Mine Is Usually Filled with Pale Ale

I love the fact the Navy has named one of the most important instruments of electronic warfare in the future after the storage device for my favorite local brew, also knows as the Pump Station Pale. When I noticed this piece over at Defense Tech, I was a bit disappointed they didn't have a link to the Aviation Week article, but think it is an interesting discussion nonetheless. Hopefully we will see the more knowledgeable folks issue some commentary.

Lt. Gen. Donald Hoffman, USAF’s military deputy for acquisition, acknowledges that some in the Pentagon are pushing the Air Force to buy Growlers designed for Navy requirements. He counters, however, that an EA-18G would not be survivable in the penetrating role as the Air Force transitions from F-15s and F-16s to an all-stealth combat fleet. USAF officials don’t like to talk much about it publicly, but they are looking for a jammer that can escort the high-end stealthy fighters if necessary in the future.

Can someone explain how the B-52 standoff idea would somehow work with stealth aircraft and the EA-18G wouldn't work in that role? Somehow I think that B-52 idea will have a few flaws that fail to justify the $7 billion spent to date.

There is a lot about electronic warfare in military application that never makes the open source, hell there is just as much regarding electronic warfare outside the military world that never makes it passed the sealed door of a black hats college laboratory. Without getting into the technicals, someone needs to remind the air force that without EW, there is no such thing as stealth. I don't care what you may have heard, them are just the facts.

I would never claim to be an expert on aviation or anything to do with flying, much less military aviation specifically. I do however, know my shit when it comes to electronic warfare and military applications of it, and the potential application of it based on environment. The greatest advancements in military aviation over the last decade are not in the rocket science, nor in aerodynamics, rather in the electronic technologies that put the power of energy in multiple forms at the fingertips of American pilots. The entire concept of radar is being rewritten in the lab today, and oh btw being fielded in many forms, just like the entire concept of stealth is rewritten constantly. The USAF, who is not oblivious to these facts, is drinking its own kool-aid for Congress if they are trying to sell the bean counters information otherwise.

Lex would argue for completely different reasons, but in its most basic form the reason the US Navy F/A-18E/F can dominate any air force in force on force operations on the battlefield, no matter how incredible the individual characteristics of the competitors aircraft, is founded on 2 very basic realities: the Hawkeye and Prowler, who together dominate the battle space unlike any other two plane combination in aviation history. The new E-2D and EA-18G only enhance that combination and actually extends the capability to all forms of warfare in both strike and defense.

Think otherwise if you wish, but there is good reason Australia wants the EA-18G. Hell, there is good reason why India wants the EA-18G, and I'd bet a months paycheck that India will buy the Kitty Hawk from the US if the US throws in the EA-18G as part of the package. That is how much only a handful of EA-18G aircraft combined with Indian E-2s would be worth to India's capabilities, and they know it.

It will be interesting to see what the USAF does. Right now the Navy and Marines carry the water for the air force in EW in both wars, if they are unable to make a decision Congress has every right to ask if the current leadership in the Air Force is up to the task assigned to them. The present and the future of air superiority is rooted in EW, if the Air Force leadership of today is unable to grasp this very simple concept, the chairs may be too big for their flight suits.