Fighter pilot takes selfie as missile launches from plane

An Australian pilot took a selfie while flying a Growler and launching an AGM-88 missile during a live-fire exercise off the coast of the United States.

This selfie was taken by Royal Australian Air Force pilot Lieutenant Todd Woodford, assigned to the US Navy’s VAQ-135 squadron, which operates the EA-18G Growler, during a live-fire exercise off Pt. Mugu, California.

Pilot Woodford takes a selfie as his plane launches the missile. Photo: Woodford.

The EA-18G Growler is an electronic warfare variant of the two-seat F/A-18F Super Hornet that has replaced the EA-6B Prowlers in the US Navy.

The Growler is capable of actively jamming enemy communications systems. In a networked environment with two other aircraft of the same type, the Growler can use its electronic warfare pods to locate a signal source and target it with air-to-ground missiles at “head-on” range.

Lieutenant Woodford commanded a squadron of three EA-18Gs during the live-fire portion of the US Navy's Advanced Electronic Warfare Operations Course (HAVOC). He was the first Australian pilot to launch a HARM missile.

The officer is also one of six Australian aircrew serving with the US Navy’s EA-18G squadron as part of a bilateral personnel exchange program. Woodford is also the first international partner to complete the HAVOC course.

The integration of Australian Air Force pilots into US Navy squadrons has been ongoing since the fall of 2014.

In 2013, Australia committed to purchasing 12 EA-18Gs, 30 ALQ-99 tactical jammers, airborne electronic attack equipment, and AGM-88 HARM and AARGM weapons.

Australia will receive the first batch of EA-18Gs in January 2017./.

According to VOV