Royal Australian Air Force EA-18G Growlers to get even better capabilities.

Australia has expanded its partnership with the United States to develop the Next Generation Jammer system for the EA-18G Growler. Minister for Defence Linda Reynolds said jammer systems used advanced electronic jamming technology to support the Growler aircraft.

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A Royal Australian Air Force EA-18G Growler. (Picture source: Royal Australian Air Force)

This unique, high-end capability can disrupt, deceive or deny a broad range of military electronic systems, including radars and communications.

The Next Generation Jammer - Low Band counters low-frequency adversary systems, increasing survivability and lethality of 4th and 5th generation platforms and enables all-domain access for the joint force by supporting electromagnetic spectrum dominance.

11 EA-18G Growlers are operated by No. 6 Squadron based at RAAF Base Amberley and operate in conjunction with our air, land and sea forces. Initial Operational Capability (IOC) was declared in April 2019.

A Royal Australian Air Force EA-18G Growler. (Picture source: Royal Australian Air Force)

About the aircraft:

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.

Growlers help to reduce the risk to our forces and improve their situational awareness. It 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;
- Improved communications suite;
- ALQ radio-frequency jamming pods which enable it to jam enemy systems.

An EA-18G Growler. (Picture source: U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Heather Redman)

Specifications:

- Length: 18.3 m;
- Height: 4.9 m;
- Wingspan: 13.7 m;
- Weight: 15,011 kg (empty);
- Engines: Two F414-GE-400 engines;
- Thrust: 44,000 lbs;
- Range: 1,570 km (fully armed with external fuel tanks);
- Ceiling: 50,000 feet;
- Max Speed: 1,960 km/h (Mach 1.6);
- Capacity: ALQ-99 Low and High band jamming pods, Electromagnetic spectrum dominance, Enhanced Situational Awareness and Networking;
- Weapons: AGM-88 Anti-Radiation Missiles, AIM-120 Air-to-air missiles, AIM-9X “Sidewinder” Short Range Air-to-Air Missile.