Two U.S. Navy Boeing EA-18G Growlers were destroyed on May 17 after colliding during an aerial demonstration at the Gunfighter Skies Air Show held at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho.
The aircraft, assigned to Electronic Attack Squadron VAQ-129 from Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, were performing a two-jet demonstration when the accident occurred shortly after midday local time.
Videos recorded by spectators show one Growler approaching the second aircraft from behind before striking it during a maneuver. The jets briefly remained entangled while descending before all four crew members ejected almost simultaneously.
The aircraft crashed moments later and exploded on impact near the base. Authorities said no injuries were reported on the ground.
Mountain Home Air Force Base temporarily entered lockdown after the accident and the remainder of the air show was canceled.
The U.S. Navy confirmed that all four aviators were recovered safely and transported for medical evaluation.
The cause of the collision remains under investigation.
The EA-18G Growler is the U.S. Navy’s carrier-based electronic attack aircraft derived from the two-seat F/A-18F Super Hornet. The type is designed for radar jamming, suppression of enemy air defenses and electronic warfare missions.
The loss is significant because the Growler remains one of the few dedicated tactical electronic warfare aircraft still in production-era service worldwide. Boeing ended production of the EA-18G in the late 2010s after completing deliveries for the U.S. Navy and Royal Australian Air Force.
The US Navy operates around 160 EA-18Gs, while Australia has a fleet of a dozen aircraft.
