That aircraft is a major part of why I live where I do. My father worked on them for a large part of his navy career. Been at Nas Whidbey since '69. He retired in '80. Miss him
I was a AMS-1 and severed from 1978 thru 1983. VAQ-129,VAQ-133 and then VA-128 and Va-0689 as a plank owner. Two med deployments. John F Kennedy and Forestall. Very good times. Loved working on the EA-6B and A6. All my sea time was with VAQ-133 and the EA-6B.
This was a great plane. Worked on it on my first sea tour and didn't know how good I had it, not once did we crack open a fuel cell. Went from the Prowler to the Hornet in the mid 80"s and it seemed like every two or three months we had to open up a fuel cell. On the beach it wasn't so bad but at sea it was such a pain in the ass.
I would have loved to have a job like yours and work in a Prowler. Much more so than a fighter jet honestly. I actually really like the aesthetics. Never been in the military myself though, but always loved flying Thank you for your service
I was a PH in the Navy in the early eighties stationed on the Carl Vinson. One of our jobs was manning the PLAT camera. The EA6 and the A6 were the planes we dreaded the most. Their engines just screamed so loudly that it was actually painful even with double ear protection!
I was on the Indy CV-62 and an OS. One of our lookout posts was above the Flag Bridge. The A6 is the LOUDEST plane, ever. That frigging plane, whatever the variant, blew right through the sound-powered phones we wore. I have the Tinnitus and the hearing loss thanks to the A6. There was the Intruder, The Prowler and the Tanker. Great plane.
Had them on the Connie and Indy when I was in.. not my favorite but did the job. Lost an A-6 on my first 6 month deployment and an EA-6 on my 2nd. In both cases they lost visual gauges, at night, and both went down with no survivors… Very sad.
As a Island Camera Operator on Saratoga, I have to disagree with you. Those F-14’s parked under me were the worst. Besides the noise, the deck would get so hot my boots smoked. My eyes watered, I poured sweat, and I struggled to breath. I would take an A6 or EA-6 any day.
I was in A-6’s while I was in the Navy. My first tour I was a plane captain in VA-65. During that time I qualified as a PC as I managed to accumulate 5 Daily and 5 Turnaround inspections on visiting EA-6B’s. I made rate as a Aviation Machinist Mate and during my shore duty time (33 months) I became qualified on the J-52 p8b and the J -52 p408 engines. Couldn’t beat that P-408. I was in VF-43 during that time. Got to run the engine during low power turn ups. Lots of fun!!!!
Oh I seen this plane all time growing up! I grew up on Whidbey Island, home of the A6 and the EA6B. I can still hear the roar of those engines in my head from time to time all these years later! These planes were iconic in the navy fleet for sure!
I still remember them flying low enough to shake the house I grew up in. Oak Habor is my home town and I was born on base. NAS Whidbey was the last naval air station my late father was stationed at before passing away in Australia on shore leave back in 1985.
A lot times the E2-C flew along the EA-6B we would have to change out avionic equipment. Super power airplanes! So loud on the deck too. Double hearing protection a must.
My dad was a plane captain for A-6 Intruders on the Connie CV-64, glad to see them still flying even though the Connie has been broken down in Brownsville already.
I was in a F-14 Squadron and our Pilots would always smile when they went on a mission with a EA-6b , I asked a pilot why are you guys always so happy when the Ea6b goes on a mission with you , the Pilot just said , it will be a greater chance we will actually see some combat and also we are suppose to fly escort to protect them but sometimes I wonder who is really protecting who ?
I was in P-3s from '75 - '95. We used to see AND HEAR them every time we were in Whidbey. To this day, I'm convinced that the A-6/EA-6 holds the U.S. Military record (unofficial - I don't even know if anyone ever kept track!) for the highest noise to size ratio. The A-4 was pretty close, but the Prowlers were insane loud! That being said, I loved those birds. To me, they were the 2nd most beautiful aircraft of the modern era, right behind my baby, the P-3 Orion. (It's a personal taste thing.) For the A-6, I like how it was essentially the opposite of other jets, i.e., wide in the front and tapered in the back. Sort of a modern version of the P-38 Lightning, only with a single tail boom. It was, as the surf dudes used to say, bitchin'! The S-3 was a close 3rd on the beauty contest, but I had two reasons to never go VS, namely: 1. Ejection Seats, and 2. Tail hook. Didn't do GBGBs (Great Big Gray Boats). I was happy to take off from land, and land on land. No rolling deck, no away for months at a time, never worried about my home sinking in the middle of the ocean. But I tip my cap to all those who filled those billets for me!
Yeah, agreed, the noise they created upset all who lived in the Whidbey area. Even those of us who live on the San Juan Islands. But I personally don't mind jet noises.
As I recall, the latter A-4's had the same J52-P408 engine as the Prowlers - but of course the Prowlers had TWO - and yes, they were extraordinarily loud - common knowledge amongst the deck crewmembers. I'm sure you have seen the sign at NAS Whidbey that says, "Pardon our noise, it is the sound of freedom." Fun fact - with that big engine, the A-4M had a thrust to weight ratio greater than 1, meaning it could actually accelerate going straight up. As a former EA-6B ECMO, I always wondered what those big 4-prop airplanes at the other end of Ault Field were all about. The GBGB route wasn't that bad - cat shots and traps made it all quite a thrill at times. Personally, I abhorred long hours in the back of a big aluminum tube. Like you say, "It's a personal thing." Cheers!
@@stevenhj3124The reason many lived in the area was because they worked in a supporting role for NAS Whidbey. I lived in Oak Harbor from 1967 until 1987 and I never failed to look up when the Intruders or Prowlers were flying. Those that moved near a military airbase and then complain about the noise have no one to blame but themselves.
If you are distributing this internationally (which you are), then how about sticking to aviation parameters - knots for speed, nautical miles for ranges ‘ distances, feet for altitudes, litres or US gallons for fuel quantities, and you can go lbs or kgs for weights. Tonnes, tons and “short tons” (2,000 lbs) can be very confusing. Your quoting all metric is OK in Europe and Russia, but just about nowhere else. Even here in Australia, which is a full metric country, aviation is still knots (speeds), nautical miles (distances), and good ole feet (altitudes). Take-off or landing distances here are quoted in metres, up we can easily convert from feet. Hope this helps.
Have to strongly agree with Warwick Kinscher - the EA-6 displays prototypical knots/nautical miles/altitude in feet/pressure in inHg (the last two are selectable for talking to ATC outside of North America/ Aus / some parts of Africa). It would be best to discuss the aircraft in its native units.
My brother was on the USS Essex, his squadron was VA-42, the fighting Pawns. He loved the plane, but was quick to say not the prettiest. But, he said it was better looking than the Corsair
During Operation Southern Watch, we brought F-16s down to Prince Sultan AB in Saudi Arabia. When the Prowler taxied past, we'd often refer it to "The Griswolds headed to Wally World."
I have seen it, not in person, but in photos and video around the time of the Gulf War because my cousin's friend was in one; I don't remember where he sat in the cockpit because I was a kid at the time. He was on a carrier.
I was there in Whidbey Island when we made the transition from EA-6B Prowlers to the EA-18 Growlers. VAQ-132. My Squadron were the first to use it in combat over Iraq in 2010-2011 and then transfered them over to Libya during Operation Odessy Dawn.
No Doubt! When I was on USS America (CV 66) in '81 on an Indian Ocean cruise VAQ-133 use to turn those bad boys up on the end of the angle. And we could still hear them even though our shop,VS-33 ORD, was on the 02 level on the starboard side next to EL 2. The loudest aircraft in the history of Naval Avaition.
50 - 60 years ago they were front line operational just before and during the Vietnam War. Spent several early years of my career as a "Tech Rep" helping sailors and Marines with some of the technology in the "Black Boxes". Those "Birds" were used in a variety of roles, including refuelers. For ops on "Yankee Station" the Black Boxes were required if the planes went "Over the Beach" on a mission. Enjoyed the work - Grumman "Iron Works" did well with these.
Oh I've seen and definitely HEARD this plane. At NAS Meridian when going to "A" school and then in the Philippines when the planes would disembark their carriers to Cubi point NAS, before the carrier would come ashore. Loudest plane I've ever heard. Much louder than the F14 or F18s.
I saw one in what was an unlikely encounter. I was stationed on a fast attack SSN. We were running on the surface and a Prowler buzzed us at low altitude. They were probably just as fascinated with us as we were with them.
Wow .. amazing ...4 crew members..all the high tech with jamming and electronic equipment...and they still managed to kill 20 people by flying under a cable car and cutting the cable..... fascinating
I actually saw one of those 50 lost crash. I was washing my car and as one flew over, I heard a sputtering sound, looked up and the whole port wing looked to be on fire and it was going into a left hand flat spin. Then the 4 crewmen ejected and seeing four parachutes was a big relief, but also confusing because I always thought they only carried two crewmembers. It crashed into a front yard in Morehead City and unfortunately killed a lady sitting on her front porch.
I remember that, I was a kid but we drove down to Morehead from havelock to see the aftermath, I guess you kind of get used to it living around a airbase your whole life
There was A Old Movie called the..THE FINAL COUNTDOWN.?? About the U.S.S.NIMITZ going BACK in time ..1941 Pearl Harbor..?? AWESOME FILM with Lots of AIRCRAFT CARRIER ACTION..
“Somewhat unwieldy?” All versions and variants of the A-6 were noted for being among the Navy’s easiest planes to fly and land. They did low and slow extremely well. While not fighters they had very responsive controls and engines. They handled like a comfortable sedan. They would easily get off the deck every time and we’re probably the slowest gentlest carrier landing outside of a C-2. Those broad wings gave them so much lift that you could practically use them as a kite.
Objectively, I beg to differ. With over 2800 hours in the Prowler (+1000 Growler hours), I am somewhat familiar with their handling characteristics. They were not easy to fly. Heavy, underpowered, poor flight control systems, and prone to yaw instability in the landing configuration. All that said, I loved the old girl. Rugged, pretty fast and maneuverable at low level (terrible >20kft), responsive engines, decent amount of gas and excellent at it mission. The Growler is completely different, a monkey could fly it. Managing its weapons system and information is something else.
If that is true then why were 50 lost? Here on you tube one launches with a "cold cat" and all 4 crew members ejected. Sadly, one of them hit the bottom of the others ejection seat.
@@prowlerflyerdid you fly the growler? I’m curious as to its performance. It’s no secret that a loaded rhino is already kinda slow and underpowered, so I couldn’t imagine how slow the heavier growler is
@@Eirik36 , yes I flew the Growler too. I have just under 1000 hours in the Growler. True, a fully combat configured Growler is a bit of a pig, but is a big step up from a similarly configured Prowler. Modern flight control systems, and a fair bit more thrust, make the Growler more agile than you would expect. Honestly most all modern 4th Gen fighters once they load up with external ordnance and tanks are pigs. Some more than others.
"The EA-6B Prowler is the primary tactical jamming aircraft"(sic) Was, the aircraft was sundowned in March 2019 when VMAQ-2 delivered the last flying Prowler to the Smithsonian at Dulles.
While the EA-6B Prowler may have provided cover for some USAF packages in recent conflicts, the USAF had their EF-111A Raven within its inventory until retired in 1998 and I believe the F-16 took over the Wild Weasel role.
Actually when the EF-111 was retired the Air Force folded their EF-111 squadrons into Navy EA-6B squadrons to form composite squadrons seeing as the EF-111 used the same electronic warfare equipment as the EA-6B. When the EA-6B was retired it was replaced by the EF-18G Growler which needed only 1EWO due to advances in computerization.
Actually. The air force is why the ea6b lasted as long as it did. When the air force killed the f-111, the navy was going to kill both the a-6 and ea-6. As there was no viable replacement for the f-111 for the role, the air force paid part of the cost to keep the ea-6 going and even had Carrier qualified air crews
My Dad flew the EC-121 Constellation in the navy out of Hawaii to Midway and up to Alaska and back. There was no shielding in the plane to protect the crew from the powerful radar and we believe this was most likely the cause of his three brain tumors. Some of his friends that he flew with suffered from similar issues and most have passed. The first tumor was almost as big as a baseball and it was surgically removed. The second tumor grew from his skull and was removed and the piece of skull was replaced with a ceramic plate. He just finished radiation treatment for the third tumor and we are waiting to see if it worked and shrank the tumor. This third tumor has pushed and cut off blood flow to one of his eyes. I hope the newer planes have shielding and protections for the flight crew. My Dad is 85 so he has lived a long life but the last 15 years have been tough. We aren’t certain that the radar is the cause of the tumors but it’s likely.
Northrop-Grumman or just Grumman? I'd argue that since production of the EA-6 ended long before the 1994 merger between Northrop and Grumman, the plane should be called the Grumman EA-6 (A or B). You wouldn't call a Douglas DC-3 a Boeing DC-3 just because the Douglas aircraft company later merged with McDonnell and then with Boeing so the name now is Boeing.
I saw plenty of them aboard the USS Enterprise in the late 80s. I worked in AIMD and our shop and personal spaces were on O4 right above the hanger bay. Other than sick bay or the mess hall you pretty much had to walk the entire hanger bay to get anywhere on the ship fast, so there was plenty of time to see aircraft parked. They were just starting to phase in these new fangled jets called Hornets when I got out ;).
@@DaveL188 The letter "Q" was the designator for Electronic Warfare aircraft - hence the name. A more common slang term for the 4-seat EA-6B was the "Double Ugly," because the 2-seat A-6 that preceded it was already known as the "Ugly."
These guys were superstars… they flew the only hardball in our AO and saturated it with whatever frequency magic they used. You would hear the IED’s go off some days in the distance. Was a welcome sight. OEF4 🇺🇸 🇦🇫
Fascinating video - particularly the coverage of the systems. Those interested in ECM might enjoy delving into the history of RAF Bomber Command's 100 Group and the devices packed into the backs of USAAF bombers in the latter stages of WW2.
Indeed I too was fascinated - but also, must lodge a complaint against your knuckling-under to communist/Euro-socialist measurement-systems. The exclusive use of metric to detail ranges, weights, speeds, ceilings, & lengths-&-widths is just off-putting. 12555meters of altitude means nothing to me, I have to pause what is happening & consider fractions & calculations in my brain for meters-of-altitude to make sense. Please in the future, resume using both English-terms & European metric or preferably, just stick to English. Like so many other things in our society in recent yrs "improved-upon" by the impact of progressivists & liberals & leftwingers, these FUNDAMENTAL-TRANSFORMATIONS of dictatorially imposing Euro counting-numbering systems really amounts to a degrading of social function. Ah-h-h, the sinistrals - batting for the other side - love it.
I saw an A-6 tear up the asphalt overrun during a run up before takeoff. Lifted it up and then blew it into chunks. Also, I watched an EA-6 crash into a fireball at Whidbey Island.
Thunderchief and A-6B were pioneers of modern SEAD. I love this airframe. To me it symbolizes the paradigm shift from air superiority to air dominance.
@@AA-xo9uw Yes. Of course I agree that there were SEAD-like missions before either of those airframes or their earlier variants took to the skies. SEAD evolved from strike missions; it wasn't spontaneously created with no precedent. Nevertheless, there was a transition that took place from having general strike aircraft with some ECM capabilities and ECM pods, to purpose-built aircraft designed specifically to fill the ECM role. When that happened, we went from a WWII or Korea-like doctrine where we would fight on equal footing for control of the airspace, to a more Desert Storm-like doctrine where we would shut down air defenses and destroy air assets on the ground before they were deployed. We got very serious about cross-domain operations and it changes the way we plan and execute. That's the difference between modern and traditional SEAD. I know that I'm drawing a sharp line on a fuzzy boundary, but in my mind EA-6B heralded that change.
There were only 4 A-6Bs, carrying the STANDARD ARM as their SEAD weapon. A great mod to a good aircraft, and a great missile mod from the USN STANDARD Missile (SAM).
They scraped this platform over 15 years ago, apparently using the F-18 platform now... sometimes you just never know? Very interesting craft... very necessary purpose
@@johnstreet1812 they might have kept a unit operational, but the platform by-in- large was axed about 15 years ago, and I have that on fairly good authority - not that it makes a personal ripple in my sleep, but from what I was told about 15 years ago.
What would make these videos better; since the page owner is called “US Military Power” is to say the nautical terms but convert them in to US Standards of measurement as well, there would be a whole lot more watchers and subscribers to the channel if that was done
All of the aircraft lost I've heard of were in vaq-129 it's the rag (training) squad... oh and I think one of the mag(Marine Air Group) squadrons flew one into a gondola during joint operations in Europe ... but yeah I've never heard of one going down from a maintenance related issue. Oh and you also need to remember this platform was active for around 40-50 years
You need A Disclaimer. The aircraft you've never see, IF You are under 30. Befor that you may well have seen them as an A-6 intruder. The only external visible difference is a slight bulb on top of the vertical stabilizer. You may also have watched or read flight of the intruder, A novel made into a movie, And a very good story. ( Thank you Steven Coonts!)
Fun fact, the only USMC squadron to carry the nose EA6B identifier is VMAQ-3, the Moondogs, tail letters MD, as shown @6:13. We decided to paint the USMC Eagle, Globe, and Anchor (EGA) on the nose, instead of the traditional radiation symbol, while we were attached to the USS America, CV66, for her final deployment in '95-96.
My sister flew this plane and did two tours in it. Her husband also flew this plane. Now he works with the growler since this one is retired.
That aircraft is a major part of why I live where I do. My father worked on them for a large part of his navy career. Been at Nas Whidbey since '69. He retired in '80. Miss him
🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲
I was a AMS-1 and severed from 1978 thru 1983. VAQ-129,VAQ-133 and then VA-128 and Va-0689 as a plank owner. Two med deployments. John F Kennedy and Forestall. Very good times. Loved working on the EA-6B and A6. All my sea time was with VAQ-133 and the EA-6B.
I was an AD in VAQ-130 Zappers plank owner on the Nimitz.The Forrestal was my last deployment.
@@adanrodriguez3865 What year were you on the Forrestal?
This was a great plane. Worked on it on my first sea tour and didn't know how good I had it, not once did we crack open a fuel cell. Went from the Prowler to the Hornet in the mid 80"s and it seemed like every two or three months we had to open up a fuel cell. On the beach it wasn't so bad but at sea it was such a pain in the ass.
I would have loved to have a job like yours and work in a Prowler. Much more so than a fighter jet honestly. I actually really like the aesthetics. Never been in the military myself though, but always loved flying
Thank you for your service
Any hangar bay maintenance on the boat is a nightmare 😂. But yes fuel cell especially.
I was a PH in the Navy in the early eighties stationed on the Carl Vinson. One of our jobs was manning the PLAT camera. The EA6 and the A6 were the planes we dreaded the most. Their engines just screamed so loudly that it was actually painful even with double ear protection!
The A6 had the same engine as the A4 Skyhawk. They had a whine
Air Force T-37s were real screamers too. Ouch. And we had the SR-71s at Beale, but those T-37s were soooo shrill.
I was on the Indy CV-62 and an OS. One of our lookout posts was above the Flag Bridge. The A6 is the LOUDEST plane, ever. That frigging plane, whatever the variant, blew right through the sound-powered phones we wore. I have the Tinnitus and the hearing loss thanks to the A6. There was the Intruder, The Prowler and the Tanker. Great plane.
Had them on the Connie and Indy when I was in.. not my favorite but did the job. Lost an A-6 on my first 6 month deployment and an EA-6 on my 2nd. In both cases they lost visual gauges, at night, and both went down with no survivors… Very sad.
As a Island Camera Operator on Saratoga, I have to disagree with you. Those F-14’s parked under me were the worst. Besides the noise, the deck would get so hot my boots smoked. My eyes watered, I poured sweat, and I struggled to breath. I would take an A6 or EA-6 any day.
I was in A-6’s while I was in the Navy. My first tour I was a plane captain in VA-65. During that time I qualified as a PC as I managed to accumulate 5 Daily and 5 Turnaround inspections on visiting EA-6B’s. I made rate as a Aviation Machinist Mate and during my shore duty time (33 months) I became qualified on the J-52 p8b and the J -52 p408 engines. Couldn’t beat that P-408. I was in VF-43 during that time. Got to run the engine during low power turn ups. Lots of fun!!!!
Flight crews loved the upgrade to P408's - finally enough thrust to really accelerate that heavy airframe.
Thanks
Welcome
Had a great friend that flew the A6.
I was 14 when he got his wings at Chase Field around 1974. Great guy he went on to fly for Southwest
Oh I seen this plane all time growing up! I grew up on Whidbey Island, home of the A6 and the EA6B. I can still hear the roar of those engines in my head from time to time all these years later!
These planes were iconic in the navy fleet for sure!
I still remember them flying low enough to shake the house I grew up in. Oak Habor is my home town and I was born on base. NAS Whidbey was the last naval air station my late father was stationed at before passing away in Australia on shore leave back in 1985.
Just because you've never heard of it doesn't mean nobody else has.
A lot times the E2-C flew along the EA-6B we would have to change out avionic equipment. Super power airplanes! So loud on the deck too. Double hearing protection a must.
My dad was a plane captain for A-6 Intruders on the Connie CV-64, glad to see them still flying even though the Connie has been broken down in Brownsville already.
Loved that ship. I was an aviation ordinanceman in Helicopter antisubmarine squadron 8
More years ago then I care to remember.
Retired bro
I saw it every day on the flight deck of the USS America (CV66). I always loved the gold tinted canopy.
It was the main electronic jamming plane. It was replaced (2009) by the EA 18G-GROWLER, based on the F18 Super Hornet.
That is what the Australian Air Force bought from the Americans, best buy ever.
It was to save money as the Intruder was retired, but the Hornet can't carry as much stuff and is not as versatile. Prowler can jam big time
@@jyy9624Interchangeable parts at sea is a massive money saver, which is the name of the game warfare today!
The aircraft with the "Glide angle of a crowbar". Absolutely the best ECM plane of its era. But lose power...
Flew this beauty out of Whidbey and off the carrier for 20 years. She kept me safe every time. Love the Old Girl. ⚓️
I was in a F-14 Squadron and our Pilots would always smile when they went on a mission with a EA-6b , I asked a pilot why are you guys always so happy when the Ea6b goes on a mission with you , the Pilot just said , it will be a greater chance we will actually see some combat and also we are suppose to fly escort to protect them but sometimes I wonder who is really protecting who ?
I love the Intruder and Prowler. I think they’re gorgeous.
I was in P-3s from '75 - '95. We used to see AND HEAR them every time we were in Whidbey. To this day, I'm convinced that the A-6/EA-6 holds the U.S. Military record (unofficial - I don't even know if anyone ever kept track!) for the highest noise to size ratio. The A-4 was pretty close, but the Prowlers were insane loud!
That being said, I loved those birds. To me, they were the 2nd most beautiful aircraft of the modern era, right behind my baby, the P-3 Orion. (It's a personal taste thing.) For the A-6, I like how it was essentially the opposite of other jets, i.e., wide in the front and tapered in the back. Sort of a modern version of the P-38 Lightning, only with a single tail boom. It was, as the surf dudes used to say, bitchin'! The S-3 was a close 3rd on the beauty contest, but I had two reasons to never go VS, namely: 1. Ejection Seats, and 2. Tail hook. Didn't do GBGBs (Great Big Gray Boats). I was happy to take off from land, and land on land. No rolling deck, no away for months at a time, never worried about my home sinking in the middle of the ocean. But I tip my cap to all those who filled those billets for me!
The Harrier is also deafening.
Yeah, agreed, the noise they created upset all who lived in the Whidbey area. Even those of us who live on the San Juan Islands. But I personally don't mind jet noises.
As I recall, the latter A-4's had the same J52-P408 engine as the Prowlers - but of course the Prowlers had TWO - and yes, they were extraordinarily loud - common knowledge amongst the deck crewmembers. I'm sure you have seen the sign at NAS Whidbey that says, "Pardon our noise, it is the sound of freedom."
Fun fact - with that big engine, the A-4M had a thrust to weight ratio greater than 1, meaning it could actually accelerate going straight up.
As a former EA-6B ECMO, I always wondered what those big 4-prop airplanes at the other end of Ault Field were all about. The GBGB route wasn't that bad - cat shots and traps made it all quite a thrill at times. Personally, I abhorred long hours in the back of a big aluminum tube. Like you say, "It's a personal thing." Cheers!
@@stevenhj3124The reason many lived in the area was because they worked in a supporting role for NAS Whidbey. I lived in Oak Harbor from 1967 until 1987 and I never failed to look up when the Intruders or Prowlers were flying. Those that moved near a military airbase and then complain about the noise have no one to blame but themselves.
IDK why people say they are ugly? I always loved the look of them, and am sad to see them go.
Nice - but FYI, 90 kilometers is NOT about 80 miles - it's about 56 miles.
Never flew with the USAF either the guy is a joke.
. . . . Or just a touch under 50 nautical miles
If you are distributing this internationally (which you are), then how about sticking to aviation parameters - knots for speed, nautical miles for ranges ‘ distances, feet for altitudes, litres or US gallons for fuel quantities, and you can go lbs or kgs for weights. Tonnes, tons and “short tons” (2,000 lbs) can be very confusing. Your quoting all metric is OK in Europe and Russia, but just about nowhere else. Even here in Australia, which is a full metric country, aviation is still knots (speeds), nautical miles (distances), and good ole feet (altitudes). Take-off or landing distances here are quoted in metres, up we can easily convert from feet. Hope this helps.
Have to strongly agree with Warwick Kinscher - the EA-6 displays prototypical knots/nautical miles/altitude in feet/pressure in inHg (the last two are selectable for talking to ATC outside of North America/ Aus / some parts of Africa). It would be best to discuss the aircraft in its native units.
Nobody actually gives a toss 🤣
Worked on them for 18 years. Great plane. The Prowler also served in Iraq Freedom and Afghanistan.
I saw them (and heard them take off) while serving in Afghanistan during 2005-2006. Sweet aircraft.
Worked on these as an avionics tech from 77-89 at NAS Whidbey.
My brother was on the USS Essex, his squadron was VA-42, the fighting Pawns. He loved the plane, but was quick to say not the prettiest. But, he said it was better looking than the Corsair
During Operation Southern Watch, we brought F-16s down to Prince Sultan AB in Saudi Arabia. When the Prowler taxied past, we'd often refer it to "The Griswolds headed to Wally World."
When I was in the Navy, 1974-73, I worked on a desert flight-line where these A6s were stationed among other jet aircraft.
June 1972. My first program assignment at Grumman was the EA-6B. Lots of memories about one of many amazing Grumman aircraft
Correction needed: 90 kilometers is nowhere near 80 miles. I think it's closer to ~55 miles
Love this plane, it has a great look.
A great design. Classic aircraft.
I have seen it, not in person, but in photos and video around the time of the Gulf War because my cousin's friend was in one; I don't remember where he sat in the cockpit because I was a kid at the time. He was on a carrier.
I am retired navy and at one time was stationed overseas in Japan attached to VAQ-136 now decommissioned. We flew the ea6b
I was there in Whidbey Island when we made the transition from EA-6B Prowlers to the EA-18 Growlers. VAQ-132. My Squadron were the first to use it in combat over Iraq in 2010-2011 and then transfered them over to Libya during Operation Odessy Dawn.
The plain is everithing......but not ugly
More like nice, interestig.....unique look👌🙂
Without a doubt the loudest bird on the flight deck when I served.
No Doubt! When I was on USS America (CV 66) in '81 on an Indian Ocean cruise VAQ-133 use to turn those bad boys up on the end of the angle. And we could still hear them even though our shop,VS-33 ORD, was on the 02 level on the starboard side next to EL 2. The loudest aircraft in the history of Naval Avaition.
50 - 60 years ago they were front line operational just before and during the Vietnam War. Spent several early years of my career as a "Tech Rep" helping sailors and Marines with some of the technology in the "Black Boxes". Those "Birds" were used in a variety of roles, including refuelers. For ops on "Yankee Station" the Black Boxes were required if the planes went "Over the Beach" on a mission. Enjoyed the work - Grumman "Iron Works" did well with these.
Oh I've seen and definitely HEARD this plane. At NAS Meridian when going to "A" school and then in the Philippines when the planes would disembark their carriers to Cubi point NAS, before the carrier would come ashore. Loudest plane I've ever heard. Much louder than the F14 or F18s.
Who writes this script? Middle school level writing and vocabulary skills
HATS OF TO GRUMMAN!!👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻🙏🏻✊🏻✊🏻🤗
Never seen? Saw it back in the 70s on the Constellation.
Yeah, I hate claims like that. Like every tv commercial for Ford, Chevy AND Dodge claim to be America's favorite truck. There's NO way to prove that.
Same here, lol. V2 Waist Cat 3. You?
I saw one in what was an unlikely encounter. I was stationed on a fast attack SSN. We were running on the surface and a Prowler buzzed us at low altitude. They were probably just as fascinated with us as we were with them.
Now a tradition & heritage proudly carried on by the EA-18G Growler
I did my time on the Connie, Vinson and Independence.... yeah, never saw one on those ships either 😅
Wow .. amazing ...4 crew members..all the high tech with jamming and electronic equipment...and they still managed to kill 20 people by flying under a cable car and cutting the cable..... fascinating
Marine Air Wings should be lobbying anyone with decision power to acquire the A10C Warthog
Back in the 70's while in the Marines got to visit and work with the Intruders along with a couple of VMAQ-2 Prowlers. 🇺🇲
This was one of my favorite planes in carrier squadrons onboard the Saratoga. Particularly the A6.
I actually saw one of those 50 lost crash. I was washing my car and as one flew over, I heard a sputtering sound, looked up and the whole port wing looked to be on fire and it was going into a left hand flat spin. Then the 4 crewmen ejected and seeing four parachutes was a big relief, but also confusing because I always thought they only carried two crewmembers. It crashed into a front yard in Morehead City and unfortunately killed a lady sitting on her front porch.
I remember that, I was a kid but we drove down to Morehead from havelock to see the aftermath, I guess you kind of get used to it living around a airbase your whole life
@@steventwiddy3402 Oddly enough, one of the crewmen that ejected, also had to eject from another Prowler just a couple months earlier.
@@fishheds Guess that's it for his career.
Saw them often back in the day... up here in Canuck land, testing the ADATS system.
There was A Old Movie called the..THE FINAL COUNTDOWN.?? About the U.S.S.NIMITZ going BACK in time ..1941 Pearl Harbor..?? AWESOME FILM with Lots of AIRCRAFT CARRIER ACTION..
Those J-52 turbojet engines she had were bone shattering loud on the carrier ears are still ringing !
Grumman ironworks never looked better! I was an Marone A-6 pilot, looked very impressive when it was loaded wall-to-wall with 500 pounders
“Somewhat unwieldy?” All versions and variants of the A-6 were noted for being among the Navy’s easiest planes to fly and land. They did low and slow extremely well. While not fighters they had very responsive controls and engines. They handled like a comfortable sedan. They would easily get off the deck every time and we’re probably the slowest gentlest carrier landing outside of a C-2. Those broad wings gave them so much lift that you could practically use them as a kite.
Objectively, I beg to differ. With over 2800 hours in the Prowler (+1000 Growler hours), I am somewhat familiar with their handling characteristics. They were not easy to fly. Heavy, underpowered, poor flight control systems, and prone to yaw instability in the landing configuration. All that said, I loved the old girl. Rugged, pretty fast and maneuverable at low level (terrible >20kft), responsive engines, decent amount of gas and excellent at it mission.
The Growler is completely different, a monkey could fly it. Managing its weapons system and information is something else.
Uhh.. This plane has been obsolete for like 4 decades.
If that is true then why were 50 lost? Here on you tube one launches with a "cold cat" and all 4 crew members ejected. Sadly, one of them hit the bottom of the others ejection seat.
@@prowlerflyerdid you fly the growler? I’m curious as to its performance. It’s no secret that a loaded rhino is already kinda slow and underpowered, so I couldn’t imagine how slow the heavier growler is
@@Eirik36 , yes I flew the Growler too. I have just under 1000 hours in the Growler. True, a fully combat configured Growler is a bit of a pig, but is a big step up from a similarly configured Prowler. Modern flight control systems, and a fair bit more thrust, make the Growler more agile than you would expect.
Honestly most all modern 4th Gen fighters once they load up with external ordnance and tanks are pigs. Some more than others.
"The EA-6B Prowler is the primary tactical jamming aircraft"(sic)
Was, the aircraft was sundowned in March 2019 when VMAQ-2 delivered the last flying Prowler to the Smithsonian at Dulles.
My brother was a Flight Surgeon and rode in the back of one of these. I asked him what his role was. He said, "Weight and balance."
Self loading baggage.
@@masonjarhillbilly This is great. Can't wait to tell him. I won't be surprised if he's already heard it though.
Love this aircraft! (Having type rated on the GA7 Cougar for my CPL multi engine rating, I'm very biased towards Grumman!)
Camp Fife -- They would fly up that canyon every day below the mountain tops. Entertaining.
While the EA-6B Prowler may have provided cover for some USAF packages in recent conflicts, the USAF had their EF-111A Raven within its inventory until retired in 1998 and I believe the F-16 took over the Wild Weasel role.
Around 1995 or so the EA6B took over the EF-111A’s job. This started the Expeditionary deployments of the Prowlers.
Yeah the growlers
And later on the f18 growler
Actually when the EF-111 was retired the Air Force folded their EF-111 squadrons into Navy EA-6B squadrons to form composite squadrons seeing as the EF-111 used the same electronic warfare equipment as the EA-6B. When the EA-6B was retired it was replaced by the EF-18G Growler which needed only 1EWO due to advances in computerization.
Actually. The air force is why the ea6b lasted as long as it did. When the air force killed the f-111, the navy was going to kill both the a-6 and ea-6. As there was no viable replacement for the f-111 for the role, the air force paid part of the cost to keep the ea-6 going and even had Carrier qualified air crews
My Dad flew the EC-121 Constellation in the navy out of Hawaii to Midway and up to Alaska and back. There was no shielding in the plane to protect the crew from the powerful radar and we believe this was most likely the cause of his three brain tumors. Some of his friends that he flew with suffered from similar issues and most have passed.
The first tumor was almost as big as a baseball and it was surgically removed.
The second tumor grew from his skull and was removed and the piece of skull was replaced with a ceramic plate.
He just finished radiation treatment for the third tumor and we are waiting to see if it worked and shrank the tumor. This third tumor has pushed and cut off blood flow to one of his eyes.
I hope the newer planes have shielding and protections for the flight crew. My Dad is 85 so he has lived a long life but the last 15 years have been tough. We aren’t certain that the radar is the cause of the tumors but it’s likely.
Y'all have maybe never seen it - but I was stationed at NAS Whidbey, these were on the reg in the region.
I saw it a couple of times. I lived in Oak Harbor from 1967 to 1987.😉
I worked on it. Beautiful!
Northrop-Grumman or just Grumman? I'd argue that since production of the EA-6 ended long before the 1994 merger between Northrop and Grumman, the plane should be called the Grumman EA-6 (A or B). You wouldn't call a Douglas DC-3 a Boeing DC-3 just because the Douglas aircraft company later merged with McDonnell and then with Boeing so the name now is Boeing.
I saw plenty of them aboard the USS Enterprise in the late 80s. I worked in AIMD and our shop and personal spaces were on O4 right above the hanger bay. Other than sick bay or the mess hall you pretty much had to walk the entire hanger bay to get anywhere on the ship fast, so there was plenty of time to see aircraft parked. They were just starting to phase in these new fangled jets called Hornets when I got out ;).
What a nice family plane.
Seen quite a few of them landing at Paine Field, near Whidbey NAS..
The A10 Warthog was also not pretty but like the Prowler is was beyond effective at it's job.
Awesome platform!
Yes indeed!
This is awesome, I never knew they had crews of 4! Very interesting!
Yep, Intruder was a two-seater, but the station-wagon could take four for a ride.
On the carrier deck it was referred to as the "Queer ".🤣
@@DaveL188 The letter "Q" was the designator for Electronic Warfare aircraft - hence the name. A more common slang term for the 4-seat EA-6B was the "Double Ugly," because the 2-seat A-6 that preceded it was already known as the "Ugly."
Saw it everyday at NAS Cubi Point. I watched an A6 get flambeyed in the hot fuel pits in 1989.
For our airmen, getting assigned to fly a prowler would have been like just missing the last chair in a musical chairs game.
These guys were superstars… they flew the only hardball in our AO and saturated it with whatever frequency magic they used. You would hear the IED’s go off some days in the distance. Was a welcome sight. OEF4 🇺🇸 🇦🇫
Sure do miss this jet. She was one bad bird! Loud as all get out and she did her job.
Love the Prowler and Intruder. Great, dedicated aircraft now sadly gone.
Wrong! She's beautiful 😍
This and the EA-111 Sparkvark were the EW masters
EF-111A
Worked with them in iwakuni and El Toro
We had one fly over my school when I was a kid. Someone’s dad was a pilot.
I wish I could fly this plane. The seat arrangement is like driving a car. I hope they have cup holder also in the center console.
Another Grumman success airframe.
Fascinating video - particularly the coverage of the systems. Those interested in ECM might enjoy delving into the history of RAF Bomber Command's 100 Group and the devices packed into the backs of USAAF bombers in the latter stages of WW2.
Indeed I too was fascinated - but also, must lodge a complaint against your knuckling-under to communist/Euro-socialist measurement-systems. The exclusive use of metric to detail ranges, weights, speeds, ceilings, & lengths-&-widths is just off-putting. 12555meters of altitude means nothing to me, I have to pause what is happening & consider fractions & calculations in my brain for meters-of-altitude to make sense. Please in the future, resume using both English-terms & European metric or preferably, just stick to English.
Like so many other things in our society in recent yrs "improved-upon" by the impact of progressivists & liberals & leftwingers, these FUNDAMENTAL-TRANSFORMATIONS of dictatorially imposing Euro counting-numbering systems really amounts to a degrading of social function. Ah-h-h, the sinistrals - batting for the other side - love it.
@progGrave Zilla Well that told me - someone who still thinks in statute miles, feet & inches, and pints.
Saw plenty of these on 3 major cruises on the USS Independence in the early 80's
My guys, VMAQ-2 (CY). QA Chief '86-91, Maint Chief '91-98, so I saw them every workday for 12 years.
Great looking aircraft in my opinion.
I'm guessing there were 20 Italian cable car patrons wishing they had never seen it either.
I watched many of these take off and land at Al Asad Air Base in Iraq 2006-2007.
Never seen? I saw them every day for five years at Cherry Point. Heard them too, they loud as hell!
Joined the Army in 1983, seen plenty of them.
I saw an A-6 tear up the asphalt overrun during a run up before takeoff. Lifted it up and then blew it into chunks. Also, I watched an EA-6 crash into a fireball at Whidbey Island.
Thunderchief and A-6B were pioneers of modern SEAD. I love this airframe. To me it symbolizes the paradigm shift from air superiority to air dominance.
"Thunderchief and A-6B were pioneers of modern SEAD"(sic)
F-100F preceded the F-105F and the EA-6A preceded the EA-6B.
@@AA-xo9uw Yes. Of course I agree that there were SEAD-like missions before either of those airframes or their earlier variants took to the skies. SEAD evolved from strike missions; it wasn't spontaneously created with no precedent. Nevertheless, there was a transition that took place from having general strike aircraft with some ECM capabilities and ECM pods, to purpose-built aircraft designed specifically to fill the ECM role. When that happened, we went from a WWII or Korea-like doctrine where we would fight on equal footing for control of the airspace, to a more Desert Storm-like doctrine where we would shut down air defenses and destroy air assets on the ground before they were deployed. We got very serious about cross-domain operations and it changes the way we plan and execute. That's the difference between modern and traditional SEAD. I know that I'm drawing a sharp line on a fuzzy boundary, but in my mind EA-6B heralded that change.
There were only 4 A-6Bs, carrying the STANDARD ARM as their SEAD weapon. A great mod to a good aircraft, and a great missile mod from the USN STANDARD Missile (SAM).
Never seen? My body is still rattling from how loud this thing was at high-power.
They scraped this platform over 15 years ago, apparently using the F-18 platform now... sometimes you just never know? Very interesting craft... very necessary purpose
Negative. Last active squadron VMAQ2 only decommisioned a few years ago.
@@johnstreet1812 they might have kept a unit operational, but the platform by-in- large was axed about 15 years ago, and I have that on fairly good authority - not that it makes a personal ripple in my sleep, but from what I was told about 15 years ago.
What would make these videos better; since the page owner is called “US Military Power” is to say the nautical terms but convert them in to US Standards of measurement as well, there would be a whole lot more watchers and subscribers to the channel if that was done
I have most definatly seen this aircraft they used to land at our AF base in Korea all the time.
50 out of 170 lost to accidents seems surprisingly many. 5 or 10 would seem more appropriate…
right 17 max
I don’t recall hearing anything about a bad maintenance record while I was in the navy. I was an AT.
@@zub57 I wonder if the numbers are correct
All of the aircraft lost I've heard of were in vaq-129 it's the rag (training) squad... oh and I think one of the mag(Marine Air Group) squadrons flew one into a gondola during joint operations in Europe ... but yeah I've never heard of one going down from a maintenance related issue. Oh and you also need to remember this platform was active for around 40-50 years
@@zub57we didn't have any maintenance related issues to my knowledge in the 8 years I was in the prowler community
Outside the cockpit: electronic warfare at its finest.
Inside that little cockpit: chemical warfare at its worst.
You need A Disclaimer. The aircraft you've never see, IF You are under 30.
Befor that you may well have seen them as an A-6 intruder.
The only external visible difference is a slight bulb on top of the vertical stabilizer.
You may also have watched or read flight of the intruder, A novel made into a movie, And a very good story.
( Thank you Steven Coonts!)
Very educational and entertaining!
3:05 Wow! AOR AR-3000 Communication Receiver !!!
Stationed at Cherry Point for a bit in the 1990’s. Other than the harrier this is all we had there
I was at MCAS Cherry point 82 to 86 , still had A-4's , EA-6B's and Harrier's then. Semper Fi.
I saw them and even worked on and flown in them from 1972-73! VAQ-134
I know the EA-18G Growler is the current naval EW aircraft but how good is the F-35C lightning II in an EW capability?
Fun fact, the only USMC squadron to carry the nose EA6B identifier is VMAQ-3, the Moondogs, tail letters MD, as shown @6:13. We decided to paint the USMC Eagle, Globe, and Anchor (EGA) on the nose, instead of the traditional radiation symbol, while we were attached to the USS America, CV66, for her final deployment in '95-96.
I was a Garuda, VAQ-134 NAS Whidbey Island. 1981-1985
Cool plane 👍✈️