Electronic-warfare aircraft explained

An electronic-warfare aircraft is a military aircraft equipped for electronic warfare (EW), that is, degrading the effectiveness of enemy radar and radio systems by using radar jamming and deception methods.^[1]

In 1943, British Avro Lancaster aircraft were equipped with chaff in order to blind enemy air defence radars. They were supplemented by specially-equipped aircraft flown by No. 100 Group RAF, which operated modified Halifaxes, Liberators and Fortresses carrying various jammers such as Carpet, Airborne Cigar, Mandrel, Jostle, and Piperack.^[2]

List of electronic-warfare aircraft

Examples of modern aircraft designed or modified for EW include:

• Antonov An-12BK-PPS (Soviet Union)
• Antonov An-26REP (Soviet Union)
• Boeing EA-18G Growler (United States)
• Denel TP1 Oryx EW (South Africa)
• Douglas C-47TP EW (South Africa)
• Douglas EA-3 Skywarrior (United States)
• Douglas EB-66 Destroyer (United States)
• Douglas EF-10B Skyknight (United States)
• Embraer R-99 (Brazil)
• General Dynamics/Grumman EF-111A Raven (United States)
• IAI 202B Arava (Israel)
• Ilyushin Il-22PP (Soviet Union) / (Russia)
• Kawasaki EC-1 (Japan)
• L3Harris EA-37B Compass Call (United States)^[3]
• Kawasaki RC-2 (Japan)
• Lockheed EC-130H Compass Call (United States)
• Mil Mi-8PP (Soviet Union)
• Northrop Grumman EA-6B Prowler (United States)
• Tornado ECR (Germany / Italy)
• Shaanxi Y-8EW (China)
• Shaanxi Y-8-GX1 (China)
• Shaanxi Y-9-GX11 (China)
• Shaanxi Y-9DZ (China)
• Shenyang J-15D (China)^[4]
• Shenyang J-16D (China)
• Sukhoi Su-24MP (Soviet Union)
• Tupolev Tu-16RM-2 (Soviet Union)
• Yakovlev Yak-28PP (Soviet Union)
• Dassault Falcon 20 (Pakistan)
• Saab Globaleye (Sweden)
• Hava Soj (Turkiye)

Notes and References

1. Web site: 2024-09-30 . Electronic warfare Cybersecurity, Jamming, Countermeasures Britannica . 2024-11-14 . www.britannica.com . en.
2. Web site: Techniques Used . 2024-11-14 . www.heroesofourtime.co.uk.
3. Web site: Losey . Stephen . 2024-08-28 . Air Force receives new aircraft for electronic-attack missions . 2024-11-14 . Defense News . en.
4. Web site: 2024-11-12 . Airshow China 2024: China unveils operationalised J-15D electronic warfare aircraft . 2024-11-14 . . en . Akhil . Kadidal . Ajay Shankar . Pandey.