Page 33 - Williams Foundation Future of Electronic Warfare Seminar

A New Approach and Attitude to Electronic Warfare in Australia

While the aircraft can utilize anti-radiation missiles to strike enemy radar assets, their secondary role in this
region is more likely to include intelligence gathering within the electronic spectrum.

By 2020, the USMC will have adopted a revolutionary change in how they address electronic warfare.

Rather than replace the Prowler with a dedicated platform, the USMC has adopted a distributed strategy,
where “every platform is a sensor, shooter and sharer.”

This new paradigm brings together both electronic warfare and cyber capability with the Marine Air-Ground
Task Force (MAGTF) in a structure called the (MAGTF EW).

USMC Captain Sarah Burns explains, "Under MAGTF EW the Marine Corps is leveraging emerging
technologies and integrating multiple aviation platforms [unmanned, fixed-wing, tilt-rotor, and rotary-wing
assets]; payloads; ground-based EW nodes; and cyber capabilities to provide commanders with an organic
and persistent EW capability - for every MAGTF - large and small…"

Within the MAGTF EW each USMC aviation platform will have the capability to carry its own pods packed
with sensors / jammer payloads (such as the Intrepid Tiger II).

2nd Lt. Samuel Stephenson indicates:

“This integration of manned and unmanned airborne and ground EW capabilities will provide the MAGTF
commander with greater flexibility and control of the electromagnetic spectrum and, in many cases, giving the
commander a capability where previously they had none.

"MAGTF EW assets will be modular, scalable and networked, utilizing an open architecture that is rapidly
adaptable and remotely re-programmable at the tactical level to support future Marine Corps warfighting
requirements.”

The US Navy EA-18G Growler will continue the Prowlers dedicated EW mission.

The USMC F-35B & C (replacing the AV-8B, F/A-18A-D and EA-6B) will provide the tactical aviation
requirements of the USMC while offering a very robust EW capability. Combined, the two aircraft (EA-18G &
F-35B/C) will bring immense EW capability to the Joint Force.
As Stephenson indicates, “These aircraft, combined with the assets available in the MAGTF EW, will ensure the
Marine Corps will be able to quickly innovate and adapt to the changing EW mission set and the battlefield
of tomorrow.”

During this time of dynamic change within the USMC, the Prowlers remain at the ready and heavily utilized.

The aircraft train out of MCAS Cherry Point and participate globally within exercises of USAF, USN and
coalition forces.

The Prowler community and aviation enthusiasts have a few remaining years to celebrate the service and
enjoy the flight of the Prowler.

They can do so knowing this cat is black, and will be on the prowl until the final hour.

Second Line of Defense thanks Maj. Nathan Baker, Operations Officer for Marine Aircraft Group 14, 2nd MAW,
1st Lt. John Roberts, and 2nd Lt. Samuel Stephenson Public Affairs Officers 2nd MAW, and Capt. Sarah Burns,
Public Affairs Officer, Office of Marine Corps Communication, Pentagon.

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