Issue Brief #4
March 22, 2001
EA-6B Prowler: Ensuring Protection
for U.S. Forces
Presently, the Navy’s EA-6B Prowler
aircraft is the only airborne radar jamming system available to protect Navy,
Marine Corps and Air Force aircraft. The
Prowler enhances the effectiveness and survivability of other aircraft by
breaking the communications that link surface-to-air missiles systems (SAMs)
together, and forces them to operate singly. Prowlers then further protect US
fighters by jamming SAM tracking radars and attacking them with HARM missiles.
The
invaluable role the Prowler plays in our military operations became plainly
apparent during Operation Allied Force in Kosovo.
Not one US Aircraft embarked on its mission in Kosovo without being
accompanied by a Prowler. The
military leader of the operation, General Wesley Clark, testified in front of
the Senate Armed Services Committee “we couldn’t have fought this war
successfully without the EA-6B contribution.
We really need the electronic warfare capacity that we have there.”
The Kosovo
Conflict also raised awareness to the general scarcity of Prowlers.
Currently there are 124 Prowlers organized into 19 squadrons – 11 are
carrier based, four are land based and four belong to the Marine Corps.
10 squadrons were deployed in Kosovo.
Yet even with the preponderance of Prowlers in Kosovo, Prowlers could not
keep up with the pace of combat sorties. When
Prowlers weren’t available, operational planners had to wait until Prowlers
became available, thereby slowing the operational tempo of Operation Allied
Force. Military analyst Edward
Luttwak went as far as to say that the lack of EW aircraft “was the
constraining element of the entire air campaign.
It was like having 13 Cadillacs and one gallon of gas.”
Congress and
DoD must focus on strategies to address both the immediate deficiencies in
airborne electronic attack and to ensure that airborne electronic attack will
continue to play a major role in extending our airpower advantage well into the
21st century. The best way to meet today’s deficiencies is to keep
the Prowler fleet at its peak readiness. Congress can and should ensure that the
Navy has sufficient O&M funding to repair, and refurbish key Prowler
components.
To ensure the
Prowler’s effectiveness in the future, the Navy should move aggressively –
with Congressional support – to implement the Prowler’s latest jammer
upgrade (ICAP-III) and to accelerate the fielding of the Link 16, DoD’s most
advanced tactical communication system. As
the sole provider of tactical electronic attack capability, it is imperative
that the EA-6B force is ready, has the most effective jamming gear available,
and has uninterrupted communications with strike and support assets. By
supporting these modest initiatives, Congress can help ensure the effectiveness
and survivability of all US tactical aircraft, well into the future.
Rick Larsen
Member of Congress
Electronic Warfare Working Group
Congressman Joe Pitts, Founder and Co-Chairman
420 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
202 225-2411 phone 
202 225-2013 fax