The EA-6B Prowler, but the Marines still fly the plane with four squadrons remaining active. Yet the end is near for the Prowler in USMC service as well, and these shots commemorate the last time all four Marine Corps Prowler squadrons will fly together.

Soon, these four units will begin to shutter their doors at the end of the fiscal year, starting with Tactical Electronic Warfare Training Squadron 1 which trains. This will lead to the type’s retirement in full.

Electronic warfare is one of the most important yet misunderstood components of modern air combat.…

The USMC’s Prowlers will not be replaced. Unlike the US Navy, the USMC did not procure the EA-18G Growlers, instead the electronic warfare mission will be re-aligned under a concept called Marine Air-Ground Task Force Electronic Warfare, or MAGTF-EW. Under this new concept electronic warfare will be dispersed across ground-based and air-based assets, many including unmanned aircraft. Eventually, the F-35 will be a key part of this concept.

In 2008 the USMC took dealing with the improvised explosive devices threat into their own hands and

This all sounds great, but make no mistake, the capability lost with the retirement of the Prowler will be sorely missed and their absence will make the USMC’s ability to fight conflicts independently much harder.

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