Editing Grumman EA-6B Prowler (section)

===Advanced Capability EA-6B===
[[File:EA-6B AIP.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|EA-6B ADVCAP]]<!-- Thumbnail sizing here needed to make text readable. -->

The ''Advanced Capability EA-6B Prowler (ADVCAP)'' was a development program initiated to improve the flying qualities of the EA-6B and to upgrade the [[avionics]] and [[electronic warfare]] systems. The intention was to modify all EA-6Bs into the ADVCAP configuration, however the program was removed from the Fiscal Year 1995 budget due to financial pressure from competing [[U.S. Department of Defense|Department of Defense]] acquisition programs.

The ADVCAP development program was initiated in the late 1980s and was broken into three distinct phases: Full-Scale Development (FSD), Vehicle Enhancement Program (VEP) and the Avionics Improvement Program (AIP).

FSD served primarily to evaluate the new AN/ALQ-149 Electronic Warfare System. The program utilized a slightly modified EA-6B to house the new system.

The VEP added numerous changes to the aircraft to address deficiencies with the original EA-6B flying qualities, particularly lateral-directional problems that hampered recovery from out-of-control flight. Bureau Number 158542 was used. Changes included:
* Leading edge [[strake (aviation)|strakes]] (to improve directional stability)
* Fin pod extension (to improve directional stability)
* [[Aileron]]s (to improve slow speed lateral control)
* Re-contoured leading edge slats and trailing edge flaps (to compensate for an increase in gross weight)
* Two additional wing stations on the outer wing panel (for [[AN/ALQ-99|jamming pods]] only)
* New J52-P-409 engines (increased thrust by 2,000&nbsp;lbf (8.9&nbsp;kN) per engine)
* New digital Standard Automatic Flight Control System (SAFCS)

The added modifications increased the aircraft gross weight approximately {{convert|2000|lb|kg|abbr=on}} and shifted the center of gravity 3% MAC aft of the baseline EA-6B. In previous models, when operating at sustained high [[Angle of attack|angles of attack]], fuel migration would cause additional shifts in CG with the result that the aircraft had slightly negative longitudinal static stability. Results of flight tests of the new configuration showed greatly improved flying qualities and the rearward shift of the CG had minimal impact.

[[File:Nose of FrankenProwler.jpg|thumb|"FrankenProwler" during a pre-flight inspection at [[Al Asad Air Base]], [[Iraq]]]]
The AIP prototype (bureau number 158547) represented the final ADVCAP configuration, incorporating all of the FSD and VEP modifications plus a completely new avionics suite which added multi-function displays to all crew positions, a [[head-up display]] for the pilot, and dual [[Global Positioning System|Global Positioning]]/[[Inertial navigation system]]s. The initial joint test phase between the contractor and the US Navy test pilots completed successfully with few deficiencies.

After the program was canceled, the three experimental Prowlers, BuNo 156482, 158542 and 158547, were mothballed until 1999. Over the next several years, the three aircraft were dismantled and reassembled to create a single aircraft, b/n 158542, which the Navy dubbed "FrankenProwler". It was returned to active service on 23 March 2005.<ref name="FrankenProwler">{{cite news|work=Northwest Navigator |first=Brian |last=Harvill |url=http://www.northwestnavigator.com/index.php/navigator/whidbey/vaq_141_frankenprowler_rejoins_the_fleet/ |title=VAQ-141 'FrankenProwler' rejoins the fleet |date=29 April 2005 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071124010623/http://www.northwestnavigator.com/index.php/navigator/whidbey/vaq_141_frankenprowler_rejoins_the_fleet/ |archive-date=24 November 2007}}</ref>