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The Great Growler Gallery

ea6bflyr

Working Class Bum
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Super Moderator
Contributor
More GROWLER funding?

A 10JULY article on Popular Mechanics website discusses how the Growler could get more funding in lieu of the F-22. Short read about how we could end up with more than the initial 187 buy, and there are some good pics of the aircraft to boot.

-ea6bflyr ;)
 

Brett327

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A 10JULY article on Popular Mechanics website discusses how the Growler could get more funding in lieu of the F-22. Short read about how we could end up with more than the initial 187 buy, and there are some good pics of the aircraft to boot.

-ea6bflyr ;)

Cartwright was either misquoted, or talking out his ass. There is a recommendation to give Gs to the exped squadrons if they keep them around - nothing more.

Brett
 

puck_11

Growler LSO
pilot
To add on to what Brett said there is talk to keep the Prowler flying until 2014 with the expeditionary squadrons and then transitioning them to G's.
 

FlyinSpy

Mongo only pawn, in game of life...
Contributor
Cartwright was either misquoted, or talking out his ass. There is a recommendation to give Gs to the exped squadrons if they keep them around - nothing more.

Since Cartwright rarely talks out his ass, he was (slightly) misquoted. Below is the complete text of his comments about the F-22, E/Fs, and Gs:

General CARTWRIGHT. Senator, I was probably one of the more
vocal and ardent supporters for the termination of the F–22 pro-
duction. The reason is twofold.
First, there is a study in the Joint Staff that we just completed
and partnered with the Air Force on that, number one, said that
proliferating within the United States military fifth generation
fighters to all three Services was going to be more significant than
having them based solidly in just one service because of the way
we deploy and because of the diversity of our deployment. So that
is point number one.
Point number two is in the production of the F–35 Joint Strike
Fighter, the first aircraft variant will support the Air Force re-
placement of their F–16s and F–15s. It is a very capable aircraft.
It is 10 years newer in advancement in avionics and capabilities in
comparison to the F–22. It is a better, more rounded capable fight-
er. That is kind of point number one.
Point number two is the second variant is the variant that goes
to the Marine Corps. The Marine Corps made a conscious decision
to forgo buying the F–18 E/F in order to wait for the F–35. So the
F–35 variant that has the V/STOL capability, which goes to the
Marine Corps is number two coming off the line.
And the third variant coming off of the line is the Navy variant,
the carrier-suitable variant.
Another thing that weighed heavily certainly in my calculus was
the input of the combatant commanders, and one of the highest
issues of concern from the combatant commanders is our ability to
conduct electronic warfare. That electronic warfare is carried on-
board the F–18. And so, looking at the lines that we would have
in hot production, number one priority was to get fifth generation
fighters to all of the Services. Number two priority was to ensure
that we had a hot production line in case there was a problem, and
number three was to have that hot production line producing F–
18 Gulfs, which support the electronic warfare fight.

So those issues stacked up to a solid position, at least on my
part, that it was time to terminate the F–22. It is a good airplane.
It is a fifth generation fighter. But we needed to proliferate those
fifth generation fighters to all of the Services, and we needed to en-
sure that we were capable of continuing to produce aircraft for the
electronic warfare capability, and that was in the F–18. In the F–
18, we can also produce front-line fighters that are more than capa-
ble of addressing any threat that we will face for the next 5 to 10
years.


If you're interested in the complete text of his testimony, go here: http://armed-services.senate.gov/Transcripts/2009/07 July/09-58 - 7-9-09.pdf

You can see by reading this that Cartwright is one smart dude; I'm glad he's in the position that he's in, because unlike some folks in senior positions he really does have a comprehensive grasp of the range of issues.
 

Brett327

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Super Moderator
Contributor
Like I said, misquoted - by the OP in this case. Nowhere in that testimony does it say we're buying more Gs. There's a lot of hype around this topic, which is why I chose to interject. There are lots of proposals with what to do with the exped piece of the puzzle, including a recommendation by OSD to keep them around and give them Gs, but nothing has been funded, so it's all conjecture until then.

Don't want to be a wet blanket, but this is a highly nuanced issue that is continually misrepresented in the press and in our community.

Brett
 

ea6bflyr

Working Class Bum
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Super Moderator
Contributor
I did hear about the possibility of the Prowler staying around a bit longer for the expeditionary mission. The AF is coming to grips with their role whithering away.

Brett & Spy, thanks for clearing it up.

-ea6bflyr ;)
 

Brett327

Well-Known Member
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Super Moderator
Contributor
I did hear about the possibility of the Prowler staying around a bit longer for the expeditionary mission. The AF is coming to grips with their role whithering away.

Brett & Spy, thanks for clearing it up.

-ea6bflyr ;)

It's not the AF. It's the COCOMs. As you know, the AF got out of this business years ago and never really intended to get back in.

Brett
 

HeyJoe

Fly Navy! ...or USMC
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Super Moderator
Contributor
Scorpions ready to strike...er shock

First Operational Growler Squadron 'Safe for Flight'

Scorpions.jpg


Release Date: 9/29/2009 3:36:00 PM


From Naval Air Station Whidbey Island Public Affairs

NAVAL AIR STATION WHIDBEY ISLAND, Wash. (NNS) -- Electronic Attack (VAQ) 132 received the official notification in a Sept. 22 Navy message from Capt. Tom Slais, Commander Electronic Attack Wing, U.S. Pacific Fleet, that the squadron was certified "safe for flight operations in the EA-18G."

"Your hard work and dedication is exemplary, and I am confident you will continue to display the same pride and professionalism as you execute safe operations and maintain your aircraft," said Slais.

The first operational Growler squadron to attain "safe for flight" status since the first EA-18G arrived Naval Air Station Whidbey Island in June 2008 recently returned from a successful carrier qualification detachment on board USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) with a 100 percent qualification rate.

Operating out of Naval Air Station Oceana, Va., each pilot in the Fleet's first EA-18G "Growler" squadron completed a series of day and night arrested landings to become officially qualified to fly the newest fleet aircraft aboard Navy aircraft carriers.

"Carrier Qualification is a huge milestone in VAQ-132's transition to the Growler," said Bunnay, who was happy with the results of the detachment. "Squadrons build their reputations operating around the carrier, and I feel like we conducted ourselves with a high level of professionalism."

Since February of this year, VAQ-132 has been in the process of transitioning to the EA-18G under the guidance of VAQ-129, the Fleet Replacement Squadron responsible for training transition aircrew.

Along with the Scorpion aircrew, the maintenance personnel in VAQ-132 have been working non-stop to complete their requirements for the squadron's "safe for flight" qualification, which will allow them to operate airplanes autonomously.

Recently the maintenance department underwent a series of rigorous inspections conducted by Electronic Attack Wing, U.S. Pacific Fleet and performed above and beyond expectations.
 

adimas

July Final Select SNA
Expeditionary Growlers with Air Force ECMO/WSOs?

Interesting article I came across, don't really understand the reasoning or why even the Navy would need this unless of NFO personnel shortages since the Growler has 2 less seats the then the Prowler.

It seems this is already happening on a limited basis with the EA6B. I had no idea.

I imagine it would make for some never ending 1 on 1 trying to top each others flight experience's/ story's in the cockpit.

http://www.airforce-magazine.com/Features/newtech/Pages/box102109growler.aspx
 
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