US Navy wants to divest some Growlers

[Dawes]

Looks like these will go to AMARC instead of being offered for foreign sale:

"Decommission Five Active Component Expeditionary Electronic Attack Squadrons (VAQs). Divests of all non-carrier-based EA-18G Growler support of joint force requirements for tactical airborne electronic attack (AEA) capability and capacity. Divestment involves decommissioning five Growler squadrons, collectively consisting of 25 airframes and approximately 1,020 associated officer and enlisted billets. Military end strength will be reduced by half in FY 2024 and fully in FY 2025. Associated aircraft will be placed in long term preservation at the Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (AMARG)"

Also interesting that the US Marines are getting Block V Tomahawks for ground launch. 

https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/21613097/highlights_book-2022.pdf

Edited April 24, 2022 by Dawes

[R011]

I cxan think of some folks who would love some EW fighters if they could get training to fly and support them.

[Stuart Galbraith]

One wonders why NATO doesnt buy them, just as they did the E3. Couldnt be that hard to form a multinational force to crew them.

[TrustMe]

Germany was after some EF18G's, maybe they will buy them.

[Josh]

RAAF might be interested as well, since they operate the type.

I think this may be a budget ploy; the aircraft being retired are "joint" units that don't typically embark on a CV. 

[R011]

I was thinking Ukraine, but some other F-18E operators might be interested in buying them as people are saying.

[AETiglathPZ]

12 hours ago, Josh said:

RAAF might be interested as well, since they operate the type.

I think this may be a budget ploy; the aircraft being retired are "joint" units that don't typically embark on a CV. 

These were the EF-18G's that replaced EA-6B Prowlers that replaced Air Force EF-111A Raven's?  Or Joint Marine-Navy assets?

[futon]

Japan was looking into procurement of them in early 2018 but seems like no further developments on that since then. 

Lack of interest in them by major powers might be that they see the next platform for fast medium size EW being drones. Any commitment on EA-18Gs would mean 20 years with it. The investment spanning 20 years is probably seen better going towards the forseen incoming drone version. 

So yeah, since RAAF already has some, it's least costly for them to stand up an additional squadron of them or have extra aircraft in reserve or as parts. So then they could have them as an increased niche capability that they can offer to whatever collective exercise/security framework for next 15 years. 

[Josh]

The RAAF also operate the E/F model so it would be very compatible with their over all force, in addition to them already having a training stream for specifically the G model. I suspect RAAF is looking forward to being an early recipient of the NGJ as part of their new special relationship/AUKUS status, which would make the platform far more capable.

I'd be surprised if they didn't eventually dip into that pool of aircraft given the chance. I think for everyone else it isn't worth adopting a new airframe; Germany is apparently going with a heavily modified Eurofighter instead.