Aerospace Daily
July 27, 2001

Lawmakers Seek Additional Funding For EA-6B Wing Replacement

Five House members have asked House Armed Services Committee Chairman Bob Stump (R-Ariz.) to provide an additional $40 million in the fiscal 2002 defense authorization bill to speed up fatigue-related wing replacements for the U.S. Navy's EA-6B Prowlers.

According to the July 23 letter, signed by Reps. Randy "Duke" Cunningham (R-Calif.), Wayne Gilchrest (R-Md.), Rick Larsen (D-Wash.), Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) and Joseph Pitts (R-Pa.), the money would be used to buy eight more wing center sections for the radar-jamming aircraft.

The Navy plans to replace 102 Prowler wing center sections by 2005, and the Administration's fiscal 2002 budget request provides funding for 10. But the lawmakers wrote that a recent fatigue life extension analysis has shown that the Prowler's wing replacement needs to occur more quickly than expected.

According to the letter, the Navy has taken the precautionary step of restricting the flight maneuverability envelope of over 40 percent of the EA-6B fleet.

"The Prowler aircraft with the restricted flight envelope can still perform their mission in a traditional manner; however, it could become a tactical limitation and liability if these 'fatigued' wings are forced to use their full combat design capability in some future contingency," the letter says.

The letter adds that the increased production rate could be met with existing tooling and without hurting readiness.

"Accelerating the production rate would not add to the total cost of the wing replacement program; rather, earlier procurement and installations will return the Prowler fleet to its full mission capability," the letter says.

The House Armed Services Committee is marking up the defense authorization bill this week and next week. -- Marc Selinger