Air Warriors (2014–…): Season 2, Episode 2 - Prowler-Growler - full transcript

Narrator:
WHAT THEY DO IS INVISIBLE...

UNTRACEABLE...

AND HIGHLY CLASSIFIED.

Man: IT'S BEEN A CLANDESTINE,
CLASSIFIED WARFARE AREA

FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.

Narrator: THEIR ENEMIES
CALL THEIR WORK "BLACK MAGIC."

Man: ELECTRONIC WARFARE

CAN BE MORE OF AN ART
THAN A SCIENCE.

Narrator:
ELECTRONIC WAR AIRCRAFT

ARE THE FIRST LINE OF ATTACK.

Man: THE DECISION HAD BEEN MADE
THAT EVERY STRIKE SORTIE



WOULD HAVE ELECTRONIC ATTACK
ASSOCIATED WITH IT.

Narrator: BUT THEIR INVISIBILITY
MAY BE THEIR UNDOING.

Man: ELECTRONIC WARFARE
HAS ALWAYS BEEN A HARD SELL.

Narrator: THE FUTURE OF WARFARE
IS MORE THAN BULLETS AND BOMBS.

TOMORROW'S VICTORS
MUST DOMINATE WITH FORCE

AND FREQUENCY.

2011.

BENGHAZI, LIBYA.

A FIERCE CIVIL CONFLICT
HAS BEEN RAGING FOR TWO YEARS.

ANTI-GOVERNMENT REBELS
ARE DEAD-SET ON DEMOCRACY.

THEY DEMAND THAT DICTATOR
MOAMMAR GADHAFI

RESIGN FROM OFFICE.

HE REFUSES TO GO.

IN FEBRUARY,
THE VIOLENCE ESCALATES.



GADHAFI'S TROOPS
BEGIN A SERIES OF AIR STRIKES

AGAINST FLEEING CIVILIANS.

IT'S MORE THAN THE REST
OF THE WORLD CAN TOLERATE.

President Obama:
THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY

WILL IMPOSE CONSEQUENCES,

AND THE RESOLUTION
WILL BE ENFORCED

THROUGH MILITARY ACTION.

Narrator:
THE UNITED STATES MILITARY

DEPLOYS DOZENS OF AIRCRAFT
TO ASSIST IN THE MISSION,

INCLUDING
A BRAND-NEW NAVY AIRCRAFT,

THE EA-18G GROWLER.

IT STREAKS TOWARD
THE VIOLENCE IN TRIPOLI.

MOST COMBAT AIRCRAFT
FIGHT IN THE PHYSICAL DOMAIN.

BUT THE GROWLER
BATTLES IN A REALM

THAT'S INVISIBLE
TO THE NAKED EYE--

THE ELECTRONIC SPECTRUM.

Scott Chuda:
THIS HERE IS THE EA-18 GROWLER,

PRIMARY MISSION
IS AIRBORNE ELECTRONIC ATTACK.

Narrator: THE EA-18G GROWLER

IS A KEY PART OF
EVERY AIR ATTACK SQUADRON.

ITS PRIMARY PURPOSE:

TO SHUT DOWN THE ENEMY'S RADAR.

Chuda:
THE MAIN JOB OF THE GROWLER

IS TO DENY OR DELAY

THE AMOUNT OF TIME IT TAKES
FOR AN ENEMY RADAR

TO PICK UP OUR FRIENDLY
BRETHREN OUT THERE.

Narrator:
ONE WAY THE GROWLER DOES THAT

IS BY DOING SOMETHING
CALLED "JAMMING."

HERE'S HOW IT WORKS:

THE GROWLER HAS A RECEIVER
ON EACH WINGTIP.

THESE RECEIVERS
SEARCH OUT THE RADAR SIGNALS

ON THE ENEMY'S
SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILES.

THE INFORMATION
TRAVELS TO A COMPUTER

IN THE GROWLER'S COCKPIT.

WITHIN MILLISECONDS,

THE COMPUTER
ANALYZES THE SIGNALS

AND IDENTIFIES THEM
AS SAFE OR A THREAT.

IF THEY'RE A THREAT,

THE GROWLER ACTIVATES
ONE OF ITS JAMMING PODS.

Chuda: PER THE CONFIGURATION,
WE CAN HAVE UP TO THREE--

ONE ON EACH WING,
AND THEY'LL BE THE SAME.

AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE THE ONE
HERE ON THE CENTER LINE.

Narrator: THE JAMMING PODS
OVERWHELM THE ENEMY'S RADAR

BY SENDING OUT ELECTRONIC NOISE.

THIS ALLOWS FRIENDLY FIGHTERS TO
SNEAK UNSEEN PAST ENEMY LINES.

Chuda: WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO
IS, USING JAMMING,

PREVENT THEM FROM ACTUALLY
SEEING WHERE WE ARE.

Narrator: THE GROWLER
DOESN'T JUST JAM THE ENEMY;

IT CAN INFLICT
PHYSICAL DAMAGE, TOO.

Chuda: OUR PRIMARY MISSION
IS JAMMING.

HOWEVER,
SECONDARY MISSION WE HAVE

IS USING THE HARM,
AS YOU SEE HERE ON THE WING.

Narrator: HARM STANDS FOR HIGH
SPEED ANTI-RADIATION MISSILE.

IT'S SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED
TO HONE IN

ON THE SURFACE-TO-AIR RADAR'S
ELECTRONIC SIGNALS.

Chuda: THE HARM ZONES IN
ON WHERE THE ENEMY RADAR IS

AND THEN LOOKS
TO EXPLODE OVER IT.

Narrator: THE EA-18G GROWLER

IS THE MOST ADVANCED
ELECTRONIC ATTACK AIRCRAFT

ON EARTH.

IT CAN LOCATE, JAM,
AND DESTROY ENEMY RADAR,

ALL IN UNDER A MINUTE.

Chuda: THE GROWLER
IS AN EXCELLENT PLATFORM HERE.

IT'S AWESOME TO FLY.

Narrator:
LIBYA'S OPERATION ODYSSEY DAWN

IS THE PERFECT PROVING GROUND
FOR THE NAVY'S NEW TOY.

Jay Matzko: IN MARCH OF 2011,
IT WAS DECIDED THAT THE U.S.

WAS GOING TO PARTICIPATE
WITH COALITION FORCES

TO ENFORCE A NO-FLY ZONE
OVER LIBYA.

Narrator: COMMANDER JAY MATZKO
WAS THE EXECUTIVE OFFICER

OF THE NAVY'S
ELECTRONIC ATTACK SQUADRON

IN OPERATION ODYSSEY DAWN.

Matzko: IN ORDER TO PROTECT
FORCES IN LIBYA,

PROTECT THEM
FROM ENEMY RADAR SYSTEMS

AND SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILES,

THEY NEEDED THE GROWLERS.

Narrator: FOR THE ELECTRONIC
WARFARE OFFICERS,

THE CALL COMES WITHOUT WARNING.

Matzko: THE DECISION TO MAKE
THAT HAPPEN WAS VERY QUICK,

SO WE HAD ABOUT
24 HOURS TO GET THERE.

Narrator:
WHEN THEY GET TO LIBYA,

THE GROWLERS WILL FACE
A FORMIDABLE OPPONENT.

THE RADARS ON GADHAFI'S
SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILES

CAN LOCATE A TARGET
UP TO 11,000 FEET.

Matzko: WE KNEW THAT WE WERE
GOING AGAINST AN ADVERSARY

THAT WAS TRAINED
TO SHOOT DOWN AIRPLANES

WITH SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILES

AND THAT THEY HAD
A GOOD NUMBER OF THEM.

Narrator: TWO YEARS AFTER
REACHING OPERATIONAL STATUS,

THE AIRCRAFT IS STILL UNTESTED
IN THE BATTLEFIELD.

Matzko: THERE WERE HIGH
EXPECTATIONS FOR THE GROWLER

GOING ON ITS FIRST DEPLOYMENT.

THERE WERE A LOT OF PEOPLE
ACROSS THE UNITED STATES

WATCHING HOW THEY WERE
GOING TO DO IT IN COMBAT,

AND THERE WAS A LOT OF PRESSURE.

Narrator: MARCH 18, 2011.

COMMANDER MATZKO AND HIS WINGMAN

ARE PATROLLING
THE LIBYAN COASTLINE

WHEN THEIR RADIO STARTS TO BUZZ.

Matzko: WE GOT THE CALL

THAT THERE WAS AN ENEMY
SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILE SITE,

OR SAM,
THAT WAS POTENTIALLY ACTIVE.

THE LOCATION WAS A THREAT

TO OUR BOMB DROPPERS
AND TO OUR FIGHTERS.

SO, WE GOT COORDINATES FOR IT,
AND WE STARTED HEADING THAT WAY.

Narrator: MOMENTS LATER,

THE GROWLERS ARRIVE
TO FIND A CROWDED SKY.

COALITION PLANES ARE
IN A HOLDING PATTERN,

RELUCTANT TO TEST THE LIBYAN
RADAR OPERATOR'S SKILL.

Matzko: THESE OPERATORS
ARE PRETTY WELL-TRAINED.

THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT
ANYBODY COULD STEP IN AND DO,

AND THEY'RE CONSTANTLY TRAINING,
JUST LIKE WE ARE.

Narrator: THE LIBYANS HAVE
PLACED THE SAM SITE

CLOSE TO THE COALITION'S TARGET:

AN AMMUNITION DUMP.

Matzko: THE ENEMY KNOWS WHAT
THEIR HIGH-VALUE TARGETS ARE,

AND THEY WANT TO PREVENT US

FROM GETTING IN THERE
AND DESTROYING THOSE TARGETS,

SO THEY WILL PUT SAM SITES

IN AND AROUND TARGETS
THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO THEM.

Narrator: THE STRIKE PLANES
HAVE FIREPOWER.

BUT THEY NEED THE GROWLER'S
ELECTRONIC ATTACK

TO PUT THE MISSILE
OUT OF SERVICE.

Matzko: ME AND MY WINGMAN WERE
CALLED OVER TO JAM IT FIRST

AND THEN SHOOT HARM AT IT
SO THAT WE COULD DESTROY IT.

Narrator:
THE GROWLER'S FIRST CHALLENGE

IS TO IDENTIFY
THE RADAR'S SIGNAL.

EXACTLY HOW IT DOES THAT
IS TOP-SECRET.

Matzko: THE GROWLER CAN DO
A LOT OF AMAZING THINGS,

MANY OF WHICH
WE CAN'T EVEN TALK ABOUT.

Narrator: WHAT WE CAN SAY

IS THAT THE GROWLER
SEES EVERYTHING

ON THE ELECTRONIC SPECTRUM,

BUT IT RELIES ON
THE ELECTRONIC WARFARE OFFICER

TO SORT THROUGH THE NOISE.

Matzko: ELECTRONIC WARFARE

CAN BE MORE OF AN ART
THAN A SCIENCE.

MANY THINGS
CLUTTER THE AIRWAVES.

COULD BE RADIO SIGNALS,
TV SIGNALS, SHIP RADARS...

THINGS YOU'RE
NOT EVEN LOOKING FOR.

YOU DEFINITELY
HAVE TO BE METICULOUS,

YOU HAVE TO BE FOCUSED,

AND YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO VERY
QUICKLY WEED OUT WHAT IS BOGUS

AND GO FOR WHAT
YOU'RE LOOKING FOR.

Narrator:
MATZKO HAS JUST ONE TARGET.

THE MISSILE
HAS MANY MORE CHOICES.

Matzko: WE HAD
COALITION AND U.S. F-15s,

F-18s, HARRIERS,

AND THEY'RE ALL FLYING
IN A PRETTY SMALL AREA.

Narrator: THE GROWLERS KNOW

THEY DON'T HAVE MUCH TIME
TO MAKE THEIR MOVE.

Matzko:
DEPENDING ON THE SAM SYSTEM,

THE MISSILE FLY-OUT
COULD BE TEN TO TWENTY SECONDS.

SO, IT'S VERY QUICK,

AND EVERYBODY HAS TO
REALLY BE ON THEIR GUARD.

Narrator:
CLUTTERED AIRWAVES...

A CROWDED SKY...

AND 10,000 FEET BELOW,
A LIBYAN MISSILE POISED TO FIRE.

IT'S TIME TO SEE IF THE GROWLER
CAN SORT THROUGH THE NOISE

AND BEAT THE MISSILE
TO THE KILL.

Narrator: COMMANDER JAY MATZKO
TRIES DESPERATELY

TO BEAT A LIBYAN SURFACE-TO-AIR
MISSILE TO THE PUNCH.

THE FATE OF DOZENS
OF COALITION AIRCRAFT

IS IN HIS HANDS.

Matzko: WE KNOW THAT
THEY'RE RELYING ON US

TO BLANK THE ENEMY RADARS,

AND IF THEY GET
A MISSILE SHOT AT THEM,

IT COULD BE VERY QUICK,
AND THEN THEY'LL BE KILLED.

Narrator: MATZKO'S WINGMAN
LOCATES THE RADAR SIGNAL

AND STARTS TO JAM IT.

BESIDE HIM, MATZKO PREPARES
HIS HARM MISSILE,

AND FIRES.

Matzko:
WHEN YOU SHOOT OFF A HARM,

THE FIRST THING YOU FEEL
IS A SHUDDER IN THE AIRCRAFT,

AND IT FLIES OFF
INCREDIBLY FAST,

AND YOU SEE A SMOKE TRAIL
THAT GOES OFF INTO THE DISTANCE,

AND THEN THE SMOKE TRAIL STOPS.

Narrator:
WHEN THE SMOKE TRAIL STOPS,

SO DOES
THE ENEMY RADAR'S SIGNAL.

Matzko: ONE OF THE WAYS

THAT WE'LL KNOW
THAT WE HIT OUR TARGET

IS WHEN THE ENEMY SAM SITE
STOPS TRANSMITTING.

Narrator:
WITH THE THREAT DESTROYED,

COALITION FORCES MOVE IN
AND STRIKE THE AMMUNITION DUMP.

Matzko: ONCE IT WAS APPARENT
THAT THE SAM SITE WAS DESTROYED,

THESE GUYS COULD GO BACK
TO THEIR MISSION.

Narrator: DETECTION,
DISRUPTION, DESTRUCTION.

IT'S ALL IN A DAY'S WORK FOR
AN ELECTRONIC WARFARE OFFICER.

Matzko: FLYING IN THE GROWLER
IS AWESOME.

RIGHT FROM THE VERY TAKEOFF,

WHERE YOU'RE PUSHED BACK IN YOUR
SEAT FROM THE AFTERBURNERS,

YOU TAKE OFF, AND YOU REALIZE

YOU'RE DOING A JOB,
YOU'RE DOING A MISSION,

AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT.

Narrator: THE GROWLER

IS THE MOST COMPLICATED
ELECTRONIC WARFARE AIRCRAFT

EVER CONCEIVED.

BUT ITS ULTRA-MODERN
CAPABILITIES

COME FROM A TECHNOLOGY
DEVELOPED 80 YEARS AGO--

A TECHNOLOGY THAT WAS THE MOST
IMPORTANT MILITARY DEVELOPMENT

OF THE CENTURY:

RADAR.

Roger Connor: ELECTRONIC WARFARE
CAME OF AGE DURING WORLD WAR II.

BEFORE WORLD WAR II,
RADAR WAS JUST IN ITS INFANCY.

Narrator:
ROGER CONNOR IS A CURATOR

IN THE NATIONAL AIR AND SPACE
MUSEUM'S AERONAUTICS DEPARTMENT.

Connor: AT THE BEGINNING
OF THE WAR,

THE UNITED STATES,
GREAT BRITAIN, AND GERMANY

HAD BEGUN
TO REALLY DEVELOP RADAR.

Narrator: RADAR IS SEEING
WITH RADIO WAVES.

IT USES THE WAVES
TO DETECT OBJECTS

AND TO DETERMINE THEIR ALTITUDE,
DIRECTION, AND SPEED.

FOR GREAT BRITAIN,

RADAR TECHNOLOGY ISN'T JUST
A MATTER OF SCIENTIFIC INTEREST;

IT'S A NATIONAL EMERGENCY.

Connor:
GREAT BRITAIN PURSUED RADAR

BECAUSE THEY SAW IT AS THE ONLY
WAY OF STOPPING GERMAN BOMBERS

FROM REACHING
THE CITIES OF ENGLAND.

RADAR ALLOWED BRITISH FIGHTERS
TO INTERCEPT BOMBERS

BEFORE THEY COULD APPROACH
THE BRITISH COASTLINE,

AND THAT GREATLY MINIMIZED

THE IMPACT
OF THE GERMAN BOMBING RAIDS.

Narrator: THE ALLIES BEGIN
THEIR OWN BOMBING OPERATIONS

AND SOON DISCOVER
THAT THE GERMANS

HAVE BEEN DEVELOPING RADAR, TOO.

Connor: THE GERMANS
HAD THEIR OWN RADAR.

AND SO, THE ALLIED
AIR COMMANDERS REALIZED

THAT THEY HAD TO HAVE
SOME COUNTERMEASURES

THAT WOULD MAKE IT
VERY DIFFICULT

FOR THOSE GERMAN RADARS

TO DETERMINE HOW MANY AIRCRAFT
OR THEIR EXACT POSITION

AS THEY CAME INTO OCCUPIED
EUROPEAN AIRSPACE.

Narrator: ALLIED SCIENTISTS
WORK AROUND THE CLOCK.

SO DO THE GERMANS.

THE QUESTION ISN'T
HOW TO BUILD THE RADAR,

BUT HOW TO OUTSMART THEM.

Connor: WORLD WAR II
REALLY USHERED IN THE AGE

OF THE CAT-AND-MOUSE GAME
OF ELECTRONIC WARFARE.

AS THE ALLIES WOULD INTRODUCE

ONE NEW COUNTERMEASURE
TO GERMAN RADAR,

THE GERMANS WOULD COME UP
WITH A SOLUTION TO THAT.

Narrator: WINSTON CHURCHILL

CALLS THIS ELECTRONIC WARFARE
EFFORT "THE WIZARD WAR."

WHOEVER COMES OUT ON TOP

WILL DETERMINE THE FATE
OF THE FREE WORLD.

JUNE 6, 1944.

D-DAY.

THE ALLIES' LATEST
ELECTRONIC WARFARE TECHNIQUES

ARE ABOUT TO BE PUT TO THE TEST.

Connor: THE ALLIES WERE FACING
A HUGE NUMBER OF GERMAN RADARS,

AND THEY HAD TO NEUTRALIZE THEM

BY USING ELECTRONIC
COUNTERMEASURES.

Narrator:
ON THE NIGHT BEFORE D-DAY,

ALLIED COMMANDERS
SEND TEN BOMBERS OUT

WITH AN UNUSUAL TASK:

TO FLY BACK AND FORTH
ALONG THE ENGLISH CHANNEL,

DROPPING SOMETHING CALLED CHAFF.

Connor:
CHAFF ARE THIN METAL STRIPS

THAT REFLECT THE ELECTROMAGNETIC
ENERGY OF RADAR.

IT CREATED AN ECHO THAT WAS
SIMILAR TO AN ACTUAL AIRCRAFT.

Narrator: THE TEN ALLIED BOMBERS
CREATE A GHOST STREAM

OF HUNDREDS
OF NON-EXISTENT AIRCRAFT.

Connor: THE GERMAN RADAR
WOULD SEE ESSENTIALLY

A BLOOM OF RADAR ECHOES
ON THEIR SCOPE.

SO, WERE THERE
JUST TEN AIRCRAFT,

OR WERE THERE A HUNDRED?

THE GERMAN RADAR
REALLY COULDN'T TELL.

Narrator: THE ELECTRONIC NOISE
BLINDS GERMAN FORCES,

ALLOWING THE ALLIES
TO SNEAK INTO NORMANDY

FOR THE GREATEST INVASION
IN HISTORY.

Connor: WHEN THE FACTS ABOUT
THE D-DAY OPERATION CAME OUT,

COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD
REALIZED THAT ELECTRONIC WARFARE

WAS NOW GOING TO PROVIDE
A DECISIVE ADVANTAGE.

Narrator: 1960.
THE PENTAGON.

THE BATTLE OF THE BEAMS
TAKES A COLD-WAR TURN.

THE UNITED STATES CAN'T AVOID
THE SOVIET RADARS.

SO IT BUILDS PLANES
THAT FLY TOO HIGH

FOR ANTI-AIRCRAFT GUNS TO REACH.

Connor: WITH THE ARRIVAL
OF THE COLD WAR,

THE JET AIRPLANE
WAS NOW DOMINANT.

JET AIRPLANES FLEW HIGH,
THEY FLEW FAST.

KNOCKING THEM DOWN WAS GOING
TO BE A LOT MORE DIFFICULT

THAN IT HAD BEEN
IN WORLD WAR II.

Narrator: BUT THE SOVIETS
DEVELOP A COUNTERMEASURE:

MISSILES THAT USE RADAR
TO GUIDE THEM TO THE KILL,

ON THE LAND AND IN THE AIR.

Connor: THE SOLUTION
TO TARGETING JET AIRCRAFT

MOVING AT HIGH SPEEDS,
FLYING AT HIGH ALTITUDES,

WAS THE USE OF
RADAR-DIRECTED MISSILES.

Narrator: EACH NATION DEVELOPS
ITS WEAPONS IN SECRET.

BUT THE WORLD SOON DISCOVERS
WHO HAS THE UPPER HAND.

Connor: THE SOVIET UNION
SCORED A MAJOR SUCCESS

WITH THE FIRST SHOOT-DOWN
USING A SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILE.

THIS OCCURRED IN 1960
IN A VERY FAMOUS EPISODE,

THE DOWNING
OF FRANCIS GARY POWERS'

U-2 SPY PLANE.

Narrator: THE SOVIET MISSILE
IS CALLED THE SA-2.

ITS RADAR CAN DETECT
AN INCOMING AIRCRAFT

UP TO 70 MILES AWAY.

ALL OF A SUDDEN,

THE U.S. MILITARY'S HIGH-FLYING
BOMBERS AND THEIR PILOTS

LOOK LIKE SITTING DUCKS.

Connor: THE DOWNING
OF GARY POWERS' U-2

WAS A WAKEUP CALL
TO THE PENTAGON.

THEY REALIZED THAT ANY
MILITARY OPERATION FROM HERE ON

WAS GOING TO BE SIGNIFICANTLY
IMPACTED BY THIS NEW CAPABILITY.

Narrator: 1965.

BY NOW, THE COLD WAR FIGHT
HAS SPREAD TO VIETNAM.

17,000 SOVIET MISSILE
TECHNICIANS DEPLOY TO HANOI,

HELPING TO DEFEND THE COMMUNISTS
AGAINST THE AMERICAN THREAT.

AT THEIR DISPOSAL:

HUNDREDS
OF THE SAME SA-2 MISSILES

THAT SHOT DOWN GARY POWERS.

AMERICAN AIRMEN HAVE NEVER FACED
SUCH A DEADLY THREAT.

T.J. Williams:
THE SA-2 MISSILE SYSTEM
PRESENTED US WITH A CHALLENGE

OF HOW TO BEAT SOMETHING THAT'S
RADAR GUIDED AND CONTROLLED,

TRAVELS AT EXTREMELY
HIGH VELOCITY, AND IS LETHAL.

Narrator:
CAPTAIN T.J. WILLIAMS

HAS BEEN AN ELECTRONIC WARFARE
AND STRIKE WARFARE SPECIALIST

SINCE 1966.

Williams: AND THAT BEGAN

THE BATTLE OF THE BEAMS
FOR VIETNAM

WITH ELECTRONIC WARFARE.

Narrator: THE UNITED STATES

FLIES THE NEWEST, FASTEST
FIGHTERS ON THE PLANET.

BUT THE SA-2
STILL HAS THEM BEAT.

Williams: WE COULDN'T CLIMB
AS HIGH AS THE SA-2 COULD GO.

WE COULDN'T FLY AS FAST
AS THE SA-2 COULD FLY.

AND WE COULDN'T PUT
ENOUGH G ON THE AIRPLANE

TO ACTUALLY BEAT THE SA-2.

SO, TO BEAT IT, IT WASN'T GOING
TO BE THROUGH MANEUVERS,

IT WASN'T GONNA BE
THROUGH SPEED,

IT WAS GONNA BE THROUGH
ELECTRONIC TECHNIQUE.

Narrator: THE UNITED STATES
HAS PLENTY OF AIRCRAFT

THAT HAVE BEEN MODIFIED
TO JAM FOR THEMSELVES:

ELECTRIC INTRUDERS,

SKY WARRIORS,

WILD WEASELS.

WHAT IT NEEDS NOW IS A DEDICATED
ELECTRONIC ATTACK PLANE

THAT CAN JAM FOR OTHER AIRCRAFT.

THAT WAY, THE BOMBERS CAN FOCUS
ON JUST DOING THEIR JOB.

Williams:
MOST OF THE AIRCRAFT HAD

WHAT WOULD BE CALLED
SELF-PROTECTION JAMMING.

WHAT WAS MISSING
WAS A FORCE PROTECTION JAMMER

DEDICATED TO PROTECTING MULTIPLE
AIRCRAFT AT THE SAME TIME.

Narrator: FOR HELP,
AMERICA TURNS TO AN OLD FRIEND:

GRUMMAN AEROSPACE CORPORATION.

THEIR SOLUTION:

ADAPT A NEW PLANE THAT'S
ALREADY ON THE ASSEMBLY LINE,

THE A-6 INTRUDER.

Connor: THE A-6 WAS
A REMARKABLE NEW STRIKE AIRCRAFT

FOR THE NAVY.

FAIRLY EARLY
IN ITS DEVELOPMENT PROCESS,

THERE WERE A LOT
OF ACCOMMODATIONS

MADE IN THE DESIGN

FOR ACCOMMODATING A LOT
OF ELECTRONIC CAPABILITY.

Narrator: THREE YEARS LATER,

THE REMODELED A-6 INTRUDER
MAKES ITS DEBUT AS THE EA-6B,

BETTER KNOWN AS THE PROWLER.

IN SERVICE FOR OVER 40 YEARS,

IT'S THE FIRST PLANE
EVER DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY

FOR THE ELECTRONIC
WARFARE MISSION.

THE PROWLER IS SO ADVANCED,

IT TAKES FOUR PEOPLE
TO OPERATE THE NEW TECHNOLOGY.

Mark Weinrich: THE EA-6B PROWLER
HAS FOUR CREW MEMBERS--

ONE PILOT,

AND THEN THREE ELECTRONIC
COUNTERMEASURE OFFICERS,

WE CALL THEM ECMOs.

THE PILOT OBVIOUSLY
IS FLYING THE AIRPLANE,

SO HE'S THE ONE SITTING RIGHT
THERE IN THE FRONT LEFT SEAT.

HE'S GOT THE CONTROLS,

AND HE DOES ALL THE THINGS YOU
WOULD EXPECT OF A PILOT TO DO.

Narrator:
THE ECMO IN THE FRONT SEAT

IS IN CHARGE OF NAVIGATION.

WHAT THE TWO IN THE BACK DO
IS TOP-SECRET.

Weinrich:
THEY'VE GOT COMPUTER SCREENS

AND A LITTLE KEYBOARD
RIGHT IN FRONT OF THEM.

SO, THOSE BACKSEAT ECMOs ARE
THE ONES THAT ARE RESPONSIBLE

FOR JAMMING THE THINGS
THAT WE NEED TO JAM.

Narrator: BACK IN VIETNAM,

PROWLER CREWS KNOW THAT
WHAT THEY NEED TO JAM FIRST

IS THE DEADLY SA-2.

Connor:
THERE WAS AN UNDERSTANDING
RIGHT FROM THE OUTSET

THAT THIS WAS
GOING TO BE A CAPABILITY

THAT WAS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY

TO OPERATIONS
OVER NORTH VIETNAM.

Narrator:
THE NAVY CAN HARDLY WAIT

TO BRING ITS NEW AIRCRAFT
TO THE BATTLEFIELD.

Williams: THERE WAS
A GREAT DEAL OF EXCITEMENT

BY THOSE IN THE ELECTRONIC
WARFARE COMMUNITY.

Narrator: BUT OTHERS
IN THE MILITARY ARE SKEPTICAL.

Connor: BECAUSE ELECTRONIC
WARFARE IS A GAME OF ELECTRONS

AND PEOPLE DON'T SEE THINGS
PHYSICALLY BLOW UP,

IT'S VERY DIFFICULT
TO CONVEY THE UNDERSTANDING

THAT THIS IS ACTUALLY
A HUGELY IMPORTANT PART

OF MODERN MILITARY OPERATIONS.

Narrator:
AND AT $20 MILLION EACH,

A DEDICATED
ELECTRONIC ATTACK PLANE

IS A COSTLY GAMBLE.

Williams: THE PROWLER WAS NEW,
AND IT WAS VERY EXPENSIVE,

AND IT HAD TO PROVE ITSELF.

Narrator: WILL THE PROWLER PROVE
THAT ELECTRONIC ATTACK

IS A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH?

OR WILL THE SA-2 CONTINUE TO
HAVE THE UPPER HAND?

Narrator: 1972.

NORTH VIETNAM.

FOUR YEARS AFTER
ITS MAIDEN FLIGHT,

THE EA-6B PROWLER FLIES INTO
THE LAST FEW MONTHS OF THE WAR.

Williams: AT THE TIME,

THERE WAS A FEEL-GOOD SENSE
THAT THE PROWLER IS HERE.

BUT THERE WAS NO WAY
ON THE SPOT

TO MEASURE WHAT THE PROWLER
ACTUALLY ACCOMPLISHED.

Narrator:
THE PROWLER ACCOMPANIES

HUNDREDS OF NAVY BOMBERS,

JAMMING THE RADAR-GUIDED
SA-2 MISSILE SYSTEMS

MEANT TO BRING THEM DOWN.

THE NAVY BELIEVES THAT ITS
NEW ELECTRONIC WARFARE AIRCRAFT

IS A SUCCESS.

BUT THE STATS TO BACK UP
THEIR CLAIMS ARE HARD TO FIND.

Ken Krech:
THE REASON WHY ELECTRONIC
WARFARE WAS HARD TO UNDERSTAND

GOES BACK TO
YOU CAN'T VISUALIZE IT.

YOU'RE DEALING WITH
ELECTROMAGNETIC SPECTRUM.

IT'S, YOU KNOW,
IT'S IN THE ETHER.

Narrator: CAPTAIN KEN KRECH

WAS AN ELECTRONIC
COUNTERMEASURES OFFICER

AND LEAD FOR THE PROWLER'S
ADVANCED SYSTEMS PROGRAM.

Krech: TODAY IT'S A LOT EASIER

BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE USED TO
CELL PHONES, BEEPERS, WIRELESS,

AND THAT SORT OF STUFF,

BUT IF YOU IMAGINE
TALKING TO SOMEBODY

IN THE '70s OR '80s,
BEFORE WE HAD CELL PHONES,

THEY WOULDN'T UNDERSTAND
WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.

Narrator: ONLY THE ELECTRONIC
ATTACK COMMUNITY

UNDERSTANDS THAT
ELECTRONIC WARFARE

IS THE WAVE OF THE FUTURE.

AND IN 1984, THE PROWLER
GETS A POWERFUL UPGRADE:

A HARM MISSILE.

Krech: THE HIGH-SPEED
ANTI-RADIATION MISSILE,

OR HARM,

ITS REAL PURPOSE WAS TO STOP
THE ENEMY FROM USING ITS RADARS.

THE WHOLE IDEA
OF THE HARM MISSILE

IS BASICALLY SOMEBODY'S
SHOOTING AT ME WITH A MISSILE,

I WANT A MISSILE THAT IS FASTER

AND CAN GET TO THE GUY
WHO'S SHOOTING AT ME

BEFORE HIS MISSILE GETS TO ME.

Narrator: THE PROWLER COMMUNITY
THINKS IT'S A PERFECT FIT.

Krech: THE SKILLS THAT WE HAD
DEVELOPED:

UNDERSTANDING
HOW THE ENEMY USES RADARS,

HOW IT USES
ELECTROMAGNETIC SPECTRUM

TO ATTACK
OUR AIRPLANES AND STUFF...

THAT GAVE US THE INSIGHT
THAT WE WOULD KNOW BEST

WHEN TO USE THIS
ANTI-RADIATION MISSILE.

Narrator: BUT CRITICS BELIEVE

THE ELECTRONIC WARRIORS ARE
OVERSTEPPING THEIR BOUNDS.

Krech: FRANKLY, MANY OF THE
SENIOR LEADERSHIP AT THE TIME

BELIEVED THAT, "OH, THOSE GUYS,
THEY HAVE RECEIVERS AND JAMMERS.

WHY ARE THEY CARRYING THINGS
THAT BLOW UP?"

Narrator: CARRYING ONE OF
THE MILITARY'S NEWEST MISSILES

IS A BIG STEP
FOR AN UNPROVEN PLANE.

THE PROWLERS KNOW

THEY'RE UNDER PRESSURE
TO PROVE THEIR WORTH.

Connor: IN THE 20 YEARS
AFTER THE VIETNAM WAR,

THE PROWLER NEVER HAD A CHANCE
TO PROVE ITSELF.

IT WASN'T UNTIL DESERT STORM

THAT IT HAD ITS OPPORTUNITY
FOR THE LIMELIGHT.

Narrator: AUGUST 1990.

THE MIDDLE EAST.

IRAQI DICTATOR SADDAM HUSSEIN

ORDERS HIS ARMY
ACROSS THE BORDER

AND INTO TINY KUWAIT.

FIVE MONTHS LATER,
A U.N. COALITION TAKES ACTION.

THE ALLIES START
WITH A SERIES OF AIR STRIKES.

[AIR RAID SIREN]

THEY CALL IT
OPERATION DESERT STORM.

JANUARY 17, 1991.

THE MIDDLE OF THE RED SEA.

THE SECOND NIGHT OF THE WAR.

TWO EA-6B PROWLERS
AND TWO BRITISH TORNADOS

PREP FOR TAKEOFF.

Krech: WE TOOK OFF,

I THINK IT WAS JUST
A LITTLE BIT AFTER MIDNIGHT.

WE WERE GOING TO SUPPORT
A ROYAL AIR FORCE STRIKE

IN THE WESTERN PART OF IRAQ.

Narrator:
GETTING THE STRIKE FORCE IN

WON'T BE EASY.

IRAQ HAS SOME OF THE MOST
SOPHISTICATED RADARS

IN THE WORLD.

Krech:
THE IRAQ AIR DEFENSE SYSTEM

HAD BEEN DEVELOPED
MUCH MORE RECENTLY

THAN WHEN WE HAD LAST
FOUGHT A WAR.

SO, WE KNEW THE EQUIPMENT
THEY HAD WAS VERY GOOD,

SO WE HAD EXPECTATIONS
FOR A SIGNIFICANT FIGHT.

Narrator: THE TORNADOS
HAVE PLENTY OF BOMBS.

BUT CAN THEY GET
CLOSE ENOUGH TO USE THEM?

THAT DEPENDS ON HOW WELL
THE PROWLERS CAN JAM.

Krech: IF WE DO
OUR JAMMING MISSION PROPERLY,

WHAT WE WANT TO DO
IS STOP THE ENEMY

FROM EVER SEEING
THE REAL AIRPLANE

THAT'S GOING IN TO DROP A BOMB.

IDEALLY,
THE FIRST THING THEY KNOW

IS A BOMB GOES OFF
OR THEY HEAR A JET FLY BY.

Narrator:
FIVE HOURS AFTER TAKEOFF,
THE ELECTRONIC ATTACK WARRIORS

ESCORT THE TORNADOS
INTO ENEMY SKIES.

Krech: WE'RE NOW IN IRAQ,
AND YOU COULD SEE ON YOUR SYSTEM

THAT THERE WERE ENEMY RADARS
UP AND OPERATING,

THEY WERE LOOKING FOR US.

Narrator:
THE TWO BRITISH BOMBERS

SPEED TOWARD THEIR TARGET.

THE PROWLERS
FOLLOW CLOSE BEHIND,

JAMMING ALL THE WAY.

Krech: AS SOON AS WE THINK

THEY CAN SEE THE PEOPLE
WE'RE TRYING TO PROTECT,

YOU HAVE THE JAMMERS ON
AT THAT POINT.

Narrator: THE PROWLERS
HOPE THEIR JAMMERS

WILL PREVENT THE RADAR
FROM SEEING THE TORNADOS.

BUT THEY CAN'T TAKE ANY CHANCES.

THEY PUT A HARM ON THE RAIL
AND GET READY TO FIRE.

Krech: THE PILOT
ULTIMATELY IS THE ONE THAT SAYS

THERE'S NO AIRPLANE
IN FRONT OF ME,

YOU KNOW, THE AIRPLANE'S
POINTED THE RIGHT DIRECTION,

AND HE ACTUALLY COMMITS
TO SHOOT THE MISSILE

BY PULLING THE TRIGGER.

Narrator:
IT'S THE FIRST TIME KRECH'S CREW

HAS FIRED THE HARM IN COMBAT.

IT MAKES QUITE AN IMPRESSION.

Krech: WE PITCH UP,
FIRE THE MISSILE,

AND THIS HUGE WHITE,
YOU KNOW, FIREBALL COMES OFF.

AND WE'RE LIKE,

MAN, THIS IS THE GREATEST
ROMAN CANDLE YOU'VE EVER SEEN.

WHOO!

Narrator: WITH THE IRAQI RADAR
NO LONGER A THREAT,

THE TORNADOS UNLOAD THEIR BOMBS
AND HEAD BACK TO BASE.

Krech: ALL OF THEIR AIRPLANES
MADE IT BACK TO THE BASE SAFELY,

AND THAT'S THE BEST YOU CAN GET.

Narrator: IT CAN JAM,
AND IT CAN SHOOT MISSILES.

DESERT STORM PROVES THAT
THE PROWLER IS A DOUBLE THREAT.

Krech: STRIKE AFTER STRIKE
AFTER STRIKE,

WE ACCOMPLISHED
OUR PRIMARY MISSION,

WHICH IS TO SUPPORT PEOPLE,

DEFEND THEM SO THEY CAN
DO THEIR MISSION AND GET BACK.

IT WORKED GREAT.

Williams: DESERT STORM
WAS LIKE THE DEBUTANTE BALL

FOR THE PROWLER.

THE RESULTS WERE UNIMPEACHABLE
AND WERE EXTREMELY GOOD.

Narrator: BUT IN THE WORLD
OF ELECTRONIC ATTACK,

NEW THREATS
ARE ALWAYS ON THE HORIZON.

AND IN JUST A FEW YEARS,

THE PROWLER MUST FACE
ITS MOST DANGEROUS ENEMY YET.

1999.

SERBIA.

YUGOSLAV LEADER
SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC

IS YEARS INTO A MURDEROUS
ETHNIC CLEANSING CAMPAIGN.

IN JANUARY,
HIS PARAMILITARY TROOPS

KILL 45 ETHNIC ALBANIANS,

INCLUDING WOMEN AND CHILDREN.

AFTER MONTHS OF WATCHING
THE TRAGEDY UNFOLD,

THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY
FINALLY DECIDES TO ACT.

President Clinton:
MY FELLOW AMERICANS,

IF PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC
WILL NOT MAKE PEACE,

WE WILL LIMIT
HIS ABILITY TO MAKE WAR.

Narrator: A NATO COALITION
OF 19 COUNTRIES

PREPARES FOR A MASSIVE AIR WAR.

THE NAVAL SERVICES BRINGS
27 EA-6B PROWLERS TO THE FIGHT.

John Cryer: THE DECISION
HAD BEEN MADE

THAT EVERY STRIKE SORTIE
THAT WAS GOING INTO KOSOVO

WOULD HAVE ELECTRONIC ATTACK
ASSOCIATED WITH IT,

SO THE PROWLERS
WERE IN GREAT DEMAND.

Narrator:
REAR ADMIRAL JOHN CRYER

WAS THE COMMANDER OF THE PACIFIC
FLEET ELECTRONIC ATTACK WING

DURING OPERATION ALLIED FORCE.

Cryer: THE SERB
AIR DEFENSE SYSTEM

WAS FAIRLY ROBUST.

THEY HAD A LOT OF EQUIPMENT
FROM THE FORMER SOVIET UNION,

AND THEY KNEW
HOW TO USE IT VERY WELL.

Narrator: ALLIED FORCES
LEARN THE HARD WAY

THAT THE SERBS ARE DANGEROUS
AND SKILLED OPPONENTS.

JUST THREE DAYS INTO THE WAR,

SERB FORCES SHOOT DOWN

ONE OF THE ALLIES'
MOST TREASURED ASSETS:

AN AIR FORCE F-117.

Cryer: IT DOES UNDERSCORE

HOW TECHNICALLY ADEPT
THAT THE SERBS WERE

AT BEING ABLE TO CONDUCT
AIR DEFENSE OPERATIONS

AGAINST THE ALLIED AIRCRAFT.

THEY WEREN'T JUST THROWING
MISSILES IN THE SKY.

THEY WERE LOOKING
VERY SPECIFICALLY

AT BEING ABLE TO SHOOT
ANY OF US DOWN.

Narrator: MARCH 29.

AVIANO AIR BASE, ITALY.

CRYER AND HIS CREW GET A CALL
TO ESCORT TWO F-15 STRIKE EAGLES

ON A BOMBING RAID
DEEP IN SERB TERRITORY.

Cryer: OUR JOB WAS TO MAKE SURE

THAT WE WERE ABLE TO STAY
VERY CLOSE TO THOSE F-15Es

AND PROVIDE THE JAMMING SUPPORT

REQUIRED TO KEEP THEM
FROM BEING DETECTED

BY THE EARLY WARNING
ACQUISITION-TYPE RADARS.

Narrator:
BUT COALITION AIRCRAFT

AREN'T JUST CONCERNED
WITH BEING DETECTED.

THEY'RE CONCERNED
WITH GETTING SHOT DOWN.

Cryer: THE SERBS WERE ACTIVELY
TRYING TO SHOOT DOWN

EVERY ONE OF THE STRIKE AIRCRAFT
THAT WERE COMING IN.

THERE WAS A CONSTANT SERIES
OF MISSILES IN THE AIR.

Narrator: COALITION PLANES
ROAR OVER PRISTINA,

HEADING FOR THEIR TARGET.

Cryer: AS WE CAME CLOSE TO
THE BORDER AREA THERE OF KOSOVO

AND THE STRIKE EAGLES WERE ABOUT
TO GO INTO THEIR ATTACK PROFILE,

WE GOT
THE ELECTRONIC DESIGNATION

FOR SOME OF THE SA-6 RADARS.

Narrator: THE SA-6.

IT'S THE DEADLIEST
SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILE

THE PROWLERS HAVE EVER FACED.

Williams: THE SA-6 WAS EVEN
MORE LETHAL THAN THE SA-2.

IT OPERATED
IN A WHOLE NEW FREQUENCY REGIME

AND IT WAS CONTROLLED
ON THE BATTLEFIELD,

SO YOU NEVER KNEW
QUITE WHERE IT WAS

AND YOU NEVER KNEW
QUITE WHERE IT WAS COMING FROM.

Narrator: CRYER'S CREW SCRAMBLES
TO READY ITS HARM MISSILE,

BUT IT MAY ALREADY BE TOO LATE.

Cryer: AS WE WERE
PREPARING TO FIRE,

WE NOTICED THAT
THE SA-6 HAD FIRED ON US

AND WE HAD AT LEAST FOUR
OF THEIR SAMs UP IN THE AIR

THAT WERE GUIDING TOWARD
THE STRIKE EAGLES AND US.

Narrator: ONCE THE SA-6'S
RADAR LOCKS ON,

ITS MISSILES
CAN REACH THE PLANES

IN LESS THAN A MINUTE.

IF THE PROWLER'S CREW
DOESN'T ACT FAST,

THE F-15s WILL BE DESTROYED.

Narrator: REAR ADMIRAL JON CRYER
AND HIS EA-6B CREW

FACE DOWN FOUR SURFACE-TO-AIR
MISSILES IN SERBIAN SKIES.

Cryer: WE SAW THOSE
ELECTRONIC SIGNALS FROM THE SA-6

AS WE WERE GOING
INTO THE STRIKE AREA.

AND IT WAS AFTER THAT
THAT WE SAW

THE SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILES
ACTUALLY COMING UP,

THE SA-6 MISSILES
COMING UP AT US.

Narrator: THE PROWLER'S CREW HAS
JUST SECONDS TO TAKE ACTION.

Cryer: ONCE THEY'VE
LAUNCHED THOSE MISSILES,

THEY HAVE LESS THAN
A MINUTE OR TWO

BEFORE ACTUAL IMPACT.

SO WE IMMEDIATELY FIRED A HARM,

A HIGH SPEED ANTI-RADIATION
MISSILE, AGAINST THEM,

AND THEN WE CONTINUED TO JAM.

Narrator:
THE HARM DOES ITS JOB.

WITH THE RADAR DESTROYED,

THE SERB MISSILES SUDDENLY LOSE
THEIR TRACKING SIGNAL

AND THEIR EFFECTIVENESS.

Cryer:
THEIR MISSILES MISSED US.

THEY GOT VERY CLOSE ABOARD
AND DID NOT DETONATE,

BUT THEY DID NOT HIT US
OR THE STRIKE EAGLES.

Narrator: DURING THE COURSE
OF THE CONFLICT,

THE EA-6B PROWLERS FLY OVER
2,000 HOURS IN JUST 78 DAYS.

NOT A SINGLE AIRMAN
IS LOST ON THEIR WATCH.

Connor: THE PROWLER'S SUCCESS
IN OPERATION ALLIED FORCE

SEALED ITS LEGACY

AS BEING THE MOST IMPORTANT
ELECTRONIC WARFARE AIRCRAFT

IN THE 40 YEARS
AFTER THE VIETNAM WAR.

Narrator: THE CONFLICT
REVEALS SOMETHING ELSE

ABOUT THE PROWLER:

ITS FLYING DAYS ARE NUMBERED.

Connor:
AFTER OPERATION ALLIED FORCE,

THERE WAS AN AWARENESS

THAT THE EA-6B
WAS BEGINNING TO SHOW ITS AGE.

Narrator: IT ISN'T EASY TO KEEP
AN AGING FIGHTER BATTLE-READY.

THAT'S WHERE
THE MAINTAINERS COME IN.

Joshua Dyer:
A LOT OF OUR AIRCRAFT

SPECIFICALLY WERE BORN OR
MANUFACTURED IN THE MID-80s.

SO IT'S A 30-YEAR AIRCRAFT.

IT'S A LOT OLDER

THAN THE MAINTAINERS
THAT ARE WORKING ON IT.

SO, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE
SPECIAL INSPECTIONS

AND CONDITIONAL INSPECTIONS
THAT REQUIRE MAINTENANCE.

Narrator:
ELECTRONIC WARFARE AIRCRAFT

MUST CONSTANTLY
UPGRADE THEIR HARDWARE

AND THEIR SOFTWARE, TOO.

Krech: THE KEY TO OUR BEING
SUCCESSFUL IN ELECTRONIC WARFARE

IS ATTENTION TO DETAIL,

TO MAKE SURE THE SOFTWARE'S
WORKING PROPERLY

AND YOU CAN REALLY EXECUTE
THE MISSION HOW YOU WANT TO.

Narrator: DESPITE ITS AGE,

THE PROWLER'S SERVICE
IS NOT DONE AFTER KOSOVO.

THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY MISSION
FOR ITS ADVANCED ELECTRONICS

IS STILL TO COME.

[GUNFIRE]

2003.

BAGHDAD.

U.S.-LED FORCES HAVE CHASED
IRAQI DICTATOR SADDAM HUSSEIN

FROM POWER.

BUT A BATTLE
WITH INSURGENTS RAGES ON.

THEIR WEAPON OF CHOICE...

[MAN YELLING]

THE RADIO-CONTROLLED
IMPROVISED EXPLOSIVE DEVICE,

OR IED.

Brian Hinkley: EARLY IEDs
WERE TYPICALLY PRESSURE PLATES,

WHERE YOU WOULD STEP ON A SPRING
AND IT WOULD EXPLODE

OR DRIVE A TRUCK OVER IT.

THEN THEY STARTED TO CREATE
THE RADIO-CONTROLLED IED.

Narrator: CAPTAIN BRIAN HINKLEY
LED THE NAVY'S GROUND EFFORTS

TO ENHANCE ELECTRONIC
WARFARE CAPABILITIES

DURING OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM.

Hinkley:
THE RADIO-CONTROLLED IED

WAS DETONATED OR ARMED
THROUGH A RADIO SIGNAL.

SO YOU COULD EITHER USE
A GARAGE DOOR OPENER

OR A PERSONAL MOBILE RADIO
OR EVEN A CELL PHONE

TO ARM OR TRIGGER THAT DEVICE.

Narrator: THE ARMY
SPENDS OVER $12 BILLION

TO COUNTER THE IED'S
ELECTRONIC ATTACK.

[EXPLOSION]

Man: IED! IED!

Narrator: NOTHING SEEMS TO WORK.

BUT THEN, THE U.S. ARMY GETS
SOME UNLIKELY HELP FROM ABOVE:

THE EA-6B PROWLER.

AUGUST 2003.

A TEAM OF PROWLERS HEADS OUT
ON A TOP-SECRET MISSION.

Hinkley: EA-6Bs OVERHEAD
COORDINATED WITH A CONVOY

GOING OUT TO TARGET
AN INDIVIDUAL

THAT WAS MOTIVATING OTHERS
TO EMPLACE IEDs.

THE GOAL WAS GETTING
SOME INTEL FROM HIM

TO BE ABLE TO FIND
THE NEXT STEP UP IN THE NETWORK.

Narrator: GETTING TO THE TARGET
WON'T BE EASY.

HE'S DEEP IN THE HEART
OF SADR CITY,

INSURGENT TERRITORY.

Hinkley: WE HAD TO ASSUME THAT
THERE WERE IEDs EVERYWHERE.

Narrator: INSURGENTS
HAVE HAD UNRESTRICTED ACCESS

TO SADR CITY'S RADIO WAVES.

BUT THE PROWLERS PLAN
TO CHANGE THAT, STARTING NOW.

Hinkley: THE KEY

IS TO BE ABLE TO CONTROL
THE ELECTROMAGNETIC SPECTRUM

AT A TIME AND A PLACE
OF OUR CHOOSING

AND TO BE ABLE TO DENY IT
FOR THE ENEMY'S USE.

Narrator: THE PROWLERS' PLAN:

TO DISABLE THE IEDs
BY JAMMING THEM.

IT'S A REVOLUTIONARY IDEA.

Hinkley:
WE HAD NEVER DONE IT BEFORE.

SO, IT WAS ALL A NEW GAME,

SO YOU ALWAYS WONDER
WHETHER OR NOT

YOU WILL BE EFFECTIVE
AGAINST A NEW THREAT.

Narrator: AS THE PROWLERS
FLY OVERHEAD,

THEY KNOW THAT AMERICAN LIVES
DEPEND ON THEIR SUCCESS.

Hinkley: IF YOU DON'T
HAVE IT ALL RIGHT,

YOU WILL NOT PREVENT
THAT RADIO SIGNAL

GOING FROM
THE ADVERSARY'S TRANSMITTER

TO THE ADVERSARY'S IED RECEIVER,

AND THAT IED WILL IN FACT
BLOW UP WHEN THEY WANT IT TO.

Narrator: PROWLERS KNOW THEY CAN
DOMINATE AN ELECTRONIC AIR WAR.

BUT CAN THEY WIN
THE GROUND WAR, TOO?

Narrator:
AN AMERICAN SPECIAL-OPS CONVOY

MAKES ITS WAY THROUGH
THE STREETS OF SADR CITY.

TWO EA-6B PROWLERS
CIRCLE IN THE SKIES ABOVE,

TRYING TO JAM THE INSURGENTS'
RADIO-CONTROLLED IEDs.

Hinkley:
THEIR ORBIT WAS IN PLACE

SUCH THAT THEY COULD
PROTECT THAT CONVOY

AS IT TRANSVERSED
ACROSS ITS INTENDED PATH.

Narrator: ALL IT TAKES
IS ONE LAPSE IN THE JAMMING

FOR THE CONVOY
TO BECOME A FUNERAL TRAIN.

Hinkley: EVERYTHING WAS REALLY
CRITICAL THAT IT WAS TIMED.

SO YOU WOULD ACTIVATE
ELECTRONIC ATTACK

FROM BEGINNING TO END
ALONG THAT ROUTE.

Narrator: MINUTES AFTER
THEY ENTER SADR CITY,

THE CONVOY REACHES ITS TARGET.

Hinkley: THE FIRST THING THAT
THOSE GUYS IN THAT HOUSE SAW

WAS A FLASH BANG AT THEIR DOOR,

OUR FORCES BUSTING IN THE DOOR

AND TAKING WHO WE NEEDED
AND WHAT WE NEEDED

OUT OF THAT HOUSE.

Narrator: THE INSURGENT LEADER

COUNTED ON THE IEDs
TO PROTECT HIM,

BUT HE COUNTED WRONG.

Hinkley: THE EA-6Bs WERE ABLE
TO HOLD ON FOR ONE MORE ORBIT,

THE CONVOY HEADED BACK HOME,

CLEARED THE DANGEROUS AREA
IN SADR CITY.

EA-6Bs WERE ABLE
TO GO BACK TO THEIR BASE.

Narrator: THE EA-6B PROWLER
HAS LONG CONTROLLED THE SKIES.

IN OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM,

IT'S A KEY PART
OF THE GROUND WAR, TOO.

Hinkley: CREWS WERE NEVER
LACKING FOR FLIGHT TIME;

ALWAYS LACKING FOR SLEEP.

Narrator: THE PROWLER
HAS HAD MORE UPGRADES

THAN ANY OTHER
NAVY OR MARINE AIRCRAFT.

NOW IT'S TIME FOR
THE ELECTRONIC ATTACK MISSION

TO FLY SOMETHING NEW.

Cryer: THE EA-6B HAD BEEN
DESIGNED IN THE '60s.

IT WAS GETTING RATHER OLD,

AND THERE IS A FINITE LIFE
TO ALL OF OUR AIRCRAFT.

Narrator: 2006.

BOEING DEBUTS A STATE-OF-THE-ART
ELECTRONIC WARFARE AIRCRAFT.

THEY CALL IT THE EA-18G GROWLER.

IT PUTS THE PROWLER'S DNA

INTO THE BODY
OF THE F-18 SUPER HORNET,

THE NAVY'S GO-TO AIRFRAME
FOR ALMOST 20 YEARS.

Chuda: THE SUPER HORNET

HAS PROVEN ITSELF
IN MANY BATTLEFIELDS,

AND THE PROWLER HAD A LOT
OF GREAT FEATURES,

SO WE TOOK THE BEST FEATURES
FROM THE PROWLER

AND THE BEST FEATURES
OF THE SUPER HORNET

AND COMBINED THEM TOGETHER
TO GET HERE THE GROWLER.

Narrator:
THE F-18 AND THE GROWLER

HAVE A LOT IN COMMON:

SAME AIRFRAME,

SAME RADAR.

SAME WEAPONS SYSTEMS.

Chuda: MOST OF THE AIRFRAME
PARTS ARE INTERCHANGEABLE

BECAUSE IT'S
THE EXACT SAME AIRFRAME.

SO WHEN WE'RE OUT ON A SHIP
WE CAN TAKE PARTS

FROM THE SUPER HORNET
AND THE GROWLER

AND INTERCHANGE THEM,

WHICH MAKES IT REAL EASY
TO MAINTAIN THESE JETS.

Narrator: THE GROWLER
IMPROVES ON THE F-18

BY ADDING 1,400 POUNDS,

2,500 FEET OF CABLING,

66 ANTENNAS,

AND 1.5 MILLION LINES
OF SOFTWARE CODE.

Chuda: WE LOOK FORWARD TO IT
HERE IN THE FUTURE

FOR THE CAPABILITIES
THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE

TO OUR FRIENDLY BRETHREN.

Narrator:
THE NAVY'S NEWEST WEAPON

IS POISED TO DOMINATE
THE ELECTRONIC SPECTRUM.

BUT NEW CHALLENGES
ARE CLOSE BEHIND.

AFTER 34 YEARS OF SERVICE AND
MORE THAN 11,000 FLIGHT HOURS,

THE FIRST EA-6B PROWLER
WAS RETIRED ON JUNE 10, 2011.

THE OTHERS WILL SOON FOLLOW.

Williams: THE PROWLER
HAS A WONDERFULLY LONG

AND GLORIOUS LEGACY.

WHAT THE PROWLER HAS DONE
IS CREATE THE UNMISTAKEN NEED

AND ESSENTIAL NATURE
OF ELECTRONIC WARFARE

TO EVERYTHING WE DO.

Narrator:
ELECTRONIC WARFARE AIRCRAFT.

THE PROWLER SET THE STANDARD.

AND THE GROWLER CONTINUES IT.

NEW THREATS, NEW ENEMIES.

THE GROWLER IS THE ULTIMATE
ELECTRONIC ATTACK PLATFORM

FOR THE NEW ARMS RACE.

Connor: ELECTRONIC WARFARE
IS BECOMING MUCH MORE COMPLEX,

AND AIRCRAFT LIKE THE GROWLER

ARE MERELY
GOING TO BE A PLATFORM

BY WHICH WE CAN GET ACCESS

TO CERTAIN TYPES
OF ELECTRONIC ENVIRONMENTS.

Narrator: TOMORROW'S WARS
WILL BE WON AND LOST

ON THE ELECTRONIC SPECTRUM.

AND AS NEW THREATS RISE,

THE UNITED STATES
PLACES ITS FAITH

IN ONE AIRCRAFT
TO TAKE THEM ALL ON:

THE GROWLER.