Well Spent: The F-35 and F/A-18 Super Hornet Make US Navy Aircraft Carriers Real Floating Airbases. The EA-18G Growler Is the Foundation That Makes It All Work

The EA-18G Growler is a carrier-based electronic attack aircraft designed to protect strike packages by disrupting enemy radar, communications, and air defenses. Although it’s not a clean-sheet design, it is a missionized derivative of the F/A-18F Super Hornet, keeping carrier suitability and twin-engine performance while adding an electronic warfare suite with a dedicated jamming cockpit position. The Growler was built to replace the EA-6B Prowler, entered production in 2004, and first flew in 2006. The U.S. Navy lists the aircraft at about $67 million per unit, versus roughly $102 million for F-35B and F-35C. The article argues it would likely remain valuable for Pacific contingencies involving China.