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United States Boeing
EA-18G Growler
Dedicated electronic-attack derivative of the F/A-18F Super Hornet, replacing the EA-6B Prowler in US Navy service. Carries the ALQ-99 jamming pod suite to suppress enemy air defenses and retains a residual air-to-air self-defense capability.
In service since 2009 · 2 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
1,900
km/h
2,350
km range
15,000
m ceiling
8,050
kg payload
0.93
T/W
💲 ≈ $68,200,000, Unit flyaway cost
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
US ITAR-controlled
Export needs U.S. State Dept (DDTC) approval; end-use & re-transfer restrictions apply.
Channel: Foreign Military Sales (FMS) or Direct Commercial Sale
Fielded & proven
Limited · 2 operators
In service since 2009. Status: active · ~160 built.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
$171M – $239M
Acquisition is only ~30% of lifecycle cost, operating & support dominate over ~30 yrs. Rough 2.5–3.5× the unit price. How we estimate this →
Interoperability
Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Compatible munitions & weapons
Publicly reported weapons the EA-18G Growler can carry. Linked items have a full spec page.
Powerplant
The EA-18G Growler's engine has its own full spec page.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
| Max speed Maximum level speed. For aircraft this is at optimal altitude; for ground vehicles, top road speed. Higher means faster response and better kinematic performance. | 1,900 km/h |
|---|---|
| Max speed (Mach) Maximum speed as a multiple of the speed of sound. Mach 2+ is typical for air-superiority fighters. | 1.8 Mach |
| Range Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence. | 2,350 km |
| Combat radius Distance an aircraft can fly, complete its mission and return without refueling. Roughly a third of ferry range. | 1,275 km |
| Service ceiling Maximum operating altitude. Higher gives energy advantage and sensor horizon. | 15,000 m |
| Thrust-to-weight Engine thrust divided by loaded weight. Above 1.0 the aircraft can accelerate going straight up. On a standalone engine record, this is the engine's own thrust divided by its dry weight, the standard figure of merit for jet engines. | 0.93 |
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
| Main armament Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type. | None (gun bay replaced by mission systems) |
|---|---|
| Hardpoints External stations for weapons and pods. More means bigger and more flexible loadouts. | 9 |
| Weapons payload Maximum ordnance weight the platform can carry. Higher means more strike capacity per sortie. | 8,050 kg |
Protection
Armor, countermeasures and survivability.
| Countermeasures Self-protection: chaff, flares, DIRCM, towed decoys, smoke dischargers, jammers. | ALQ-99 tactical jamming pods, ALQ-214 self-protection EW suite, chaff, flares |
|---|
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
| Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable. | 18.31 m |
|---|---|
| Wingspan Wingtip-to-wingtip span. | 13.68 m |
| Height Overall height. Lower profile is harder to spot and hit for ground vehicles. | 4.88 m |
| Empty weight Weight without fuel, ammunition or crew. | 15,320 kg |
| Combat weight Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor. | 21,320 kg |
| Crew Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity. | 2 |
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
| Engine Powerplant model and type. | 2x General Electric F414-GE-400 afterburning turbofans |
|---|---|
| Engines Number of engines. Twin-engine gives redundancy at higher cost. | 2 |
| Thrust Total engine thrust (with afterburner where applicable). | 98 kN |
| Fuel capacity Internal fuel volume. | 6,767 L |
| Propulsion type Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet… | Turbofan |
Sensors & avionics
Radar, sensor suite and datalinks.
| Radar Primary radar. AESA (active electronically scanned array) is the current state of the art. | AN/APG-79 AESA |
|---|---|
| Sensors IRST, EO/IR turrets, laser designators, sniper pods, thermal sights. | ALQ-218 wideband receiver, ALQ-99 jamming pods |
| Datalink Network connectivity: Link 16, MADL, national datalinks. Enables cooperative engagement. | Link 16, CDL |
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
| Unit cost Approximate flyaway/unit cost where public. Defense pricing varies hugely by contract, offsets and configuration. Lower is cheaper. | $68,200,000 |
|---|---|
| Units built Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability. | 160 |
| Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem. | 2 |
Specifications compiled from public Boeing and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
Compare with rivals
See how it stacks up
Dassault Aviation Rafale F4 Frequently asked questions
What is the top speed of the Boeing EA-18G Growler? +
The Boeing EA-18G Growler has a maximum speed of 1,900 km/h.
What is the range of the Boeing EA-18G Growler? +
The Boeing EA-18G Growler has a maximum range of 2,350 km.
What is the weapons payload of the Boeing EA-18G Growler? +
The Boeing EA-18G Growler can carry up to 8,050 kg of weapons payload.
How much does the Boeing EA-18G Growler weigh? +
The Boeing EA-18G Growler has a combat weight of 21,320 kg.
How many crew does the Boeing EA-18G Growler require? +
The Boeing EA-18G Growler requires a crew of 2.
What is the main armament of the Boeing EA-18G Growler? +
The Boeing EA-18G Growler's primary weapon is the None (gun bay replaced by mission systems).
What engine does the Boeing EA-18G Growler use? +
The Boeing EA-18G Growler is powered by the 2x General Electric F414-GE-400 afterburning turbofans.
What is the Boeing EA-18G Growler used for? +
The Boeing EA-18G Growler is a fighter aircraft typically used for isr, multirole combat.
How many countries operate the Boeing EA-18G Growler? +
The Boeing EA-18G Growler is operated by 2 countries.
How much does the Boeing EA-18G Growler cost? +
The Boeing EA-18G Growler has an approximate unit cost of 68,200,000 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration, treat this as directional.
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