he A2F-1Q was an electronic warfare version of the A2F-1, initially designed as a replacement for the Douglas F3D-2Q Skyknight with the Marine Corps. The Marine Corps showed sufficient interest that they ordered the work to proceed in March of 1962. The aircraft was redesignated EA-6A in September of 1962.
Two A2F-1s were modified as prototypes for the A2F-1Q. BuNo 147865 was used as an aerodynamic prototype, and A2F-1 BuNo 148618 was used as the electronic prototype. 148618 flew for the first time on April 26, 1963, by which time it had been redesignated EA-6A. The most significant external change was the presence of a canoe-shaped fin-tip fairing to accommodate a set of antennae.
Only 27 EA-6As were built, (2 prototypes, 10 modified from A-6A airframes, plus 15 production aircraft built from scratch as EA-6As). The planes served with the US Marine Corps in Vietnam as supplements and later replacements for the EF-10B (F3D-2Q) Skyknights. The first operational aircraft were delivered to VMCJ-1 at MCAS Cherry Point, North Carolina on December 1, 1965.
he purpose-built EA-6As were distributed to three operational Marine Corps squadrons VMCJ-1, -2, and -3. The EA-6A served along RF-4B Phantoms in VMCJ-1, -2 , -3 until 1975, when a decision was made to separate the two types of aircraft into different squadrons. All of the EA-6As were moved into VMA-1, and some were later given to the Reserve squadron VMAQ-4.
In later years, the EA-6As remaining in service were used primarily for training and for testing of friendly air defenses. The Marine Corps finally retired their last EA-6A in 1985. Although the Navy never used the EA-6A in active-duty squadrons, several Marine Corps detachments did deploy aboard Navy carriers in the Mediterranean sea and the Western Pacific in the early 1970s.
In addition, the aircraft could carry up to five jammer pods on the underwing pylons and on the centerline.
The aircraft could carry and launch the AGM-45 Shrike antiradiation missile, but this was very rarely used operationally.