AN/ALQ-218

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The AN/ALQ-218 is an American airborne electronic warfare system, found on Northrop Grumman EA-6B Prowler and Boeing EA-18G Growler military aircraft.

Contents

Description

The AN/ALQ-218 is an airborne passive Radar warning receiver / electronic warfare support measures / electronic intelligence (RWR/ESM/ELINT) sensor system designed for airborne situational awareness and signal intelligence gathering. The AN/ALQ-218 detects, identifies, locates and analyzes sources of radio frequency emission. The current version AN/ALQ-218(V)2 is manufactured by Northrop Grumman. [1]

Platforms

The ALQ-218 is the featured system aboard the U.S. Navy's EA-18 Growler aircraft, [2] which has replaced the EA-6B Prowler in the U.S. Navy. [3] [4] Electronics from the EA-6B were modified to fit into the gun bay and wing tip pods of the Growler.

The EA-18G may carry an additional five jamming pods on under wing pylons. [5] The system is being considered for modification to serve on unmanned aerial vehicles. The Growler is part of the same family of aircraft as the F/A-18 Super Hornet.

Related Research Articles

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In military telecommunications, electronic support (ES) or electronic support measures (ESM) gather intelligence through passive "listening" to electromagnetic radiations of military interest. They are an aspect of electronic warfare involving actions taken under direct control of an operational commander to detect, intercept, identify, locate, record, and/or analyze sources of radiated electromagnetic energy for the purposes of immediate threat recognition or longer-term operational planning. Thus, electronic support provides a source of information required for decisions involving electronic protection (EP), electronic attack (EA), avoidance, targeting, and other tactical employment of forces. Electronic support data can be used to produce signals intelligence (SIGINT), communications intelligence (COMINT) and electronics intelligence (ELINT). These Electronic Support Measures (ESM) aim to enable immediate threat recognition. ESM provided by companies like Shoghi Communications, focuses on serving military service needs even in the most tactical, rugged, and extreme environments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northrop Grumman EA-6B Prowler</span> American carrier-based electronic warfare aircraft

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boeing EA-18G Growler</span> Electronic Warfare Aircraft

The Boeing EA-18G Growler is an American carrier-based electronic warfare aircraft, a specialized version of the two-seat F/A-18F Super Hornet. The EA-18G replaced the Northrop Grumman EA-6B Prowlers in service with the United States Navy. The Growler's electronic warfare capability is primarily provided by Northrop Grumman. The EA-18G began production in 2007 and entered operational service with the US Navy in late 2009. Australia has also purchased twelve EA-18Gs, which entered service with the Royal Australian Air Force in 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Active electronically scanned array</span> Type of phased array radar

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The AN/ALQ-99 is an airborne electronic warfare system, found on EA-6B and EA-18G Growler military aircraft. The ALQ-99E version of the system was carried on the EF-111A Raven aircraft as an escort or standoff jammer.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carrier air wing</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">AN/ALQ-144</span>

The AN/ALQ-144, AN/ALQ-147, and AN/ALQ-157 are US infra-red guided missile countermeasure devices (IRCM). They were developed by Sanders Associates in the 1970s to counter the threat of infra-red guided surface to air missiles like the 9K32 Strela-2. While decoy flares were effective at jamming first generation infra-red guided missiles, each flare was only effective for a short period. If an aircraft needed to loiter over a high risk area or was flying slowly, it would require a large number of flares to decoy any missile fired at it. The IRCM provided constant protection against infra-red guided missiles.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">VAQ-131</span> Military unit

Electronic Attack Squadron 131 (VAQ-131), also known as the "Lancers," is a United States Navy tactical jet aircraft squadron specializing in kinetic and non-kinetic Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD). They are based at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, flying the EA-18G Growler. Their radio callsign is "Skybolt."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">VAQ-132</span> Military unit

Electronic Attack Squadron 132 (VAQ-132), the "Scorpions", is a United States Navy aircraft squadron based at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, flying the EA-18G Growler. The squadron's radio callsign is "Scorp".

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An electronic-warfare aircraft is a military aircraft equipped for electronic warfare (EW), that is, degrading the effectiveness of enemy radar and radio systems by using radar jamming and deception methods.

The Next Generation Jammer is a program to develop an airborne electronic warfare system, as a replacement for the AN/ALQ-99 found on the EA-18G military aircraft. It will reach Initial Operating Capability in 2021.

References

  1. "AN/ALQ-218 RWR/ESM/ELINT Sensor System". Northropgrumman.com. Retrieved 2016-06-05.
  2. "EA-18G Growler Electronic Attack Aircraft". Naval Technology. 2011-06-15. Retrieved 2016-06-05.
  3. "Boeing EA–18G Growler | Info, AN/ALQ-99, NGJ, Budget/Costs, Specs". Bga-aeroweb.com. Retrieved 2016-06-05.
  4. Frank Colucci (2008-03-01). "Avionics Magazine :: Teeth of the Growler". Aviationtoday.com. Retrieved 2016-06-05.
  5. "ALQ-99 Tactical Jamming System | NAVAIR - U.S. Navy Naval Air Systems Command - Navy and Marine Corps Aviation Research, Development, Acquisition, Test and Evaluation". Navair.navy.mil. Archived from the original on 2016-09-23. Retrieved 2016-06-05.