Boeing Delivers First Growler

[ShockediSay]

Source: ap

BERKELEY, Mo. (AP) -- Boeing Co. delivered the first Super Hornet EA-18G aircraft to the U.S. Navy on Monday as part of a $9.2 billion contract.

Instead of carrying missiles or cannons, the so-called Super Hornet "Growler" is equipped with radar-jamming equipment and other gear to knock out a wide array of electronic devices. The aircraft will fly with teams of conventional bombers and help disrupt enemy air defenses.


Read more: http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/070924/mo_boeing_ea_18g_growler.html?.v=1

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So why can't we develop jamming or triggering systems that would non-detonate or pre-detonate IEDs to prevent so many of our casualties?

[fenriswolf]

1. hoo frickin ra

[american_typeculture]

2. Growler - Isn't that a euphemism for taking a dump?

[soothsayer]

3. Yes, and it's also one of them half gallon (or bigger) beer jugs

[FarCenter]

5. The first one always costs more than the refills

[Lasher]

18. I think it should be painted brown instead of grey.

Wonder who I should contact with that suggestion?

[cyberpj]

4. "...and other gear to knock out a wide array of electronic devices."

Just wanted to repeat that part.

[knight_of_the_star]

6. IEDs probably aren't that simple

I don't think jammers would do squat to a simple fuse

[tomreedtoon]

9. Jammers won't stop a pair of wires.

You can bury thin, cheap wire like phone cable to do your detonation, and either have an expendible little kid push the button to set it off, or even have a weight-detonated switch (i.e. a land mine).

This is conventional guerilla thinking. If your high-tech enemy comes up with a complicated roadblock, find a cheap and simple way around it.

[alfredo]

7. Here's the rollout

[Lasher]

12. "Instead of carrying missiles or cannons..."

Um, I'm pretty sure I see a missile or two on that thang.

[Stella_Artois]

13. It can be armed

Both for self defense and offensively with Anti Radiation Missiles.

These home in on radar emmissions to destroy radar systems when they work and Iraqi markets when they don't.

[Lasher]

15. What I figured.

They no doubt wanted it to look more exciting in the rollout photo; thence the armament.

[alfredo]

17. That's what the photo caption said.

[Doc_Technical]

8. This must be the navy's replacement for the EA-6B.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EA-6B_Prowler

[DRoseDARs]

10. And unlike the Osprey, this aircraft apparently flies AND lands without killing its occupants. n/t

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

11. A navy pilot tells me this thing is a joke,

A guy who has been flying the F-18 for 12 years says this thing is a joke and that the navy spent a billion dollars just to hang the same equipment on a different plane with a fraction of the range of what it replaces.

[formercia]

14. Just an excuse to buy more tankers.

They get a little more speed than the intruder.

Talk about an oxymoron: a supersonic intruder.....

[cobalt1999]

16. I think it's more about standarding aircraft

Instead of multiple types each with their own set of parts and maintenance skills, you try to standardize on a single platform reducing cost.

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

20. his exact words were "This is the US Navy, not Southwest Airlines"

he feels that for the cost of this program - all said almost $10 billion dollars the navy could get a new purpose built airplane instead of a "hacked" F-18 that can't match the capabilities of what it replaces.

[ohio2007]

24. it is replacing a 50 year old model ready for the bone yard

it would cost $10 billion dollars for proto types alone.
that pilot... well.....he may not be flying level throwing you such low ball defense spending quotes like that.
Did he tell you how much the Osprey cost to proto type,test and produce?

there is a white elephant the marines were told to take.
It's sometimes better to pull the plug then continue to pump tra$fusion$ of wastful defense dollars keeping somebody's pork project going.

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

27. a 36 yearold model that can stay on station independently for hours

It cost Boeing $5 Billion to develop the 777, COST and PRICE are not the same thing, when Washington reigns in spending and keeps contractors on a short leash a magical thing happens, prices fall - otherwise military contracts will suck up all the money available.

He is personally in favor of chinese approach where the people embezzling money or wasting resources get shot, he is hoping to go work for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics when he retires but suspects he would get run out of town on a rail or sent to evaluate eskimo blankets for units in Alaska.

As for the Osprey "it must be pretty bad if not even Dick Cheney wants this thing!"

[cobalt1999]

26. but you still haven't standardized then.

The cost is offset by reduction in multiple types of spare parts and cost of training maintenance staff on multiple types of aircraft. Also, on a carrier space is at a premium.

Sure it would be nice to have a dozens of aircraft each designed for a specific purpose, but reality dictates that we use minimal types of aircraft that can perform multiple roles.

[olddad56]

19. Nice, I've know a few moaners, but never a growler.

[ohio2007]

21. Seems the writing is on the wall for the EA-6B "Prowler"

the four seat Navy/Marine jammer is being phased out by a two seat multi role Hornet.

[olddad56]

22. The A6 has had a long proud lifespan.

Great airplane.

[ohio2007]

23. The flight of the Intruder was long , spanning decades

and generations of servicemen. Not an easy task when you consider the abuse the airframes took every time they trapped.

If it didn't leak some type of fluid......something was wrong with it

[olddad56]

25. It had a very distinguished history.

I flew in A3's during the Vietnam war. That plane had a very long and distinguished career also. They were old when I flew in them, and they lasted another 20 years after I got out.