Why did the US Navy quietly retire its most effective spy plane? We examine the operational history of this platform and its departure.
This breakdown covers the specialized aircraft that served as the eyes of the fleet. We look at the technical role these machines played in sensitive reconnaissance missions and why the Navy chose to phase them out of active service.
By analyzing the capabilities of these US Navy aircraft, we gain insight into the shifting priorities of naval surveillance. We examine how carrier operations integrated these assets to maintain domain awareness against hostile coastlines.
Subscribe to PilotPhotog for weekly military aviation breakdowns, and let me know in the comments: what other specialized naval platforms deserve a closer look?
On January 17, 1991, Captain Brent Brandon saw a missile coming toward his EF-111A Raven. An Iraqi Mirage F1 had slipped behind the American jet over western Iraq. Beside Brandon, Captain Jim Denton had speed, room to turn, and very little altitude to work with. His aircraft carried neither a gun nor an air-to-air missile.
The Raven crew came home that night. In their account, the Mirage flew into the ground during the encounter. It’s the story behind one of the Gulf War’s most unusual air-to-air claims, and it raises a question that gets to the heart of the Raven’s career. Why would the Air Force send an unarmed jet into airspace dangerous enough to need a fighter escort?
Why strike crews wanted a Raven along
Picture the engagement from the ground. A surface-to-air missile crew detects aircraft approaching and needs a reliable radar track to engage them. Across the cockpit from the Raven pilot, an electronic warfare officer works to deny that crew the information it needs. Even a short interruption matters. The strike aircraft are moving, and every second spent trying to recover the track leaves less time to fire.
That was the job the Air Force had in mind when it converted the swing-wing F-111A Aardvark into an electronic warfare aircraft. Jamming equipment took the place of the bomber’s weapons load. The prominent fairing atop the vertical tail gave the EF-111A its distinctive silhouette. The original aircraft contributed something just as important as the electronics. It had the speed to keep up with the aircraft it was protecting.
For a strike pilot, the most important thing the Raven did might be something the pilot never saw. Somewhere along the route, a radar crew lost its opportunity to take a shot.
When the escort became the target
The Mirage encounter put Denton and Brandon in a different position. Their equipment could help a formation get past radar-guided defenses. Now a fighter was behind them, and Denton had to fly his way out. In the crew’s account, he accelerated, descended, and made a hard turn close to the desert floor. The Raven recovered. The pursuing Mirage crashed.
That distinction matters to the story. The crew claimed a maneuver kill. What happened over Iraq that night came down to the decisions made in two cockpits at low altitude. It was an extraordinary moment in the career of an aircraft whose crews ordinarily judged success by how many other crews got home.
Watch the EF-111A Raven episode
In Episode 3 of Electronic Warriors, we follow the EF-111A from its F-111 roots to its escort-jamming role in Desert Storm, and revisit what Denton and Brandon reported from the cockpit that night.
Next in Chronicles of Airpower, we return to the carrier deck with the Navy’s ES-3A Shadow. Where the Raven transmitted powerful signals to disrupt enemy radars, the Shadow’s crews listened for the transmissions that could give an enemy away.
The Super Hornet is now testing the Blackbeard missile. See how these unusual weapons are integrated onto current naval aircraft.
This footage captures Super Hornets operating from Pax River, showcasing the latest flight deck activity and carrier-based formations. We examine the current state of naval aviation testing and the practical challenges of deploying specialized munitions from existing fighter platforms.
By analyzing this new Blackbeard missile testing, we can better understand how the Navy adapts its fleet to maintain dominance in contested airspace. We look at the technical requirements for these airframes and what the current flight testing phase reveals about future combat capabilities.
Subscribe to PilotPhotog for weekly military aviation breakdowns, and let me know in the comments: what other naval weapons systems deserve a closer look?
EA-6B Prowler: The ‘Ugly’ Jet That Kept Others Alive—and Fought Back
A strike aircraft approaching its target has more to worry about than enemy fighters. Somewhere ahead, a radar may be searching for it. Another may be preparing to guide a missile. Getting through means disrupting the chain of events that turns a radar contact into a shootdown.
That was the world of the EA-6B Prowler.
With four crew members beneath its long canopy and electronic warfare pods hanging beneath its wings, the Prowler had a distinctive appearance and a demanding mission: help other aircraft operate in dangerous airspace.
In Episode 2 of Chronicles of Airpower: Electronic Warriors, we explore the aircraft that made electronic attack an essential part of the strike package.
Watch the full episode below.
Four Crew Members Fighting an Invisible Battle
Developed from the Grumman A-6 Intruder family, the EA-6B carried one pilot and three electronic countermeasures officers, known as ECMOs. That crew arrangement reflected the complexity of the work. Flying the aircraft was only part of the mission; understanding and disrupting the electronic threats around it required a dedicated team.
For viewers accustomed to judging combat aircraft by speed, maneuverability, or weapons payload, the Prowler offers a different perspective. Its value depended on what it could prevent an enemy from doing—and what that allowed friendly aircraft to accomplish.
Electronic Attack: Helping the Strike Get Through
The Prowler’s AN/ALQ-99 Tactical Jamming System was central to its mission. Electronic attack could interfere with the radar systems that enemy defenses depended on, helping protect aircraft operating within their reach. The system became a defining feature of the Prowler and later continued aboard the EA-18G Growler.
The effect is harder to show than a bomb striking a target. A disrupted radar engagement may leave no dramatic explosion for the camera. Yet for the crew of a strike aircraft, that disruption could be one of the most important events of the mission.
This is what makes the Prowler’s story worth telling: much of its contribution happened beyond what the eye could see.
Desert Storm Demonstrated Its Importance
During Operation Desert Storm, Navy and Marine Corps Prowlers helped coalition aircraft confront Iraqi air defenses. The National Naval Aviation Museum records 1,623 combat sorties and more than 150 HARM missile launches by EA-6Bs during the campaign.
Those figures reveal both sides of the aircraft’s mission. The Prowler could disrupt enemy defenses electronically, and it could carry weapons intended to attack their radar emitters.
The Prowler Could Fight Back
The addition of the AGM-88 High-Speed Anti-Radiation Missile, better known as HARM, gave the Prowler a means of physically attacking enemy radars. Its offensive capability complemented the electronic warfare equipment that defined the aircraft.
That combination gives this episode its central question: how did an aircraft built around electronic attack help protect a strike force while becoming a threat to the defenses below?
Continue Electronic Warriors
Episode 1 followed the EB-66 Destroyer and the struggle to survive radar-guided threats. The EA-6B Prowler carries that story forward through the aircraft, equipment, and crews tasked with disrupting those threats.
Watch Episode 2 of Chronicles of Airpower: Electronic Warriors for the Prowler’s story—and a closer look at the four-person crew fighting an invisible battle around the strike package.
Did you fly, maintain, or serve alongside the Prowler? Share your memories in the comments. And tell us: what deserves more recognition in aviation history—the aircraft delivering the strike, or the crews helping it get through?
A strike mission’s success depended on more than reaching the target. Crews also had to survive the radar systems guiding enemy defenses toward them. Over Vietnam, that struggle made electronic warfare an essential part of the air campaign—and placed aircraft such as the EB-66 Destroyer in a demanding role.
In the opening episode of Chronicles of AirPower: Electronic Warriors, we explore the EB-66 and the crews who helped other aircraft operate in dangerous skies.
Watch Episode 1: EB-66 Destroyer below.
Fighting an Enemy You Couldn’t See
A radar signal could carry consequences far beyond the screen displaying it. Detecting an aircraft, tracking its movement, and directing weapons toward it connected ground-based defenses to the battle overhead.
For aircrews, understanding and disrupting that process could be critical.
The EB-66’s story takes us into this contest between radar operators and airborne electronic warfare crews. Their work required specialized equipment, coordination, and judgment under pressure. It also depended on understanding an enemy whose tactics could change.
This episode examines the aircraft through that mission: what it was asked to do, the threats its crews faced, and why its contribution mattered to the aircraft around it.
The Aircraft Behind the Strike Force
Military aviation history often follows the aircraft dropping bombs or engaging enemy fighters. Electronic warfare brings another group of crews into view.
Their contribution could be difficult to see from outside the aircraft. A photograph might capture the airplane, but it could not show the signals its crew was detecting or the interference it was creating.
That makes the EB-66 a fitting starting point for Electronic Warriors. Its story helps explain why airpower depends on more than speed, weapons, and maneuverability. It also depends on who can detect, communicate, and make sense of what is happening—and who can interfere with those abilities.
A New Series Begins
Chronicles of AirPower: Electronic Warriors is an eight-episode season exploring the aircraft and people involved in this struggle.
We begin with the EB-66 Destroyer and continue through the EA-6B Prowler, EF-111A Raven, ES-3A Shadow, EC-130 Compass Call, RC-135 Rivet Joint, TACAMO aircraft, and EA-18G Growler.
Each episode adds another part of the story. Some aircraft disrupt radar. Others gather intelligence, attack communications, or help preserve vital command links. Together, they reveal how much of an air campaign depends on activity beyond what a camera can capture.
The season premiered on October 19, 2026, with the EB-66 episode. New episodes arrive Mondays at 7 PM Eastern on the PilotPhotog YouTube channel.
Watch the EB-66 Destroyer Episode
Whether you know the Destroyer well or are discovering its electronic warfare mission for the first time, join us for the opening chapter of this series.
After watching, leave a comment: What surprised you most about the EB-66—and which Electronic Warriors aircraft are you most looking forward to?
If you served on or supported these aircraft, I would especially welcome your perspective.
Thanks for joining me at the beginning of Chronicles of AirPower.
The B-21 Raider is being built to reach some of the most heavily defended targets on Earth. Thousands of miles away, small unmanned vessels could help monitor the Pacific and support the forces operating there. How could these very different machines contribute to the same mission?
In this video, we explore how long-range stealth bombers and distributed unmanned systems could help address one of America’s toughest military challenges: operating across the vast Pacific against an opponent fighting close to home.
From the B-21’s penetrating strike mission to the emerging role of maritime drones, we examine the strategy, the technology, and the practical challenges behind combining reach with numbers.
You’ll discover: • Why Pacific geography shapes aircraft design and basing decisions • Why bomber availability matters as much as fleet size • How unmanned surface and underwater vehicles perform different missions • What “mosaic warfare” and the “Hellscape” concept aim to accomplish • Why communications, maintenance, and training could determine whether these ideas work
We distinguish publicly confirmed capabilities from proposed concepts—and explore what happens when the connections between aircraft, sensors, and commanders begin to fail.
Which challenge do you think will be harder: producing enough of these systems, or keeping them working together under attack? Share your thoughts in the comments.
Subscribe to PilotPhotog for military aviation history, aircraft technology, and the stories shaping the future of airpower.
Boeing Wins F/A-XX: What It Means for the Navy’s Next Fighter
Imagine a fighter rolling into position on a carrier catapult somewhere in the Pacific. Behind it, Super Hornets and F-35Cs crowd the flight deck. Ahead lie hundreds of miles of ocean, followed by airspace defended by modern fighters, missiles, and radar networks.
The Navy wants its next fighter to cross that distance, operate with unmanned teammates, and bring its pilot home.
On September 29, 2026, that aircraft’s future became a little clearer. Boeing won the Navy’s F/A-XX competition, securing a full-scale development contract valued at more than $20 billion.
With the Air Force’s F-47 already on its books, Boeing now faces the challenge of delivering two major American sixth-generation fighter programs.
Watch my video below for the full breakdown of the announcement and what it could mean for carrier aviation.
What Is the Navy’s F/A-XX Fighter?
F/A-XX is the Navy’s next-generation carrier fighter program. Its central purpose is to succeed the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet while operating alongside the F-35C.
The Navy’s published aviation plans also connect the program to the eventual replacement of EA-18G Growler capabilities. How those electronic warfare responsibilities will be distributed across future aircraft remains an important question.
The service envisions improved range and sensors, with greater integration between crewed and unmanned aircraft. That puts F/A-XX at the center of a broader effort to change how the carrier air wing fights.
For the pilot, the value of those improvements will come down to practical questions: How far can I reach? What can I detect? Which threats can I avoid or defeat? And how much fuel will I have when it is time to return?
What Does Boeing’s F/A-XX Contract Cover?
Boeing’s selection moves the program into its next development phase. The award includes multiple test aircraft for ground, flight, systems, and weapons integration testing.
The development award does not mean an operational fleet is ready for delivery. The design must still be tested, refined, and integrated into carrier operations.
The announcement points broadly to flying in the 2030s. That leaves substantial work ahead before deployed squadrons can depend on the aircraft.
For now, today’s Super Hornets, Growlers, and F-35Cs will continue carrying the fleet’s operational responsibilities.
Why Range Matters in the Pacific
A carrier brings its airfield with it, but its aircraft still have to reach the mission area and return.
That becomes a demanding problem across the Pacific. Longer distances mean more fuel spent in transit and potentially less time available to patrol, search, fight, or respond to an unexpected threat.
China’s long-range anti-ship weapons add pressure to the Navy’s decisions about where to operate its carriers. However, a missile’s advertised range does not create an automatic zone in which every ship can be destroyed. An adversary still needs to locate, identify, track, and successfully engage a moving target.
My assessment is that greater aircraft reach gives commanders more choices. It can expand the options for carrier positioning, flight routes, and mission planning.
But a new fighter cannot solve the entire range problem by itself.
How the MQ-25 Stingray Fits Into the Picture
The MQ-25 Stingray is being developed to provide unmanned aerial refueling from aircraft carriers.
NAVAIR describes its purpose as extending the carrier air wing’s reach and making better use of combat aircraft. Super Hornets already perform tanker duties, so moving more of that work to a dedicated tanker can free fighters for other assignments.
The program has demonstrated the basic refueling concept: in June 2021, Boeing’s MQ-25 test aircraft transferred fuel to a Navy F/A-18 in flight.
F/A-XX and MQ-25 therefore belong in the same conversation. The future air wing’s useful reach will depend on the combination of fighters, tankers, weapons, and supporting aircraft.
What Do We Know About Boeing’s Design?
Boeing’s announcement highlights open mission systems architecture, advanced mission systems, and operational reach.
Open architecture is intended to make integrating future capabilities more manageable. That matters for an aircraft expected to serve while sensors, weapons, and enemy defenses continue evolving.
Many technical details remain classified. Public artwork cannot establish exact speed, combat radius, weapons capacity, or stealth performance.
Any concept rendering—including the imagery accompanying this post—should be understood as an illustration rather than proof of the final production configuration.
Can Boeing Deliver Both F/A-XX and F-47?
Winning both competitions gives Boeing an enormous opportunity, along with considerable responsibility.
The question of industrial capacity predates this award. Pentagon officials previously described concerns about stretching the specialized engineering workforce while prioritizing F-47. Congress subsequently added roughly $897 million for F/A-XX in the fiscal 2026 defense funding package.
Boeing says it planned to deliver both fighters in parallel and invested accordingly, including in its St. Louis manufacturing facilities.
My view is that the decisive evidence will come from execution. Both programs need skilled workers, dependable suppliers, disciplined testing, and problems resolved before they become expensive production issues.
Experience shared between the programs could help. Competing demands on people and suppliers could also create delays.
What to Watch Next
The next meaningful milestones will involve test aircraft, demonstrated capabilities, and progress toward carrier integration.
I will also be watching maintainability. An aircraft that performs well in testing must eventually work for sailors servicing it at sea, with limited space and a demanding flight schedule.
Boeing has won the competition. Now it must turn that victory into an aircraft the Navy can afford, maintain, and deploy.
What do you think? Does giving Boeing both F/A-XX and F-47 create an advantage through shared experience, or concentrate too much responsibility in one company? Leave your thoughts in the comments.
Subscribe to PilotPhotog on YouTube for military aviation history, aircraft analysis, and updates on the future of airpower.
An F-15E Strike Eagle goes down over Iran. Its weapons systems officer survives a damaged parachute and devastating injuries—then spends roughly 50 hours behind enemy lines. When rescuers finally reach him, another emergency threatens their escape: two rescue transports cannot take off. In this PilotPhotog rescue update, we examine the publicly reported account of Dude 44 Bravo’s survival and the extraordinary effort to bring both Strike Eagle crew members home during Operation Epic Fury. Follow the story from the ejection and dangerous daylight recovery of pilot Dude 44 Alpha to Bravo’s isolation in the mountains, the massive second rescue effort, and the decision to destroy stranded aircraft before evacuating the remaining personnel. Along the way, we explore the roles of the A-10 Thunderbolt II, HH-60W Jolly Green II, MC-130J Commando II, tanker crews, intelligence personnel, and the rescuers who entered hostile territory to recover a fellow airman. What part of this rescue stayed with you most? Share your thoughts in the comments. Subscribe to PilotPhotog for military aviation stories, aircraft history, and the people behind the missions. This video draws on public reporting and Bravo’s account. Illustrative imagery and reconstructions depict events; they are not authenticated footage of the rescue. #F15E #CombatSearchAndRescue #PilotPhotog
The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II remains one of the most polarizing warplanes in modern military history. On one side, it acts as an unrivaled “quarterback of the skies,” leveraging low-observable stealth, sensor fusion, and networked data sharing to dominate battlespaces long before adversaries register its presence. On the other side, years of hardware supply delays, soaring sustainment costs, and software integration hurdles leave military analysts asking a crucial question: Is the F-35 program actually broken?
In the video above, Tog takes an animated look inside both sides of America’s flagship fifth-generation fighter jet.
Key Takeaways from the Breakdown
The Battlespace Quarterback: The Lightning II isn’t designed just to dogfight; it functions as a flying command center, processing multi-domain data and relaying targeting information across allied air, sea, and land assets in real time.
Sensor Fusion & Stealth: Integrated radar systems (such as the APG-81/85) paired with advanced electronic warfare suites enable long-range detection and electronic attack capabilities.
The Software Bottleneck: Crucial upgrades like Technology Refresh 3 (TR-3) and Block 4 have experienced severe delays, leaving jets parked awaiting final software stabilization before full combat deployment.
Procurement Growing Pains: Decades after the initial Joint Strike Fighter contract award, the airframe still wrestles with readiness rates and supply chain logistics that challenge operational availability.
The Dual Realities of the F-35
Program Aspect
Strategic Dominance
Operational Friction
Role in Combat
Apex stealth node and target coordinator
High maintenance complexity per flight hour
Avionics & Processing
Massively scalable open-mission architecture
Delivery backlogs tied to TR-3 processing hardware
Capability Upgrades
Block 4 expands internal missile capacity & EW
Prolonged timeline delays pushing full capability years back
Watch the full animation above for visual breakdowns of the airframe variants, operational deployment realities, and software hurdles facing fifth-gen aviation.
From the YF-17 Cobra to the F/A-18 Hornet, Super Hornet, Block III Rhino and EA-18G Growler, this is the complete story of one of the most versatile aircraft families ever to operate from an American aircraft carrier. The Hornet was never the fastest fighter in the fleet, and it never had the longest range. But when the Navy needed an aircraft to do something, there was usually a way to make a Hornet do it. In this special feature-length PilotPhotog compilation, we trace nearly five decades of F/A-18 development, technology and operations — from the original Lightweight Fighter competition through the creation of the Super Hornet and into the increasingly dangerous skies over the Red Sea.