The EA-18G Growler, the US Navy’s premier electronic attack aircraft, has emerged as a critical asset aboard the USS Gerald R. Ford and the USS Abraham Lincoln as Washington ramps up its military posture in the Middle East amid rising tensions with Iran.
The 100,000-ton nuclear-powered Gerald R Ford has been redirected from the Caribbean Sea to the Middle East, joining the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group already deployed in the region. The move comes after the Ford departed Norfolk, Virginia, on June 24, 2025, initially for operations in European waters before being sent to the Caribbean in October for US military operations against Venezuela, where American soldiers “extracted” serving President Nicolás Maduro from Caracas.
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US officials said crew members were informed of the redeployment on Thursday. The carrier is now set for a third Atlantic transit and is not expected to return to Norfolk until late April or early May.
Capabilities and specifications
The EA-18G Growler brings fighter aircraft speed and manoeuvrability to an electronic attack platform. It is crewed by a pilot and an electronic warfare officer, measures 18.3 metres in length with a wingspan of 13.7 metres, and has a maximum speed of Mach 1.6, or 1,960 km/h. Its operational ceiling is 50,000 feet and it has a range of 1,570 km when fully armed with external fuel tanks.
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Powered by two F414-GE-400 turbofan engines generating 44,000 pounds of thrust, the aircraft can carry ALQ-99 low- and high-band jamming pods and is equipped for electromagnetic spectrum dominance, enhanced situational awareness and networking.
Its weapons include AGM-88 anti-radiation missiles, AIM-120 air-to-air missiles and the AIM-9X “Sidewinder” short-range air-to-air missile.
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The Growler’s self-protection capabilities include AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles, improved radar image resolution and tracking through its APG-79 Active Electronically Scanned Array radar, uninterrupted communications in heavily jammed environments using its INCANS Interference Cancellation System, and the ability to digitally jam enemy communications over a broad frequency range using its ALQ-227 Communications Countermeasures Set.
Defence analysts say that as modern conflicts increasingly hinge on control of the electromagnetic spectrum, aircraft such as the Growler are expected to play a decisive role in future high-threat missions.
Growlers central to electronic warfare
Among the embarked squadrons aboard Gerald R. Ford is Electronic Attack Squadron 142, flying the EA-18G Growler. The Lincoln Carrier Strike Group also fields Growlers, underscoring their importance in potential operations involving Iran.
The Growler is a carrier-based electronic warfare aircraft derived from Boeing’s combat-proven F/A-18F Super Hornet. Designed to dominate the electromagnetic spectrum, it is capable of disrupting, deceiving or denying a broad range of military electronic systems, including radars and communications.
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The aircraft provides tactical jamming and electronic protection to US forces and allies, and replaced the older EA-6B Prowler in US Navy service. Production began in 2007 and it entered operational service in late 2009. Around 170 aircraft have been built to date.
The EA-18G is considered among the most advanced airborne electronic attack platforms and is the only one still in production. It shares more than 90 per cent of its characteristics with the standard Super Hornet.
Role in Maduro capture operation
US Navy electronic-warfare aircraft known as EA-18G Growlers apparently played a key role in blinding Venezuela’s air defences during the military operation that led to the capture of President Nicolás Maduro, according to media reports.
During the Venezuela operation, the Growler was part of a large US air armada that suppressed radar and communications systems, allowing special forces aircraft to enter and exit Venezuelan airspace quickly. More than 150 US aircraft were involved, including fighter jets, bombers and drones.
Electronic warfare specialists said jamming pods mounted on the Growler listen for enemy radar emissions, analyse them in real time, and then send back tailored signals to confuse or overwhelm the system. In practice, this can cause radar screens to fill with false targets or cause them to lose track of real aircraft.
By doing so, the Growler can prevent surface-to-air missiles from locking onto US aircraft, protecting both strike jets and transport helicopters. A single Growler can shield an entire formation of aircraft, making it a force multiplier.
Recent drone incident in Arabian Sea
The deployment comes days after the Abraham Lincoln shot down an Iranian drone in the Arabian Sea following what the US military described as an "aggressive approach" toward the vessel.
According to Captain Tim Hawkins, spokesperson for US Central Command, the incident occurred while the carrier was transiting international waters approximately 500 miles from Iran’s southern coast.
"The Iranian drone continued to fly toward the ship despite de-escalatory measures taken by US forces operating in international waters," Hawkins said, adding that an F-35C fighter jet launched from the aircraft carrier destroyed the drone to ensure the safety of the ship and its personnel.
"No American service members were harmed during the incident, and no US equipment was damaged," Hawkins stated.
Hours later, two Iranian gunboats operated by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps approached the US-flagged chemical tanker M/V Stena Imperative in the Strait of Hormuz. The gunboats reportedly passed the vessel at high speed on three occasions while an Iranian Mohajer drone flew overhead.
During one of the passes, the Iranian vessels threatened via radio communication to board and seize the tanker, according to US officials. The US deployed the USS McFaul to escort the tanker away from the area, supported by defensive air cover. The situation subsequently de-escalated.
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