Four U.S. Navy EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft that can detect and destroy radars and sensors aboard enemy warships have been rotated to Clark Air Base in the Philippines ahead of the July 12 decision on the South China Sea widely expected to favor the Philippines over China.

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The Navy said the Growlers belong to Electronic Attack Squadron 138 (VAQ-138) at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island in Washington State. The mission of VAQ-138 (nicknamed Yellow Jackets after the predatory yellow jacket wasp) is to project Electronic Attack dominance anywhere in the world at any time by providing fully combat ready aircraft and personnel. Its primary mission is Airborne Electronic Attack or AEA.

The squadron has flown combat missions over Afghanistan and exclusively flies the EA-18G Growler, described by its maker Boeing as "the most advanced AEA platform in the world."

The electronic warfare (EW) jets are officially being deployed to the Philippines as the next iteration of the Pacific Air Forces' (PACAF) continuing rotations.

They will replace a contingent of heavily armored A-10C Warthog ground attack aircraft and HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters now at Clark Air Base. This first rotational force deployed last April consists of five A-10C Thunderbolt IIs from the 51st Fighter Wing at Osan Air Base, South Korea, and three HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters with the 18th Air Wing out of Kadena Air Base, Japan, including aircrew, maintainers, logisticians and support personnel.

China's move to own practically all of the South China Sea -- and to construct military installations on artificially created islands in the region -- has brought condemnation from members of the international community, including most of China's Asian neighbors.

PACAF, which is overseeing the deployment, won't say how long the Growlers will be in the Philippines, but said they'll train with Philippine Air Force personnel and their FA-50 fighter aircraft.

"We're excited to be able to integrate the Growlers as part of the ongoing air contingent there in the Philippines," said Maj. Gen. Mark Dillon, vice commander of PACAF. "It provides us an opportunity to train with one of our key allies in the region, just like we train and fly with many of our key allies and partners every day across that broad theater."

The EA-18G defeats an enemy's Integrated Air Defense System using a combination of EW systems and air-to-ground missiles. It can carry up to five ALQ-99 jamming pods for AEA. It can be armed with two AIM-120 AMRAAM (Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles) or AGM-88 HARM (High Speed Anti-Radiation Missiles).

AMRAAMs are used to shoot down enemy aircraft while HARM destroys enemy radar sites on warships or on the ground.

The United States has deployed two Nimitz-class nuclear supercarriers to Philippine waters to head-off any military action China might be planning following an expected adverse ruling against its claim to own practically all of the South China Sea.

China has long threatened to take military action against the Philippines, the weakest of its two foes in its fight to claim the South China Sea. Vietnam is China's other adversary but is militarily far stronger than the Philippines, especially in naval and air power.

Analysts said an adverse ruling against its claim to own the South China Sea at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague might tempt China to launch a naval attack on the Philippines to send a message to back-off to the other five Asian nations claiming to own parts of the South China Sea.

Legal experts have long said the ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration will likely go against China. 

TagsEA-18G Growler, U.S. Navy, Electronic Attack Squadron 138, Clark Air Base, Philippines