Growler inbound?

The announcement in early March that Defence will spend $19 million on long-lead items for a potential EA-18G Growler airborne electronic attack (AEA) aircraft acquisition was a welcome one.

Welcome because, not only will an AEA capability be a major force multiplier for the RAAF’s air combat fleet and other ASDF assets, but because the timing was a close run thing with production of these long-lead items due to start winding down very soon. Production of the US Navy’s MYP III batch of Super Hornets and Growlers is well advanced and, if the JSF stays on its revised schedule and no further US Super Hornet or Growler orders are received, many of these parts would have no longer been in production and the opportunity would have passed.