The Grumman A-6E Intruder was the U.S. Navy’s primary carrier-capable, all-weather medium attack aircraft from the 1960s through the 1990s. Built for precision attack in poor weather or at night, the Intruder combined heavy payload, long range, and advanced (for its day) navigation/attack avionics — enabling strikes when other aircraft couldn’t operate.
 
 
General Information:
Manufacturer: Grumman Aerospace Corporation
Role: Carrier-based all-weather attack / interdiction / strike
Crew: 2 (pilot + bombardier/navigator) — notable for the side-by-side seating arrangement that improved crew coordination
First flight: 1960 (early development flights in 1960)
Introduced: early 1960s (entered U.S. Navy service in the 1960s)
Retired (U.S. Navy): 1997 (phased out as Navy strike mission shifted to F/A-18 variants)