Letter to the House Armed Services Committee requesting a hearing on the Airborne Electronic Attack Analysis of Alternatives

March 13, 2002

The Honorable Bob Stump                                                      
Chairman                     
House Armed Services Committee                                
2120 Rayburn House Office Bldg                                                        
Washington, DC 20515                                                           

The Honorable Ike Skelton
Ranking Member
House Armed Services Committee
2120 Rayburn House Office Bldg
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Chairman Stump and Ranking Member Skelton:

We write to request your support for convening a hearing to review the study results of the Airborne Electronic Attack Analysis of Alternatives (AEA AoA).

As you know, the AEA AoA’s purpose was to provide information on cost-effective options to the Department of Defense (DoD) in support of its process of examining potential new acquisition programs to initially augment and eventually replace the EA-6B Prowler force beginning in 2010.  The analysis focused on Airborne Electronic Attack (AEA) capability for the collective air superiority needs of the Services in suppression of enemy air defenses (SEAD) during the 2010-2030 timeframe.  The study was completed in December 2001, and the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) is currently reviewing its findings.  The Services have until June 2002 to determine which direction they will go to meet electronic warfare requirements as they relate to replacing the capability and function of the Prowler.

Presently, the Navy’s EA-6B Prowler aircraft is the only airborne radar jamming system available to protect Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force aircraft.  The Prowler enhances the effectiveness and survivability of other aircraft by breaking the communications that link surface-to-air missiles systems (SAMs) together, and forces them to operate singly. Prowlers then further protect US fighters by jamming SAM tracking radars and attacking them with HARM missiles.  Unfortunately, the Prowler is a low density/high demand asset that is aging quickly.  Despite its importance to air superiority, it faces severe shortfalls in operational readiness and the prospect that it will need to be augmented prior to 2010.

With this in mind, it is essential that Congress work closely with DoD to ensure that there is a comprehensive and joint strategy to replace the support jamming capabilities of the Prowler.  Such an alternative must be timely, cost-effective, and cross-service, with a technological capability to defeat threats well into the 21^st Century.

We appreciate your consideration of this request and look forward to working with you in reviewing and overseeing this important modernization effort by our nation’s military.

Cordially,

Rep. Mark Steven Kirk                                           
Rep. Rick Larsen
Rep. Joseph R. Pitts                                                 
Rep. Norm Dicks
Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham                              
Rep. Randy J. Forbes
Rep. Jack Quinn                                                      
Rep. Walter B. Jones
Rep. John N. Hostettler                                           
Rep. Wayne T. Gilchrest

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