11 EA-18G Growler aircraft are operated by No. 6 Squadron based at RAAF Base Amberley and operate in conjunction with Australian air, land and sea forces.
Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) EA-18G Growler electronic attack aircraft has achieved Initial Operating Capability (IOC).
“This will provide a capability edge by enhancing tactical options to reduce risks to Australian and partner maritime, land and air forces in more complex and high-tech conflicts of the future.” – Air Marshal Leo Davies, Chief of Air Force said on Apr. 30, 2019.
Noteworthy when a new capability is introduced, IOC is declared once the first part of the system can be employed operationally. It’s achieved after rigorous operational testing and evaluation of not just the platform, but also the supporting system as a whole.
The EA-18G Growler is an electronic attack aircraft. It is capable of disrupting, deceiving or denying a broad range of military electronic systems, including radars and communications.
11 EA-18G Growlers are operated by No. 6 Squadron based at RAAF Base Amberley and operate in conjunction with Australian air, land and sea forces.
Growlers can support a wide range of Defence tasks, from peacetime evacuations to major conflicts.
The Growler is based on the F/A-18F Super Hornet airframe, and is fitted with:
- additional avionics
- enhanced radio frequency receivers
- an improved communications suite, and
ALQ radio-frequency jamming pods which enable it to jam enemy systems.
RAAF purchase of the EA-18G Growler includes the aircraft, required mission and support systems, training, and ongoing support to effectively develop and operate a Growler capability.
It will provide a complementary capability to the F/A-18F Super Hornet and the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter aircraft.
Photo credit: Royal Australian Air Force
Artwork courtesy of AircraftProfilePrints.com
