Summary The EA-6B Prowler was the first US aircraft designed solely for electronic warfare. Prowlers flew combat missions in Vietnam, Iraq, and more without losses. It carried AGM-88 HARM missiles to jam enemy radar systems effectively.
The US Air Force and US Navy have long excelled at electronic warfare. In the Air Force, electronic warfare is provided by the EC-130H Compass Call (being retired and replaced by the little-reported EA-37B aircraft ) and the electronic warfare F-16s. The Navy (and Marines) once relied on the EA-6B Prowler, although these have been retired and replaced with the EA F/A-18G Growler.
For years, the EA-6B Prowler sat at the cutting edge of EW and was used in conflicts around the world. The first US military aircraft specifically designed for EW The Northrop Grumman EA-6B Prowler was built from the carrier-capable A-6 Intruder and was used by the Marines and Navy. At first, the services used the EA-6A, which was later replaced with the more advanced EA-6B.
The National Air and Space Museum states, " While the Navy designated the new airplane the EA-6B, it shared little in common with either the EA-6A or the basic A-6 beyond general appearance. " "Prowlers flew with Navy and Marine squadrons from 1970 to 2019, also protecting Air Force airplanes from enemy attack. When Congress lifted a ban in 1993 on women in combat aircraft, Prowlers were among the first with women pilots and crew.
No Prowlers were lost in combat." - National Air and Space Museum T.