VQ-5 ES-3A over USS Independence, flown by LT George Cowan.

Lockheed ES-3A Shadow

The ES-3A is a relatively new addition to the air wing, based upon the S-3's versatile airframe. Replacing the venerable EA-3B (which left carrier decks in 1987), the Shadow's mission is to collect and analyze all manner of electromagnetic transmissions emitted by the enemy. This intelligence is used to build an accurate enemy electronic order-of-battle, allowing a better assessment of the capabilities facing American forces.

To this end, ES-3As mount a very sophisticated suite of avionics, including full-spectrum RF receivers, DF equipment, a variety of recording and measuring sensors, GPS navigation systems, and a very complete communications suite. They also retain the S-3's inverse synthetic aperture radar, FLIR, and ESM equipment.

Serving in the role of electronic scouts, ES-3As currently operate with two squadrons, VQ-5 and VQ-6. They are assigned in two-aircraft detachments to each air wing.

In 1998, the Navy made the decision to retire the Shadow early, determining that it could no longer afford to continue the SIGINT upgrades necessary to keep it viable until the year 2013. Consequently, in fiscal year 2000, the ES-3As will be completely withdrawn from the fleet, their role to be assumed by the twelve land-based EP-3E Aries II airframes currently in the inventory. Though the Shadows weren't around for very long, the carrier-based realtime SIGINT capability they provided will definitely be missed.

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