U.S. Navy Grounds Super Hornets And Growlers

F-18A Super Hornet. Boeing

Navy Times: All Navy F/A-18 E/F Super Hornets, Growlers grounded after incident injuring aircrew

The Navy temporarily grounded all F/A-18 E/F Super Hornets and E/A-18G Growlers Friday after an aircrew was injured and a Growler damaged in an undisclosed incident Friday at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Navy officials said.

The aircrew of an E/A-18G jet assigned to Electronic Attack Squadron 132 was injured in an "on-deck emergency" about 11 a.m. Friday, according to a statement from Naval Air Forces.

Naval Air Forces has temporarily suspended flight operations for all F/A-18 E/F Super Hornets and E/A-18G Growlers as a safety precaution since they share common aircraft systems, according to the Navy statement.

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Update: Navy grounds Super Hornets, Growlers (San Diego Union Tribune)

WNU editor: Details are sketchy on why these planes have been grounded, but I will update when more information becomes available.

Electronic Warfare, EA-18G Growler Could Get a Funding Boost

EA-18G Growler

From Popular Mechanics:

On Thursday, July 9, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff gave Congress a reminder of how vital intelligence gathering is to the U.S. effort against insurgents. Fewer F-22 Raptor attack planes were being ordered so that more electronic attack airplanes could be fielded, said Marine Corps Gen. James Cartwright, during a reconfirmation hearing before the Senate.

The airplane in position to gain from this funding switch is the EA-18G Growler, a design based on the Navy's F/A-18 Hornet.

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