"Without question, the arrival of the EA-6B Prowler on the carrier deck established airborne electronic attack as an invaluable, 'don't leave home without it' part of every Navy and Marine strike mission."
- Rick Morgan, LCDR, USN (Ret.) and historian for the Prowler Association

The Northrop Grumman (formerly Grumman) EA-6B Prowler is a twin-engine, mid-wing electronic warfare aircraft derived from the A-6 Intruder airframe. The EA-6A was the initial electronic warfare version of the A-6 used by the United States Marine Corps in the 1960s. Development on the more advanced EA-6B began in 1966. An EA-6B aircrew consists of one pilot and three Electronic Countermeasures Officers, though it is not uncommon for only two ECMOs to be used on missions. It is capable of carrying and firing anti-radiation missiles (ARM), such as the AGM-88 HARM missile.

Prowler has been in service with the U.S. Armed Forces since 1971. It has carried out numerous missions for jamming enemy radar systems, and in gathering radio intelligence on those and other enemy air defense systems. From the 1998 retirement of the United States Air Force EF-111 Raven electronic warfare aircraft, the EA-6B was the only dedicated electronic warfare plane available for missions by the United States Navy, the United States Marine Corps, and the United States Air Force until the fielding of the Navy's EA-18G Growler in 2009. The last Navy deployment was over in November 2014, with the full withdrawal from US Navy service in early 2015.

Pictured here is a 1:72 scale replica of a US Navy Grumman EA-6B Prowler electronic warfare aircraft that was attached to VAQ-136 "Gauntlets", then embarked upon the USS George Washington (CVN-73) during 2012. Now in stock!

Dimensions:
Wingspan: 8-3/4-inches
Length: 10-inches

Release Date: May 2026

Historical Account: "The Gauntlets" - Electronic Attack Squadron 136 (VAQ-136) also known as 'The Gauntlets' is a United States Navy electronic attack squadron that was forward-deployed to Naval Air Station Atsugi, Japan.

The Gauntlets fly the EA-18G Growler and are currently attached to Carrier Air Wing Nine, a composite unit made up of a wide array of aircraft performing a variety of combat and support missions. The squadron is currently stationed at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island.

Since establishment in 1973, VAQ-136 has been associated with several Carrier Air Wings. The Gauntlets' first two deployments were with CVW-11 aboard USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63). In 1977, the Gauntlets joined CVW-7 aboard the USS Independence for a cruise to the Mediterranean, after which the squadron changed to the Improved Capability (ICAP) version of the EA-6B. After the transition to their new aircraft, the Gauntlets sailed to the Mediterranean again, this time with CVW-5 on USS Saratoga.