HIGHLIGHTS OF RESEARCH BY LANGLEY FOR THE EA-6B

1. Tests in the Langley 20-Foot Vertical Spin Tunnel resulted in increased control surface deflections for spin recovery.
2. Langley cooperated with the Navy and Grumman to determine configuration modifications that significantly improved
maneuver aerodynamics, high-angle-of-attack characteristics, and low-speed high-lift capability.
3. Aft-fuselage ram-air cooling scoops were designed with data from tests in the Langley 7- by 10-Foot High-Speed
Tunnel.

The Grumman (now Northrop Grumman) EA-6B Prowler is a unique national asset that can be deployed from land bases and
aircraft carriers to monitor the electromagnetic spectrum and actively deny an adversary the use of radar and communications.
This aircraft is included in every aircraft carrier deployment and has a primary mission to protect fleet surface units and other
aircraft by jamming hostile radar and communications. The EA-6B played a key role in suppressing enemy air defenses during
Operation Desert Storm for U.S. and allied forces. The Department of Defense (DOD) has now assigned all radar jamming
missions to the Prowler.
The EA-6B airframe is a derivative of the A-6E Intruder. Although the fuselage was stretched to permit space for four crew
members, the wing area is the same as that used on the A-6E. The basic mission, external stores, and electronic suites of the
Prowler are considerably different from those of the A-6E. Also, the EA-6B is considerably heavier than the A-6, which results
in a significant reduction in maneuvering capability. As a result of an alarming increase in accident rates for the EA-6B fleet in
the early 1980’s, the Navy requested support from Langley to define modifications that might improve maneuver
aerodynamics, high-angle-of-attack stability and control, and low-speed high-lift systems. During follow-on Navy flight tests,
these modifications to the wing airfoil, vertical tail, wing leading and trailing edges, and roll control devices significantly
enhanced the capabilities of an EA-6B demonstrator aircraft. Langley also supported a Navy and Grumman request to conduct
wind-tunnel tests to define fuselage ram-air cooling scoop concepts for additional aerodynamic cooling of electronic systems.
The significant improvements predicted by the results of Langley tests were verified during Navy flight evaluations of a
modified A-6F aircraft.
Langley facilities that supported the EA-6B program included the 20-Foot Vertical Spin Tunnel, the National Transonic
Facility (NTF), the 7- by 10-Foot High-Speed Tunnel, the 16-Foot Transonic Tunnel, the 30- by 60-Foot (Full-Scale) Tunnel,
the Low-Turbulence Pressure Tunnel (LTPT), the 6- by 28-Inch Transonic Tunnel, and the 12-Foot Low-Speed Tunnel.
    LANGLEY CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE EA-6B
 
Spin Tunnel Tests   The EA-6B aircraft is a four-seat, electronic warfare derivative of the A-6E Intruder. The major
external differences between the EA-6B and the two-seat A-6E are a 54-in. fuselage extension
for two additional crew stations, a large pod on the vertical tail to house electronic
countermeasures equipment, and a canted refueling probe. The EA-6B is more than 10,000 lb
heavier than the A-6E, and carries large pods for electronics on wing pylons. In view of these
significant configuration changes, the Navy requested that Langley conduct tests to determine
spin and recovery characteristics of the EA-6B. Henry A. Lee and James S. Bowman, Jr.
conducted the investigation in 1971.
As discussed in Langley Contributions to the A-6, a cockpit switch had been implemented in the
A-6 to provide the pilot with the option of increasing horizontal-tail and rudder deflections for
spin recovery. The results of the tests of the EA-6B indicated that the existing 23-deg rudder
deflection was not sufficient for satisfactory spin recovery. The rudder deflection on production
aircraft was increased to 35 deg with the A-6 assist spin recovery switch, which was also
implemented on the EA-6B.
Maneuver Improvements   The EA-6B has a significantly higher design gross weight than the A-6E; however, the EA-6B
employs the same wing to carry the increased load. This increased wing load contributed to an
alarming number of EA-6B accidents in the early 1980’s. During that period the EA-6B aircraft
experienced accident rates in fleet operations that were nearly three times higher than all other
Navy and Marine aircraft combined. The majority of these mishaps were attributed to out-of-
control flight and resulted in the loss of the aircraft after the pilots were unable to recover the
aircraft and were forced to eject. These losses prompted many fleet squadrons to restrict the EA-
6B from intentional maneuvers at high-angle-of-attack conditions. While the restrictions
substantially reduced the accident rates, they also imposed constraints on evasive maneuvers
while operating in high threat environments.
In late 1984, the Navy approached Langley to undertake a research program to improve the EA-
6B, with emphasis on increasing maximum usable lift, maintaining lateral-directional stability
near stall, and maintaining lateral control near stall. Langley agreed to lead this effort, under the
cognizance of the Navy. Grumman joined the effort and provided additional technical support to
Langley, as well as participating in additional wind-tunnel tests at NASA Ames Research Center
for the high-lift configuration. This program evaluated the EA-6B in ten NASA and Grumman
facilities.

The modified EA-6B model in flight in the Full-Scale Tunnel.

Langley researcher David E. Hahne with the EA-6B free-flight model.

Langley research activities on the high-angle-of-attack stability and control characteristics of the
EA-6B were led by Joseph L. Johnson, Jr. and his staff of the Low Speed Aerodynamics
Division. The efforts to improve maximum lift and maneuver performance were led by Percy J.
(Bud) Bobbitt and his staff of the Transonic Aerodynamics Division.
Johnson’s team conducted extensive tests in the Langley 12-Foot Low-Speed Tunnel and the
Langley 30- by 60-Foot (Full-Scale) Tunnel with flow visualization and force and moment
measurements. The Langley leaders in this effort were Frank L. Jordan, Jr. and David E. Hahne.
The results of these tests showed that the vertical tail was adversely affected by flow emanating
from the fuselage and wing root areas for high-angle-of-attack conditions, which resulted in a
severe loss of directional stability. The problem was resolved by extending the vertical tail above
the existing fin pod, adding leading-edge droop to the inboard wing, and adding a strake to the
wing-fuselage intersection. Roll control at high-angle-of-attack conditions was augmented by
using the existing wingtip speed brakes as additional ailerons. These modifications were tested
with a 0.12-scale free-flight model in the Full-Scale Tunnel. The results clearly demonstrated the
potential of these modifications to improve the flight characteristics of the EA-6B at high angles
of attack.
Bobbitt’s team worked to improve maximum lift. This task was a challenge as changes in wing
contour were limited to the leading-edge slat and trailing-edge flap to keep retrofit costs low.
Several advanced airfoil designs were tested by William G. Sewall, Robert J. McGhee, and
James C. Ferris in the Langley 6- by 28-Inch Transonic Tunnel and in the Langley Low-
Turbulence Pressure Tunnel (LTPT). The results of the airfoil studies were used to design
advanced slats and flaps for the EA-6B that produced a substantial increase in lift, as well as
decreased drag at cruise Mach numbers. Edward G. Waggoner and Dennis O. Allison led
computational and experimental studies to design the wing configurations to increase the low-
speed maximum lift capability of the EA-6B with minimal degradation in high-speed
performance. Their work ranged from the application of low-speed and transonic computational
methods to experimental verification tests in the Langley 7- by 10-Foot High-Speed Tunnel and
the National Transonic Facility (NTF) at Langley. The integrated efforts of these two teams
identified new leading- and trailing-edge configurations that dramatically improved the high-lift
performance of the EA-6B. The modifications defined by the Johnson and Bobbitt teams were
then tested on a model at Ames to assess the impact on the high-lift configuration. Spin tunnel
tests were also conducted to evaluate the impact of the changes on spin and spin recovery
characteristics. No degradation was noted during the tests, and the existing spin characteristics of
the EA-6B were projected to remain unchanged. The final tests included wing loads tests led by
Langley researcher Charles Mercer in the Langley 16-Foot Transonic Tunnel. Tests of a full-
size, EA-6B semispan wing in the Full-Scale Tunnel led by Jordan and Hahne validated the
effectiveness of using the speed brakes as ailerons and provided additional loads data. Because
the A-6E had significant problems with fatigue life, it was important to assess the impact of the
modifications on wing loads and wing root bending moments to ensure that the EA-6B wing
fatigue life would not be degraded.
The impact of the Langley-led test program was substantial. Test data indicated the potential for
a 25-percent increase in maximum usable lift in the cruise configuration. Lateral and directional
stability could be maintained to angles of attack well beyond stall. Lateral control could be
maintained beyond stall by using the speed brakes as ailerons. A performance improvement due
to decreased drag could be realized at medium and high altitudes where a majority of the EA-6B
missions are flown. Approach speeds could be substantially reduced at existing landing gross
weights, and growth capability was provided for higher gross weights. Finally, an extensive,
unprecedented aerodynamic database for the EA-6B had been produced and was ready for
incorporation into simulators for EA-6B pilot training.
 EA-6B model being prepared for tests in the National Transonic Facility at Langley.

EA-6B Vehicle Enhancement Program (VEP) test aircraft during flight evaluation.

The results of this outstanding NASA, Navy, and Grumman joint program were
summarized in several technical papers in 1987. The effort received such positive
national attention that in the 1987 Applied Aerodynamics AIAA meeting, an entire
session was dedicated to the EA-6B effort with five papers presented. Aircraft
modifications defined by the joint EA-6B program were directed at an advanced version
of the aircraft known as the EA-6B ADVCAP (Advanced Capability), which included a
myriad of improvements such as new engines and electronic upgrades, as well as the
airframe modifications. Flight tests of a modified EA-6B designated the Vehicle
Enhancement Program (VEP) test aircraft were conducted to evaluate the effects of the
 airframe modifications derived from the Langley-led joint studies. Flights began on June
15, 1992, and the final flight occurred on April 4, 1994. The flight evaluation of the test
aircraft validated all projections of the research program, and the performance, stability,
and control characteristics of the modified aircraft were judged to be far superior to
those of the basic EA-6B. The aircraft performed flawlessly. Unfortunately, fiscal
constraints and other programmatic issues restrained the Navy from funding the
upgrades. EA-6B simulators, however, have been upgraded with the data from Langley.
Cooling Study   The continuing evolution of the EA-6B and the demands of the all-weather warfare mission
involved a continuous upgrade of advanced electronic systems that demand adequate cooling for
satisfactory operations. In particular, the projected Advanced Capability (ADVCAP) version of
the aircraft included a significant electronics upgrade that required additional cooling. Langley
participated in a joint NASA, Navy, and Grumman wind-tunnel study of new aft-fuselage ram-
air scoops to satisfy the cooling requirements. Langley researcher William Sewall led these tests,
which were conducted in the Langley 7- by 10-Foot High-Speed Tunnel. The scoop
configuration derived from the tests was evaluated in flight tests of a prototype of another
advanced A-6 derivative known as the A-6F. The scoop configuration was to be included in the
overall ADVCAP package, which was not funded for continued development.

EA-6B fuselage and empennage model in the Langley 7- by 10-Foot High-Speed Tunnel for air
scoop studies.
A-6F prototype with aft-fuselage scoops.