U.S. sends weapon to hit ISIS communications

Friday 15 April 2016

U.S. sends weapon to hit ISIS communications

Two EA-6B Prowlers belonging to each Prowler squadron aboard Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point conducted a "Final Four" division flight aboard the air station March 1, 2016. The "Final Four" flight is the last time the Prowler squadrons will be flying together before the official retirement of Marine Tactical Electronic Warfare Training Squadron 1 at the end of Fiscal Year 16 and the eventual transition to "MAGTF EW". MAGTF EW is a more distributed strategy where every platform contributes to the EW mission, enabling relevant tactical information to move throughout the electromagnetic spectrum and across the battlefield faster than ever before. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. N.W. Huertas/Released)

Story highlights

A squadron of Marine Corps EA-6B Prowler aircraft has been sent to Incirlik Air Base in Turkey
They have been used in both Iraq and Syria since military action against ISIS began in 2014

Washington (CNN)The United States has deployed tactical aircraft capable of attacking ISIS's ability to communicate closer to the front lines of the battle against the terrorist group.

The U.S. European Command announced a squadron of Marine Corps EA-6B Prowler aircraft has been sent to Incirlik Air Base in Turkey to support operations against ISIS.

In addition to being able to intercept communications by ISIS, the Prowler can protect allied forces on the ground and strike aircraft by jamming any radar and communication devices ISIS has.

While the Pentagon won't spell out their mission specifically, the Prowlers could be used to jam cell phone signals and other devices used to trigger roadside bombs, or to interrupt radio broadcasts used to distribute ISIS propaganda.

The aircraft was first used in 1972 during the Vietnam War and also has been deployed to assist peacekeeping missions around the world, as well as to enforce "no-fly" zones like the one over the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s.

They have been used in both Iraq and Syria since military action against ISIS began in 2014.

"The Prowler is a force multiplier continuing to do what it has for the last 45 years: support warfighters flying in the air and fighting on the ground by giving them the electronic communications dominance to ensure a decisive win," Lt. Col. David Westover, Jr., a spokesman for European Command, told CNN.

The group of aircraft come from Marine Corps Tactical Warfare Squadron 4.

It's the latest addition to battlefield capability the U.S.-led coalition is putting forward in its fight against ISIS. U.S. Central Command last week sent B-52 bombers into the ISIS fight for the first time.

Deputy Defense Secretary Robert Work told reporters earlier this week the United States was unleashing "cyber bombs" as part of a new arsenal of weapons designed to cripple the command and control elements of ISIS.

And earlier this year, Defense Secretary Ash Carter said an enhanced cyber effort against ISIS was designed to "overload their network so they can't function."

The deployment for the current squadron of Prowlers to Incirlik is planned to last through September.