page_title: Northrop Grumman EA-6B Prowler
section_title: Operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria
hierarchical_section_title: Northrop Grumman EA-6B Prowler / Operational history / Operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria
caption_attribution_description: English: Female Marines of Marine Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 3 prepare to embark on the first known all female EA-6B Prowler flight. (Left to Right) Capt. Aleah A. Larson, an electronic countermeasures officer with VMAQ-3, Capt. Jill L. Stephenson, pilot with VMAQ-3, Maj. Melissa P. Kelley, an ECMO with VMAQ-3, Capt. Tracey N. Smith, an ECMO with VMAQ-1.
context_page_description: The Northrop Grumman EA-6B Prowler is a twin-engine, four-seat, mid-wing electronic-warfare aircraft derived from the A-6 Intruder airframe. The EA-6A was the initial electronic warfare version of the A-6 used by the United States Marine Corps and United States Navy. Development on the more advanced EA-6B began in 1966. An EA-6B aircrew consists of one pilot and three Electronic Countermeasures Officers, though it is not uncommon for only two ECMOs to be used on missions. It is capable of carrying and firing anti-radiation missiles, such as the AGM-88 HARM missile.
  The Prowler was in service with the U.S. Armed Forces from 1971 until 2019. It has carried out numerous missions for jamming enemy radar systems, and in gathering radio intelligence on those and other enemy air defense systems. From the 1998 retirement of the United States Air Force EF-111 Raven electronic warfare aircraft, the EA-6B was the only dedicated electronic warfare plane available for missions by the U.S. Navy, the U.S. Marine Corps, and the U.S. Air Force until the fielding of the Navy's EA-18G Growler in 2009. Following its last deployment in late 2014, the EA-6B was withdrawn from U.S.
context_section_description: In 2007, it was reported that the Prowler has been used in counter improvised explosive device operations in the conflict in Afghanistan for several years by jamming remote detonation devices such as garage door openers or cellular telephones. Two Prowler squadrons were also based in Iraq, working with the same mission. According to Chuck Pfarrer in his book SEAL Target Geronimo, an EA-6B was also used to jam Pakistani radar and assist the 2 MH-60 Black Hawk stealth helicopters and 2 Chinook helicopters raiding Osama Bin Laden's compound in Operation Neptune Spear. The Department of Defense disputed certain aspects of his book, though not specifically the mention of EA-6B involvement.
  VMAQ-3 began flying Prowler missions against Islamic State militants over Iraq in June 2014.  Once Operation Inherent Resolve began in August, VMAQ-4 took over.  The Prowlers were the first Marine Corps aircraft in Syria and support strike packages, air drops, and electronic warfare requirements against militants.  By January 2015, the five aircraft of VMAQ-4 had flown 800 hours during 110 sorties in support of operations in both countries, including supporting coalition airstrikes and providing EW support for Iraqi Army forces to degrade enemy systems.  Marine Prowlers had not dropped munitions themselves and host nations basing them have not been revealed.
  In April 2016, a squadron of EA-6B Prowlers from Marine Corps Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 4 (VMAQ-4), based at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina, was deployed to Incirlik Air Base, Turkey for operations over Syria. U.S. European Command confirmed that the deployment was expected to last through September 2016. The Center for Strategic and International Studies suggested that the Prowlers may be used to prevent Russian and Syrian air defense systems from tracking U.S. and coalition aircraft.
  Prowlers of VMAQ-2 completed their last operational deployment to Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar in November 2018, and the squadron, the last equipped with the EA-6B, was disbanded on 8 March 2019, with its remaining two Prowlers being disposed of to museums.
caption: USMC-100729-M-0381B-008
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