Editing Grumman A-6 Intruder (section)

===Retirement===
Despite the production of new airframes in the 164XXX Bureau Number (BuNo) series just before and after the Gulf War, augmented by a rewinging program of older airframes, the A-6E and KA-6D were quickly phased out of service in the mid-1990s in a U.S. Navy cost-cutting move driven by the [[Office of the Secretary of Defense]] to reduce the number of different type/model/series (T/M/S) of aircraft in carrier air wings and U.S. Marine aircraft groups.

The A-6 was intended to be replaced by the [[McDonnell Douglas A-12 Avenger II]], but that program was canceled due to cost overruns.<ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.flightglobal.com/boeing-and-general-dynamics-to-appeal-against-ruling-in-a-12-case/73457.article |title = Boeing and General Dynamics to appeal against ruling in A-12 case |publisher = Flight International |date = 8 October 2007}}</ref> The Intruder remained in service for a few more years before being retired in favor of the [[LANTIRN]]-equipped [[Grumman F-14 Tomcat|F-14D Tomcat]], which was in turn replaced by the [[Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet|F/A-18E/F Super Hornet]] in the U.S. Navy and the twin-seat [[McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet|F/A-18D Hornet]] in the U.S. Marine Corps. During the 2010s, the [[Unmanned Carrier-Launched Airborne Surveillance and Strike]] program was at one point intended to produce an [[unmanned aerial vehicle]] (UAV) successor to the Intruder's long-distance strike role, but the initiative has since changed priorities towards the tanker mission instead.<ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.flightglobal.com/northrop-grumman-wins-us-navy-unmanned-bomber-contract/75422.article |title = Northrop Grumman wins US Navy unmanned bomber contract |publisher = [[Flight International]] |first = Stephen |last = Trimble |date = 3 August 2007}}</ref> The last Intruders were retired on 28 February 1997.

Many in the US defense establishment in general, and [[Naval Aviation]] in particular, questioned the wisdom of a shift to a shorter range carrier-based strike force, as represented by the Hornet and Super Hornet, compared to the older generation aircraft such as the Intruder and Tomcat. However, the availability of USAF [[Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker]] and [[McDonnell Douglas KC-10 Extender]] tankers modified to accommodate USN, USMC and [[NATO]] tactical aircraft in all recent conflicts was considered by certain senior decision makers in the Department of Defense to put a lesser premium on organic aerial refueling capability in the U.S. Navy's carrier air wings and self-contained range among carrier-based strike aircraft. Although the Intruder could not match the F-14's or the F/A-18's speed or air-combat capability, the A-6's range and load-carrying ability are still unmatched by newer aircraft in the fleet.<ref name = "flyint 2011"/>

At the time of retirement, several retired A-6 airframes were awaiting rewinging at the [[Northrop Grumman]] facility at [[St. Augustine Airport]], Florida; these were later sunk off the coast of [[St. Johns County]], Florida to form a [[artificial reef|fish haven]] named "Intruder Reef".<ref>Hildebrandt, Erik. 1996–1997. "Burial at Sea: Navy's A-6 Intruder is Retiring, and What Could be a More Fitting End?" Air and Space Smithsonian. December 1996 – January 1997, Volume 11 (5). Pages 64–70. Also: [http://www.geocities.ws/Pentagon/Bunker/7316/burial.html "Burial at Sea."]</ref> Surviving aircraft fitted with the new wings, and later production aircraft (i.e., BuNo 164XXX series) not earmarked for museum or non-flying static display were stored at the [[309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group|AMARG]] storage center at [[Davis-Monthan Air Force Base]], Arizona.<ref name="intruderassociation.org">[http://www.intruderassociation.org/a6displays.html "A-6 Displays."] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101118051510/http://www.intruderassociation.org/a6displays.html |date=18 November 2010 }} ''intruderassociation.org''. Retrieved: 19 July 2010.</ref>