Australia buys US Growler air warfare technology

Minister for Defence Stephen Smith and Minister for Defence Materiel Jason Clare have announced that the Government has decided to acquire the Growler electronic warfare system for the Super Hornet, at a cost of around $1.5 billion.

Acquiring this capability will mean that Australia will be the only country in the world, other than the United States, operating Growler aircraft.

Growler is an electronic warfare system that gives the Super Hornet the ability to jam the electronics systems of aircraft and land-based radars and communications systems.

Electronic threats are an inherent part of modern combat and Growler will provide options for the Air Force to undertake electronic threat suppression operations in support of Australian Defence Force (ADF) operations, including land and sea forces.

The Growler capability can also undertake intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.

The 2009 Defence White Paper outlined the Government’s view that the ADF would require additional capabilities to maintain air superiority into the future, including acquiring an airborne electronic warfare capability.

In May 2009, the Government announced its decision to wire 12 of 24 Super Hornets for potential conversion to the Growler configuration. 

This occurred at a cost of $35 million.

In March this year, the Government announced that in addition to the decision to wire 12 Super Hornets for potential conversion to Growler, the Government would spend nearly $20 million to purchase long lead item electronic equipment for the Growler.

The decision to purchase this equipment was made to ensure that Australia continued to have access to the Growler technology should a decision be made to acquire it.

The May 2012 Budget included a capacity to acquire Growler, and it was included in the Public Defence Capability Plan released in July this year.

The Growlers will be available for operations from 2018.

The purchase of this equipment is being made through the United States Foreign Military Sales process.

The total capital cost estimate of $1.5 billion will include funding to acquire the Growler conversion kits, supporting equipment and systems, spares and training and initial training systems.