The United States has deployed six “electronic attack aircraft” in northern Europe, increasing its military forces in the region since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. They are designed to overcome enemy air defenses by damaging the radar systems on which they often depend, giving friendly aircraft a substantial combat advantage.
Six fighters – EA-18G Growlers – are equipped to perform various missions, but they specialize in so-called electronic warfare – mainly to damage the enemy radar with the flood radio frequency waves to suppress air defenses, according to Pentagon spokesman John Kirby.
The U.S. Navy announced Monday (March 28th) that the Growlers will arrive Tuesday (March 29th) at Spangdahl Air Force Base in northwestern Germany along with 240 U.S. crews and aircraft crews.
Kirby told reporters that the jets will not perform any specific obstacle missions, but they are being deployed as part of a recent Defense Department decision to strengthen its forces in the region.
“They are not being deployed for use against Russian forces in Ukraine,” Kirby said in the statement. “They are deploying fully in line with our support efforts NATOopportunities for deterrence and protection on this eastern flank. “
Related: Russia strikes Ukraine with new hypersonic missiles: this is how they work.
Growlers add to existing U.S. military fighters, attack helicopters and infantry battalions that have been deployed in Germany, Poland and Hungary since February – a total mobilization of about 11,800 troops, according to an independent Wartime website.
“They are being deployed, as we have been saying all along, [because] the secretary wants the options to be open, “Kirby said.” As a result of the discussions … it was seen as an additional step that could continue to strengthen and strengthen our defenses. “
Electronic wrestling
According to the Department of Defense, six EA-18G Growler aircraft are from VAQ 134, a U.S. Navy electronic attack squadron known as Garudas. They are usually based at Widby Naval Air Station on Puget Sound Island in Washington.
A Bulletin of the Navy notes that the EA-18Gs are variants of the F / A-18E / F Super Hornet fighters; but they removed the internal 20mm Super Hornet gun and replaced it with electronic warfare equipment. They also have nine external weapons stations that can be equipped with missiles or units with additional equipment for electronic interference.
The electronic warfare systems at Growlers are designed to drown out enemy air defense radars by interfering with the radio frequencies they use, noise or false information.
Air defense radars emit thousands of radio pulses every second that can bounce off enemy aircraft; The radar information can then be used to accurately launch surface-to-air missiles hundreds of miles away.
But missiles cannot work if radar air defense systems are confused, disrupted or destroyed.
There are also several different types of radar air defense systems, and Growler’s electronic warfare equipment is designed to combat everything it encounters.
In addition, various types of countermeasures can be used to prevent jamming of air defense radars during electronic attacks, and Growler equipment is designed to overcome them.
Insurance and protection
The effective range in which Growlers can jam radio frequencies used by enemy air defense radar, and the details of how they do so are strictly guarded secrets.
In addition to interference, Growlers electronic warfare systems are also able to identify and locate enemy air defense radars and automatically transmit this information to friendly combatants.
Jets are usually equipped with anti-radar missiles, which can turn on radar transmissions of enemy air defenses and destroy them; and with medium-range air-to-air missiles for protection against enemy fighters.
Navy Captain Christopher Banner, commander of Electronic Attack Wing Pacific – the U.S. military unit where the recently deployed Growlers are based – said he would allow other EA-18G-based aircraft carriers to stay at sea to protect the aircraft carrier. and warships deployed with him.
The banner was not specified, but one American aircraft carrier, the USS Harry S. Truman, was deployed in the northern Aegean earlier this month along with support warships in its strike group.
Its commanders said that the strike group was able to “support reinforced NATO air police missions, strengthen the defense of NATO.”
Kirby said the U.S. European Command will decide whether the recently deployed EA-18G Growlers will carry out “presence” missions in NATO’s border regions such as Poland and Lithuania, while the US F-35 will be deployed in the Baltics since February. .
Originally published on Live Science.