Why doesn't the USAF have a dedicated fighter type EW aircraft?

>>32984853
They just borrow an EA-6B or EA-18G.

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because you wont stop touching yourself

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The EF-111 was retired without direct replacement, with the understanding that Navy tactical EW platforms could cover the gap should the need arise.

That being said, there's no shortage of EW platorms out there. EW tech has come a long way since the Raven was retired in 1998, and for the time being, aircraft can be equipped with pods that are good enough for now. Plus, the newest generation of fighters have vastly improved EW capabilities - certainly not enough to act as their own EF-111s, but enough that they likely won't need the kind of close EW escort like we saw in 1991.

It's very unlikely that they've been replaced by some kind of classified platform. The scope of the EF-111's role - a tactical jammer escort - means that they'd be incredibly hard to hide, as you'd need quite a few of them and they'd have to regularly be practicing alongside the "regular" aircraft that make up the bulk of the fleet.

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>>32984853
Pic related plus AWACS, JSTAR and Rivet Joint. Pretty much all that's needed, and call the USN to send a couple Growlers if you really need to party neck deep in the shit.

It's also a reasonably large part of why the F-35 is such a solid EW/cyber platform. It may not quite be a Growler, but it's like having both an F-16C and F-16J up at the same time from a sensor capability/EW standpoint, no matter the loadout. Look for the USAF to buy some pods and spring for a full SEAD/DEAD F-35 variant package within the decade, probably right after the F-22 gets some form of HMD/HMS, EODAS/EOTS and some of the other F-35 bells and whistles.

>>32984966
Cheers m8. Totally forgot about those. They're cool as shit.

t. >>32987270

>>32984853
Cold war is over. No one will be even close to US EW capabilities for nearest decade. Your dedicated EW plane will be waste of money.

>>32984903
>>32985509
>>32987270
so you all acknowledge the Navy has a better EW platform (Growler) than the Air Force and the Air Force is supposed to be reliant on that?

Even over here we have Growlers but the best thing the US Air Force has is an inferior (to EA-18G) F-16 after retiring the EF-111? Sure there are the larger aircraft but it's not the same thing as smaller tactical EW aircraft.

The F35A can do a lot of things the Growler does so there is that.

>>32989789
what about for the past 15+ years though

>>32984853
>F-111
>Fighter type
Retard alert.

The AF is content to let the Navy handle EW in a fighter platform for a few reasons. First being that when the AF retired the 111 they did so knowing that the Navy was already planning a replacement for the EA6s. The Navy is also a good bit more experienced in EW in a small platform. It also is more of a division of labor; need something that can get in with the fighters and bombers to provide SEAD, call the Navy. Skies are clear, SEAD not required but other EW capacities are required, call the AF.

Another thing worth nothing is that a fair number (don't know the exact number) of the Navy's VAQ squadrons are expeditionary, normally forward deployed and not attached to a carrier. These typically have the ability to deploy to anywhere in the world in 72 hours and be mission ready. And of these EXPED VAQ squadrons one if not two is usually deployed to SE Asia and/or the Middle East.

>>32988386
>Cold war is over.

AHAHAHAAHAHAHAHA

>>32984853
No point, the F-35 is immune to radar and has sensors which render enemies universally detectable.

No need to play games with the enemy.

>>32989792
ECM pods, AWACS, JSTARS, etc.

>>32989792
The F-22 can do a lot of things the Growler does so there is that.

>>32989792
The last 15 years have been pretty short on enemies with any electronics of note to jam.

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>>32987270
>F-22 gets some form of HMD/HMS, EODAS/EOTS and some of the other F-35 bells and whistles

>>32990997
Jamming radios and cell phones so hadji can't communicate or set off IEDs is a pretty big deal.

>>32992456
You can do that with a humvee.

>>32990997
non-argument

the capability has to be there

>>32984853
Because the USAF has stealth aircraft that can 'kick down the front door' of an integrated air defense system. Since the USN still can't into stealth, they need EW fighters (EA18G) instead.

>>32994345
they still used them in Desert Storm even with the F-117s

>>32989574
The Air Force prioritized steathy aircraft in their budget, which don't benefit nearly as much from a dedicated EW aircraft because the EW they want to do to not be detected is mostly deception and therefore software based. Plus, MALD-J is dedicated jamming and distraction all in one!

>>32994573
isn't MALD-J a meme?

>>32994592
Calling a thing that physically exists a meme makes you retarded.

What the hell sounds meme like about a bunch of long range autonomous drones with a jammer to confuse enemy air defenses and get them to waste ammo?

>>32989574
No, cause the Navy did faulty cost analysis and the Congressional bean counters obviously decided that the E/A-6B was the more effective platform, even though this wasn't the case.

>>32994592
No.

It does kill the entire concept of an IADN

>>32984853
Because they don't need it.

EW is a spooky secretive game, and for good reason.

The likely answer is that the USAF's jamming needs are met by Wild Weasel F-16s. I expect that they, and other EW assets, are FAR more capable than anyone that doesn't work with them has an idea of.

>>32984853
>>32996571
The real answer IMO is that for the majority of jamming tasks, the USAF's fighters now have EW built-in - every AESA radar has significant EW capability and newer jets like the F-22 and F-35 even have classified cyber warfare capabilities.