Direct proof of use
The EA-18G Growler is directly documented in the 2003 Iraq War through U.S. Navy squadron history and official aircraft background material. VAQ-132's official history says the Scorpions completed transition to the EA-18G in September 2009, became an expeditionary squadron, and in 2010 became the first squadron to deploy the Growler while providing support to Operation New Dawn in Iraq.
NAVAIR's EA-18G product page independently places the Growler's first VAQ-132 deployment in November 2010. Boeing's July 2011 release says VAQ-132 Growlers completed an eight-month deployment that included combat operations in the U.S. Central Command and U.S. Africa Command areas of responsibility, and that the squadron supported CENTCOM operations in Iraq before transitioning to Libya.
Sources: VAQ-132 Squadron History, NAVAIR EA-18G Growler, Boeing First Combat Deployment
Timeline
The supported Iraq window begins after the type entered operational service. VAQ-132 completed its Growler transition in September 2009, and NAVAIR records initial operational capability and the first VAQ-132 deployment in the following year.
The public record identifies November 2010 as the first VAQ-132 Growler deployment and July 9, 2011 as the squadron's return from the eight-month deployment. Joint Base Andrews reporting described the return as the end of a deployment that included combat operations supporting Operation New Dawn and Operation Odyssey Dawn.
Sources: VAQ-132 Squadron History, NAVAIR EA-18G Growler, Joint Base Andrews Return
Role in the conflict
In Iraq, the documented operator was the United States, through U.S. Navy Electronic Attack Squadron VAQ-132. The cited sources tie the aircraft to Operation New Dawn, the named U.S. mission that followed Operation Iraqi Freedom during the late phase of the 2003-2011 Iraq conflict.
The supported role is expeditionary airborne electronic attack rather than a publicly documented kinetic strike record in Iraq. NAVAIR describes the EA-18G as an airborne electronic-attack aircraft with ALQ-218 receivers, ALQ-99 tactical jamming pods, ALQ-227 communications countermeasures, APG-79 radar, and representative carriage of AGM-88 HARM and AIM-120 missiles. Joint Base Andrews reporting also described the Growler as combining an F/A-18F-derived airframe with a sophisticated electronic-warfare suite and enemy-defense-suppression capability.
The available public sources do not name Iraq-specific targets, jamming assignments, HARM launches, or battle-damage effects for VAQ-132 Growlers during Operation New Dawn. The same VAQ-132 history separates the Iraq deployment from the squadron's first combat HARM employment from the Growler, which it attributes to later Libya operations.
Sources: VAQ-132 Squadron History, NAVAIR EA-18G Growler, Joint Base Andrews Return
