then I care to remember.
Retired bro
Had a great friend that flew the A6.
I was 14 when he got his wings at Chase Field around 1974. Great guy he went on to fly for Southwest
It was the main electronic jamming plane. It was replaced (2009) by the EA 18G-GROWLER, based on the F18 Super Hornet.
That is what the Australian Air Force bought from the Americans, best buy ever.
It was to save money as the Intruder was retired, but the Hornet can't carry as much stuff and is not as versatile. Prowler can jam big time
@@jyy9624Interchangeable parts at sea is a massive money saver, which is the name of the game warfare today!
Nice - but FYI, 90 kilometers is NOT about 80 miles - it's about 56 miles.
Never flew with the USAF either the guy is a joke.
. . . . Or just a touch under 50 nautical miles
If you are distributing this internationally (which you are), then how about sticking to aviation parameters - knots for speed, nautical miles for ranges ‘ distances, feet for altitudes, litres or US gallons for fuel quantities, and you can go lbs or kgs for weights. Tonnes, tons and “short tons” (2,000 lbs) can be very confusing. Your quoting all metric is OK in Europe and Russia, but just about nowhere else. Even here in Australia, which is a full metric country, aviation is still knots (speeds), nautical miles (distances), and good ole feet (altitudes). Take-off or landing distances here are quoted in metres, up we can easily convert from feet. Hope this helps.
Have to strongly agree with Warwick Kinscher - the EA-6 displays prototypical knots/nautical miles/altitude in feet/pressure in inHg (the last two are selectable for talking to ATC outside of North America/ Aus / some parts of Africa). It would be best to discuss the aircraft in its native units.
Nobody actually gives a toss 🤣
I love the Intruder and Prowler. I think they’re gorgeous.
I was in a F-14 Squadron and our Pilots would always smile when they went on a mission with a EA-6b , I asked a pilot why are you guys always so happy when the Ea6b goes on a mission with you , the Pilot just said , it will be a greater chance we will actually see some combat and also we are suppose to fly escort to protect them but sometimes I wonder who is really protecting who ?
I saw them (and heard them take off) while serving in Afghanistan during 2005-2006. Sweet aircraft.
I was in P-3s from '75 - '95. We used to see AND HEAR them every time we were in Whidbey. To this day, I'm convinced that the A-6/EA-6 holds the U.S. Military record (unofficial - I don't even know if anyone ever kept track!) for the highest noise to size ratio. The A-4 was pretty close, but the Prowlers were insane loud!
That being said, I loved those birds. To me, they were the 2nd most beautiful aircraft of the modern era, right behind my baby, the P-3 Orion. (It's a personal taste thing.) For the A-6, I like how it was essentially the opposite of other jets, i.e., wide in the front and tapered in the back. Sort of a modern version of the P-38 Lightning, only with a single tail boom. It was, as the surf dudes used to say, bitchin'! The S-3 was a close 3rd on the beauty contest, but I had two reasons to never go VS, namely: 1. Ejection Seats, and 2. Tail hook. Didn't do GBGBs (Great Big Gray Boats). I was happy to take off from land, and land on land. No rolling deck, no away for months at a time, never worried about my home sinking in the middle of the ocean. But I tip my cap to all those who filled those billets for me!
The Harrier is also deafening.
Yeah, agreed, the noise they created upset all who lived in the Whidbey area. Even those of us who live on the San Juan Islands. But I personally don't mind jet noises.
As I recall, the latter A-4's had the same J52-P408 engine as the Prowlers - but of course the Prowlers had TWO - and yes, they were extraordinarily loud - common knowledge amongst the deck crewmembers. I'm sure you have seen the sign at NAS Whidbey that says, "Pardon our noise, it is the sound of freedom."
Fun fact - with that big engine, the A-4M had a thrust to weight ratio greater than 1, meaning it could actually accelerate going straight up.
As a former EA-6B ECMO, I always wondered what those big 4-prop airplanes at the other end of Ault Field were all about. The GBGB route wasn't that bad - cat shots and traps made it all quite a thrill at times. Personally, I abhorred long hours in the back of a big aluminum tube. Like you say, "It's a personal thing." Cheers!
@@stevenhj3124The reason many lived in the area was because they worked in a supporting role for NAS Whidbey. I lived in Oak Harbor from 1967 until 1987 and I never failed to look up when the Intruders or Prowlers were flying. Those that moved near a military airbase and then complain about the noise have no one to blame but themselves.
IDK why people say they are ugly? I always loved the look of them, and am sad to see them go.
Correction needed: 90 kilometers is nowhere near 80 miles. I think it's closer to ~55 miles
Without a doubt the loudest bird on the flight deck when I served.
No Doubt! When I was on USS America (CV 66) in '81 on an Indian Ocean cruise VAQ-133 use to turn those bad boys up on the end of the angle. And we could still hear them even though our shop,VS-33 ORD, was on the 02 level on the starboard side next to EL 2. The loudest aircraft in the history of Naval Avaition.
Worked on them for 18 years. Great plane. The Prowler also served in Iraq Freedom and Afghanistan.
Never seen? Saw it back in the 70s on the Constellation.
Yeah, I hate claims like that. Like every tv commercial for Ford, Chevy AND Dodge claim to be America's favorite truck. There's NO way to prove that.
Same here, lol. V2 Waist Cat 3. You?
I saw one in what was an unlikely encounter. I was stationed on a fast attack SSN. We were running on the surface and a Prowler buzzed us at low altitude. They were probably just as fascinated with us as we were with them.
Now a tradition & heritage proudly carried on by the EA-18G Growler
I did my time on the Connie, Vinson and Independence.... yeah, never saw one on those ships either 😅
My brother was on the USS Essex, his squadron was VA-42, the fighting Pawns. He loved the plane, but was quick to say not the prettiest. But, he said it was better looking than the Corsair
I have seen it, not in person, but in photos and video around the time of the Gulf War because my cousin's friend was in one; I don't remember where he sat in the cockpit because I was a kid at the time. He was on a carrier.
During Operation Southern Watch, we brought F-16s down to Prince Sultan AB in Saudi Arabia. When the Prowler taxied past, we'd often refer it to "The Griswolds headed to Wally World."
50 - 60 years ago they were front line operational just before and during the Vietnam War. Spent several early years of my career as a "Tech Rep" helping sailors and Marines with some of the technology in the "Black Boxes". Those "Birds" were used in a variety of roles, including refuelers. For ops on "Yankee Station" the Black Boxes were required if the planes went "Over the Beach" on a mission. Enjoyed the work - Grumman "Iron Works" did well with these.
HATS OF TO GRUMMAN!!👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻🙏🏻✊🏻✊🏻🤗
Love this plane, it has a great look.
A great design. Classic aircraft.
I saw plenty of them aboard the USS Enterprise in the late 80s. I worked in AIMD and our shop and personal spaces were on O4 right above the hanger bay. Other than sick bay or the mess hall you pretty much had to walk the entire hanger bay to get anywhere on the ship fast, so there was plenty of time to see aircraft parked. They were just starting to phase in these new fangled jets called Hornets when I got out ;).
Very educational and entertaining!
When I was in the Navy, 1974-73, I worked on a desert flight-line where these A6s were stationed among other jet aircraft.
Oh I've seen and definitely HEARD this plane. At NAS Meridian when going to "A" school and then in the Philippines when the planes would disembark their carriers to Cubi point NAS, before the carrier would come ashore. Loudest plane I've ever heard. Much louder than the F14 or F18s.
Great video. I would have liked to be on one of those crews - cool job !
Worked on these as an avionics tech from 77-89 at NAS Whidbey.
There was A Old Movie called the..THE FINAL COUNTDOWN.?? About the U.S.S.NIMITZ going BACK in time ..1941 Pearl Harbor..?? AWESOME FILM with Lots of AIRCRAFT CARRIER ACTION..
This was one of my favorite planes in carrier squadrons onboard the Saratoga. Particularly the A6.
I always heard it called the "Double Ugly."
You are correct - the 2-seat A-6's were called Ugly, so...
A lot times the E2-C flew along the EA-6B we would have to change out avionic equipment. Super power airplanes! So loud on the deck too. Double hearing protection a must.
"The EA-6B Prowler is the primary tactical jamming aircraft"(sic)
Was, the aircraft was sundowned in March 2019 when VMAQ-2 delivered the last flying Prowler to the Smithsonian at Dulles.
Northrop-Grumman or just Grumman? I'd argue that since production of the EA-6 ended long before the 1994 merger between Northrop and Grumman, the plane should be called the Grumman EA-6 (A or B). You wouldn't call a Douglas DC-3 a Boeing DC-3 just because the Douglas aircraft company later merged with McDonnell and then with Boeing so the name now is Boeing.
Great looking aircraft in my opinion.
What a nice family plane.
Saw it everyday at NAS Cubi Point. I watched an A6 get flambeyed in the hot fuel pits in 1989.
3:05 Wow! AOR AR-3000 Communication Receiver !!!
50 out of 170 lost to accidents seems surprisingly many. 5 or 10 would seem more appropriate…
right 17 max
Those J-52 turbojet engines she had were bone shattering loud on the carrier ears are still ringing !
Saw them often back in the day... up here in Canuck land, testing the ADATS system.
Just because you've never heard of it doesn't mean nobody else has.
Back in the 70's while in the Marines got to visit and work with the Intruders along with a couple of VMAQ-2 Prowlers. 🇺🇲
Wow .. amazing ...4 crew members..all the high tech with jamming and electronic equipment...and they still managed to kill 20 people by flying under a cable car and cutting the cable..... fascinating
I am retired navy and at one time was stationed overseas in Japan attached to VAQ-136 now decommissioned. We flew the ea6b
Camp Fife -- They would fly up that canyon every day below the mountain tops. Entertaining.
Joined the Army in 1983, seen plenty of them.
Awesome platform!
Yes indeed!
I actually saw one of those 50 lost crash. I was washing my car and as one flew over, I heard a sputtering sound, looked up and the whole port wing looked to be on fire and it was going into a left hand flat spin. Then the 4 crewmen ejected and seeing four parachutes was a big relief, but also confusing because I always thought they only carried two crewmembers. It crashed into a front yard in Morehead City and unfortunately killed a lady sitting on her front porch.
I remember that, I was a kid but we drove down to Morehead from havelock to see the aftermath, I guess you kind of get used to it living around a airbase your whole life
@@steventwiddy3402 Oddly enough, one of the crewmen that ejected, also had to eject from another Prowler just a couple months earlier.
@@fishheds Guess that's it for his career.
Fascinating video - particularly the coverage of the systems. Those interested in ECM might enjoy delving into the history of RAF Bomber Command's 100 Group and the devices packed into the backs of USAAF bombers in the latter stages of WW2.
Indeed I too was fascinated - but also, must lodge a complaint against your knuckling-under to communist/Euro-socialist measurement-systems. The exclusive use of metric to detail ranges, weights, speeds, ceilings, & lengths-&-widths is just off-putting. 12555meters of altitude means nothing to me, I have to pause what is happening & consider fractions & calculations in my brain for meters-of-altitude to make sense. Please in the future, resume using both English-terms & European metric or preferably, just stick to English.
Like so many other things in our society in recent yrs "improved-upon" by the impact of progressivists & liberals & leftwingers, these FUNDAMENTAL-TRANSFORMATIONS of dictatorially imposing Euro counting-numbering systems really amounts to a degrading of social function. Ah-h-h, the sinistrals - batting for the other side - love it.
@progGrave Zilla Well that told me - someone who still thinks in statute miles, feet & inches, and pints.
Saw plenty of these on 3 major cruises on the USS Independence in the early 80's
I was there in Whidbey Island when we made the transition from EA-6B Prowlers to the EA-18 Growlers. VAQ-132. My Squadron were the first to use it in combat over Iraq in 2010-2011 and then transfered them over to Libya during Operation Odessy Dawn.
Cool plane 👍✈️
Seen quite a few of them landing at Paine Field, near Whidbey NAS..
My Dad flew the EC-121 Constellation in the navy out of Hawaii to Midway and up to Alaska and back. There was no shielding in the plane to protect the crew from the powerful radar and we believe this was most likely the cause of his three brain tumors. Some of his friends that he flew with suffered from similar issues and most have passed.
The first tumor was almost as big as a baseball and it was surgically removed.
The second tumor grew from his skull and was removed and the piece of skull was replaced with a ceramic plate.
He just finished radiation treatment for the third tumor and we are waiting to see if it worked and shrank the tumor. This third tumor has pushed and cut off blood flow to one of his eyes.
I hope the newer planes have shielding and protections for the flight crew. My Dad is 85 so he has lived a long life but the last 15 years have been tough. We aren’t certain that the radar is the cause of the tumors but it’s likely.
We had one fly over my school when I was a kid. Someone’s dad was a pilot.
EA-6Bprowler buen viaje
This is awesome, I never knew they had crews of 4! Very interesting!
Yep, Intruder was a two-seater, but the station-wagon could take four for a ride.
On the carrier deck it was referred to as the "Queer ".🤣
@@DaveL188 The letter "Q" was the designator for Electronic Warfare aircraft - hence the name. A more common slang term for the 4-seat EA-6B was the "Double Ugly," because the 2-seat A-6 that preceded it was already known as the "Ugly."
The prowlers used to practice ILS approaches at our airport often.
Saw them lots of times at NAS Norfolk and at sea.
I was a Garuda, VAQ-134 NAS Whidbey Island. 1981-1985
“Somewhat unwieldy?” All versions and variants of the A-6 were noted for being among the Navy’s easiest planes to fly and land. They did low and slow extremely well. While not fighters they had very responsive controls and engines. They handled like a comfortable sedan. They would easily get off the deck every time and we’re probably the slowest gentlest carrier landing outside of a C-2. Those broad wings gave them so much lift that you could practically use them as a kite.
Objectively, I beg to differ. With over 2800 hours in the Prowler (+1000 Growler hours), I am somewhat familiar with their handling characteristics. They were not easy to fly. Heavy, underpowered, poor flight control systems, and prone to yaw instability in the landing configuration. All that said, I loved the old girl. Rugged, pretty fast and maneuverable at low level (terrible >20kft), responsive engines, decent amount of gas and excellent at it mission.
The Growler is completely different, a monkey could fly it. Managing its weapons system and information is something else.
Uhh.. This plane has been obsolete for like 4 decades.
If that is true then why were 50 lost? Here on you tube one launches with a "cold cat" and all 4 crew members ejected. Sadly, one of them hit the bottom of the others ejection seat.
The A10 Warthog was also not pretty but like the Prowler is was beyond effective at it's job.
The Prowler is why the Growler is called Growler
While the EA-6B Prowler may have provided cover for some USAF packages in recent conflicts, the USAF had their EF-111A Raven within its inventory until retired in 1998 and I believe the F-16 took over the Wild Weasel role.
Around 1995 or so the EA6B took over the EF-111A’s job. This started the Expeditionary deployments of the Prowlers.
Yeah the growlers
And later on the f18 growler
Actually when the EF-111 was retired the Air Force folded their EF-111 squadrons into Navy EA-6B squadrons to form composite squadrons seeing as the EF-111 used the same electronic warfare equipment as the EA-6B. When the EA-6B was retired it was replaced by the EF-18G Growler which needed only 1EWO due to advances in computerization.
Actually. The air force is why the ea6b lasted as long as it did. When the air force killed the f-111, the navy was going to kill both the a-6 and ea-6. As there was no viable replacement for the f-111 for the role, the air force paid part of the cost to keep the ea-6 going and even had Carrier qualified air crews
This and the EA-111 Sparkvark were the EW masters
EF-111A
I watched many of these take off and land at Al Asad Air Base in Iraq 2006-2007.
Sure do miss this jet. She was one bad bird! Loud as all get out and she did her job.
Love this aircraft! (Having type rated on the GA7 Cougar for my CPL multi engine rating, I'm very biased towards Grumman!)
The plain is everithing......but not ugly
More like nice, interestig.....unique look👌🙂
Y'all have maybe never seen it - but I was stationed at NAS Whidbey, these were on the reg in the region.
I saw it a couple of times. I lived in Oak Harbor from 1967 to 1987.😉
Классный самолёт для авианосца!
Stationed at Cherry Point for a bit in the 1990’s. Other than the harrier this is all we had there
I was at MCAS Cherry point 82 to 86 , still had A-4's , EA-6B's and Harrier's then. Semper Fi.
I know the EA-18G Growler is the current naval EW aircraft but how good is the F-35C lightning II in an EW capability?
Another Grumman success airframe.
I saw them and even worked on and flown in them from 1972-73! VAQ-134
The Prowler at 2:45 would not be allowed to leave the deck until the pilot rolled down his sleeves.
Marine Air Wings should be lobbying anyone with decision power to acquire the A10C Warthog
I saw an A-6 tear up the asphalt overrun during a run up before takeoff. Lifted it up and then blew it into chunks. Also, I watched an EA-6 crash into a fireball at Whidbey Island.
My guys, VMAQ-2 (CY). QA Chief '86-91, Maint Chief '91-98, so I saw them every workday for 12 years.
I wish I could fly this plane. The seat arrangement is like driving a car. I hope they have cup holder also in the center console.
The EA-6B was not slow. It would do almost 500 kts at sea level with 3 jamming pods and 2 fuel tanks. About as good as a Growler can do.
And the best part Bob, it was a non-afterburning turbojet engine that its designed came from a AGM-28 Hound Dog Missile, that alowed the EA-6B Prowler to do over 500 knots!
Thanks
Welcome
Lovely 😍
My brother was a Flight Surgeon and rode in the back of one of these. I asked him what his role was. He said, "Weight and balance."
Self loading baggage.
@@masonjarhillbilly This is great. Can't wait to tell him. I won't be surprised if he's already heard it though.
beautiful plane
Never seen? I saw them every day for five years at Cherry Point. Heard them too, they loud as hell!
I saw the last USMC Prowlers Sunset ceremony at Cherry Point and I watched them take off and leave for the boneyard.
Worked with them in iwakuni and El Toro
You need A Disclaimer. The aircraft you've never see, IF You are under 30.
Befor that you may well have seen them as an A-6 intruder.
The only external visible difference is a slight bulb on top of the vertical stabilizer.
You may also have watched or read flight of the intruder, A novel made into a movie, And a very good story.
( Thank you Steven Coonts!)
I have most definatly seen this aircraft they used to land at our AF base in Korea all the time.
I’ve known about this EA6B since the late 1980s.
Had these next to our hangar in 🇹🇷 Turkey . hated when they did an engine start , so effin loud
I worked on the EF-111A which was the sports car version of the Prowler... a Fast 2 seater sports car vs a slow 4 seater family sedan.
I also worked the EF-111A with the 42 AMU out of RAF Upper Heyford from 84-87. I t had 10 jamming stations to work with!
@@donedrington8996 I was at Cannon AFB starting in '93. A lot of our guys had come out of Upper Heyford, So, probably knew some of the same people.
@@jeffcantrell2497 Funny- I was at Cannon from 81-84 then again 87-91. I was with the 523 AMU A-Shop both times then went to the 428th when they started at Cannon. Decided after that to go into recruiting, which was a whole other life till I retired in 2003.
The Whidbey boys would fly blacked out training missions at 500 feet through the Suiattle River valley all the time. I saw them a bunch.
They scraped this platform over 15 years ago, apparently using the F-18 platform now... sometimes you just never know? Very interesting craft... very necessary purpose
Negative. Last active squadron VMAQ2 only decommisioned a few years ago.
@@johnstreet1812 they might have kept a unit operational, but the platform by-in- large was axed about 15 years ago, and I have that on fairly good authority - not that it makes a personal ripple in my sleep, but from what I was told about 15 years ago.