Boeing Rolls Out First EA-18G Growler

Released on Friday, August 04, 2006

The Boeing Company yesterday rolled out the U.S. armed forces' newest airborne electronic attack aircraft, the EA-18G Growler, on time and within budget. Boeing presented the aircraft to a crowd of more than 750 U.S. Navy customers, industry partners and Boeing employees during a ceremony at its Integrated Defense Systems facilities in St. Louis.

A derivative of the combat-proven, two-seat F/A-18F Super Hornet, the EA-18G's highly flexible design enables warfighters to perform an array of airborne electronic attack (AEA) missions, operating from either the deck of an aircraft carrier or land-based fields. The EA-18G integrates the capabilities of the most advanced AEA system, designed and produced by the Northrop Grumman Corporation, which recently completed tests on the EA-6B, with the advanced weapons, sensors and communications systems found on the Super Hornet.

The U.S. Navy selected the EA-18G to replace the current AEA platform, the EA-6B Prowler, which has been in service since 1971. Boeing received the EA-18G Systems Development and Demonstration phase contract on December 29, 2003. The aircraft's first flight is planned for later this month, several weeks ahead of the originally scheduled date. EA-18G flight testing will take place at the Navy's Patuxent River, Maryland and China Lake, California, test sites through 2008.

Boeing, acting as the weapon system integrator and prime contractor, leads the EA-18G Growler industry team. Northrop Grumman is the principal subcontractor and airborne electronic attack subsystem integrator. The Hornet Industry Team will divide EA-18G production across Boeing, Northrop Grumman, General Electric and Raytheon manufacturing facilities. The System Design, Development and Demonstration program concludes with an Initial Operational Capability in 2009. Naval Air Systems Command PMA-265 is the U.S. Navy acquisition office for the EA-18G.