AN/ALQ-99

The AN/ALQ-99 system on EA-6B Prowler Aircraft. EA-6B in foreground carries 3 under-wing jamming pods for transmitting and a single fixed pod on its tail for receiving.

The AN/ALQ-99 is an airborne electronic warfare system, found on EA-6B and EA-18G military aircraft. The ALQ-99E version of the system was carried on the EF-111A Raven aircraft as an escort or standoff jammer.

System Description

The ALQ-99 is an airborne integrated jamming system designed and manufactured by EDO Corporation. Receiver equipment and antennas are mounted in a fin-tip pod while jamming transmitters and exciter equipment are located in under-wing pods. The system is capable of intercepting, automatically processing and jamming received radio frequency signals.^[1] The system receivers can also be used to detect, identify and direction find those signals, providing signals intelligence (SIGINT) either automatically or manually.^[2]

Platforms

EF-111A Raven in the foreground carrying a fixed tail pod for receiving and a fixed transmitting pod on underside. Note that while the EA-6B carries removable transmitter pods, the EF-111 has the transmitter built into the underside of the aircraft.

The AN/ALQ-99 is currently mounted on EA-6B Prowler and EA-18G Growler aircraft of the U.S. Navy and, in the case of the EA-6B Prowler only, U.S. Marine Corps.

It has been previously mounted on EF-111A Raven aircraft of the U.S. Air Force. These aircraft were fully retired from service by May 1998.

Versions

• AN/ALQ-99E – the version mounted on EF-111A aircraft. It has a 70% commonality with the U.S. Navy's AN/ALQ-99 systems.

The EF-111A Ravens were initially stationed at Mountain Home AFB, Idaho using modified AGS Yellow Squadron's F-111A Aardvarks.

Performance

The AN/ALQ-99 has a maximum power output of 10.8 kW in its older versions and of 6.8 kW in its newer versions.^[3] It uses a ram air turbine to supply its own power.

History

Tail fin housing assembly for the AN/ALQ-99 equipment, seen during an EF-111A conversion

The AN/ALQ-99 has been used during the Vietnam War (1972–1973), Operation El Dorado Canyon (1986 American raid in Libya), 1991 Gulf War, Operation Northern Watch (1992–2003), Operation Southern Watch (1997–2003), 1999 Balkans War, 2003 Second Gulf War, and 2011 Operation Odyssey Dawn. The poor reliability of the ALQ-99 and frequent failures of the Built-In Test (BIT) have caused crew to fly missions with real faults; the ALQ-99 also interferes with the aircraft's AESA radar, reduces the top speed of the aircraft and imposes a high workload on the two man crew when employed in the EA-18G Growler.^[4]

See also

• CAMPS Civil Aircraft Missile Protection System
• Electronic warfare
• Electronic countermeasures
• EA-6B Prowler
• EA-18G Growler

Related ECMs

• AN/ALQ-128
• AN/ALQ-144

References

1. EDO Corporation EA-6B Page.
2. The Warfighter's encyclopedia. EA-6B Prowler.
3. Cooling Requirements for the Advanced Ram Air Driven Power and Cooling Unit (ARADPCU) on the EA-18G.
4. "GAO-10-388SP, Defense Acquisitions: Assessments of Selected Weapon Programs, March 30, 2010". Retrieved 15 February 2012.

External links

• The Anatomy of the Tacjammer
• Advanced Ram Air Driven Power and Cooling Unit (for ALQ-99 and nextgen equipment)
• EDO Corp – Manufacturer of components of the ALQ-99 system