When it first went into action in Southeast Asia, the Grumman A-6A Intruder was the most modern and sophisticated warplane then operating from the US fleet's aircraft carriers. Thanks to its advanced electronic equipment, it was a plane capable of spotting and attacking an objective, even one as small as a truck or a tank, if necessary in poor light or even at night. As the war spread, Intruders were used in ever greater numbers, often as escorts to A-4 Skyhawks, homing in on the target with greater effectiveness. Other variants of the Grumman A-6 went into production, notably the one specialized in electronic warfare. This type of plane suffered relatively heavy losses, 51 machines being shot down by enemy fighters or anti-aircraft, and eleven as a result of operational accidents. The intruder is still one of the best all-weather attack aircraft in the US Navy.