US Navy,
PATUXENT RIVER NAVAL AIR STATION: The Navy’s newest airborne electronic attack asset, the EA-18G Growler, will be accepted by the commander of the Electronic Attack Wing at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington, during a dedication ceremony at Whidbey June 3.
Capt. Bradley S. Russell will host Secretary of the Navy Donald C. Winter, guest speaker for the event, and Congressman Rick Larsen (D-Wash.) at the celebration of the delivery of the first Growler to the NAS.
Also on hand for the event will be members of the Department of the Navy, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems, Northrop-Grumman Corp., General Electric and Raytheon.
The Navy selected the EA-18G to replace the current airborne electronic attack platform, the EA-6B Prowler that has been in service since 1971. The Growler combines the state-of-the-art two-seat, twin-engine F/A-18F Block 2 Super Hornet with the EA-6B Improved Capability III system to provide next-generation electronic attack capability to the joint war fighter.
The $1 billion contract for 57 aircraft was awarded Dec. 29, 2003, with the first Growler delivered to the U.S. Navy on Sept. 24, 2007. From now until 2013, 14 Prowler squadrons will transition to ten Growler squadrons.
Currently, the Electronic Attack Wing, U.S. Pacific Fleet, comprises 4,970 active duty U.S. Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force personnel and 92 Department of Defense civilian employees and 180 Defense contractors.
NAS Whidbey Island is home for the entire U.S. Navy’s airborne electronic attack aircraft, to include the fleet readiness squadron and one forward-deployed squadron in Atsugi, Japan.
