Navy’s purchase of new Growlers increased to 15

The number of EA-18G Growlers funded in the 2015 national budget was bumped from five to 15 in $1.1 trillion legislation hammered out by Congress last week

By Janis Reid • December 16, 2014 6:00 pm

The number of EA-18G Growlers funded in the 2015 national budget was bumped from five to 15 in $1.1 trillion legislation hammered out by Congress last week

Although an outspoken supporter of Growler and its basing at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Congressman Rick Larsen voted against the spending bill this past Thursday “for reasons related to problematic changes to campaign finance laws, Pell grants and pensions,” according to Larsen’s Communications Director Ingrid Stegemoeller.

The bill passed the House of Representatives 219-206 and if it passes through the U.S. Senate, the number of total Growlers purchased by Congress would increase from 135 to 150, costing an additional $1.46 million.

“As I explained in my recent op-ed in the Whidbey News-Times, the number of Growlers at NASWI will be determined by the ongoing Environmental Impact Study,” Larsen said in an emailed statement. “The maximum number of planes the base could fly is 118. This scenario could happen even if Congress had not funded any new Growlers this year.”

NAS Whidbey Island in Oak Harbor is the Navy’s main hub for the Growlers, an electronic attack aircraft used in combat by all branches of the military. The Navy requested 22 Growlers earlier this year and Larsen predicted in an interview during election season that the number “won’t be zero and it won’t be 22.”

The Navy began an environmental impact statement on the Growler in July after mounting resident concerns about the noise generated by the aircraft. The Navy is accepting public comment on this EIS through Jan. 9.

“I have always been clear in my support for NASWI’s role as one of the country’s premier Navy installations, the Growlers being stationed at the base, and the necessary training such as field carrier landing practice to make sure our servicemen and women are prepared,” Larsen said via email. “I will continue listening to residents’ concerns and working with community members and local leaders to address the impacts of noise.”

Information about the Growler and the EIS can be found at www.whidbeyeis.com.