The military times magazines note that the US Navy has approved full-rate production of the EA-18G Growler.  The EA-18G is a highly modified variant of the Navy’s F/A-18E/F Super Hornet designed for electronic attack rather than conventional air-to-air or air-to-ground roles.  The Growler will primarily be used to jam enemy radars and perform other similar electronic missions rather than perform strike or air defense sorties.  However, the aircraft will retain some offensive weapons capabilities.

The Growler name was a combination of the aircraft the EA-18 was designed to replace (the EA-6B Prowler), the fact that this was the “G” variant, and a large dose of fighter pilot humor that amazingly slipped by the censors (likely because it was a Navy, rather than Air Force, program–the Air Force still calls the F-16 a Fighting Falcon, while pilots call it the Viper).  Admittedly, the Navy also named a submarine the USS Growler, which was supposedly named after a black bass.

The first test version of the F-35B, the STOVL version for the Marines, arrived at the US Navy flight test facility at Patuxent River this weekend.  The aircraft is built with the lift fans that will allow vertical flight, but it is not production representative; it was built specifically for the test program and includes equipment and sensors that will not be in the operational version of the JSF.  Lockheed has yet to deliver any F-35A or C versions, for the Air Force and Navy, respectively, though one AF version flew for the first time last Saturday.

USMC Photo

Unfortunately, a second report simultaneously came out Read more

The Navy has recovered a body from the wreckage of a crashed T-34, which is likely that of the remaining missing pilot.