engines roar to life and perform an obligatory inspection. They look for changes of color in the exhaust that might signal a problem. Much care is given the twin-tail U.S. Navy jets before they embark on daily operations, which are counted by base landings and touch-and-go maneuvers, often with a dual flash of bright yellow afterburners on display. Everything about the Boeing-made Growler is precise and orderly—except when it’s operating at its electronic warfare best. In that case, success is total confusion. The Growler’s job is to trick, baffle and frustrate enemy forces however it can with state-of-the-art avionics, foremost intricate radar-jamming devices. The art of deception, using the latest technological advances, has become a huge draw for today’s military aviator. “The Growler is the new hotness,” said Lt. Cmdr. Marcus K., a Navy electronic warfare officer and former Indiana schoolteacher who can’t be fully identified because of security concerns. “Everybody wants to fly it.” By jamming enemy radar, Growlers help aircrews flying the F/A-18 Super Hornet and other strike aircraft reach their target without being detected. They save lives. A modified version of the Super Hornet, the Growler is built on the same Boeing assembly line in St. Louis, with Navy orders for 153. Most of the 114 Growlers delivered to the Navy are 22 Boeing Frontiers assigned to Whidbey Island, a windy, coastal air base that stares out at the white-capped waters of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and beyond to the Pacific Ocean. The U.S.-Canadian border is just 50 miles (80 kilometers) north. The first Growler arrived there in 2008 and its first overseas deployment came two years later. The steadily expanding fleet was the impetus behind the complete renovation of Whidbey’s largest airfield hangar and the installation of a new control tower. The Growler replaced the last of its predecessor, the EA-6B Prowler made by Grumman and retired earlier this year. The Growler is now the primary military option for an essential service—that of a disruptive electronic warfare escort for strike jets headed into combat or for ships or land forces in harm’s way. Growlers are expected to be in service through 2040. Aviation machinist mate William B., his full identity likewise concealed for security reasons, has first say on parts installations involving the Growler, which comes readily equipped to defend itself. He learned all about Navy jet engines while working 12- to 13-hour days on the flight deck of the carrier USS Kitty Hawk. He takes pride in the fact he can have a Growler engine swapped out in only two and a half hours. He recognizes the need for his jet’s unique presence and his corresponding mechanic skills. “I don’t see a military engagement happening without the Growler,” said William B., a native Texan. “We’re able to jam and military attack, and that makes me indispensable.” Most Navy pilots rarely get a chance to operate a brand-new jet over the course of their service careers, but Whidbey Island flight crews have climbed into freshly delivered Growlers and noted as few as six hours of recorded flight time. They joke about the new-car smell. They marvel at the new-age screens. They say the jet is smooth and easy to fly. Lt. Cmdr. Stephen S. logged 1,400 hours in the Prowler before moving to the Boeing jet. The Growler makes him feel more in control in terms of enemy awareness. The Navy pilot from Illinois rattles off the names and numbers of the electronic devices now available to him and his wingman that have altered the approach to surveillance and reconnaissance, and given everyone a greater sense of comfort. “With the old Prowler, you really weren’t sure exactly where you were, you weren’t sure where everybody else was and you weren’t sure what the threat was,” he said. “This aircraft has an incredible system that tells us where all of the threats are coming from. It locates all of the threats.” Whereas the Prowler had four crew huddled in its cramped cockpit, handling delegated chores in a prearranged fashion, the Growler has a two-person crew—the pilot and an electronic warfare officer, or EWO, in the back seat. Flight crews share and react to information gleaned
Frontiers June 2015 Issue
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