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AN/ALQ-99

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Airborne electronic warfare system pod

AN/ALQ-99
Radar jamming and deception electronic warfare pod
The AN/ALQ-99F system mounted onEA-18G Growler
Status	In use
Manufacturing Info
Manufacturer	ITT Inc.
Introduced	1972 (1972)
Specifications
Frequency Range	64 MHz–20 GHz
Usage
Used byAircraft	EA-18G Growler
Used by Military	US Navy
Variants	SeeVersions

TheAN/ALQ-99 is an airborneelectronic warfare system, previously found on theEA-6B and now utilised by theEA-18G Growler military aircraft. The ALQ-99E version of the system was carried on theEF-111A Raven aircraft as an escort or standoff jammer.

Description

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The AN/ALQ-99 system on EA-6B Prowler Aircraft. The EA-6B in the foreground carries 3 under-wing jamming pods for transmitting and a single fixed pod on its tail for receiving.

The ALQ-99 is an airborne integrated jamming system designed and manufactured byEDO Corporation. Receiver equipment and antennas are mounted in a fin-tip pod while jamming transmitters and exciter equipment are located in under-wing pods. The system is capable of intercepting, automatically processing and jamming received radio frequency signals.^[1] The system receivers can also be used to detect, identify anddirection find those signals, providingsignals intelligence (SIGINT) either automatically or manually.^[2]

An EF-111A Raven in the foreground carrying a fixed tail pod for receiving and a fixed transmitting pod on underside. Note that while the EA-6B carries removable transmitter pods, the EF-111 has the transmitter built into the underside of the aircraft.

The AN/ALQ-99 was mounted on theU.S. Navy's andU.S. Marine Corps EA-6B Prowler aircraft and U.S. Navy'sEA-18G Growler aircraft. It was mounted onU.S. Air Force'sEF-111A Raven aircraft before these aircraft were retired from service by May 1998. TheU.S. Navy'sEA-6B Prowler were retired from active service following deployment in 2015.

The AN/ALQ-99 has a maximum power output of 10.8kW in its older versions and of 6.8 kW in its newer versions.^[3] It uses aram air turbine to supply its own power.^[4]^[5]

The AN/ALQ-99 is capable of jamming frequencies from 64 MHz to 20 GHz. Jamming frequency ranges are set forth in 10 bands:

Band 1: 64 - 150 MHz
Band 2: 150 - 270 MHz
Band 3: 270 - 500 MHz
Band 4: 0.5 - 1 GHz
Band 5/6: 1 - 2.5 GHz
Band 7: 2.5 - 4 GHz
Band 8: 4 - 7.8 GHz
Band 9: 7.8 - 11 GHz
Band 10: 11 - 20 GHz^[6]

History

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Tail fin housing assembly for the AN/ALQ-99 equipment, seen during an EF-111A conversion

The AN/ALQ-99 has been used during the Vietnam War (1972–1973),Operation El Dorado Canyon (1986 American raid in Libya), 1991Gulf War,Operation Northern Watch (1992–2003),Operation Southern Watch (1997–2003),1999 Balkans War, 2003Second Gulf War, and 2011Operation Odyssey Dawn. The poor reliability of the ALQ-99 and frequent failures of the Built-In Test (BIT) have caused crew to fly missions with undetected faults. The ALQ-99 also interferes with the aircraft'sAESA radar, reduces the top speed of the aircraft and imposes a high workload on the two-person crew when employed in the EA-18G Growler.^[7]

Versions

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AN/ALQ-99A – Entered service in 1972. Covered bands 1, 2, 4, and 7.^[6]
AN/ALQ-99B/C Expanded Capability (XCAP) – Introduced in 1973. Expanded coverage to include bands 5, 6, 8, and 9.^[6]
AN/ALQ-99D Improved Capability (ICAP I) – Introduced in 1975. Expanded coverage to include band 3 and introduced the AYA-6B, an improved computer which allowed faster response times and more automation of the systems
AN/ALQ-99E – The version mounted on the EF-111A, a heavily modified variant of theF-111A introduced in 1977. The jamming equipment was mostly stored on the underside of the aircraft in the bomb bay, while the receiving equipment was mounted to the vertical stabilizer, similarly to the EA-6B. It featured a 70% commonality with the AN/ALQ-99F ICAP II. Introduced increased computer automation, allowing the jamming systems to be handled by a single crewmate, as opposed to a crew of 3 on the EA-6B. The ALQ-99E underwent several improvements through the late 1980's and early 1990's, including expanded coverage to include band 10, increased computer memory and processing power, and the improved Universal Exciter.^[6]
AN/ALQ-99F Improved Capability (ICAP II) – Introduced in 1980. Featured the AYK-14 computer, with 4 times the memory and increased processing power.^[8]
AN/ALQ-99G ICAP II Block 82 – Introduced in 1982. Allowed limited capability for the EA-6B to carry theAGM-88 HARM missile.^[8]
AN/ALQ-99H ICAP II Block 86 – Introduced in 1988. Improved the EA-6B's ability to carry the AGM-88 HARM missile.^[8]
AN/ALQ-99I ICAP II Block 89 – Introduced in 1996. Introduced the improved Universal Exciter and increased processing power.
AN/ALQ-99J ICAP II Block 89A – Introduced in 2000. Included the Universal Exciter and expanded coverage to include band 10.
AN/ALQ-99 ICAP III – Introduced in 2003, initially for the EA-6B. Provided increased processing power and equipment standardization.^[6] Carried by the E/A-18G Growler.^[9]

References

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^EDO Corporation EA-6B Page Archived 17 October 2006 at theWayback Machine.
^The Warfighter's encyclopedia Archived 12 August 2006 at theWayback Machine.EA-6B Prowler Archived 5 November 2004 at theWayback Machine.
^Cooling Requirements for the Advanced Ram Air Driven Power and Cooling Unit (ARADPCU) on the EA-18G Archived 29 June 2011 at theWayback Machine.
^"ALQ-99 Tactical Jamming System".U.S.Navy. 16 September 2021. Retrieved30 July 2021.
^John Pike (11 December 1999)."AN/ALQ-99 Tactical Jamming System (TJS)".Federation of American Scientists (FAS). Retrieved30 July 2023.
^^a ^b ^c ^d ^e"EA-6B & EA-18G EW (ALQ-99 & -218 & -227) & NGJ (ALQ-249)"(PDF). Teal Group Corporation. March 2022.
^"GAO-10-388SP, Defense Acquisitions: Assessments of Selected Weapon Programs, March 30, 2010"(PDF). Archived fromthe original on 21 September 2012. Retrieved20 March 2011.
^^a ^b ^cFriedman, Norman (1991).The Naval Institute Guide to World Naval Weapons Systems 1991/92. Naval Institute Press. p. 215.ISBN 9780870212888.
^"U.S. Electronic Attack Aircraft"(PDF). Congressional Research Service. 26 July 2016.

External links

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Wikimedia Commons has media related toAN/ALQ-99.

The Anatomy of the Tacjammer
Advanced Ram Air Driven Power and Cooling Unit (for ALQ-99 and nextgen equipment)
EDO Corp – Manufacturer of components of the ALQ-99 system
Harris Corporation acquired EDO in 2016
https://www.loneflyer.com/2015/04/19/ail-cutler-hammer-analq-99-tjs/

v t e Electronic Warfare of theUnited States Armed Forces
ActiveCountermeasures (Jamming)	AN/ALE-50 AN/ALE-55 AN/ALQ-99 AN/ALQ-101 AN/ALQ-135 AN/ALQ-172 AN/ALQ-221 AN/ALQ-260 AN/SLQ-25 AN/SLQ-32
PassiveRadar Warning Receivers	AN/ALQ-218 AN/ALR-20 AN/ALR-46 AN/ALR-67
Missile Warning Systems	AN/AAR-47 AN/ALQ-153
Flare andChaff Systems	AN/ALE-47 AN/SLQ-49
Directional IRCM	AN/AAQ-24 AN/ALQ-144 AN/ALQ-147 AN/ALQ-157
Dedicated ECM /ESM aircraft	Boeing RC-135 EA-6B Prowler EA-18G Growler EA-37B Compass Call EB-66 Destroyer EC-130H Compass Call EF-111A Raven Lockheed EP-3 Lockheed U-2 MQ-9 Reaper MQ-27 ScanEagle RC-12 Guardrail RQ-20 Puma RQ-21 Blackjack
Category:Electronic countermeasures Category:Electronic warfare

v t e United States Air Force system numbers
100–199	100 101 P 102 103 104 105 106¹ 107 A-1 A-2 108¹ 109¹ 110 111¹ 112 113¹ 114¹ 115¹ 116¹ 117 L M 118 A L P 119 C/F E L T Y 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127¹ 128 129 130 131 132 A B 133 134¹ 135 136¹ 137¹ 138 139 140 141¹ 142 143–197¹ 198 199 B C D Y
200–299	200 201 A/L B/W E 202 203¹ 204 205 206 207¹ 208 209¹ 210 211¹ 212 213 214 215¹ 216 217 218 219¹ 220 221 222 A G 223¹ 224 225¹ 226 227–238¹ 239 240–278¹ 279 280–298¹ 299
300–399	300 301¹ 302 303 304¹ 305¹ 306 A/L B 307 308 309 310¹ 311¹ 312¹ 313¹ 314 315 A-1 A-2 316 317 318¹ 319 320¹ 321 322¹ 323 324 L M/N 325 326 327 E 328 E 329 F 330¹ 331¹ 332¹ 333¹ 334¹ 335 336 337 338–379¹ 380 A/B/E/F/N P 381–397¹ 398 399 A B
400–499	400 B/C/N E G/H M 401 402 403¹ 404 405 B C D 406¹ 407 408¹ 409¹ 410 E L 411 E L 412 413 414 L M 415 416 L M (I) M (II) P Q 417 418 L M 419¹ 420 L/W 421¹ 422 423 424 425 426 L M 427 L M 428 A L 429 430 431 G (I) G (II) 432 433 434 435 A L 436 437 438 439 440 441 A D L 442 443 444¹ 445 L M 446 447 448¹ 449¹ 450 451 D L 452 453 454¹ 455 456 457¹ 458 459 460 L 461 462 463 464 465 466 467 468 469 470 471 L (I) L (II) 472 473 474 L N 475¹ 476 E 477 478 A T 479¹ 480 481 L 482 E L M/Z 483 484 L M N 485 L Z 486 487 488 489 490 L M 491¹ 492 493 494 495 L (I) L (II) 496 497 A L (I) L 498 A C D E L 499 A C D
500–599	500 501–519¹ 520 521–529¹ 530 531–541¹ 542 543–549¹ 550 A E 551–559¹ 560 A F 561–569¹ 570 571–579¹ 580 A E 581–589¹ 590 591 592 593–599¹
600–699	600 601 A L 602 A L 603 A L 604 605 606 607 608¹ 609 610¹ 611¹ 612¹ 613¹ 614 615¹ 616 617¹ 618 619¹ 620 621 A/B (I) B (II) 622 623 624 625 626¹ 627 628¹ 629¹ 630¹ 631¹ 632 633 634 A B 635 636¹ 637¹ 638 639 640 641 642 643 644¹ 645¹ 646¹ 647¹ 648 A D P 649 A B C D E F L P 650 651 652 653¹ 654¹ 655 A (I) A (II) P 656 657¹ 658¹ 659¹ 660 661 662¹ 663¹ 664 665 A (I) A (II) 666 A C/P 667 668 669¹ 670 671¹ 672 A M/P 673¹ 674 675 676¹ 677¹ 678¹ 679 680 681 D E 682¹ 683 A J V 684¹ 685 686 687 J P 688¹ 689¹ 690 691 C X Z 692¹ 693 694¹ 695 A B C L N P Q R S (I) S (II) 696¹ 697¹ 698¹ 699¹
700–799	700–735¹ 736 737¹ 738¹ 739¹ 740¹ 741 742 743 744¹ 745 746–753¹ 754 755–799¹
800–899	800¹ 801¹ 802 L (I) L (II) 803¹ 804¹ 805¹ 806 807 808–816¹ 817 818¹ 819¹ 820¹ 821¹ 822¹ 823 824–831¹ 832 833¹ 834 835–845¹ 846 847–899¹
900–999	900–951¹ 952 853¹ 854¹ 855¹ 956 957–967¹ 968
¹ Unknown or not assigned