US Navy ønsker flere Growlers

U.S. Navy says looking at possible further orders of Boeing jets

By Andrea Shalal November 15, 2014 11:10 PM                            

 

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A U.S. Navy EA-18G Growler electronic warfare jet from the Electronic Attack Squadron "Scorpions" …

 

By Andrea Shalal

SIMI VALLEY Calif. (Reuters) -

The U.S. Navy is looking at possible additional orders of Boeing Co's EA-18G electronic attack planes, or Growlers, as it shapes its fiscal 2016 budget request, the Navy's top uniformed officer said Saturday.

Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Jonathan Greenert told Reuters the Navy was reviewing its inventory of tactical aircraft, including Growlers and strike fighters, to ensure its electronic attack needs were met.

Congress, responding to an "unfunded priority" list submitted by the Navy earlier this year, is poised to approve orders for 12 more EA-18G Growlers in the fiscal 2015 budget, which will help Boeing extend the production line for the jets in St. Louis through 2017.
The Navy did not request funding for the jets in its 2015 budget, but did add 22 EA-18G jets to its unfunded priorities list.

Greenert did not comment specifically on whether the Navy would request funding for the jets in its fiscal 2016 core budget, or a new unfunded priorities list, but said the Navy's electronic attack capabilities were being evaluated as part of the overall tactical aircraft budget.

"Before we close the books and call it quits on Growlers, we want to make sure we’ve got the electronic attack right," Greenert said in an interview at a defense conference.