EA-18Gs helped disable Venezuelan air defences during US attack

EA-18G aircraft, like the one shown here, were used in the US attack on Venezuela. (Northrop Grumman)

The only US military aerial electronic attack (EA) platforms, the US Navy (USN) EA-18G Growlers, were part of the force that paved the way for the 3 January US attack on Venezuela that led to the capture and apprehension of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, according to General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Growlers were part of the “the joint air component [that] began dismantling and disabling the air-defence systems in Venezuela, employing weapons to ensure the safe passage of the helicopters into the target area”, Gen Caine said in his 3 January public statement on the military mission called Operation ‘Absolute Resolve'.

Speaking to Janes about Growler forces, defence analysts, as well as former and current industry and military sources familiar with the aircraft, noted the most likely EA-18Gs used for the operation were launched from aircraft carrier USS Gerald R Ford (CVN 78), which was redirected into the region from the Mediterranean in October.

For more information about the Ford deployment, please seeUpdate: Carrier strike group deployment to Caribbean significantly increases US firepower in region .

The Growler Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ)-142 is deployed on Ford , according to USN officials. The Ford -based EA-18Gs are outfitted with the ALQ-99 Tactical Jamming System (TJS), an external carriage airborne EA pod used against radar and communications targets for the suppression of enemy integrated air defences.

Analysts and current and former military and industry sources familiar with Growler operations told Janes