List of United States electronic warfare aircraft

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A Boeing E-3 Sentry.

This list covers both currently and formerly operated electromagnetic warfare aircraft (typically airborne early warning and control aircraft) used by the United States.

As such there will be overlaps with the List of United States command and control aircraft and the List of United States airborne early warning aircraft.

1924–1962

Name Role Manufacturer Notes Year of

first flight

Introduction Number built Image
Douglas EF-10B Skyknight/F3D-2Q Electronic warfare/Attack aircraft Douglas Aircraft Company Electronic warfare version of the Douglas F3D Skyknight. 35 F3D-2s were converted into F3D-2Q EW aircraft. Unknown Unknown At least 35[1]
Lockheed EC-121 Warning Star Airborne early warning and control Lockheed Corporation Developed from the Lockheed C-121 Constellation 1949 1954 232
Grumman E-1 Tracer Carried-based airborne early warning Grumman Developed from the Grumman C-1 Trader. Replaced by the E-2 Hawkeyes in 1964.[2] 1956[3] 1958 88
Northrop Grumman E-2 Hawkeye Carried-based airborne early warning Northrop Grumman Highly used by the United States Navy; developed into the Grumman C-2 Greyhound.[4] Replaced the E-1 Tracer.[2] 1960[5] 1964[5][6] 313 (total); 88 (E-2D)[7]

1962–present

Name Role Manufacturer Notes Year of

first flight

Introduction Number built Image
Grumman EA-6A "Electric Intruder" Electronic warfare (EW)/Electronic countermeasures (ECW) Grumman

Northrop Grumman

Converted Grumman A-6 Intruder designed for the United States Marine Corps, designed to provide a new ECM platform to replace the EF-10B Skyknights and AD Skyraiders; it served with the USMC during the Vietnam War.[8] The last EA-6A had been retired by 1993. Later upgraded into the Northrop Grumman EA-6B Prowler.[8] Unknown 1965[8] 27[9]/28
Boeing EC-135 Airborne Command Post, Airborne Launch Control Center, Tracking and Telemetry Platform, Airborne Radio Relay Boeing Developed from the Boeing C-135 Stratolifter. Replaced by the Boeing E-6 Mercury. 1965 2000 Unknown
Northrop Grumman EA-6B Prowler Electronic warfare/Attack aircraft Grumman

Northrop Grumman

Improved version of the Grumman EA-6A. 1968 1971 170
Lockheed EC-130 Psychological and Information Operations (EC-130J) Lockheed Aircraft Co.

Lockheed Martin

One of the many variants of the Lockheed C-130 Hercules. Unknown 1975 7
Boeing E-3 Sentry Airborne early warning and control Boeing Defense, Space & Security Developed from the Boeing 707-320.[10] EC-137D: 9 February 1972

E-3: 25 May 1976[11]

1977[12] 68
Boeing E-4 Airborne early warning and control Boeing Developed from the Boeing 747-200 1973 1974 4
Windecker YE-5 Experimental stealth aircraft Windecker Industries Developed from Windecker Eagle 1973 Never 1
Lockheed EC-130H Compass Call Electronic warfare (EW), Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD), offensive counter-information Lockheed (airframe)

BAE Systems (prime mission equipment)
L3 Communications (aircraft integration and depot maintenance)

One of the many variants of the Lockheed C-130 Hercules. Unknown 1983[13] 14
General Dynamics–Grumman EF-111A Raven Electronic warfare General Dynamics, conversion by Grumman Developed from the General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark. 1977 1983 42
Boeing E-6 Mercury/Hermes Airborne command and control Boeing Developed from the Boeing 707-300.[14] Utilizes TACAMO.[14] Planned to be replaced by the TACAMO Recapitalization Program (E-XX).[14] Replaced the EC-135. 1987 1989[14] 16
Northrop Grumman E-8 Joint STARS Airborne Battle Management and ISTAR Northrop Grumman Developed from the Boeing 707 1988[15] 1991 17
E-9A Widget
A United States Air Force De Havilland Canada Dash 8 range control aircraft that ensures that the overwater military ranges in the Gulf of Mexico are clear of civilian boats and aircraft during live fire tests of air-launched missiles and other hazardous military activities.[16]
Northrop Grumman E-10 MC2A Airborne early warning and control Northrop Grumman Based on the Boeing 767-400ER, project later cancelled. Never Never 0
Boeing E-767 Airborne early warning and control Boeing Integrated Defense Systems Boeing E-3 Sentry's surveillance radar and air control system installed on a Boeing 767-200; used by the Japan Air Self-Defense Force.
  • 1994 (without rotodome)
  • 1996 (with rotodome)
2000 4
Boeing EA-18G Growler Electronic warfare aircraft Boeing Developed from the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. 2006 2009 172 as of October 2021
EA-73B USAF Gulfstream G550 fitted for Electronic Warfare to replace existing EC-130H Compass Call aircraft. [17][18]Previously known as EC-37B, on November 14, 2023, Air Combat Command redesignated the platform as EA-37B to better identify its mission of finding and attacking enemy land or sea targets.[19][20]
Lockheed EP-3 Signals Intelligence (SIGINT)[21] Lockheed Corporation Electronic signals reconnaissance variant of the Lockheed P-3 Orion.[21] Unknown Unknown 12

References

  1. ^ "Aircraft > F3D-2Q/EF-10B Skyknight". Marine Corps Aviation Reconnaissance Association. Retrieved 2024-04-13.
  2. ^ a b "E-2 Hawkeye Airborne Command and Control Aircraft". United States Navy. Retrieved 2024-04-13.
  3. ^ "E-1B Tracer". Naval History and Heritage Command - National Naval Aviation Museum. Retrieved 2024-04-08.
  4. ^ "C-2A Greyhound Logistics Aircraft". United States Navy. Retrieved 2024-04-13.
  5. ^ a b Taylor 1976, p. 291.
  6. ^ "Celebrating 50 years of Hawkeyes in the sky" (PDF). Airborne Early Warning Association. Retrieved 26 April 2024.
  7. ^ "E-2 Hawkeye total production". Archived from the original on September 16, 2019. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
  8. ^ a b c "EA-6B Prowler". Naval History and Heritage Command - National Naval Aviation Museum. Retrieved 2024-04-05.
  9. ^ Frawley, Gerald (2002). "Grumman EA-6B Prowler". The International Directory of Military Aircraft, 2002/2003. Aerospace Publications. ISBN 1-875671-55-2.
  10. ^ "E-3 Sentry (AWACS)". Tinker Air Force Base. Retrieved 2024-04-13.
  11. ^ Eden et al 2004, p. 94.
  12. ^ "E-3 Sentry (AWACS)". Air Force. Retrieved 2024-04-13.
  13. ^ "EC-130H Compass Call". Air Force. Retrieved 2024-04-16.
  14. ^ a b c d "E-6B Mercury | NAVAIR". NAVAIR. Retrieved 13 Apr 2024.
  15. ^ "E-8C Joint STARS". Northrop Grumman. Retrieved 2024-04-13.
  16. ^ Davis, Staff Sgt. Bennie J. III. "E-9A crews survey gulf, track missiles". USAF. Retrieved: October 22, 2008. Archived October 14, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  17. ^ "Moving Compass Call electronic warfare system to modern business jet". Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  18. ^ "L3Harris flies EC-37B Compass Call electronic warfare jet for first time".
  19. ^ "EC-37B Mission Design Series designation change to EA-37B". Air Combat Command. 14 November 2023. Retrieved 22 November 2023.
  20. ^ Tirpak, John A. (20 November 2023). "New EC-37B Gets a Designation Change to EA-37B". Air & Space Forces Magazine. Retrieved 22 November 2023.
  21. ^ a b "EP-3E Aries II". NAVAIR. Retrieved 7 April 2024.

External links