![]() ![]() The aircraft is fitted with a helmet-mounted cueing system (HMCS) developed by Vision Systems International, a joint venture company of Rockwell Collins and Elbit. ![]() ![]() The aircraft is equipped with hands-on throttle and stick (HOTAS) control and full digital fly-by-wire controls. The displays have tactical aircraft moving map capability (TAMMAC). The advanced crew station is equipped with a touch-screen liquid crystal display (LCD) mission systems control and display, 203mm x 23mm (8in x 10in) full-colour tactical LCD, and two multipurpose 127mm x 127mm (5in²) LCDs. The two-seat cockpit has the pilot crew station and electronic warfare officer’s advanced crew station. An arrester hook is installed under the rear section of the fuselage. The nose of the aircraft is fitted with a catapult launch tow bar. The aircraft has a Messier-Dowty twin-wheel nose gear. The Menasco main landing gear is single-wheeled and turns through 90° to retract rearward into the wheel bays mounted in the engine air ducts. The aircraft has retractable tricycle-type landing gear. ![]() The major contractor Northrop Grumman manufactures the rear and centre fuselage sections while EADS CASA is responsible for the manufacture of structural components, such as the fuselage rear side panels, horizontal tail surfaces, flaps, leading-edge extensions, rudders and speed brakes. The aircraft construction includes a light alloy multi-spar wing as well as high-strength graphite and epoxy panels and doors. One of the external visual characteristics is the wingtip air-to-air missiles on the F/A-18 Super Hornet are normally replaced by wideband receiver pods on the EA-18 Growler while other hardpoints carry a mix of electronic warfare pods and weapons. The EA-18G Growler aircraft is a derivative of the F/A-18F Super Hornet, based on the Super Hornet platform, with structural changes and the installation of avionics and mission systems, increasing the empty weight by 800kg to 15,000kg and carrier landing weight by 1,350kg to 21,775kg. The new aircraft will replace the country’s EA-18G A46-311 aircraft lost in an accident at Nellis Air Force Base. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency of the US Department of Defense (DOD) approved the sale of one EA-18G Growler Aircraft and related equipment worth $125m to the Government of Australia in September 2021. Australia is the first country outside the US to operate the EA-18G Growler aircraft.Īn EA-18G Growler, along with two F/A-18 Super Hornets, underwent flight trials at the Pirkkala Air Base near Tampere, Finland, for procurement process in February 2020. The aircraft achieved initial operational capability in April 2019 and are currently operated by the RAAF. The EA-18G Growler fleet is based at NAS Whidbey Island.īoeing was awarded a contract to deliver 12 Growlers to the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) under a foreign military sales agreement with the USN in June 2014. Northrop Grumman is the principal subcontractor and airborne electronic attack subsystem integrator. Boeing also leads the EA-18G Growler industry team. The Boeing Company is the prime contractor and weapon system integrator. Naval Air Systems Command PMA-265 is the USN acquisition office for the EA-18G. In service, the aircraft carries out a range of missions, including stand-off and escort jamming, surveillance, and strike. The SDD programme concluded with initial operational capability in late 2009, when the first of ten electronic attack squadrons (VAQ) began EA-18G operations. The first operational aircraft was delivered to Naval Air Station (NAS) Whidbey Island, Washington, in June 2008, and operational evaluation began in October 2008 on board the USS John C Stennis (CVN 74) aircraft carrier. The first production aircraft was delivered to the USN in September 2007. This was followed by delivery of the first two test aircraft to the USN in September and November 2006. The Growler aircraft’s first test flight was successfully completed in August 2006. A contract for the first four production aircraft was signed in July 2006. The US Navy (USN) awarded a five-year system development and demonstration (SDD) contract in December 2003. ![]()
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