I just saw a short profile story from Navy PAO about VAQ-135, a Prowler squadron stationed aboard the USS Nimitz, and it got me thinking.
So the article is pretty vanilla…
“Our main focus of effort is to dominate the electromagnetic spectrum. That means we preserve it for coalition forces, and we deny its use to Afghan insurgents. If we can successfully do that, many times the ground commander may not need a bomb,” said Lt. Cmdr. Blake Tornga, maintenance officer from VAQ-135.
The missions Prowlers fly directly support the July 2009 tactical directive issued by Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal, commander of coalition forces in Afghanistan.
What they mean by “tactical directive” is to limit collateral damage, so the PA who wrote the story is ham-handedly trying to highlight the Prowlers’ efforts as limiting the “kinetic” side of the Naval aviation equation. That’s all well and good, but of course — as with anything in “print” involving this community — there are no specifics in here. “Dominate the electromagnetic spectrum” has a lot of meanings, but what are they specifically for Afghanistan?
It’s been a long time since I’ve been to Afghanistan, but back in 2004 the Prowlers were flying mostly communications intercept missions, though I got this second hand from ground pounders since when I asked if I could interview the Prowler drivers at Bagram the PAO said “what Prowlers,” those ones on the tarmac there, I said…“I don’t see any prowlers” he deadpanned without looking toward the runway (nuf said). Now, I wonder if that’s all they’re doing as well, or are there enough electronic detonators for IEDs that the Prowlers are jamming signals or throwing out electrons to detonate the roadside bombs before friendlies get there. From this quote, it seems like that might just be what they’re doing…
“There are very few electronic attack platforms out there,” said Tornga. “We are the only tactical electronic attack platform. Mountain valleys, small turns, staying tight with a convoy, that mission right now can only be done with the EA-6B.”
So they’re escorting convoys? And conducting electronic “attack.” Now we’ll start to see IEDs rigged with pressure plates and IR trips that are signal neutral.
And the best line by far:
“Some of the real-time feedback we get from the ground troops after a successful mission makes me realize why we need to be here, and it makes this deployment very, very meaningful.”
Like “thanks for blowing up that freaking bomb before my MRAP got to it!”
(Gouge: NC)
– Christian
{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
Great post.
A Prowler is a whole lot bigger than a Predator or Reaper. It should be able to carry far more EW equipment.
"Throwing out electrons"… ?
Do you not get it? Active electronic warfare?…it's what the Marines I was with in Ramadi called "Banging 'trons"
The A-6 as always been my favorite airframe and it really has lasted. I would love to hear more about the Electronic warfare missions going on over there, especially is the less sophisticated enemy in the ‘Stan.
Can they use EW to detonate IEDs?
Wow.
IE remote control sniper style posting to detonate vs Set Timer style.
Then viable aside for Comm & C3I
You ever read Richard Marcinko's book "Rogue Warrior". He mentions how they assessed an American Embassy and determined that terrorist would most likely attack it with a car bomb. They tried to give the diplomat in charge a black box that would send out signals used by Terrorists to detonate bombs. It would detonate the bombs as soon as they came in range of the box. He refused to use it stating that innocent people could be killed.
Terrorists attacked the embassy with a truck bomb, and Americans died, the diplomat in charge, who refused the box, lived…
Good for him. Soldiers are paid to die, civilians aren't.
The vast majority of the threat in Afghan is not radio controlled.
Would be great if we just kept the Prowlers at home and spent money on something that mattered. Of course, then the Navy wouldn't be able to tell Congress they urgently need eleventy billion dollars at the next appropriations hearing…
Actually without fully knowing what exactly they're up too i'd say its silly to say "its better off to keep them at home".
I bet they are doing a bit more than just detonating bombs but also picking up on mobile phone comms.
On another note don't SOCOM or whoever those guys with the fancy Hercules rigged with electronic signal sniffing crap do anything out there? is it just left to the Navy and no USAF or SOCOM or whatever involvement?
What the hell are you talking about when you say "vast majority of the threat in Afghan is not radio controlled"? That's not exactly what AEA's all about. Read up on it before you bash the community and expect, when you read up, that you only know a tenth of what there is to read up on.
Of three incredibly important missions being flown over Afghanistan, one is done by the VAQ's expeditionary detachments (and VMAQ's). AEA is something the Navy fights hard to be the best at, and we damn well are.