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List of United States electronic warfare aircraft

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A Boeing E-3 Sentry.
United States military aircraft
  • Airships
  • Airborne early warning aircraft
  • Anti-submarine aircraft
  • Bomber aircraft
  • Attack aircraft
  • Command and control aircraft
  • Electronic warfare aircraft
  • Experimental aircraft
  • Fighter aircraft
  • Patrol aircraft
  • Reconnaissance
  • Tankers
  • Trainers
  • Transport aircraft
  • Utility aircraft
  • Military helicopters
  • UAVs
    		•

    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 United States command and control aircraft and United States airborne early warning aircraft.

    1924–1962

    [edit]
    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.[1] 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
    Douglas EA-3 Skywarrior Strategic bomber / electronic warafre Douglas Aircraft Company Electronic warfare version of the Douglas A-3 Skywarrior. 1952 1956
    Grumman E-1 Tracer Carrier-based airborne early warning Grumman Developed from the Grumman C-1 Trader. Replaced by the E-2 Hawkeyes in 1964.[2] 1956[3] 1960[3] 88
    Northrop Grumman E-2 Hawkeye Carrier-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

    [edit]
    Name Role Manufacturer Notes Year of

    first flight

    		Introduction Number built Image
    Douglas EB-66 Electronic warfare Douglas Aircraft Company Used by United States Air Force to jam North Vietnamese SAMs, MiG-21s, and anti-aircraft guns.[8] 1965, By[8] At least 99[9]
    Grumman EA-6A "Electric Intruder" Electronic warfare (EW)/Electronic countermeasures (ECW) 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 in 1966.[10][11][12] The last EA-6A had been retired by 1993. Later upgraded into the Northrop Grumman EA-6B Prowler.[10][12] Unknown 1965[10] 27[13]/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. Unknown 1965 Unknown
    Grumman EA-6B Prowler Electronic warfare/Attack aircraft Grumman

    Northrop Grumman

    		Improved version of the Grumman EA-6A. Replaced by the EA-18G Growler in 2015 in the U.S. Navy and was retired in March 2019 with the U.S. Marine Corps.[11] 1968[11] 1971[10] 170[14]
    Lockheed EC-130 Psychological and Information Operations (EC-130J) Lockheed

    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.[15] EC-137D: 9 February 1972

    E-3: 25 May 1976[16]

    		1977[17] 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[18] 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[19]
    Boeing E-6 Mercury/Hermes Airborne command and control Boeing Developed from the Boeing 707-300; utilizes TACAMO; planned to be replaced by the TACAMO Recapitalization Program (E-XX); replaced the EC-135.[20] 1987 1989[20] 16
    Northrop Grumman E-8 Joint STARS Airborne Battle Management and ISTAR Northrop Grumman Developed from the Boeing 707 1988[21] 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.[22][23] The 82nd Aerial Targets Squadron located at Tyndall AFB, has the only E-9A aircraft in the Department of Defense inventory.[23] Unknown 1988 (IOC)[23] 2[23]
    Northrop Grumman E-10 MC2A Airborne early warning and control Northrop Grumman / Boeing Integrated Defense Systems Based on the Boeing 767-400ER, project later cancelled.[24] 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.[25]
    • 1994 (without rotodome)
    • 1996 (with rotodome)
    		 2000 4
    Boeing E-7 Wedgetail Airborne early warning and control Boeing Defense, Space & Security Based on the Boeing 737 Next Generation. Also known as the E-737 or Boeing 737 AEW&C 2004 2012 14
    Boeing EA-18G Growler Electronic warfare aircraft Boeing Electronic warfare version of the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. It's built to replace aging EA-6B Prowlers. It also retains the Super Hornets' multi-mission and SEAD capabilities.[26] 2006[26] 2009[26] 172 as of October 2021
    EA-37B Compass Call USAF Gulfstream G550 fitted for Electronic Warfare to replace existing EC-130H Compass Call aircraft.[27][28] 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.[29][30] Unknown Unknown Unknown
    Lockheed EP-3 Signals Intelligence (SIGINT)[31] Lockheed Corporation Electronic signals reconnaissance variant of the Lockheed P-3 Orion.[31] Unknown 1960s, late -early 1970s[32] 12[32]

    References

    [edit]
    1. ^ a b "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. ^ a b "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 "Blinding the Enemy: EB-66 Electronic Warfare over North Vietnam". U.S. Air Force. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
    9. ^ Nederveen, Gilles Van. "Sparks Over Vietnam: The EB-66 and the Early Struggle of Tactical Electronic Warfare" (PDF). Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC). Retrieved 12 August 2024.
    10. ^ a b c d "EA-6B Prowler". Naval History and Heritage Command - National Naval Aviation Museum. Retrieved 5 April 2024.
    11. ^ a b c "EA-6B Prowler | Pacific Coast Air Museum | Navy Electronic". Pacific Coast Air Museum. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
    12. ^ a b "Prowler, EA-6B". National Air and Space Museum. Retrieved 2024-07-06.
    13. ^ Frawley, Gerald (2002). "Grumman EA-6B Prowler". The International Directory of Military Aircraft, 2002/2003. Aerospace Publications. ISBN 1-875671-55-2.
    14. ^ "Original EA-6B Prowler takes last flight". NAVAIR (navy.mil). 3 August 2010. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
    15. ^ "E-3 Sentry (AWACS)". Tinker Air Force Base. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
    16. ^ Eden et al 2004, p. 94.
    17. ^ "E-3 Sentry (AWACS)". Air Force. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
    18. ^ "EC-130H Compass Call". U.S. Air Force (.mil). Retrieved 16 April 2024.
    19. ^ "General Dynamics EF-111A Raven". National Museum of the United States Air Force. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
    20. ^ a b "E-6B Mercury". NAVAIR. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
    21. ^ "E-8C Joint STARS". Northrop Grumman. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
    22. ^ J. Davis III, Bennie. "E-9A crews survey gulf, track missiles". U.S. Air Force (af.mil). Archived from the original on 14 October 2012. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
    23. ^ a b c d "E-9A". U.S. Air Force. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
    24. ^ Albery, William (22 June 2011). "E-10A MC2A Systems Engineering Case Study". pp. 22–23.
    25. ^ Chen, Ernie (2017). "The Future of AWACS: Technological Advancement or Technological Relic?" (PDF). Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC). pp. 11–12. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
    26. ^ a b c "EA-18G Growler". Navair (navy.mil). Retrieved 12 August 2024.
    27. ^ "Moving Compass Call electronic warfare system to modern business jet". Retrieved 8 April 2020.
    28. ^ "L3Harris flies EC-37B Compass Call electronic warfare jet for first time". FlightGlobal.
    29. ^ "EC-37B Mission Design Series designation change to EA-37B". Air Combat Command. 14 November 2023. Retrieved 22 November 2023.
    30. ^ Tirpak, John A. (20 November 2023). "New EC-37B Gets a Designation Change to EA-37B". Air & Space Forces Magazine. Retrieved 22 November 2023.
    31. ^ a b "EP-3E Aries II". NAVAIR. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
    32. ^ a b "EP-3E (ARIES II) signals intelligence reconnaissance aircraft". United States Navy Fact File. Archived from the original on 14 November 2008. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
    [edit]
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