미 해군 전자전기 EA-18G Growler 배치 소식...US Navy's EA-18G Growler

 

미 해군이 기존 EA-6B Prowler 를 대체하는 EA-18G Growler 관련 AW&ST 의 기사를 소개합니다. 얼마전 EA-18G Growler 의

제작사 보잉의 자료를 소개하였습니다만, 이번 아래의 기사는 그 동안 미 해군이 진행해 왔던 EA-18G Growler 개발관련 소식과

향후 일정 그리고 전자전 수행장비에 대한 내용들 입니다.

 

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Radars Beware

U.S. Navy’s new Growler electronic attack platform completes testing and preps for deployment

Aviation Week & Space Technology    11/23/2009

Author: Amy Butler

 

The U.S. Navy’s EA-18G Growler is now operational, marking a new era in the Pentagon’s ability to conduct electronic attack missions more effectively around the globe.

 

The fast-moving aircraft’s introduction will bring much-needed relief to a heavily overtasked and aging EA-6B fleet, which has single-handedly been conducting the Pentagon’s escort jamming mission since the U.S. Air Force’s decision to retire the EF-111 fleet prematurely in 1998.

 

The Navy declared initial operational capability for the Growler in September, indicating that one squadron has fully transitioned from the legacy EA-6B Prowler. The squadron must also have sufficient personnel and training to support preparations for deployment on board an aircraft carrier, which is expected next year.

 

Capt. Mark Darrah, the Navy’s Super Hornet and Growler program manager, would not say what specifically the Growler will be doing while abroad, citing sensitivities with mission details. However, it will “do the exact same missions” as the Prowler, he says, indicating it will be used for overland electronic attack (EA) and could potentially support operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. The system could even be enlisted in the Pentagon’s continuing quest to halt attacks from improvised explosive devices, many of which use low-frequency communications to command detonation.

 

Although some items on the Boeing EA-18G had to be corrected based on the findings of the operational evaluation, the progression of the Growler program to this point is unique among many in the Pentagon’s developmental portfolio. The first Growler flight took place one month early, production aircraft are being delivered ahead of schedule, and the research and development phase did not experience a major cost overrun, says Darrah. In contrast, several other big projects—such as the F-22 software development effort, Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile and KC-135 aerial refueler replacement—have been mired in technical problems and oversight issues.

 

Darrah and Rick Martin, Boeing’s Growler program manager, say the smooth development is largely due to basing the system on proven technologies, reducing the level of risk to cost and schedule estimates. The Navy intentionally avoided risk in the hopes of fielding a system soon and to begin relieving the Prowler fleet.

 

The EA-18G is built on the F/A-18F Block II Super Hornet platform, and its mission systems include technology from the Improved Capability (ICAP) III suite of receivers and jammers, which were originally fielded for the Prowler. The $1.9-billion development program incorporates some new items, including the relo­cation of the ALQ-218 receivers to both wingtips of the Growler. In the Prowler, a single receiver was located on the vertical tail fin.

 

In addition, the introduction of the Interference Cancellation System (Incans) enables operators to maintain communications using the ALQ-227 antenna on the top of the aircraft just behind the canopy even while jamming from up to five ALQ-99 pods. Typically, the aircraft would operate with three—one under each wing and one under the center of the fuselage. Two additional pods could replace the under-wing refueling tanks.

 

“One of the biggest issues we had for situational awareness [in the Prowler] was that when we turned on our low-frequency jammer, we would block our own communications, both on transmit and receive,” says Darrah.

 

The Navy plans to use the EA-18Gs for standoff jamming of enemy air defense radars to allow friendly fighters to conduct operations inside their threat rings. The ALQ-99 pods could become less useful as enemy air defense systems continue to use lower frequencies to try to detect stealthier aircraft fielded by the U.S. and allied nations. Darrah notes, however, that the Growler is designed to operate through 2030.

 

Meanwhile, the Navy is considering its options for a Next-Generation Jammer, which would be placed on the Growler (and possibly other platforms in the Pentagon’s arsenal) within the next decade.

 

Testing during the operational evaluation validated the Incans’ functioning. It also highlighted a problem with the ALQ-218(v2) system. “In the wingtip pods, we had a system that was in there that told the pod where it was relative to the aircraft,” says Darrah. “It had not worked as expected, and it was giving some erroneous information to the airplane” that provided false data on where the pod actually was.

 

An integrated approach to testing allowed the team to quickly validate a fix to this and other problems, Darrah asserts. “We were able to put a software correction onto the aircraft during the operational test period and demonstrated that we fixed it.”

 

Martin says the combined-testing approach reduced the time needed to address problems found during the six months of operational evaluation. “Compared to traditional programs, this spiral process was moving much faster,” he says.

 

The Navy also had to strengthen the hardback of the ALQ-99 to reduce the risk of electronic interference between the pod and the aircraft.

 

The operational evaluation period only scraped the surface of exploring the potential uses of the aircraft’s active, electronically scanned array (AESA) radar (AW&ST Apr. 13, p. 53).

 

“The AESA radar and the ALQ-218 [receiver] system—what we had to prove is that they are not going to interfere with each other,” Darrah says. “There is no detailed or seamless integration of the AESA with the electronic attack system at this phase.” However, Navy officials will be studying how to expand the ­AESA’s capabilities, including the potential use of the sensor as an EA device or a communication system.

 

Adding the Growler to the Navy fleet should streamline EA mission system management. The Prowler’s crew consisted of four officers: a pilot and three mission system operators. The Growler, however, automates many of the EA duties, allowing the single officer in the back seat to manage the mission while the pilot focuses on flying the aircraft.

 

Although the development process went smoothly for Growler, Darrah says there were challenges. The Prowler platform is a “modified cargo environment [and we are] going into a much more dynamic environment [with the Super Hornet],” he notes. “We are taking the receivers and moving them from the vertical tail onto a wingtip pod, and the environment out there on the ends of the wings is a little bit more dynamic.”

 

One hurdle involved adding the wiring needed to run the pods while preserving the ability to fold the aircraft’s wings (thus reducing the footprint on the carrier deck). “There was some tremendous work done on running some very sensitive radio-frequency coaxial cabling through the wing into the airplane, which is extremely challenging because we had a wing-fold and you had to take these very thick coaxial cables and fold them in the wing fold area.”

 

Martin says the Growler has 300 more wiring bundles than the Super Hornet Block II. “These are like your little finger—a cable about that big around. It is not trivial. You can imagine a big bundle of those going through the wing-fold section,” says Darrah. Designers sectioned off the cables and hinged them without compromising their ability to transmit signals.

 

During operational evaluation, officials conducted live-fire trials of the AGM-88 HARM and AIM-120C Amraam. The Amraam will give the Growler some self-defense, whereas the Prowler employed only anti-radar weapons. Eventually, the Navy will equip the Growler with the AGM-88E Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile—a HARM with an improved guidance kit.

 

The Navy intends to buy 88 Growlers; 10 squadrons will receive five each. The remainder will be used for testing and attrition reserve.

 

The first operational Growler squadron will be VAQ-132, the “Scorpions,” based at NAS Whidbey Island, Wash. The Navy recently received the 14th aircraft. The final Growler will be delivered in 2013 to complete the transition from the Prowler. Each aircraft must be ordered and purchased two years in advance, so the final 10-Growler buy will be documented in the Navy budget in Fiscal 2011.

 

Though deployment plans could spark interest from international customers, the U.S. has not signaled any intention to release the aircraft abroad. Since other nations also face defense budget constraints, funding could be an issue for new sales. However, Australia, the first Super Hornet customer, has expressed interest.

 

Based on Defense Dept. procurement figures for Fiscal 2010, each Growler costs roughly $73 million. Darrah notes that the aircraft’s price tag is roughly $8-10 million more per unit than a Super Hornet. They are both built on the same Boeing production line in St. Louis.

 

As for Australia, one solution could be to retrofit some Super Hornets. “Every F/A-18F is provisioned to accept an electronic attack capability. We built in the ability for us to do that either in production or as a retrofit,” Darrah notes. The shift would require several changes to the aircraft, but is a possible option.

 

Meanwhile, Boeing has Super Hornet orders from the Navy and Australia to carry it through 2014, according to a company official. The aircraft is also under consideration by Brazil, Japan, Denmark and Greece. And it is viewed as a potential gap-filler for the U.S. Navy and possibly Australia if the Lockheed Martin Joint Strike Fighter’s operational capability date slips.