Guerra electrónica

ALQ-99 Tactical Jamming System

Also known as
  • AN/ALQ-99
  • ALQ-99 TJS
  • Barquilla de interferencia ALQ-99

El ALQ-99 Tactical Jamming System es una familia estadounidense de barquillas externas de ataque electrónico aerotransportado usada para interferir radares y blancos de comunicaciones en misiones de supresión de defensas aéreas enemigas. NAVAIR indica que entró en servicio en 1971, sirvió en el EA-6B Prowler antes de pasar al EA-18G Growler en 2010, y sigue en uso junto con barquillas Next Generation Jammer, incluido el porte documentado por VAQ-133 durante operaciones de ataque de la Guerra de Irán de 2026.

ALQ-99 Tactical Jamming System, Sistema táctico de barquillas de interferencia, Guerra electrónica
Image source: ALQ-99 Tactical Jamming System

Role in Conflicts

2026 Iran War
Electronic Warfare

Reportes especializados identificaron un EA-18G Growler de VAQ-133 despegando para la Operación Epic Fury con una barquilla ALQ-99 Tactical Jamming System y una barquilla AN/ALQ-249, lo que vincula directamente la barquilla heredada con salidas estadounidenses de ataque electrónico durante la Guerra de Irán de 2026.

Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
Estados Unidos
Type
Sistema táctico de barquillas de interferencia
Service note
1971-presente; sistema heredado en proceso de reemplazo por barquillas Next Generation Jammer

Specifications

Función principal
Ataque electrónico aerotransportado con porte externo
Blancos
Emisores de radar y comunicaciones
Entrada en servicio
Capacidad operativa inicial en 1971
Aeronaves portadoras
EA-6B Prowler; EA-18G Growler
Configuración representativa del EA-18G
Tres barquillas ALQ-99 TJS con dos misiles AIM-120, dos misiles AGM-88 HARM y dos tanques externos de combustible de 480 galones
Configuración documentada en 2026
Una barquilla ALQ-99 portada junto con una barquilla AN/ALQ-249 en un EA-18G Growler de VAQ-133 durante la Operación Epic Fury
Reemplazo
Incrementos Next Generation Jammer (NGJ), incluidos Mid-Band y Low Band
Aeronaves portadoras

NAVAIR describe el ALQ-99 Tactical Jamming System como una capacidad de ataque electrónico aerotransportado de porte externo que sirvió en el EA-6B Prowler antes de pasar al EA-18G Growler.

CarrierCarrier typeCarriage evidence
EA-18G Growler, Carrier-capable airborne electronic attack aircraft, Electronic WarfareEA-18G GrowlerAeronave de ataque electrónico apta para portaaviones

NAVAIR indica que el EA-18G Growler porta barquillas ALQ-99 Tactical Jamming System como parte de su conjunto de ataque electrónico aerotransportado, con una configuración representativa que enumera tres barquillas ALQ-99 TJS junto con AIM-120, AGM-88 HARM y tanques externos de combustible.

Sources: ALQ-99 Tactical Jamming System, EA-18G Growler

Transición de Prowler a Growler

NAVAIR afirma que el ALQ-99 TJS fue usado en el EA-6B Prowler hasta que el sistema pasó al EA-18G Growler, cuyo primer despliegue con ALQ-99 se produjo en 2010.

Sources: ALQ-99 Tactical Jamming System, EA-18G confirmed as the Growler

Replacement Context

Fuentes oficiales de la Armada y del DoD describen el ALQ-99 como la familia heredada de barquillas tácticas de interferencia del EA-18G que permanece en servicio mientras se incorporan los incrementos Next Generation Jammer. El reemplazo es incremental, no un cambio único de barquilla: NGJ-MB cubre el conjunto de misiones de banda media, NGJ-LB cubre amenazas de frecuencias más bajas, y el material informativo de la Armada describe NGJ como un programa de tres incrementos: Mid-Band, Low Band y High Band.

CapaEstadoContexto respaldado por fuentes
ALQ-99 TJSSistema heredadoNAVAIR registra la capacidad operativa inicial en 1971, el servicio en el EA-6B antes de la transición al EA-18G y la continuidad del servicio hasta que todos los incrementos NGJ alcancen la capacidad operativa plena.
NGJ Mid-BandAN/ALQ-249(V)1 Next Generation Jammer Mid-Band, Carrier-based airborne electronic attack jamming pod system, Electronic WarfareAN/ALQ-249(V)1El DoD afirma que NGJ-MB complementará y luego reemplazará al AN/ALQ-99, desplegado desde 1971, en el rango de frecuencias de banda media para el EA-18G, mejorando el rendimiento, la fiabilidad y la mantenibilidad de la interferencia de radares y comunicaciones.
NGJ Low BandDesarrollo de ingeniería y fabricaciónNAVAIR describe NGJ-LB como el incremento de baja frecuencia del sistema NGJ más amplio que complementará y finalmente reemplazará al ALQ-99 en el EA-18G Growler.
Timeline

ALQ-99 Tactical Jamming System Key Events

  1. Capacidad operativa inicial

    NAVAIR indica que el ALQ-99 Tactical Jamming System alcanzó la capacidad operativa inicial en 1971.

    Sources: ALQ-99 Tactical Jamming System

  2. Comienza la transición al EA-18G Growler

    Tras su servicio en el EA-6B Prowler, NAVAIR registra la transición del ALQ-99 al EA-18G Growler y el primer despliegue del Growler en 2010.

    Sources: ALQ-99 Tactical Jamming System, EA-18G Growler

  3. NGJ-MB entra en la fase de producción y despliegue

    NAVAIR indica que el incremento Next Generation Jammer Mid-Band alcanzó el Milestone C en 2021, lo que permitió al programa entrar en producción y despliegue como vía de reemplazo para parte del conjunto de misiones del ALQ-99.

    Sources: Next Generation Jammer

  4. Primeras barquillas de producción NGJ-MB entregadas

    NAVAIR indica que las primeras barquillas de producción Next Generation Jammer Mid-Band fueron entregadas a la flota en julio de 2023.

    Sources: Next Generation Jammer

  5. NGJ-MB alcanza la capacidad operativa inicial

    NAVAIR informó que la Armada declaró la capacidad operativa inicial del NGJ-MB en diciembre de 2024, con el sistema complementando y finalmente reemplazando al ALQ-99 en el EA-18G Growler.

    Sources: US Navy declares initial operational capability for the Next Generation Jammer Mid-Band system

Media

ALQ-99 Tactical Jamming System Videos

ALQ-99 Tactical Jamming System Images

ALQ-99 Tactical Jamming System, Sistema táctico de barquillas de interferencia, Guerra electrónica - view 1
Source: Flickr - Official U.S. Navy Imagery - Sailors wipe down an ALQ 99 jamming pod..jpg
ALQ-99 Tactical Jamming System, Sistema táctico de barquillas de interferencia, Guerra electrónica - view 2
Source: Red Flag-Alaska 160810-F-YK359-1035.jpg
Related Weapon Systems
AN/ALQ-249(V)1 Next Generation Jammer Mid-Band, Carrier-based airborne electronic attack jamming pod system, Electronic WarfareElectronic WarfareAN/ALQ-249(V)1 Next Generation Jammer Mid-BandCarrier-based airborne electronic attack jamming pod systemThe AN/ALQ-249(V)1 Next Generation Jammer Mid-Band is Raytheon's airborne electronic attack pod for U.S. Navy and Royal Australian Air Force EA-18G Growlers, replacing part of the ALQ-99 mission set with two-pod ship sets built around active electronically scanned arrays and a digital back end. It reached initial operational capability in December 2024 and has documented combat-linked use from VAQ-133 deployments in the 2023 Red Sea Crisis and 2026 Iran War.
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EC-130H Compass Call, Airborne electronic attack aircraft, Aircraft & UAVsAircraft & UAVsEC-130H Compass CallAirborne electronic attack aircraftThe EC-130H Compass Call is the U.S. Air Force's legacy airborne electronic-attack aircraft, a heavily modified C-130H that denies, degrades, and disrupts adversary command-and-control communications, radars, and navigation systems. Its mission crew operates permanently installed electronic-attack equipment for U.S. and coalition air, surface, maritime, and special-operations support, while the EC-130H fleet transitions to the EA-37B Compass Call successor.
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Sources

ALQ-99 Tactical Jamming SystemPublisher: Naval Air Systems Command | Note: Supports the ALQ-99 legacy pod-family background, 1971 service entry, EA-6B-to-EA-18G transition, airborne electronic attack role, and image provenance for the primary page image. | Accessed: 2026-06-27Northrop Grumman Naval AviationPublisher: Northrop Grumman | Note: Supports Northrop Grumman manufacturer context for the ALQ-99 Tactical Jamming System on the EA-18G Growler. | Accessed: 2026-06-27EA-18G GrowlerPublisher: Naval Air Systems Command | Note: Supports the EA-18G Growler's role as the EA-6B replacement and a representative loadout that includes three ALQ-99 tactical jamming pods. | Accessed: 2026-06-27EA-18G confirmed as the GrowlerPublisher: Naval Air Systems Command | Note: Supports the EA-18G Growler transition from the EA-6B Prowler and NAVAIR's statement that EA-18G would host the EA-6B electronic attack suite including ALQ-99 Tactical Jamming System pods. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Next Generation JammerPublisher: Naval Air Systems Command | Note: Supports NGJ as the system that will augment and ultimately replace the legacy ALQ-99, plus NGJ-MB Milestone C, July 2023 fleet pod delivery, and the Low Band increment's lower-frequency replacement context. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Next Generation Jammer Mid-BandPublisher: U.S. Navy | Note: Supports NGJ's three-increment family context, NGJ-MB as the mid-band increment, two-pod ship-set configuration, and replacement of the legacy ALQ-99 TJS on EA-18G airborne electronic attack missions. | Accessed: 2026-07-01NGJ Mid-Band MSAR December 2023Publisher: U.S. Department of Defense | Note: Supports the DoD program statement that NGJ Mid-Band will augment and then replace the fielded-1971 AN/ALQ-99 Tactical Jamming System in the mid-band frequency range for the EA-18G, with improved radar and communications jamming performance, reliability, and maintainability. | Accessed: 2026-07-01US Navy declares initial operational capability for the Next Generation Jammer Mid-Band systemPublisher: Naval Air Systems Command | Note: Supports the December 2024 NGJ-MB initial operational capability decision and NAVAIR's statement that NGJ-MB is part of the larger NGJ system that will augment and ultimately replace the legacy ALQ-99 on EA-18G Growlers. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Navy to boost fleet's electronic attack capability with Next Generation Jammer Low Band contract awardPublisher: Naval Air Systems Command | Note: Supports NGJ-LB as the low-frequency increment of the larger NGJ system that will augment and ultimately replace the legacy ALQ-99 on EA-18G Growlers. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Flickr - Official U.S. Navy Imagery - Sailors wipe down an ALQ 99 jamming pod..jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Public-domain U.S. Navy photo provenance for the gallery image showing an ALQ-99 jamming pod. | Accessed: 2026-06-27Red Flag-Alaska 160810-F-YK359-1035.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Public-domain U.S. Air Force photo provenance for the gallery image showing an ALQ-99 pod on an EA-18G Growler. | Accessed: 2026-06-27TWZ Iran Missions Split LoadoutPublisher: The War Zone | Note: Directly supports 2026 Iran War conflict use by identifying an ALQ-99 pod on a VAQ-133 EA-18G Growler photographed launching from USS Abraham Lincoln during Operation Epic Fury missions over Iran; also supports legacy/new-pod mixed-loadout context. | Accessed: 2026-07-01