Modern, purpose built, jet EW strike aircraft Thread

Scratch

Captain
This thread is for modern, purpose built (not simply conversions of existing aircraft) EW strike aircraft. The new build Tornado ECR aircraft for Germany or an example. The USAF EF-111A Rave is an example, as are the EA-6B Prowler and EA-18G Growler.

Please discuss the current and future news of these (and other) aircraft here.


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I don't really see, btw, and actually have always wondered, why the F-15E never became a true SEAD / EW aircraft. The somewhat smaller Super Hornet, in the form of the F/A-18G, seems to be able to fill that role quiet nicely. While F-16s in the block 50/52 config have taken up the SEAD role, I always thought the Strike Eagle would be better suited. There is more space in the airframe to integrate antennae (is that the proper plural in english)? and there should be enough space on it to hold those 3 jamming pods + plus tanks + HARMs + self protection Sidewinder / AMRAAMs. There should also be enough power generation capability. And it has a WSO.

These would then be well suited to provide the SEAD / EW cover, while F-22s / F-35s "do the DEAD" or strike what ever else is of interest.

I think several years back, the USAF thought about making the B-52s stand off jammers. Perhaps LRS-B is an option for that role.
 
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Jeff Head

General
Registered Member
Well, there were 42 EF-111A Ravens built I believe. They were introduced in '83...and then retired only 15 years later in 1998. I have to believe those frames are in the boneyard somewhere and could have a lot of hours on their frames.

0000000000000 EF-11 Raven.jpg

It would be an interesting analysis to see if they could be refitted, versus refitting a group of F-15Es.

Anyhow, the Growler is now being purpose built for the role for the US Navy. It is not a F/A-18F conversion. The F-15E build is over. They would have to take existing F-15Es and convert them and that would eat into the existing inventory.

OTOH, there were a total of like 420 F-15Es built and only something over 220 are currently in service. Maybe they could take some of the retired F-15Es, with the lowest wear and tear or hours on them and convert those?

I think the EA-18G may be the answer.

0000000000000000 EA18FG Growler.jpg

At this point, I would look at making whatever slight changes the USAF would require and simply build a USAF version of the EA-18G for the air force. At about 68 million a pop for the US Navy, that might make sense and be doable.
 
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TerraN_EmpirE

Tyrant King
The F15E can and does carry some of the goodies needed to be a Wild Weasel in fact it was studied for the role but for what ever reason the USAF more or less hands off the role. F15E has the jamming pods and electronic warfare equipment needed at the most basic for the mission. It can also pack HARM missiles but the preference of the USAF is to have F15E streak past the air defense lines and pound other targets.

F16XL would have also been.developed along similar lines for the mission. But again nothing ever came of it.

F16CJ and DJ (the F16s fitted with the jamming equipment) were supposed to be the Replacement for the EB111 raven but it seems almost half hearted.

When the USAF needed Jammers in the second Gulf war they borrowed them in the form of EA6 from the Navy. But that was at best a temporary solution. And lets be blunt the Chances of EA18G ever sporting USAF markings are about as high as winning the powerball.

So there are two aircraft in the USAF that could kinda do the Job the F15E and F16CJ/DJ but both have limited numbers and both are looking at the door as F35A moves in.
Now there has been a requirement from the Marines for Next Generation Jammer of there own. Like the USAF the USMC never bought Super Hornets and are involved in the F35 only a slightly different model.

I have long said that a logical course of action would be to build a common Jammer kit for F35 using the "multi mission pod" the serves as a gun pod for F35B and additional modules where necessary since the F35A/B/C have common avionics and a large degree of commonality structurally tailoring from one model to another should be do able.
 
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FORBIN

Lieutenant General
Registered Member
When the USAF needed Jammers in the second Gulf war they borrowed them in the form of EA6 from the Navy
From since the EF-111 withdrawal there are Joint Expeditionary Squadron with USAF crew for overseas deployment in general in land bases, 3 Sqns right now growth to 5 for 2016 with the 2 new Sqns stand up for 2015/16 others named Fleet Sqn they are12.

And USMC have 4 EA-6B Sqns with 27. Seems as USAF in the futur don't have EW aircrafts focusing on stealth
 

Scratch

Captain
Maybe there's actually place for a distintion between tactical EW / SEAD fighter-(bombers) and strategic stand-off EW assets. The B-52H based stand-off jammer would have been the latter. With the airframe big enough to house large antennas working in the low frequency range. This would then target enemy Early Warning radars and perhaps communication to some extant. Making a Rivet Joint into an EC-135 comes to my mind as an exotic solution. But really, a buisness jet based Rivet Joint follow on or future JSTARS could potentially also feature a stand off jamming capability / variant.

On the tactical side, maybe the USAF is trusting it's space- and airbased ELINT capability to such an extant that they just attack known AD sites with CM volleys and HARM / PGM equiped strike packages. Although that would seem a bit wierd to me, since I always though controlling the EM spectrum has always been an inportant part of US warfighting strategy.
 

kwaigonegin

Colonel
Well, there were 42 EF-111A Ravens built I believe. They were introduced in '83...and then retired only 15 years later in 1998. I have to believe those frames are in the boneyard somewhere and could have a lot of hours on their frames.

View attachment 16280

It would be an interesting analysis to see if they could be refitted, versus refitting a group of F-15Es.

Anyhow, the Growler is now being purpose built for the role for the US Navy. It is not a F/A-18F conversion. The F-15E build is over. They would have to take existing F-15Es and convert them and that would eat into the existing inventory.

OTOH, there were a total of like 420 F-15Es built and only something over 220 are currently in service. Maybe they could take some of the retired F-15Es, with the lowest wear and tear or hours on them and convert those?

I think the EA-18G may be the answer.

View attachment 16281

At this point, I would look at making whatever slight changes the USAF would require and simply build a USAF version of the EA-18G for the air force. At about 68 million a pop for the US Navy, that might make sense and be doable.

USAF will NEVER fly any plane built for the Navy.
 

TerraN_EmpirE

Tyrant King
I was waiting for some one to say that. even the F111 was supposed to be a joint USAF,USN program but then the two broke away since that point they have shared only a hand full of common types the coming V22, the established H60, mostly in the support role and even then worlds apart in avionics
 

kwaigonegin

Colonel
Uhhh..mmm...A-7 Corsair, F-4 Phantom,

Never say never.

That's true... just that I've met enough of them to know they are extremely adamant not to mention arrogant and considers Navy being '2nd class' when it comes to anything above the surface.
Funny thing is I think Navy flyboys can drive better than Air Force. if not technical skills certainly in doctrine. USAF are very stringent in they way they have their pilots drive. Navy is more 'loose'.
 
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