EA-6B Prowler

The EA-6B Prowler is a long-range, all-weather aircraft with advanced electronic countermeasures capability. Manufactured by Northrop Grumman, the EA-6B's systems include the ALQ-99 on board receiver and pod mounted jamming system, the USQ-113 communications jamming system and Shrike or HARM missiles. The Museum's aircraft, Bureau Number 156481, was the Navy's oldest operational EA-6B at the time of its retirement. It was the fourth Prowler built and the first built from scratch as an EA-6B, the first three being modified A-6A Intruders.

Derived from the EA-6A "Electronic Intruder," a relatively straight-forward modification of the A-6 Intruder, the EA-6B is a more advanced and significant redesign, making it a highly capable, long-range, all weather electronic warfare aircraft. EA-6Bs became operational in the final years of the Vietnam War, and developed into the foremost electronic attack platform in the U.S. military arsenal, supporting combat missions over Iraq, Bosnia, and Afghanistan and in other crises around the world.  The Prowler later underwent a number of upgrade programs, enhancing its ability to block enemy communications and sensors.

The Navy's EA-6Bs are currently being phased out as squadrons transition to the EA-18 Growler. The Navy's oldest operational EA-6B at the time of its retirement, Bureau Number 156481 arrived at the Museum on 30 June 2010. This aircraft was the fourth Prowler built and the first built from scratch as an EA-6B, the first three being modified A-6A Intruders. Its operational service included testing at Patuxent River, Maryland, training of the initial cadre of EA-6B crews, and flights in support of operations in the Arabian Gulf, as well as over Somalia and Bosnia. During its four decades of service, it logged over 6,000 flight hours and made 994 arrested carrier landings.