During a performance at the Gunfighter Skies air show near Mountain Home, Idaho, USA, two EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft—both critical to U.S. military operations—crashed following a mid-air collision.
The four pilots of both aircraft managed to eject safely. If the second EA-18G Growler had struck the cockpit canopy with its fuselage during the collision, ejection would have been impossible, and the two pilots in the first aircraft would likely have been killed.
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As previously mentioned, EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft are critical to the U.S. Navy. They are among the first to enter enemy airspace and play a key role in suppressing air defenses during U.S. military operations, including reported operations such as Absolute Resolve in Venezuela and Epic Fury in Iran.
As for the cost of replacing the two destroyed EA-18G Growler aircraft, it can be estimated based on a September 2021 contract to replace a single burned-out EA-18G Growler aircraft for the Royal Australian Air Force.
At that time, a single EA-18G Growler cost about $125 million, including various support services but likely excluding weapons and other systems. Adjusted for inflation, that amounts to approximately $152 million in current dollars.
In other words, the U.S. is expected to allocate approximately $304 million to replace two EA-18G Growlers. The cost to the U.S. Air Force will likely be slightly lower than that for Australia, but this would not significantly affect the total cost.
Until recently, the U.S. Navy had 153 E/A-18G Growler aircraft in service. However, with the loss of these two aircraft, the total number has dropped to 151. This is not a critical loss, even though replacement will take several years. However, given the growing threat from China, it remains an unfortunate loss.
A conflict with China, given its large inventory of modern air defense systems, would require substantial numbers of electronic warfare aircraft such as the EA-18G Growler to support and protect U.S. combat aircraft.
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