Australian Electronic Attack EA-18G Growler Aircraft To Get Anti-Radiation Missile

The US State Department last week approved a possible Foreign Military Sale of Anti-Radiation Missiles for the Australian Electronic Attack EA-18G Growler aircraft, estimated to cost $137.6 million.

The sale, which Congress was notified on April 27 via a press release from the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, would include up to 70 high speed anti-radiation missiles, 40 advanced anti-radiation guided missiles and training missiles, as well as other support equipment.

“Australia has requested a possible sale of up to 70 AGM-88B High Speed Anti-Radiation Missiles (HARM) Tactical Missiles; up to 40 AGM-88E Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missiles (AARGM) Tactical Missiles; up to16 CATM-88B HARM Captive Air Training Missiles (CATM); up to 16 CATM-88E AARGM CATM; up 25 AGM-88B Control Sections; up to 25 AGM-88B Guidance Sections; up to20 AGM-88E Control Sections; up to 20 AGM-88EGuidance Sections; up to 48 Telemetry/Flight Termination Systems; U.S. Government and contractor engineering, technical and logistics support services; and other associated support equipment and services,” the release states.

The prime contractors will be Orbital ATK (OA), Ridgecrest, CA, and Raytheon Missile Systems Company, Tucson, AZ. 

The notice is only of potential sale, not that the sale has concluded. If the sale goes ahead, the US said it "will contribute to the foreign policy and national security" of the US, by "helping to improve the security of a major contributor to political stability, security and economic development in the western Pacific".