A US Navy EA-18G Growler returned to flight five years after being extensively damaged in a mid-air collision. The electronic warfare aircraft made a check flight on 17 October, marking the end of a complex transformation and refurbishment process.
The incident took place on September 14, 2017, when the electronic attack jet belonged to the VAQ-133 Wizards squadron. The EA-18 was involved in a mid-air collision with another plane, attached to Ale Aérea Embarcada 2 (CVW-2). Both aircraft landed safely and without injuries to the crew, explains the Navy.
The Growler remained at Naval Air Station Fallon, Nevada, for several years as a refit of this nature had never been done before and there were no processes or procedures for exactly how repairs could be performed.
After the initial inspection, there was little hope that the aircraft would fly again due to the complexity of the repairs required after the accident, as well as the damage caused by years of being in a desert environment.
However, after thorough review and continued coordination, the road to recovery for the Growler began when repair clearance was granted in 2021. In February of that year, the aircraft was loaded onto a truck and transferred to the Fleet Replenishment Squadron ( training), the VAQ-129 Vikings, at NAS Whidbey Island.
Classified as a “special renovation,” funding was approved and long-term hangar space was selected for the groundbreaking project. For over a year, engineers, mechanics and technicians from facilities across the United States collaborated to develop processes, complete repairs and thoroughly inspect the salvaged aircraft – over 2.000 man hours in total.
“This was a team effort by the folks at the Fleet Readiness Center (FRC) Southeast, FRC Southwest Engineering and my FRC Northwest team,” said Tommy Moore, warehouse lead for FRC Northwest. “We reassembled the aircraft replacing all major components and returned the aircraft to VAQ-129 as a 'special refit' completed on April 24, 2022.
Growler will soon be transferred to an operational squadron to be deployed around the world and ready to conduct flight operations for decades to come. Captain David Harris, Commodore of the Pacific Electronic Strike Wing, commended the efforts of the entire Naval Aviation Enterprise in accomplishing this unprecedented mission.
“It was truly amazing to see the entire Naval Aviation Enterprise team come together to get this much needed asset back to flight status,” Harris said. “From the engineers who developed the necessary repair designs, to the technicians who performed the complex repairs, to the VAQ-129 sailors who finally rebuilt the aircraft to flight status; it was a real team effort.”
With US Navy
