F-18, Super Hornet and Growler [Archive]

buglerbilly

18-02-10, 11:59 PM

DATE:18/02/10

SOURCE:Flight InternationalCanberra to delay decision on Growler upgrade for F/A-18Fs

By Siva Govindasamy

Australia may not immediately convert its 12 Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornets that are being wired for the E/A-18G Growler electronic-attack configuration and could receive them in their original standard instead.

The aircraft - drawn from a 24-strong order - are being wired so that they can be converted in Australia, but the government and the Royal Australian Air Force are not about to make a decision.

"There is an acknowledgement that we need a fighter that will perform non-kinetic electronic attack roles, and the [Super Hornet] fighters could fit that role," says Gp Capt Steve Robertson, head of the RAAF's air combat transition wing and officer commanding its Super Hornet wing. "But we could take all 24 aircraft in the Super Hornet configuration and then convert some of them into Growlers at a later stage. It will not be a simple task, but we will have the capability to do it."

Robertson says Australia's strategy is something that the US Navy is considering as well. "They realise that this is a good option to consider as you refine your requirements," he adds.

Industry sources say that the decision to convert the Super Hornets into Growlers could also depend on when the RAAF takes delivery of its Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighters. While it is scheduled to receive its first aircraft in 2014, there remain worries that this could be delayed because of ongoing problems with the programme.

Such a delay could result in Canberra ordering another 12-24 Super Hornets, allowing it to convert some from the initial batch into Growlers while retaining its air combat capability.

But Robertson says there is no indication of whether there will be an order for additional Super Hornets. "The government has to make that decision," he says. "The focus is now on getting the Super Hornets in service and looking at getting the F-35s on board on time."

McDethWivFries

19-02-10, 02:31 AM

Milne Bay

19-02-10, 03:23 AM

Sounds like someones decided not to have a look at the gift horses mouth . . . if they dont do it i wonder how much it will cost us to take up the option of wiring them later on? Also is a little bit confusing in that the initial reports about the Growler wiring were that it would have the same performance as the normal SH but with the extra wiring allow it to do electronic attack as well? From what they say there it seems like thats not the case at all...

I think that the report is a little ambiguous.
As I read it, it says that the wiring will still be installed - only that the full conversion to Growler has not yet been decided.
Abe will be able to clear this up for us.
Cheers
MB

Gubler, A.

19-02-10, 03:42 AM

The RAAF's requirement for the Growler is to support the F-35 doing things only it can do and against high level threats that will be on the regional table from around 2020 onwards. The Growler can drop bombs and the like but its not as simple as that. Crews need to be trained, tactics developed, etc and most importantly a Growler does Growler work as opposed to a strike fighter. The long term plan was for the RAAF to develop a Growler capability in a staged approach after the Super Hornets are introduced and after the F-35 is introduced. The whole thing was brought forward and into the public's eye in a political manoeuvre by an under siege former Defence Minister.

McDethWivFries

19-02-10, 03:44 AM

Cheers Abe, Milne. The way it read to me was that they were basically getting 24 straight SHs rather than the 12 SH/12 SH (wired for Growler but sans pods etc).

Gubler, A.

19-02-10, 03:53 AM

Wired for Growler is just wire. You need to pull the gun and Sidewinders and replace them with boxs and wing tip pods and load a lot of software and so on to make it a Growler. Super Hornets 13-24 will be the same as the others but just with 500 pounds or so extra weight. So if you are training in like on like dog fighting make sure you get 1-12 to have a performance edge...

buglerbilly

19-02-10, 02:07 PM

Super Hornet Training Support Services Contract

(Source: Australian Department of Defence; issued February 19, 2010)

Greg Combet, Minister for Defence Personnel, Materiel and Science, announced today that Raytheon Australia has been awarded the Training Support Services Contract to support Super Hornet training systems at Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Base Amberley.

“The signing of the Super Hornet Training Support Services Contract is worth approximately $21.5 million over three years, and secures about 25 jobs at RAAF Base Amberley for that period,” Mr Combet said.

“The contract is vital for effective support of the Air Force’s fleet of Super Hornets when they begin arriving at RAAF Base Amberley this year.

“Raytheon Australia will provide maintenance, logistics, and training services to support the Super Hornet flight simulators, visual environment maintenance trainers and electronic classrooms.

“Australia is acquiring 24 F/A-18F Super Hornets to aid the transition to a mature Joint Strike Fighter capability, and allow Air Force to retire the F-111 fleet in December 2010.

“The Super Hornet project is on budget and running ahead of schedule. The first Australian Super Hornets will arrive in late March 2010. The remaining aircraft will be progressively introduced throughout the remainder of 2010 and 2011,” Mr Combet said.

Shayne Neumann, the Federal Member for Blair, said that the contract signing further strengthens the partnership between the RAAF, industry and the Ipswich area community.

“I am very pleased that this contract will support local jobs and help maintain our air combat capability,” Mr Neumann said.

-ends-

Exsandgroper

27-02-10, 05:45 AM

26/02/2010 MSPA 49/10

Australia’s First Super Hornets Preparing to Fly Home

What: Royal Australian Air Force personnel from No. 1 Squadron are in the United States preparing Australia’s first F/A-18F Super Hornets for the flight to Australia.

Where: Naval Air Station Lemoore, California, United States.

When: 1pm – 2:30pm, Thursday, 4 March 2010.

Who: Air Commodore Mel Hupfeld, Commander Air Combat Group, Group Captain Steve ‘Zed’ Roberton and Wing Commander Glen Braz, Commanding Officer No.1 Squadron will be available for interview.

No. 1 Squadron personnel are conducting test flights on Australia’s first F/A-18F Super Hornets at the United States Navy host Squadron VFA-122.

No. 1 Squadron’s preparations include conducting air-to-air refuelling training in readiness for the long flight to Australia, commencing 19 March 2010.

Cheers

buglerbilly

28-02-10, 08:56 AM

Australia's shrinking air force

Cameron Stewart

From: The Australian February 27, 2010 12:00AM

THE nation's air combat force has withered to its smallest size in a generation, with less than half of the country's fighter jets available for operations.

At times this year as many as three out of four of the RAAF's 86 fighter jets have been grounded due to maintenance, upgrades or safety concerns.

Of those warplanes that are available, only a handful can be sent into combat because they do not yet have sufficient electronic protection to survive against modern air defences.

The Weekend Australian understands that only 21 of the RAAF's 71 F/A-18 Hornets are currently available, while the 15 ageing F-111 strike bombers were only cleared to fly again last week after being grounded early this month when an in-flight emergency forced a safety review.

The parlous state of the frontline air force has added urgency to the arrival of 26 F/A-18 Super Hornets that were purchased for $6 billion by the Howard government and are due to start arriving next month.

Defence Minister John Faulkner refused to discuss the current availability of the RAAF's fighters, but maintained: "Air force is at all times generating sufficient combat capability to meet government requirements."

The government has promised to inject more funds into making defence equipment more battle-ready. It has recently come under pressure to explain why the navy has been unable to put more than one of its six submarines to sea on a regular basis.

Defence sources say the F/A-18 Hornet fleet, which is of 1980s vintage, has been hit by maintenance issues, delayed upgrade programs and staffing problems.

After a safety review, the F-111 fleet was cleared to fly again on February 19, but the 1960s-vintage strike bomber is due to be retired at the end of the year and is considered unlikely to be given heavy operational requirements from now on.

The RAAF's 71 Hornets were designed in the US and assembled in Australia in the 1980s.

As a result, they have been subjected to rolling upgrades to their systems and airframes to ensure they can provide effective air defence until the first squadron of new Joint Strike Fighters comes into service in 2018.

The problems with the RAAF's fighter fleet are mirrored in many other areas of the defence force, where billions of dollars of powerful weaponry is awaiting upgrades or promised replacements and cannot be deployed.

The navy's eight Anzac frigates cannot be sent into a hotly contested war zone because of a lack of defensive weaponry, while the army cannot deploy its 33 Black Hawk helicopters to war zones because they are vulnerable to shoulder-launched missiles.

Raven22

28-02-10, 09:43 AM

The parlous state of the frontline air force has added urgency to the arrival of 26 F/A-18 Super Hornets that were purchased for $6 billion by the Howard government and are due to start arriving next month.

How much credibility does an artcle that makes such a basic mistake have?

ADMk2

28-02-10, 12:23 PM

Cameron Stewart

Of those warplanes that are available, only a handful can be sent into combat because they do not yet have sufficient electronic protection to survive against modern air defences.

I seem to recall RAAF F/A-18's flying combat missions in Iraq...

Also current pics tend to show that RAAF Hornets increasingly do have "electronic protection". I wonder what Mr Stewart thinks the small little oval shaped device on the front port and starboard side of the fuselage (and at other places on the airframe) is for? Decoration? Could it perhaps be part of the ALR-67v3...

Milne Bay

28-02-10, 12:38 PM

Does pose an interesting question though
How far into the F/A-18 HUG programme did the fleet get?
Be good to find out how many of the 71 were actually finished.
MB

ADMk2

28-02-10, 12:50 PM

Does pose an interesting question though
How far into the F/A-18 HUG programme did the fleet get?
Be good to find out how many of the 71 were actually finished.
MB

It's still underway.

From last count I saw, 30 something had the ALR-67v3 RWR integrated and the Elta self-protection jammer and JASSM are still being integrated. Apart from this work, the on-going "blending and patching" operations under Phase 3.1 will remain on-going throughout the life of the Hornets, as I understand it.

All the jets that can be seen at Red Flag however, have ALR-67, Litening AT and JHMCS integrated. Apart from JASSM and SPJ there is nothing more to "go on them" under HUG...

ARH v.3.1

28-02-10, 12:54 PM

I seem to recall RAAF F/A-18's flying combat missions in Iraq...

They flew on the periphery of the battlespace against a 1970's air defense system that was already beat to shit. I think it fair to say they weren't exactly pushing the envelope.

Raven22

28-02-10, 01:28 PM

They flew on the periphery of the battlespace against a 1970's air defense system that was already beat to shit. I think it fair to say they weren't exactly pushing the envelope.

By the same token, to say that the Blackhawks can't be deployed to Afghanistan because they don't have enough protection against the SAM threat is pushing things a bit.

Every bit of kit we currently have can be used on any battlefield you wish - just with increasing levels of risk.

ADMk2

28-02-10, 02:33 PM

They flew on the periphery of the battlespace against a 1970's air defense system that was already beat to shit. I think it fair to say they weren't exactly pushing the envelope.

True, but it didn't prevent them from taking a greater part in the battle, our ROE's and Government policy did. As Raven pointed out, nothing in the ADF "cannot be used in combat". It can only be done so with an increasing level of risk, depending on the capability. Besides, Stewart is talking a load of shit. The Hornets have had RWR, counter-measures dispensers and an internal jammer ever since they were delivered. What he means to say is that this level of "electronic protection" is no longer sufficient. No-one disputes that, not even RAAF, but when a political decision is made to choose an indigenous EW solution that is then right royally ferged up and RAAF are forced to go back to the "off the shelf" EW system, to get the capability we need to rectify this lack of "electronic protection" of course there are going to be delays...

ADMk2

28-02-10, 02:40 PM

Also, is it just me (or perhaps the lighting) or do the Hornets flying at Red Flag, have a distinct gold tinge to the glass at the front of their canopies, these days and if so is anyone allowed to talk about it???

The importance of course being that gold tinted canopies relate to the overall signature management of an aircraft...

For instance:

and

and

and

and

tiddles

01-03-10, 01:13 AM

The navy's eight Anzac frigates cannot be sent into a hotly contested war zone because of a lack of defensive weaponry, while the army cannot deploy its 33 Black Hawk helicopters to war zones because they are vulnerable to shoulder-launched missiles

Not really for this thread but the comment re the Anzac Frigates is a bit tough as they are basically designed as Patrol Frigates with ASW capability. Very few 3-4000 ton Frigates belonging to any other Navy are designed to operate in hotly contested war zones either.With regard to the figure of 21 Hornets being available ,well who knows if this is true but the best info given in the past on T5C suggests that only half the number of planes on any Squadron are usually available at any time during periods of "peace" with half being used for training or having maintenance anyhow. With 71 Hornets on roster and 6 of those two seaters usually put aside for training well the max. available would be normally 33 available for active service anyhow. The differential between 21 & 33 may be due circumstances peculiar to this point in time, maybe more Hugging I dont know.
Tiddles

Doohan

01-03-10, 01:20 AM

RAAF's Response

Do like the swipe at Kopp et al

27 February, 2010
Letter to the Editor – The Australian
The article on Air Force’s air combat aircraft by Cameron Stewart in ‘The Australian’ (Saturday 27 February) is not an accurate reflection of Air Force’s current capability and readiness.
Air Force maintains a potent air combat capability, which will be further boosted within weeks, when the first of RAAF’s next-generation Super Hornets will arrive in Australia.
For obvious reasons Defence does not publicly release availability numbers of air combat aircraft. However, Cameron Stewart’s article may be referring to the period of operational standby over Christmas, when Air Force maintains its normal level of high readiness for short notice tasks, while many of our people including maintainers are taking well earned leave with their families.
The newspaper story made only passing reference to the much publicised Hornet Upgrade (HUG) project. This project is successfully delivering state of the art fighter aircraft which will be ready to operate effectively in the threat environment of the next decade. F/A-18s involved in the upgrade are off-line for a period of time, but this is a staged process to ensure Air Force always maintains sufficient capability to fulfil Government tasking and crew training.
The F-111s are ageing aircraft which have served Australia well, but are now approaching the end of their operational life. Air Force is retiring its F-111s at the end of 2010 and is acquiring a fleet of 24 Super Hornets as an interim replacement for the F-111, before the cutting edge F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is delivered to Australia.
Air Force is experiencing some challenges with the ageing F-111s. Again, it is widely acknowledged that the F-111 is increasingly expensive and difficult to maintain and operate. Despite this, a few uninformed commentators continue to call for F-111 operations to be extended beyond 2010.
The arrival of the first group of Super Hornets next month marks a new chapter for Air Force and a major leap in air combat capability. The Super Hornet is a true multi-role aircraft that, when flown and supported by the high calibre people within Air Force, will ensure Australia’s regional air combat capability edge through to the introduction of the F-35.
Air Marshal Mark Binskin
Chief of Air Force

Gubler, A.

01-03-10, 02:08 AM

The HUG was/is across 64 of the RAAF's Hornets. Since the operational squadrons only need 48 aircraft to be at full strength (including their 1st and 2nd line maintenance float) this leaves quite a few spare.

As to claims the HUG Hornet is left wtihout jamming support that is crazy. They have the ELTA jamming pod which is pretty much top of the line. It is probably referring to the lack ofa Turd or ALE-50/55 towed decoy. The USN has a program to provide their C/D Hornets wtih some discrete RCS reduction (similar to USAF HAVE GLASS). Since HUG in many ways leverages the USN upgrade (and more) and Australia has been given access to US LO technology (Super Hornet, JASSM) it should not be a great leap of the imaginiation to assume our Hornets have smaller RCS now than they did in the late 1980s.

Gubler, A.

01-03-10, 02:20 AM

JimWH

01-03-10, 06:36 AM

I'll pitch in $5 to buy them an F-111 to use as a chew toy if it'll shut them up.

Milne Bay

01-03-10, 08:20 AM

Tim

01-03-10, 09:29 AM

Milne Bay

01-03-10, 09:41 AM

There's an F-111G at Point Cook now, joining the F-4E and English Electric Canberra in the new "Strike Hanger" display. They had it open for a preview at the 2010 Air Pageant (just this weekend past), I got a nice close look. According to the guys manning the hanger, there's an F-111C on the way too. Going to be one cramped hanger once they've got all four planes in there... but in any case, that's one G and one C accounted for MB :)

Cool. I have just been thinking that the Australian War Museum may not be interested as the F-111 in RAAF colours never flew in anger. I don't think long range reconnaissance missions would count, but if they did, were any F-111's used in the Timor crisis?
Interested
MB

ARH v.3.1

01-03-10, 10:15 AM

Cool. I have just been thinking that the Australian War Museum may not be interested as the F-111 in RAAF colours never flew in anger. I don't think long range reconnaissance missions would count, but if they did, were any F-111's used in the Timor crisis?
Interested
MB

IIRC they were used in Tasmania...

IIRC there was also a flight on standby when INTERFET kicked off too.

SteveJH

01-03-10, 12:33 PM

From AusTender:

"The Commonwealth requires a Proposal for physical destruction of the following equipment:

a. quantity 13 F-111G aircraft (approximately 20 tonne per aircraft) held at RAAF BaseAmberley; and

b. quantity 70 TF-30 engines (approximately 2 tonne per engine) held at RAAF Base Amberley."

Ohh no we won't be able to pitch in and get one for APA... Maybe there will be a left over F-111Cs...

And it would be so funny watching Mr Kopp and Mr Goon "flying" an F-111 on Mr Kopps front lawn as well...... :(

bugler....did you post that article on another forum by any chance....?

Deks

01-03-10, 04:35 PM

IIRC they were used in Tasmania...

IIRC there was also a flight on standby when INTERFET kicked off too.

They definitly flew recon flights at some point, I remember reading about it. I think it was after it cooled down a bit, though.

Doohan

01-03-10, 10:52 PM

On a related issue: when the Army stated to phase out the Leopard the War Memorial requested one for the collection.

The response provided by Army was something like “Army supports the gifting of significant military vehicles to the War Memorial, to that end could the AWM please provide the ARN of the vehicle itwould prefer and the significant military battle or conflict in which it served”.

Needless to say I don’t think the AWM has a Leopard in its collection.

buglerbilly

02-03-10, 01:41 AM

And it would be so funny watching Mr Kopp and Mr Goon "flying" an F-111 on Mr Kopps front lawn as well...... :(

bugler....did you post that article on another forum by any chance....?

NOT me.............might have been my Evil Twin but you never know with him..............

McDethWivFries

02-03-10, 03:29 AM

I remember reading that the F16 had a 'gold coating' on their conopies to help improve stealth. Being that its only on the forward part, maybe its trying to reduce to frontal rcs of the old Hornets?

SteveJH

02-03-10, 08:36 AM

NOT me.............might have been my Evil Twin but you never know with him..............

Fair enough, just wondering since it was posted by a person called Volkodav on Strategy Page in the Australia section....

buglerbilly

02-03-10, 10:31 AM

Navy needs more time for Super Hornet deal

By Roxana Tiron - 03/01/10 04:14 PM ET

Boeing and the Navy are working to bring down the cost of a multiyear contract for fighter jets to make the deal more palatable to Pentagon leaders.

As a result, Deputy Secretary of Defense William Lynn on Monday asked for an extension on the deadline to notify Congress of a new multiyear contract to have Boeing build F/A-18 E/F Super Hornets.

Lynn told the congressional defense committees on Monday that the Pentagon would need more time to evaluate a contract offer it received from Boeing.

A spokesman for Navy acquisition said the Navy had recently received a “viable offer” from Boeing on a multiyear contract to build 124 F/A-18 series aircraft.

“The Navy has been working with the Office of the Secretary of Defense and Congress, and needs additional time to properly evaluate the offer. No decision has yet been made, and the department will work with Congress on how to best move forward,” said Cmdr. Victor Chen, a spokesman for Navy acquisition. “The Navy is committed to reducing acquisition costs while delivering capability to the war fighter.”

The Navy had been expected to inform Congress on Monday whether it planned to strike the deal.

Boeing and its congressional supporters have been pressing for a long-term contract for several years. The idea is to save money on the planes by offering the contractor the predictability of production and deliveries over four to five years.

Congressional supporters also aim to stave off a shortfall of fighter jets on the decks of the Navy’s carriers. The shortfall, expected to peak in 2016-2017, has been a matter of debate between Congress and the Pentagon for several years.

That debate is fresh on lawmakers’ minds. Pentagon leaders recently restructured the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program that would build next-generation fighters for the Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force. Lawmakers fear this could lead to delays in the delivery of the F-35 to the Navy and Marine Corps.

The F-35 is supposed to replace the older versions of the F-18. Super Hornets, the newest version of the F-18, are supposed to share carrier deck space with the F-35 until 2030.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates and other Pentagon officials, including the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Mike Mullen, are standing strongly by the F-35 as the next-generation fighter aircraft.

Gates in February hit against the notion of another multiyear contract for the Super Hornets, arguing that it would not bring the 10 percent in savings customary for such long-term contracts. Instead, Gates argued that a multiyear contract would shave only 6.5 percent off the price of a Super Hornet.

Meanwhile, Mullen told the House Armed Services Committee in early February that the Navy and Marine Corps were working hard to prevent the fighter shortfall. Mullen said that the Navy and Marine Corps reduced the gap from 245 to a “very low number.” Other Navy officials have argued that the force can manage with the holes the service will face as part of the F-35 restructuring.

One of Boeing’s strongest supporters for the multiyear contract, Rep. Todd Akin (R-Mo.), rejected Gates’s savings calculations. In a letter to Gates last month, Akin argued that Gates’s estimate was based on the 89 aircraft originally planned for fiscal years 2010 through 2013.

Congress added nine aircraft to the 2010 budget, and the Navy’s 2011 budget request includes plans to buy 124 more Super Hornets as well as the electronic attack version of the planes over the next several fiscal years.

The increased purchases will represent savings that “far exceed” the 6.5 percent if the planes were bought as part of a multiyear contract, according to Akin, the ranking member of the Armed Services Seapower subcommittee.

“Adding 35 aircraft [to the 89] and an additional year of production could easily push the savings close to $500 million,” Akin wrote to Gates.

Akin, whose district represents the St. Louis plant where Boeing builds the planes, also argued that authorization language allows the Navy to enter into a multiyear contract even if the savings are below 10 percent because “definitive” actions need to be taken to mitigate the fighter shortfall.

Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus told the House Armed Services Committee in late February the Navy was working to meet the March 1 deadline for notifying Congress of its intent to enter into a multiyear contract for the Super Hornets.

“While I am encouraged that it seems the Navy sees the fiscal wisdom of entering into a multiyear contract for F/A-18s, I am concerned that this may also represent foot-dragging by the senior civilian leadership of the [Department of Defense],” Akin said in a statement Monday. “The Navy confirmed that they had a firm offer from Boeing that would save them 10 percent over the course of a multiyear contract.”

The request for the extension suggests the Navy needs more time to convince the Pentagon brass, which may still try to block the service’s efforts to enter a longer-term contract, according to a congressional source.

buglerbilly

03-03-10, 02:12 AM

Lynn: Pentagon May Buy 124 Super Hornets

By JOHN REED

Published: 2 Mar 2010 18:00

The Pentagon is asking lawmakers for more time to decide whether to buy an additional 124 F/A-18E/F Super Hornets after receiving a "viable offer" for a multiyear contract on the jets from Boeing, according to a Feb. 26 letter sent to Capitol Hill from Deputy Defense Secretary William Lynn.

"In the last few days" the U.S. Navy received the "viable offer" from Boeing for the 124 new aircraft, Lynn wrote. "I am writing to inform you that the Department of Defense continues to explore the possibility" of buying the additional Super Hornets."

Last year, Congress authorized the Navy to negotiate an additional multiyear purchase of Super Hornets and gave the service a deadline of early March 2010 to decide whether it wanted them.

In early February, senior Navy officials said that a Boeing multiyear offer for 89 of the jets did not provide enough savings to warrant the purchase.

Navy officials said the new Boeing offer would give the service 66 Super Hornets and 58 EA-18G Growler variants in 2010 through 2013, which would save the service 10 percent over buying the jets on a yearly basis.

"The Navy, working with the Office of the Secretary of Defense, needs additional time to properly evaluate the offer" because Boeing's latest bid came in so close to the service's deadline for informing Congress on whether or not it will buy the aircraft, a Navy statement said.

All of this comes as senior Navy and U.S. Air Force officials announced they are re-evaluating their respective initial operating capability (IOC) dates for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter following news that the newly restructured F-35 program will likely be delayed by 13 months. On March 2, Air Force Secretary Michael Donley told reporters that the air service is pushing its F-35 IOC date back by two years to 2015.

In 2006, the Chicago-based company proffered the Navy a multiyear package of 170 Super Hornets for $49.9 million a piece, an offer that officially expired last April.

Gubler, A.

03-03-10, 02:45 AM

I read somewhere - old T5C perhaps - that some airframes were being made available for preservation. Australian War Museum would be an obvious choice, as well I have a vague recollection of others going to community groups like Local councils and the like.
Is this correct or am I dreaming this?

No doubt many of the 20 or so F-111Cs will be made available to museums but I doubt they will be sold of to anyone for caravan park gate guards like the Canberras. Its one thing to have a field gun or tank in your local park or RSL entrance for 100 years but an airplane will deteriorate much quicker if left outside without maintenance. I don’t think it’s in the air force’s interest to have lumps of F-111s around the place in 25 years time.

As to the F-111Gs since they are ex USAF nuclear bombers their disposal would be high restricted by the US. Which is why only one is staying on the RAAF’s books (not being passed on to another authority) and the rest are being scrapped under controlled circumstances. Of course you won’t read anything as informed as that in the local tabloids….

Raven22

03-03-10, 08:37 AM

Speaking of local tabloids, I was reading the daily news summary today and saw a gem by the Australian.

I've linked the article, but I had a big giggle at the first sentence:

THE Royal Australian Air Force is looking for someone to do what the Soviet Union could only dream of during the Cold War -- destroy its F-111 strike bombers.

Those poor Soviets.

The last sentence is a good one as well:

The bombers will be replaced by a squadron of 26 F/A-18 Super Hornets, the first of which will arrive in Australia this week.

Very accurate there.

The online version also has an interesting take on the heading as well:

Air Force wants old F-111 strike biombers destroyed

Good stuff all round really.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/air-force-wants-old-f-111-strike-biombers-destroyed/story-e6frg8yo-1225836280876

Gubler, A.

03-03-10, 10:11 AM

Actually the AusTender page wasn't for a tender as outlined in that article. It was for an expression of interest. But I didn't include that in my cut and paste into this forum. Combined with the delay from the issuing of the notice (26 Feb) to the story suggests that the source was this place...

The rest of the story is nonsense. These F-111Gs were brought by Paul Keating in the 1990s as spare parts hulks. They are not the long serving F-111Cs. Control of their disposal would have been a major condition of the USAF's mates rates. Of course since they used to be nuclear bombers in the SAC takes it to another level.

As to those poor Soviets well the Libyans managed to shoot one down for a 4% loss rate. They might have fared worse up against the Soviets.

https://www.tenders.gov.au/?event=public.advert.show&AdvertUUID=F9646C76-AA65-5BEA-328B91D5EF259582

ADMk2

03-03-10, 01:44 PM

buglerbilly

04-03-10, 02:20 PM

Super Hornets Preparing for Flight to Australia

(Source: Australian Department of Defence; issued March 4, 2010)

The first group of Air Force's next-generation Super Hornets will arrive in Australia later this month, Chief of Air Force, Air Marshal Mark Binskin announced today.

The Super Hornets arrival will represent a major leap in Air Force capability. They are Australia's first new air combat aircraft in 25 years.

A detachment of aircrew and maintenance personnel from RAAF's No. 1 Squadron is currently at Naval Air Station Lemoore in California, preparing the aircraft for the series of flights to Australia.

"This is the beginning of a new chapter for Air Force. The Super Hornet is a true multi-role aircraft that, when flown and supported by RAAF's high-calibre people, will ensure Australia's regional air combat capability edge through to the introduction of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter," Air Marshal Binskin said.

"Reaching this stage of the project on time and on budget has been due to a great partnership between the Royal Australian Air Force, Defence Materiel Organisation, United States Navy, The Boeing Company and their industry partners, General Electric, Northrop Grumman and Raytheon.

"The next few weeks will be a very busy time for the Super Hornet aircrew and maintainers at Lemoore. The detachment is conducting acceptance flights and ground tests on each of the aircraft.

"Another key task for the detachment will be working with an air-to-air tanker, conducting day and night refuelling flights to ensure they are ready for the journey to Australia," Air Marshal Binskin said.

Air Force is acquiring 24 Super Hornets which will progressively arrive at their home base, RAAF Amberley near Ipswich, during 2010 and 2011.

The Super Hornets are an interim replacement for the ageing F-111s. The F-111s have served Australia well, but are now approaching the end of their operational life, and will be retired at the end of this year.

Details of the Super Hornet welcome activities are being finalised and will be announced closer to the arrival time.

-ends-

Milne Bay

04-03-10, 10:49 PM

RAAF's Super Hornets locked in for escort duty for Obama visit

* Mark Dodd
* From: The Australian
* March 05, 2010 12:00AM

FOUR of the RAAF's new Super Hornet fighters, just off the assembly line at the Boeing factory in St Louis, will escort Air Force One on the flight from the US to Canberra when Barack Obama visits this month.

The US President will arrive in Canberra on March 23 on his first official visit to Australia. He will address a joint sitting of federal parliament, which will be recalled for a special two-day session.

On March 22, both the House of Representatives and the Senate will sit to deal with government business, including question time.

The F/A-18F Super Hornets will be the latest additions to the air force's jet fleet and will replace the ageing F-111 strike aircraft that are scheduled for retirement by the end of the year.

The multi-role jets have been going through work-up trials, including air-to-air refuelling in California in preparation for the inaugural trans-Pacific flight. It is not known if they will be armed for their VIP escort mission.

Deks

06-03-10, 12:41 AM

It is not known if they will be armed for their VIP escort mission.

It'll be interesting if they are, but hopefully we'll get some good photos either way :)

ADMk2

06-03-10, 02:00 PM

Milne Bay

06-03-10, 09:52 PM

Always interesting to see how badly things get mish-mashed by journalists.
If it has tracks, it's a tank.
If it is any kind of warship bigger than a patrol boat, it's a battleship.
If it's a jet and it flies fast, it's a fighter .......etc etc
As for this comment
After the Howard government announced in 2007 it was purchasing the Super Hornets, some aviation experts argued the planes, built by Boeing, would be no match for Russia's new MiG 29s.
I'm sure the so called aviation experts were referring to the Flanker aircraft.
This report can't even get the reported mis-information right.
From what I have seen, even our current F/A-18 HUG's should have little trouble disposing of a Mig-29

Unicorn

08-03-10, 09:29 AM

Never underestimate the capability of the so-called 'defence journalists' in the mainstream media to frak it all up.

Unicorn

Chunder

09-03-10, 08:32 AM

What are you talking about Unicorn? ABC news announced them as being the Navy's new Super Hornets.

Shit the RAAF must be pissed about that.

McDethWivFries

09-03-10, 09:21 AM

Bet the cheif of navy after he saw that called up his aides and got them to dust off the old flat top proposal to be rushed into DefMins hands shortly after right? (o:

Exsandgroper

12-03-10, 09:23 AM

News Releases

Northrop Grumman Successfully Demonstrates Capabilities of LITENING Targeting System on U.S. Navy F/A-18E/F
ROLLING MEADOWS, Ill., March 10, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) today announced it successfully demonstrated its LITENING advanced targeting capabilities on the U.S. Navy's premier fighter/attack aircraft, the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, marking the eighth U.S. combat aircraft to fly the advanced targeting system.
"During the 1.5 hour flight conducted at the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, China Lake, Calif., LITENING demonstrated its performance, flexibility and interoperability under operationally representative conditions," said Mike Lennon, vice president of Targeting and Surveillance Programs for Northrop Grumman's Targeting Systems Division. "With LITENING, Northrop Grumman offers advanced sensor technology, unique features, high reliability, proven worldwide support and a demonstrated ability to easily integrate emerging technologies, all at a very competitive price and delivery schedule. As a result of this successful integration of LITENING on the F/A-18E/F aircraft, potential international Super Hornet customers now have another advanced targeting system choice to maximize their targeting and surveillance capabilities."
Northrop Grumman's LITENING pod is a self-contained, multi-sensor system that enables operators with surveillance and situational awareness, and the ability to detect, acquire, identify, and auto-track targets for highly accurate delivery of both conventional and precision-guided weapons. Fully integrated to support both air-to-air and air-to-ground engagements, LITENING features advanced image processing for target identification; coordinate generation for GPS weapons; a 640 x 512 or 1,024 x 1,024 pixel forward-looking infrared sensor for effective day and night operations; a 1,024 x 1,024 pixel charge-coupled device television sensor; a dual waveband infrared laser designator and eye-safe laser range finder; a laser spot tracker; an infrared laser marker; and optional air-to-ground video data link and digital video recorder.
To date, more than 600 LITENING pods have been ordered by the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, and seven allied nations. More than 500 systems have been fielded, the largest number of any advanced targeting and sensor system. LITENING is combat proven on the AV-8B, A-10A/C, B-52H, EA-6B, F-15E, F-16 (Blocks 15-52) and F/A-18 Hornet aircraft. Together, all variants of the LITENING pod have amassed more than 1,000,000 flight hours, with over 500,000 hours logged under deployed or combat conditions.
Northrop Grumman Corporation is a leading global security company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in aerospace, electronics, information systems, shipbuilding and technical services to government and commercial customers worldwide.
CONTACT: Paul C. Cabellon
Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems
(410) 765-7192
paul.cabellon@ngc.com

Does this mean now that the LITENING pods of the Hornets will be interchangeable with the Super Hornets.?

Cheers

buglerbilly

12-03-10, 02:29 PM

Super Hornet Training Support Services Contract

(Source: Australian Department of Defence; issued March 11, 2010)

Greg Combet, Minister for Defence Personnel, Materiel and Science, announced today that Raytheon Australia has been awarded the Training Support Services Contract to support Super Hornet training systems at Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Base Amberley.

“The signing of the Super Hornet Training Support Services Contract is worth approximately $21.5 million over three years, and secures about 25 jobs at RAAF Base Amberley for that period,” Mr Combet said.

“The contract is vital for effective support of the Air Force’s fleet of Super Hornets when they begin arriving at RAAF Base Amberley this year.”

“Raytheon Australia will provide maintenance, logistics, and training services to support the Super Hornet flight simulators, visual environment maintenance trainers and electronic classrooms.”

“Australia is acquiring 24 F/A-18F Super Hornets to aid the transition to a mature Joint Strike Fighter capability, and allow Air Force to retire the F-111 fleet in December 2010.”

“The Super Hornet project is on budget and running ahead of schedule. The first Australian Super Hornets will arrive in late March 2010. The remaining aircraft will be progressively introduced throughout the remainder of 2010 and 2011,” Mr Combet said.

Shayne Neumann, the Federal Member for Blair, said that the contract signing further strengthens the partnership between the RAAF, industry and the Ipswich area community.

“I am very pleased that this contract will support local jobs and help maintain our air combat capability.” Mr Neumann said.

-ends-

buglerbilly

13-03-10, 01:21 AM

U.S. Grounds 104 Hornets After More Cracks Discovered

By philip ewing

Published: 12 Mar 2010 15:12

U.S. Naval Air Systems Command grounded 104 U.S. Navy and Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornet fighter jets March 12 after inspectors discovered the airframes were developing cracks much earlier than engineers had thought.

A U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet prepares to land on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier Carl Vinson during a flight demonstration March 10, while Vinson was underway off the coast of Argentina. (MC2 ADRIAN WHITE / U.S. NAVY)

The grounding order affects the first four varieties of Hornet - models A through D - and does not apply to aircraft now flying combat missions over Iraq or Afghanistan. The number of Hornets affected makes up 16 percent of the Navy-Marine A through D fleet.

There have been no crashes or other mishaps related to the problem, said Navy spokesman Lt. Nate Christensen. The March 10 crash of a Marine F/A-18D Hornet from Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 224 off South Carolina - in which both the pilot and weapons officer were rescued - was not related to this problem, he said.

Of the 104 grounded jets, 77 are in flight status. Of those, 23 are in Navy and Marine Corps fleet squadrons; five are forward-deployed at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan; five belong to the Blue Angels flight demonstration team; and 44 are in fleet replacement squadrons. The other 27 Hornets are in a maintenance status.

The grounding notice from NavAir covered a "high stress focus area" that engineers already knew about as part of the Hornets' service-life assessment program, Christensen said, so NavAir issued a set of instructions for affected aircraft.

Squadrons have been ordered to perform a magnetic field inspection on jets included in the grounding. If they don't find cracks, their Hornets go back to unrestricted flight status, although crews are required to visually inspect the wings after every 100 hours of flight.

If a squadron can't do the magnetic inspection on a jet included in the grounding, its crews have been ordered to inspect its wings visually. Even if they find no cracks, the Hornet pilots will not be allowed to pull more than four Gs during flight.

Christensen said he did not have a breakdown for each type of Hornet - A, B, C and D - affected by the grounding. He also did not describe where the cracks were forming on each jet - for example, in their center barrels, wings, or elsewhere.

There are a total of 635 A- through D-model jets in the Navy and Marine Corps fleet.

Exsandgroper

13-03-10, 03:02 AM

From Bugs post

Posts:839U.S. Grounds 104 Hornets After More Cracks Discovered

By philip ewing

Published: 12 Mar 2010 15:12

U.S. Naval Air Systems Command grounded 104 U.S. Navy and Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornet fighter jets March 12 after inspectors discovered the airframes were developing cracks much earlier than engineers had thought.

A U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet prepares to land on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier Carl Vinson during a flight demonstration March 10, while Vinson was underway off the coast of Argentina. (MC2 ADRIAN WHITE / U.S. NAVY)

Why do publishers nearly always show a different model or some times a different design from the story at hand.

Cheers

Milne Bay

13-03-10, 03:07 AM

From Bugs post

Why do publishers nearly always show a different model or some times a different design from the story at hand.

Cheers

They don't know a C from and E.
Perhaps a spellchecker will help.

buglerbilly

20-03-10, 01:36 AM

Ares

A Defense Technology Blog

Super Hornets Head Down-under

Posted by Guy Norris at 3/19/2010 11:21 AM CDT

RAAF crews are resting in Hawaii before continuing on towards Australia in the next few days with the service’s first batch of Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornets. The crews have been working-up for the long-haul ferry flight by practicing air-refueling exercises at Naval Air Station Lemoore, Calif. Next stop will be Auckland, New Zealand, before finally reaching RAAF Amberley on Friday.

RAAF crews practised for the delivery flight overhead the Sierra Nevada, Calif. (Australia DoD)

Two back-to-back follow-on ferry flights around mid-year will complete deliveries of the initial compliment of 12 aircraft enabling the RAAF to stay on track for initial operational capability by the end of December. The next 12 F/A-18Fs will be ferried in three waves of four aircraft in 2011. Full operational capability with 1 and 6 Squadrons is expected to be achieved by the end of 2012.

Unfamiliar territory - "these are real mountains!" said one RAAF pilot before departure earlier this week. (Australia DoD)

Eleven pilots and weapons systems operators, plus ground crews, are involved in the ferry mission which is being supported by hose-and-drogue equipped U.S.Air Force tankers as well as a leased 707 tanker operated by Omega Tanker – a commercial air-to-air refueling service previously used by the RAAF to support F/A-18 deployments. “We’ll do up to six refueling contacts on each leg, and we’ll keep the fuel topped up so if we need to divert we can do it without tankers,” says Wing Commander Glen Braz, Commanding Officer No.1 Squadron. For the ferry flight the aircraft will be configured with three drop tanks for a fuel load of 23,500-lb at start up.

Omega Boeing 707 ta
nker close-up (above) and tanking F/A-18 "Classics" (below) on an earlier mission in 2009. (Australia RAAFDoD)

More details of the RAAF Super Hornet, and how it will bridge the widening gap to service entry of the first Australian F-35 Joint Strike Fighter later this decade, will appear in the next edition of Aviation Week & Space Technology.

Unicorn

20-03-10, 10:11 AM

As I recall Omega bought one or more of the RAAFs retiring 707 tankers.

Wonder if that is one of them...

Gubler, A.

21-03-10, 01:56 AM

As I recall Omega bought one or more of the RAAFs retiring 707 tankers.

Wonder if that is one of them...

Nope. Not sure if that sale has gone through yet and besides that 707 has a centreline hose where the ex RAAF ones have wing pod hoses.

Milne Bay

21-03-10, 02:14 AM

Nope. Not sure if that sale has gone through yet and besides that 707 has a centreline hose where the ex RAAF ones have wing pod hoses.

This does beg the question:
How can Omega successfully operate the 707 tankers, but the RAAF can not?
And why were they not kept in service until the new airbus tankers came on line?

Deks

21-03-10, 07:15 AM

It's probably cheaper to use them on a contract basis than it is to maintain them ourselves.

This however begs the question that if there's a demand for commercial tanking services, why did the RAAF not offer to provide the service with it's excess tanking capability.

buglerbilly

24-03-10, 04:41 AM

Australian Super Hornets land in NZ

9:06 AM Wednesday Mar 24, 2010

The fighter planes touched down last night, on their way back from the United States.

Auckland International Airport spokesman Richard Llewellyn said there was no issue accommodating the planes but the airport did not have a lot of notice.

"It's certainly a bit different," Mr Llewellyn said.

- NZHERALD STAFF

Great bunch of photos...............

OMEGA DC-10 Tanker.............

buglerbilly

24-03-10, 05:01 AM

More...........

Australian Air force F18 Super Hornets at Auckland International Airport as they stopped over on Tuesday evening on their return from America to the base in Australia. Photo / Greg Bowker

Trackmaster

24-03-10, 06:14 AM

I count five. Everything I had seen talked about four aircraft.

Gubler, A.

24-03-10, 07:17 AM

The number of Super Hornets that could be flown out and the frequency of the shuttles depends on how many trained pilots are available as long as the planes have been delivered. So five it is, which is another great result for the RAAF.

JimWH

24-03-10, 08:35 AM

Which suggests that the IOC will be achieved ahead of schedule?

Unicorn

24-03-10, 10:37 AM

A big day for Auckland's spotting community.

ADF Release today

SENATOR JOHN FAULKNER
Minister for Defence

THE HON. GREG COMBET MP
Minister for Defence Personnel, Materiel and Science

Super Hornets - long flight to Australia

The historic first flight of Air Force's Super Hornets into their home base, RAAF Amberley, will occur this Friday, 26 March 2010.

Minister for Defence Senator John Faulkner will formally welcome the new aircraft to Australia during a ceremony at Amberley, along with RAAF members, Industry representatives and community leaders.

The F/A-18F Super Hornets are the Air Force's first new air combat aircraft in 25 years.

Five Super Hornets have departed Naval Air Station Lemoore in California after extensive preparations, including acceptance flights and ground tests. While air to air refuelling is occurring, the long journey to Australia involves several stops, including Hawaii and New Zealand.

Air Force is planning to mark the Super Hornet arrival with an escort of F-111s, as the new aircraft fly over Brisbane and Gold Coast on approach to Amberley. The F-111s which have been stalwarts of Australia's air combat fleet will be retired at the end of 2010.

"The Super Hornets represent a major step forward in air combat capability for Australia. Air Force is acquiring 24 multi-role Super Hornets which will provide a bridging capability during the transition to the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter," Senator Faulkner said.

"The Super Hornets are an important acquisition," Minister for Defence Personnel, Materiel and Science, Greg Combet said.

"Air Force, Defence Materiel Organisation, United States Navy, The Boeing Company and their industry partners, General Electric, Northrop Grumman and Raytheon share the credit for this project's success."

Australia's Super Hornets will arrive at RAAF Amberley progressively during 2010 and 2011.

Gubler, A.

24-03-10, 10:49 AM

They (4 F-111C + 4 F/A18F) are meant to reach Point Danger (Gold Coast at Qld-NSW border) at 1230-45 then fly up the coast via the Broadwater and Moreton Bay to Redcliffe then turn in to Brisbane and then onto Amberly arriving about 1330. All times NOT daylight savings times.

buglerbilly

26-03-10, 03:45 AM

Boeing Completes CF-18 Hornet Modernization Project for Canada

ST. LOUIS, March 25, 2010 -- The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] today delivered the 79th -- and final -- upgraded CF-18 Hornet aircraft to the Canadian Department of National Defence during a ceremony in Mirabel, Quebec, hosted by industry partner L-3 Communications MAS, who performed final upgrade installations. The delivery brings the nine-year, two-phased CF-18 Modernization Project to a close.

Phase 1 of the project, completed in 2006, upgraded the Canadian Hornet fleet’s avionics, radar, radio and weapons capabilities. Phase 2 provided the following improvements:

a data link system to ensure Canadian forces are interoperable with aircraft from the United States and other allied nations
the Boeing Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System to improve weapons targeting
new color cockpit displays to increase situational awareness
an upgraded, chaff-and-flare dispensing electronic warfare system to improve survivability.
Phase 1 was valued at US$436 million and Phase 2 at $150 million. Boeing designed the upgrades and completed two prototype aircraft. L-3 Electronic Systems, with locations in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Toronto, developed and produced the upgraded crew station displays. L-3 Communications MAS installed the upgrades on the program’s remaining 77 aircraft.

"Boeing’s upgrades to Canada’s CF-18 fleet will ensure that this fighter force will remain effective and operationally credible for many years to come," said Jim O’Neill, vice president and general manager, Boeing Integrated Logistics. "Nearly 30 years after the delivery of the first CF-18 Hornet, Canada’s defense forces are better equipped than ever, with more capability and a fully modernized fleet, due to the innovative upgrades designed and installed by Boeing and our partner, L-3 Communications MAS."

"Across all four regions of Canada, Boeing worked with more than 25 Canadian suppliers and organizations through direct and indirect work packages that were an integral part of Boeing’s Industrial and Regional Benefits program for CF-18 modernization," said Pete Peterson, country director and vice president in Canada for Boeing Defense, Space & Security. "All technical program milestones were completed on schedule and within budget, and we completed industrial and regional benefits commitments early, making this a truly successful program."

ADMk2

26-03-10, 05:52 AM

Well the Super Hornets flew over Brisbane about 20 minutes ago. They did only one pass (that I saw anyway, I was just about to enter the Clem7 tunnel when I saw them).

4x F-111's were leading the flight, a smaller jet which I think was a Hawk 127 was following the F-111's, though they flew past so quickly I didn't get the chance to have a good look at them and the 5x Shornets, brought up the procession.

Rather under-whelming in all,I thought they might have at least made a second pass, right over the city centre, but alas not, AFAIK...

JimWH

26-03-10, 07:28 AM

Did they have the tanker in tow? NZ to Amberly should just about be possible with three drop tanks, in which case I'd imagine that the tanker had gone home, and the Rhinos didn't do a display because they didn't have too much fuel left. Could very easily be wrong about that though.

ADMk2

26-03-10, 05:39 PM

Neither the tanker nor the C-17 were with the Shornets when they flew over, so I expect they went straight to Amberley or Richmond, et al. I doubt the tanker, having made the days long journey across the Pacific went straight home.

No doubt the crew would require a day or two "down time" after such an arduous journey... :)

Deks

26-03-10, 07:57 PM

Raven22

27-03-10, 02:49 AM

I noticed this article at work this morning. Pretty standard stuff most of it, but I was particularly interested in the last little bitL

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/new-jets-put-us-on-war-footing/story-e6frg6nf-1225846189139

New F/A-18F Super Hornet jets put us on war footing
Jared Owens From: The Australian March 27, 2010 12:00AM Increase Text Size Decrease Text Size Print Email Share Add to Digg Add to del.icio.us Add to Facebook Add to Kwoff Add to Myspace Add to Newsvine What are these?
AUSTRALIAN air power has taken "a quantum leap forward" with the delivery of five F/A-18F Super Hornets yesterday.

The five jets - the first of 24 - will tide the air force over until the arrival of the stealthy, fifth-generation F-35 joint strike fighter.

They are the first new Royal Australian Air Force jets since 1985 and will be based at the Amberley air base, west of Brisbane.

Speaking at the Super Hornets' official arrival yesterday, US Navy Rear Admiral Mark Skinner said the jets delivered new levels of "range, payload, lethality and survivability".

He said Australia now had the same war-fighting capability as the US Navy, the world's fourth-largest air force.

Defence Minister John Faulkner yesterday said the aircraft was "a superb dog fighter" and "will test any modern air defence system".

Start of sidebar. Skip to end of sidebar.
End of sidebar. Return to start of sidebar.
"It can detect and track multiple targets with longer range and improved resolution," he said.

"The crew can conduct simultaneous and independent operations to prosecute air and ground targets, manage early warning systems, transfer data to joint users and co-ordinate joint functions in the battle space."

The $50 million Super Hornet - which can reach speeds of up to 1900km/h - boasts an array of state-of-the-art weaponry, including Sidewinder air-to-air missiles and Harpoon anti-ship missiles.

The jet is also fitted with an anti-radiation missile and laser-guided bombs.

But Wing Commander Glen Braz, who has trained in the new aircraft, said its "heart" was in its advanced sensors and communications systems.

"I have flown in the original Hornet, and I'm simply blown away by what the Super Hornet brings," he said.

"In a nutshell, we are now truly multi-role."

The Super Hornets will replace the RAAF's ageing F-111 strike bombers, which were ordered in 1963 and will be retired this year.

But federal MP and former defence scientist Dennis Jensen said the Super Hornet was actually a backward step in Australia's capability, lacking the manoeuvrability of the F-111.

"You can be tens of kilometres apart," Dr Jensen said yesterday.

"(In an F-111) you still have the option to engage if the conditions are favourable or disengage if the conditions aren't favourable."

He said the Super Hornet also failed to match comparable aircraft - such as the Russian-built Sukhoi Flanker - for speed, since it could not cruise at supersonic speed without using its afterburn.

_________________________

Now I'm not an expert, but that last bit sounds like a load of hot cock to me.

Gubler, A.

27-03-10, 03:37 AM

Now I'm not an expert, but that last bit sounds like a load of hot cock to me.

It sounds like Jensen tried to make an argument about the importance of speed in modern air combat and the journalist having no idea what he was talking about mangled it. Probably the fate such a simplistic argument deserves.

But to counter Jensen's attempt how can an F-111 use its speed to disengage from a threat many miles away when it won't know its there? Of course the Super Hornet can actually have a very high level of situational awareness and disengage by knowing the threat is there at 10-20 times the distance an F-111 does. It can also defeat the threat with its weapons rather than run unlike a ‘run or die’ F-111.

As to super cruising the FLANKER can't do that either. And the Super Hornet is hard pressed to fly supersonically with afterburners while carrying external stores! But that doesn't stop it being about 3-4 times more lethal than an F-111 and dominant over the FLANKER.

Mercator

27-03-10, 04:25 AM

To be fair -- and it's against my better instincts with the Air Power crowd -- the F111s did use their superior range to good effect to make off axis attacks and faints, or multiple faints down the main axis before attacking, to draw off defenders who had shorter legs. I've seen them do it at Pitch Black and succeed. Theydid possess some advantages. Now if that is what Jensen meant with his clumsy wording, well, it would be a fair point.

Weasel

27-03-10, 04:36 AM

Perhaps, but omega being a commercial entity I'd wager there was work to be done.

Just watching the video pleases me no end that we bought the C-17s, they have to be one of the best purchases made for the RAAF.
Then I would highly recommend that you buy some more C-17s, or even obtain the license to build them and take over export orders after Gates cans the program. Pretty simple math... Out of a possible 17 to 22 future orders in the next 4 years, is it worth Australia setting up shop to build them instead of longbeach?

I would say it needs a serious look, as if Gates gets his way he will be getting rid of the most valuable program Air Force has.

Demand is not going away, in fact it is increasing. So, on an intuitive level, this would seem to be a gift to Boeing Australia and the Oz defense industry.

cheers

w

ADMk2

27-03-10, 05:05 AM

In relation to the Super Hornets, the old "trumors" about their flight performance, may need some revising. It was revealed for instance a month or 2 ago, that a Super Hornet F model had achieved a new highest speed for the SH, in the MMRCA field trials in Bangalore, having achieved in a sustained and level flight, M1.84...

It's not going to be at the top end of aerodynamic performance, but it'shardly the "dog" APA fools like to portray it, and as Abe pointed out, sheer performance isn't everything...

Unicorn

27-03-10, 10:34 AM

Digger, you know better than to bring logic into a discussion with APA...

They are a logic-free zone.

Exsandgroper

27-03-10, 10:38 AM

ADMk2

27-03-10, 04:44 PM

Digger, you know better than to bring logic into a discussion with APA...

They are a logic-free zone.

Sorry, can't help myself sometimes...

:)

ADMk2

27-03-10, 04:45 PM

Re the Super Hornet story in today's Australian, I have never seen such dribble from so many morons in the comments on the story.:jerkit

http://www.news.com.au/national/new-fa-18f-super-hornet-jets-put-us-on-war-footing/comments-e6frfkvr-1225846233565

Cheers

Yah, I saw a Courier Mail article full of such nonsense earlier today too. Some of them make Eric Palmer and Peter Goon, actually appear sane...

buglerbilly

31-03-10, 03:25 PM

Australia’s Air Force Accepts First Five Super Hornet

(Source: US Naval Air Systems Command; issued March 30, 2010)

One of the first five F/A-18F Super Hornets ordered by Australia seen during its ferry flight. Deliveries of the 24 aircraft on order are to be completed in 2011. (RAAF photo)NAVAL AIR SYSTEMS COMMAND, PATUXENT RIVER, MD ---

Five F/A-18F Super Hornets flew into Royal Australian Air Force Base Amberley, Australia, Friday marking the delivery of the first Block II fighter and attack jets to the country.

RAAF pilots flew the Super Hornets on a journey through Hawaii, American Samoa and New Zealand before arriving at Base Amberley.

“We are excited to provide the Royal Australian Air Force with the world’s premier, combat-proven multi-mission aircraft,” said Capt. Mark Darrah, F/A-18 & EA-18G (PMA-265) program manager.

While the RAAF has been flying the F/A-18 legacy Hornet since 1984, the Block II Super Hornet will give added capabilities to the country’s warfighters.

“The on-schedule arrival of the new Australian Super Hornets marks the beginning of a new generation of air power for the RAAF,” said Group Captain Steven Roberton, officer commanding the Australian Super Hornet Wing. “The multirole Super Hornet is an advanced, networked weapons system that provides a major leap in capability for the RAAF.”

Though seven international countries, including Australia, fly the Hornet, Australia is the first foreign government to purchase the F/A-18F Super Hornet. The Super Hornet Block II improvements give the aircraft upgrades including sensors, data links, open computing architecture and an arsenal of precision weapons.

“The U.S./Australia relationship will grow and deepen around the Super Hornet, whose network centric warfare capabilities, sensor-rich avionics and lethal arsenal can now provide Australia with the next generation in air supremacy,” Darrah said.

The RAAF Super Hornets have the same features as the U.S. Navy’s F/A-18F multi-role strike fighter, performing a variety of missions, including precision day and night strike, fighter escort, close-air support, aerial refueling and suppression of enemy air defense.

Its weapon stations carry a wide and lethal array of air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons, increasing firepower as well as mission flexibility.

The RAAF Super Hornets will also include the APG-79 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, which features active electronic beam steering – allowing for the nearly instantaneous repositioning of the radar beam.

“The aircraft provides the RAAF with the long-term rewards of open architecture, which provides a clear advantage for integrating advanced capabilities into their aircraft rapidly as future threats evolve,” Darrah said.

On track to deliver a total 24 F/A-18F aircraft to the RAAF by fall of 2011.

Seven aircraft are expected to ship this summer. The remaining 12 RAAF aircraft will ferry in three deliveries in 2011.

Twelve of the F/A-18F aircraft on order will be wired on the production line for potential future upgrade as airborne electronic attack EA-18G aircraft, pending a positive releaseability determination for the AEA capability.

The RAAF Super Hornets were unveiled to a crowd of government and military officials earlier this month and began their transcontinental flight at NAS Lemoore, Calif., March 18.

-ends-

ADMk2

08-04-10, 07:55 AM

In the first flight I've seen of them since they arrived, a lone RAAF SHornet just flew over my house... I wonder if I just got lased?

ADMk2

08-04-10, 07:58 AM

Er, make that 2x...

:)

Gubler, A.

08-04-10, 08:03 AM

From an ATFLIR? You'd probably know about it if you had...

What the 'Knucks can do the Hercs can do better (sort of)... Just had one of those dark grey C-130Hs do a low level, high speed run south down the Gold Coast.

battlensign

08-04-10, 08:23 AM

Hmmm.....must have missed the C-130...... damn!

Brett.

Gubler, A.

08-04-10, 09:06 AM

Hmmm.....must have missed the C-130...... damn!

It was low: ~1,000'.

Weasel

08-04-10, 05:36 PM

Er, make that 2x...

:)

For Pete's sake.. You guys (Abe, Digg, Bug, and to a lesser extent Unicorn) need a shower when it comes to the Super Hornet. Or maybe you need to buy an air ticket and come to the DoD open House at Andrew's in May? There you will find a Super Hornet or two parked in the back and ignored by the masses. You can run your hands along its lines and even give it a kiss for goodluck. You can even talk to a pilot who will fall over backwards that you want to talk to him/her.

lol

Hey, found a funny photo of our Pres looking over a green hornet

ADMk2

09-04-10, 01:59 AM

But they're so nice and shiny...

:)

buglerbilly

09-04-10, 03:03 AM

I shower every day! :hifu

Weasel

09-04-10, 04:00 AM

But they're so nice and shiny...

:)

Defeated by the one argument that cannot be faulted.... Therefore I concede

The only thing it needs is a real squadron emblem... you know like the felix 31st... I love that cat.

cheers

w

Gubler, A.

09-04-10, 04:37 AM

You can even talk to a pilot who will fall over backwards that you want to talk to him/her.

The quality of conversation is much better during a demonstration of 'nose authority' at 20,000 feet over the north of France...

Deks

09-04-10, 06:20 AM

Or maybe you need to buy an air ticket and come to the DoD open House at Andrew's in May?

I'm kinda spewing that I'll miss this - my current contract goes til the 24th. Still, anything's possible.

Weasel

09-04-10, 06:41 AM

The quality of conversation is much better during a demonstration of 'nose authority' at 20,000 feet over the north of France... Oh, here we go.. That is just like saying the Apollo moon landings were real.

:P

cheers

w

dan891

09-04-10, 08:21 AM

The quality of conversation is much better during a demonstration of 'nose authority' at 20,000 feet over the north of France...

What was that - somewhere around the hour mark? Or has there been a dry spell ;-)

Gubler, A.

09-04-10, 08:33 AM

What was that - somewhere around the hour mark? Or has there been a dry spell ;-)

LOL. I've been to Edwards as well...

buglerbilly

01-05-10, 02:59 AM

U.S. Navy Mulling Multiyear F/A-18 Offer

By JOHN REED

Published: 30 Apr 2010 16:49

The U.S. Navy and Boeing remain locked in intense discussions over the firm's proffered multiyear deal to buy 124 F/A-18E/F Super Hornets and 24 E/A-18G Growlers, Navy officials said.

The service has until May 1 to decide whether to buy the aircraft.

"They're really still working it," said Navy spokesman Cmdr. Victor Chen late in the day on April 30. "It's been pretty intense though, I can tell you that."

In January, the Chicago-based defense giant made the offer after Congress authorized the sea service to buy the additional jets to offset a potential fighter gap that may occur toward the end of the decade.

Congress will allow the Navy to buy the jets if the service can reach a deal with Boeing that would save at least 10 percent on the standard cost of the plane. Boeing has said the offer meets that condition.

The Navy is keeping its oldest F/A-18 Hornets flying past 10,000 flight hours. Last month, DoD officials said the Navy would delay its F-35C Joint Strike Fighter initial operating capability date by two years to 2016.

Teal Group aviation analyst Richard Aboulafia on April 29 said buying the F-18s would "guarantee the [Super Hornet] production line and provide insurance against further JSF delays and cost overruns and gives them a longer shot at export markets," especially since the Indian medium multirole combat aircraft competition has been delayed.

buglerbilly

04-05-10, 03:26 AM

U.S. Navy Wants More Time on F-18 Proposal

By JOHN REED

Published: 3 May 2010 13:27

The U.S. Navy has once again asked Congress for more time to decide whether to buy 124 F/A-18E/F Super Hornets and E/A-18G Growlers under a Boeing multiyear-purchase proposal.

An F/A-18 Hornet is shown on the tarmac at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla., on April 28. (MCSN ANDREW JOHNSON / U.S. NAVY)

The Navy "is completing fact finding and discussions to ascertain the ability to achieve substantial savings" through a multiyear purchase by Sept. 30, service officials said in an April 30 letter to Congress.

The Navy asked for a similar extension in March to continue negotiating with Boeing over the price of the jets. The deadline for that extension passed May 1.

The letter says the Navy is taking "essential steps to award" a multiyear deal.

As late as April 30, service officials said the two sides were working down to the wire to try to hammer out a deal.

"They're really still working it," Navy spokesman Cmdr. Victor Chen said late April 30. "It's been pretty intense, though, I can tell you that."

In January, the Chicago-based defense giant made the offer after Congress authorized the sea service to buy the additional jets to offset a potential fighter gap that may occur toward the end of the decade.

Congress will allow the Navy to buy the jets if the service can reach a deal with Boeing that would save at least 10 percent on the standard cost of the plane. Boeing has said the offer meets that condition.

"Entering into such a multiyear contract requires certification of multiyear savings, among other statutory requirements, by the Department of Defense as well as certain legislative changes," Navy spokeswoman Lt. Callie Ferrari said May 3. "We are working with the Office of the Secretary of Defense and Congress to address these matters."

The Navy is keeping its oldest F/A-18 Hornets flying past 10,000 flight hours. Last month, DoD officials said the Navy would delay its F-35C Joint Strike Fighter initial operating capability date by two years to 2016.

The Navy would buy 124 Super Hornets and Growlers between fiscal years 2010 and 2013 if it decides to go ahead with the multiyear.

Teal Group aviation analyst Richard Aboulafia on April 29 said buying the F-18s would "guarantee the [Super Hornet] production line and provide insurance against further JSF delays and cost overruns, and gives them a longer shot at export markets," especially since the Indian medium multirole combat aircraft competition has been delayed.

buglerbilly

05-05-10, 01:09 PM

U.S. Navy Sees Longer Super Hornet Life

May 4, 2010

By Bill Sweetman

FORT WASHINGTON, Md. — The U.S. Navy’s Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler fleets could last 50% longer than planned, current studies are showing.

The Navy has been basing its fleet planning on a 6,000-hour life for the jet, which entered service in 2001, leading to the retirement of the first aircraft around 2025 and a fleet retirement in the 2030s. However, experience with the aircraft and plans for an early-start life extension program could stretch the life to 9,000 hr. as long as current usage profiles are sustained, according to Capt. Mark Darrah, director of the Navy’s program office.

“We are doing this much earlier than we did with legacy programs, and we are covering not just the airframe but the entire weapon system,” he says. Darrah says that new retirement dates will depend on how the aircraft are used, but also said that the Hornet and Growler “will be in the fleet for a long time, longer than we plan today.”

This will be good news for Boeing’s efforts to win new overseas customers for the Super Hornet, since competitors have been warning operators that they will experience sustainment difficulties as the U.S. Navy fleet is drawn down.

At the Navy League’s Sea-Air-Space show in Washington D.C. this week, Boeing is unveiling a mockup of a revised Super Hornet cockpit aimed at new customers, featuring single-panel, flat-screen displays in front and rear cockpits.

Unlike the Lockheed Martin F-35, which uses two screens with a narrow “septum” between them, Boeing expects to use single units with small backup displays.

buglerbilly

06-05-10, 02:07 PM

Ares

A Defense Technology Blog

Super-Er Hornets?

Posted by Bill Sweetman at 5/6/2010 6:30 AM CDT

Boeing and its teammates are getting bolder in talking about improvements to the Super Hornet and Growler - a development which coincides with debate over the cost and schedule of the Joint Strike Fighter.

At this week's Navy League show in Washington DC, Boeing unveiled an early concept mock-up of a big-screen cockpit for the Super Hornet, aimed at export customers. It looks rather like the JSF cockpit, except that Boeing plans to use one-piece screens rather than two fused panels. Also, rather than eliminating the head-up display completely, Boeing would fit the front cockpit with a new, smaller HUD, with an optical system that would not interfere with the big screen.

General Electric, announcing the delivery of the 1000th F414 engine for the Super Hornet/Growler program, reaffirmed this week that it's working on two improved versions of the engine: the enhanced durability engine (EDE), with a new core and lower fuel consumption, and the enhanced performance engine (EPE), which adds a new fan for a 20 per cent thrust boost and "is targeted for potential international customers."

Boeing is also teamed with ITT Defense on the Navy's Next Generation Jammer program. In an interview at Navy League, representatives of the Boeing/ITT team made it clear that thy are focused on delivering improvements to the Growler - and that approaches which push NGJ towards early integration with the F-35 are, in their view, a much higher risk.

Another issue concerns the Hornet's armament. Although Boeing showed a very generic mockup of the future Joint Dual Role Air Dominance Missile (JDRADM) at Navy League, it may not represent the next step beyond the new Raytheon AIM-120D AMRAAM for the fighter. Boeing has made some quiet approaches to MBDA concerning integration of the ramjet-powered Meteor AAM on the F/A-18E/F - again, with international customers in mind. Meteor is expected to offer better kinematic performance than even the AIM-120D (which is believed to use the same motor as the current C7) and the D is a long way from being exportable.

ADMk2

07-05-10, 06:03 AM

US Navy proceeding with Boeing F/A-18 deal

* Pentagon leaders said satisfied by 10 pct price cut

* Multiyear deal ensures St Louis production through 2013

* Gives Navy options if Lockheed's F-35 delayed further

By Andrea Shalal-Esa

WASHINGTON, May 6 (Reuters) - The U.S. Navy plans to proceed with a multiyear deal to buy 124 Boeing Co <BA> F/A-18 fighter jets after securing a 10 percent price cut that satisfied top Pentagon leaders, sources familiar with the decision said on Thursday.

The Navy is due to send documents to Congress in the coming days explaining the multiyear agreement, which is expected to cost about $5.3 billion in total, said the sources, who were not authorized to speak on the record.

That amounts to a per-plane price in the low $40 million range for each fighter, excluding government furnished equipment, said one source. Including that equipment, the price per plane will be about $50 million, well below the $57 million price listed on a Navy website about the twin-engine fighter.

Boeing and its backers in Congress have been pushing for another multiyear contract because it gives the company a more stable funding source and shores up jobs in local economies.

This agreement would secure the St. Louis production line of the fighter -- which Boeing is also aggressively marketing overseas -- through fiscal 2013. The U.S. government's fiscal year ends Sept. 30.

The deal also gives the Navy a fallback option if more problems arise with the next-generation F-35 fighter being built by Lockheed Martin Corp <LMT> to replace older model F/A-18s and other fighter jets.

The Pentagon this year restructured the $300 billion Lockheed program, pushing back by two years the date at which the Navy will be able to start operating the new planes.

"It does keep leverage on Lockheed," said one congressional aide who is closely tracking the Navy's talks with Boeing.

Shares of Boeing, trading at $69.30 just before news of the Pentagon's satisfaction with the deal, briefly rose to $69.85 before giving up those gains.

DEAL TO COVER FOUR YEARS, OPTION FOR FIFTH

Officials at the Navy and Boeing declined to comment on the Pentagon's decision to proceed with the multiyear agreement.

Boeing has said its latest proposal would result in 10 percent cost savings from the previous multiyear deal. It also vowed to continue delivering both the fighter and electronic attack models of the F/A-18 to the Navy on time and on budget.

Boeing spokesman Philip Carder said the company would continue to provide information to the Navy and Pentagon as it weighed a multiyear contract.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates was disappointed with Boeing's initial offer, telling lawmakers it fell short of the 10 percent savings needed to justify a multiyear agreement.

But Boeing later increased the cost savings in its offer, paving the way for a deal with the Navy, the sources said.

The agreement will run for four years -- from fiscal 2010 through 2013 -- but includes an option for a fifth year, according to the sources following the discussions.

It will also allow some variation in the number of jets to be bought each year to give the Navy more budgeting flexibility, but firmly caps the total number at 124.

The Navy said on Monday it had asked Congress for more time to work out a multiyear agreement with Boeing, saying that it was still working through issues with top Pentagon leaders.

Defense companies like multiyear contracts because they provide a more stable basis for mapping out company investments and earnings in future years. A four- or five-year deal allows companies to buy materials in bulk and invest more heavily in facilities, allowing them to pass savings on to the Pentagon.

From the Pentagon's viewpoint, such fixed-price deals make sense because they can insulate the government against cost overruns, as long as the contracts are structured properly.

But one former defense official said multiyear agreements sometimes include too many clauses that allow companies to pass unexpected costs -- such as spikes in commodity prices or higher labor costs -- back to the government. An earlier F/A-18 multiyear deal delivered actual cost savings far below the 10 percent rate that was promised, said the official.

Defense analyst Loren Thompson said the multiyear deal posed a possible threat to the aircraft-carrier variant of Lockheed's F-35 fighter, because it is due to be produced in smaller numbers than the Air Force and Marine Corps variants.

"The F/A-18 is potentially a threat to the carrier version of the F-35 because it's a potential alternative," he said.

buglerbilly

15-05-10, 03:15 AM

DATE:14/05/10

SOURCE:Flight International

US DoD agrees to buy 124 F/A-18E/Fs and EA-18Gs over 4 years

By Stephen Trimble

The US Department of Defense has agreed to buy 124 F/A-18E/Fs and EA-18Gs manufactured by Boeing over the next four years for an undisclosed sum, a source familiar with the deal tells Flightglobal.com.

DoD notified Congress today that it will pursue a package deal called a multi-year procurement. The arrangement locks the government into a long-term contract, and the manufacturer provides a discounted price in exchange for the commitment.

Missouri Rep Todd Akin announced that DoD had approved the third multi-year procurement (MYP) for orders during Fiscal 2010-2014, but he did not provide numbers.

The source, however, confirms the package includes 66 F/A-18E/Fs and 58 EA-18Gs, raising the total fleet 515 F/A-18E/Fs and 114 EA-18Gs after the last deliveries occur in late 2015.

The cost for the four-year contract has not been disclosed. Boeing released a statement saying the package deal will cost 10% less buying the aircraft in annual lots.

"It is encouraging to see the Navy and DoD come to their senses on this issue, after I have spent two years arguing that a multi-year contract made sense on all fronts," Akin says.

Last year, DoD officials rejected Boeing's initial multi-year proposal, saying the three-year, 89-aircraft bid lowered the cost of procurement by less than 7%.

The Congressional Research Service extrapolated that even if Boeing's offer was extended to cover 150 aircraft over five years, it would still fall slightly short of DoD's 10% threshold for approving multi-year procurement (MYP) contracts.

The deal means that Boeing will continue producing the F/A-18E/F and EA-18G through at least calendar year 2015.

Extending the production line even further will depend partly on ongoing efforts to sell the aircraft abroad. Australia launched the export campaign for both aircraft types, and Boeing also is offering the fighter to India, Japan, Greece, Denmark, Kuwait and Canada.

But the programme's future also depends on the fate of the Lockheed Martin F-35B and F-35C for the Marine Corps and Navy, respectively. Both services intend to buy 680 F-35B/Cs to replace about 620 F/A-18C/Ds and about 120 AV-8B Harriers.

Meanwhile, the navy is also managing a projected fighter shortfall growing to at least 177 jets by FY2017.

Deks

15-05-10, 04:45 AM

Also interesting to note that those numbers aren't set in stone - if the end price ends up less than the budgeted amount, the Navy can use the remaining funds to purchase more Rhinos.

buglerbilly

19-05-10, 12:54 PM

Lawmakers want to expand Super Hornet buy

By John Reed - Staff writer

Posted : Tuesday May 18, 2010 17:03:53 EDT

Fresh on the heels of the Navy’s move to buy 124 new F/A-18 Super Hornets and E/A-18G Growlers, Missouri lawmakers on Tuesday announced a renewed push for the Pentagon to purchase additional Super Hornets and C-17 Globemaster III cargo haulers.

Calling last week’s news of the Super Hornet buy “an important first step,” but just a first step in addressing the sea service’s looming fighter gap, Sen. Christopher “Kit” Bond, R-Mo., and fellow Missouri lawmakers held a news conference on Capitol Hill to announce they will urge the Pentagon to buy additional fighters using savings garnered from the multiyear Super Hornet buy.

Bond was joined by Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., who added that she will insist the Navy use the nearly half a billion dollars in savings from the multiyear buy to “go right back into” buying more Super Hornets to address the Navy’s fighter gap.

The pending Super Hornet deal, unveiled last Friday, is worth about $70 million per airplane, according to Rep. Todd Akin, R-Mo. Akin and McCaskill called out the Navy for issuing “perplexing” estimates regarding the size of the fighter gap, which have ranged from 243 jets to the current estimate of 100.

McCaskill also said that she is trying to get enough votes in the Senate to allow the Air Force to retire its 50 oldest C-5A Galaxys and purchase additional C-17s in the 2011 defense authorization bill, which the Senate is expected to mark up May 25.

Retiring the C-5As would free up ramp space for the C-17s without building a fleet of strategic airlifters larger than the 317 the Air Force says it needs, according to McCaskill. The House favors such a move, according to Akin, although McCaskill

buglerbilly

25-05-10, 03:42 AM

U.S. Navy: Extending Old F-18s Will Reduce Fighter Gap

By JOHN REED

Published: 24 May 2010 17:33

Keeping its oldest F/A/-18 Hornets flying through 2020 is the U.S. Navy's main weapon against a decline in fighter numbers, the Navy's acting chief of air warfare told reporters May 24.

The U.S. Navy expects a shortfall of up to 177 fighter jets by 2017 unless it either keeps older F-18s flying longer or speeds production of the new F-35. (U.S. MARINE CORPS PHOTO)

The service expects a shortfall of up to 177 jets by 2017 unless it flies its old Hornets longer, buys more F/A-18E/F Super Hornets or speeds its purchase of F-35 Lightning IIs.

With the F-35 program delayed by at least one year, the Navy is "totally focused, [airplane] bureau number by bureau number" on keeping its oldest Hornets in the air while hashing through other options as it crafts its 2012 Program Objective Memorandum, said Rear Adm. Mike Manazir during a press conference at the Pentagon.

Manazir would not detail those other options.

The Navy has 1,180 tactical fighters. The oldest ones will be retired by 2012 unless they receive service life extensions.

The problem will peak in 2017; the exact number will range from 100 to 177 fighters, depending on whether the F-35 arrives on schedule, Manazir said.

Manazir said he believes the Defense Department and Lockheed Martin will have the carrier-based F-35C ready for its first carrier deployment in 2017.

Earlier this year, the sea service announced that it was pushing the F-35 Initial Operating Capability date back by two years to 2016.

The service will start training its first F-35 instructor pilots on the C-model jets at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., in 2012 and stand up the first F-35 fleet replacement squadron in 2014, Manazir said.

The Navy has yet to determine how many of its 680 F-35s will be carrier variants and how many will be F-35B short-takeoff and vertical-landing (STOVL) variants for the U.S. Marine Corps.

"The Marine Corps is committed to an all-STOVL force," Manazir said. Therefore, "we are in discussions with the Marine Corps on how we would" integrate the two services' fighters on a carrier.

"The F-35C has longer range, more cargo capacity, and is optimized for carrier operations," he said. "The STOVL [model] is designed differently and so it has slightly different characteristics, so we're in discussions right now about how you put those two together."

The Marines' F-35s will replace their F/A-18 Hornets, which fly from aircraft carriers, and their AV-8B Harrier jump jets, which operate from the smaller amphibious assault ships.

The press conference was convened to underline the Navy's staunch support of the F-35 program after months of speculation that the sea service wants to buy more than the planned 515 Super Hornets, instead of F-35s. Earlier this month, the service said it would buy the remaining planned 124 F/A-18EF Super Hornets and their EA-18 Growler electronic warfare variants, and no more.

Last week, the U.S. House Armed Service Committee gave the Navy an eight extra Super Hornets on top of the 124 in the committee's markup of the 2011 defense authorization bill.

Manazir also toed the Pentagon line on the alternate engine debate, supporting Defense Secretary Robert Gates' stance that the F-35 program needs just one engine. In last week's markup, the committee ordered the Pentagon to fund the development of the GE and Rolls Royce-built F136 alternate engine for the fighter.

"No matter how many engines are procured for the airplane, the Navy will only deploy one type of engine for the F-35 that we take to sea," Manazir said. "That optimized our logistics and supply chains."

buglerbilly

28-05-10, 03:13 AM

DATE:27/05/10

SOURCE:Flight International

Australia impressed by Super Hornet performance

By Stephen Trimble

The Royal Australian Air Force is on track to stand up the first Boeing F/A-18F operational squadron in December with two extra aircraft than originally planned and a new appreciation for the Super Hornet's capabilities.

A fleet of 24 F/A-18Fs will replace the RAAF's General Dynamics F-111 on an interim basis. Delays to the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter in 2004 forced the RAAF to acquire Super Hornets as a stopgap in 2006. But the F/A-18Fs are due to be retired by 2021 as the F-35 is delivered.

So far, Boeing has delivered the first five F/A-18Fs to 1 Sqn at RAAF Amberley, with as many as nine more jets arriving before initial operational capability is declared in December. The F-111 is scheduled for retirement on 2 December.

© Australian Department of Defence

Despite the Super Hornet's short-term service plan, the multi-role fighter has already surprised the RAAF leadership with its advanced capabilities.

"It's a little bit embarrassing for me," says Gp Capt Steve Roberton, commander of 82 Wing. "It is fair to say the jet has proven to be more robust and exceeded what we thought."

Roberton pointed to what he considers the aircraft's singular ability to simultaneously track air and ground targets using an array of sensors, including the Raytheon APG-79 active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar.

The RAAF intends to bolster the Super Hornet's targeting capability by integrating the joint helmet mounted cueing system (JHMCS) in both the front and back seat. The US Navy has only experimented with that configuration, and the RAAF may be first to adopt JHMCS in both seats.

With a much smaller force structure than the USN, the RAAF believes it can harness the Super Hornet's full capabilities much sooner, Roberton says. Due to training infrastructure limitations, the USN operates the AESA-equipped F/A-18E/F Block II similarly to the Block I Super Hornet and classic F/A-18C/Ds.

The RAAF, however, intends to operate the F/A-18F more like how the US Air Force flies the multi-role Boeing F-15E Strike Eagle, Roberton says.

Although the F/A-18F has impressed, RAAF officials are disappointed the Super Hornet's AESA technology remains unable to perform electronic attack missions in the X-band of the electromagnetic spectrum, Roberton says.

"There are some things the radar does which are not as far along the proposed flight plan that they have as we had hoped," he says. But "it's still better than anything we got".

The RAAF also remains committed to buy F-35s as a permanent replacement for the F-111 and classic F/A-18A/Bs in its inventory. Roberton described the F-35's potential as "phenomenal", but also voiced a note of doubt.

"I don't know how the [F-35] is going to emerge," he says. "What I do know is that the environment and the challenges that emerge in 10 years time are going to be different than what they are now. So we're speculating, I guess."

buglerbilly

02-06-10, 02:20 PM

Boeing to Feature New Super Hornet Cockpit Display at CANSEC

(Source: Boeing Co.; issued June 1, 2010)

OTTAWA, Ontario --- Boeing will demonstrate a new, larger cockpit display as part of its F/A-18 Super Hornet simulator at the CANSEC 2010 defense and security trade show. The exhibition will be held June 2-3 in Ottawa.

The new display is a single-screen configuration that enables aircrews to view more battlespace information within a larger viewing area.

"The new, larger display is an option Super Hornet customers will be able to incorporate as they determine specific capabilities for their unique requirements," said Mike Gibbons, F/A-18E/F program manager for Boeing. "This new display is one example of the evolutionary approach of incorporating ever-increasing capabilities into the Super Hornet, with low risk for customers. We continue to expand the Super Hornet's multirole capabilities with continued on-cost and on-schedule performance for our customers."

The Boeing Super Hornet is a multirole aircraft, able to perform virtually every mission in the tactical spectrum, including air superiority, day/night strike with precision-guided weapons, fighter escort, close air support, suppression of enemy air defenses, maritime strike, reconnaissance, forward air control and tanker missions. Boeing has delivered more than 430 F/A-18E/Fs to the U.S. Navy. Every Super Hornet produced has been delivered on or ahead of schedule and on budget.

Boeing also is bringing the P-8A Poseidon demonstration trailer, which includes operator stations and a cockpit simulator, to CANSEC. A derivative of the highly successful and reliable Next-Generation 737, the P-8 is a long-range anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft. Other products being showcased at Boeing's booth include the C-17 Globemaster III airlifter, the CH-47 Chinook helicopter, the V-22 Osprey tiltrotor, and the ScanEagle unmanned aerial vehicle.

Boeing has been a major contributor to the Canadian economy since 1919, generating approximately $1 billion in business annually. The company employs highly skilled workers in Nova Scotia, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta and British Columbia in support of its commercial and defense business units. Canada also is home to one of Boeing's largest international supplier bases, with more than 200 suppliers in every region of the country, providing a diverse mix of high-value goods and services to Boeing and its customers.

A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is one of the world's largest defense, space and security businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world's largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is a $34 billion business with 68,000 employees worldwide.

-ends-

Raven22

07-06-10, 05:06 AM

There's some pretty gnarly pictures of the Super Hornet on the defence website. See link.

http://www.defence.gov.au/media/download/2010/Jun/20100607/index.htm

Deks

07-06-10, 05:11 AM

Any word on how the F-111 crews are handling the transition?

Gubler, A.

07-06-10, 05:46 AM

There's some pretty gnarly pictures of the Super Hornet on the defence website. See link.

http://www.defence.gov.au/media/download/2010/Jun/20100607/index.htm

Well I wrote it four years ago that condensation formed by compression from the Super Hornet's wings would replace the dump and burn...

When the LERXs are compressing air like this it sounds awesome in the cockpit. Like a big growl.

buglerbilly

07-06-10, 04:57 PM

DATE:07/06/10

SOURCE:Flight International

Boeing to offer F-35-like cockpit display for Super Hornet

By Stephen Trimble

Boeing plans to offer an F/A-18E/F Super Hornet with large-area cockpit displays similar to the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter as the company pursues new foreign sales from Canada to Japan.

The cockpit upgrade for the Super Hornet is intended to equalise one of the perceived advantages offered by the F-35's multifunction, touchscreen display, which measures 8 x 20in (20 x 51cm).

Boeing has evaluated a display with the same dimensions as the F-35, but found that pilots have preferred a larger 11 x 19in screen, says F/A-18E/F programme manager Mike Gibbons.

© USAF

The single display can be configured to digitally mimic the Super Hornet's existing cockpit layout, or allow pilots to overlay data from several sources on to a single screen, Gibbons says. The displays can be integrated into both seats for the F/A-18F.

The technology remains in developmental form, but can be integrated in time to meet the timelines for any future sales in foreign markets, he says. Boeing is evaluating bids from undisclosed suppliers to manufacture the displays.

The US Navy, however, has already rejected Boeing's overtures to retrofit the display on its fleet. Although Boeing believes the upgrade would reduce lifecycle maintenance costs, the service does not want to operate two different display technologies at the same time, Gibbons says.

The new cockpit display made its public debut at the Navy League exhibit hall in early May. Boeing also showed off the new technology in Ottawa in early June at the CANSEC conference and exhibition.

Boeing plans to offer the F/A-18E/F for Canada's requirement to replace its ageing CF-18 fleet later this decade. Canada has invested $150 million to participate in the F-35 development programme, but plans to stage a competition for the procurement contract.

Meanwhile, Boeing is also offering the Super Hornet to buyers in Brazil, Denmark, India, Japan and Kuwait.

The F/A-18E/F's first international buyer, Australia, has no plans to order the upgraded cockpit, having already received the first five of its 24 two-seat aircraft.

buglerbilly

09-06-10, 04:03 PM

DATE:09/06/10

SOURCE:Flight International

Boeing willing to let Japan develop new deriviative of F/A-18

By Leithen Francis

Boeing, which is proposing the F/A-18E/F for Japan's forthcoming FX fighter competition, would be willing to let the nation develop its manufacturing capability through the joint development of a new derivative of the Super Hornet.

If Japan wanted to further develop the Super Hornet, by coming up with a new derivative, then Boeing would respond positively, says Defense, Space and Security vice-president for international business development Mark Kronenberg.

"We would want to come up with a package that helps them with their aspirations," he adds.

Japan has yet to issue a request for proposals for the FX competition, but plans to buy 40-50 fighters to replace some of its McDonnell Douglas F-4s.

© Boeing

In the early 1990s, Lockheed Martin worked with Japanese industry to develop the Mitsubishi F-2, a derivative of its F-16, but US law-makers at the time blocked it from transferring some technology.

But Kronenberg says technology transfer, with regards to Japan, is less of an issue today.

In the 1980s and early 1990s, Japan seemed to be "20ft tall", because the country's corporations were buying so many businesses overseas, but times have changed and US law-makers are now less wary of it, he says.

When asked if it is feasible to manufacture 40-50 fighters in Japan under licence, Kronenberg says: "It depends on how much you want to pay to get that new manufacturing capability. I think Japan is willing to pay." He adds that Tokyo's long-term objective is to have the technological and manufacturing capability to develop its own fighter.

Some industry observers predict that whichever company wins the FX competition is also likely to win in a subsequent FXX requirement. This is likely to seek over 100 fighters to replace some of Japan's older Boeing F-15s.

In a separate development, Japan's nearest neighbour South Korea announced in January that it is studying whether to develop an indigenous fighter.

Its government says that if it decides to proceed, completion of the first aircraft would be in 2021.

Boeing would also be interested in assisting Seoul with its KFX indigenous fighter programme "if it was part of a long-term path", says Kronenberg.

"We would rather partner in significant markets like Korea rather than compete," he says.

Maybe longer-term some F-15SE technology could be applied, he adds. The South Korean already operates F-15Ks.

buglerbilly

11-06-10, 05:17 PM

Such a GREAT shot this one,just had to publish it!

Weasel

11-06-10, 05:32 PM

Did Abe___ You know I was going to say;

"Did Abe really fly in one of these or is he being a ----tease?"

But really its an unfair question... he is a ---- tease whether he did or did not.....

cheers

w

tiddles

11-06-10, 10:24 PM

Great pic BUG.
Tiddles

buglerbilly

21-06-10, 01:58 PM

The Air Force Is Testing the Hornet’s MLU2 Update

(Source: The Finnish Defence Forces; issued June 18, 2010)

(Issued in Finnish only; unofficial translation by defense-aerospace.com)

The prototype of the Finnish Air Force’s Mid-Life Upgrade 2 package flies with two JSOWs on its inboard wing pylons during a recent test flight. (Finnish AF photo)

The Air Force’s F-18 Hornet fighter MLU2 (Mid Life Upgrade 2) Upgrade project has advanced to the air-to-ground weapon testing phase.

The test program began on Wednesday, June 16, when the MLU2 program prototype performed its first flight with the AGM-154C JSOW glide-bomb. The flight lasted 1 hour and 29 minutes.

During the flight, the effects of the JSOW on the aircraft’s flight properties, and its in-flight integration, were studied. This was the so-called "Captive Carry" test, which simulated operations up to launch; however, the actual launch was not performed.

The MLU2 Hornet upgrade test program is associated with the introduction of air-to-ground capabilities, which was authorized in the Finnish Air Force’s 2004 defense statement. The Air Force Flight Test Centre will continue the current set of experiments during the summer.

The Hornet MLU2 upgrades, including the air-to-ground capability, should attain operational status in the middle of the decade.

-ends-

Exsandgroper

25-06-10, 11:14 AM

Senator the Hon John Faulkner
Minister for Defence

MIN76/10
More Super Hornets to arrive in July

The next stage in Air Force’s air combat capability is about to occur. RAAF is planning to transit six more F/A-18F Super Hornets from the United States to RAAF Amberley in early July.

Minister for Defence, Senator John Faulkner, said a detachment of RAAF aircrew and maintenance personnel from No 1 Squadron is currently conducting work-ups with the brand new aircraft at Naval Air Station Lemoore in California.

“The detachment is completing comprehensive flight testing which includes up to 96 hours of test and evaluation flying and two weeks of Electronic Warfare flight trials from Lemoore,” Senator Faulkner said.

“Another key task involves working with an air-to-air tanker conducting day and night refuelling flights to ensure we are ready for the flight to Australia.”

“When these jets arrive shortly, close to half of Australia’s twenty four Super Hornets will be based at Amberley, and Defence will be working toward the next milestone of achieving Initial Operating Capability by the end of 2010,” Senator Faulkner said.

The first five Super Hornets were welcomed at RAAF Amberley on 26 March this year. Since then, they have been conducting familiarisation training in Queensland.

The Super Hornet is a highly capable, battle proven, multi-role aircraft that has already proved its effectiveness in service with the US Navy. Its flexibility will enhance Australia’s air combat capability, through maritime and land strike, suppression of enemy air defence, reconnaissance, air-to-air combat and close air support. The F/A-18Fs are a bridging capability through Air Force’s transition to the Joint Strike Fighter.

“The Super Hornet project has been a fine example of team work. Reaching this stage of the project on time and on budget has been due to the great partnership between the Royal Australian Air Force, Defence Materiel Organisation, United States Navy, The Boeing Company and their industry partners, General Electric, Northrop Grumman and Raytheon,” Senator Faulkner said.

Details of the second tranche’s arrival at Amberley will be released closer to the date.

By the end of 2011, all twenty four of Australia’s Super Hornets are scheduled to be in Amberley.

Cheers

Exsandgroper

29-06-10, 03:43 AM

The Hon. Greg Combet AM MP
Minister for Defence Materiel and Science

29 Jun 2010
82/10

F/A-18 Classic Hornet Centre Barrel Replacement Program Completion

Minister for Defence Materiel and Science, Greg Combet, announced yesterday the completion of a major phase of the F/A-18 Classic Hornet Upgrade Program.

Under contract to the Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO), L-3 Communications MAS Canada and BAE Systems Australia have completed the F/A-18 Classic Hornet fleet Centre Barrel Replacement Program.

Under Phase 3.2 of the Classic Hornet Upgrade program select Classic Hornet aircraft were identified as requiring replacement of the centre barrel.

The centre barrel is the major structural element of the aircraft fuselage to which the wings and main undercarriage are attached.

“I am pleased to announce the successful completion of the Classic Hornet Centre Barrel Replacement Program,” Mr Combet said.

“The completion of this program will ensure that the Hornet fleet safely achieves the planned withdrawal date of 2020,” said Mr Combet.

“The success of this program is a reflection of the strong relationships formed between the DMO and its’ Industry Partners, in delivering quality products to the Defence Services.”

I recall only eleven were done?

Cheers

buglerbilly

29-06-10, 04:24 AM

ALE-55 Towed Fighter Decoys for US Navy, Australia

28-Jun-2010 14:10 EDT

AN/ALE-55

“Raytheon’s ALE-50 ‘Little Buddy’ Decoys” covered a towed interference and decoy system that serves with F-16 Falcon/Viper, F/A-18 Hornet family, and B-1B Lancer heavy bomber aircraft.

A related system is made by competitor BAE, whose AN/ALE-55 (V) consists of an electronic frequency converter (EFC) and a fiber optic towed decoy. It works together with an aircraft’s onboard electronic warfare (EW) equipment, throughout the entire ECM cycle of Suppression (harder to acquire or track the towing plane), Deception (active jamming techniques aimed at enemy launchers); and Seduction (active jamming aimed at the missile, and being a decoying target itself if all else fails).

ALE-55 concept

June 28/10: BAE Systems Electronics, Intelligence & Support, Electronic Solutions in Nashua, NH receives a $31 million firm-fixed-price contract for AN/ALE-55 Low-Rate Initial Production Lot 6. This contract combines purchases for the US Navy and Marine Corps ($28.5 million, 92.2%), and the government of Australia ($2.4 million; 7.8%). LRIP-6 includes 72 EFCs (electronic frequency converters) for the US Navy (55) and the government of Australia (17); and 334 FOTD (fiber optic towed device) rounds for the US Navy and US Marine Corps. Together, the EFC and FOTD make up the ALE-55.

Work will be performed in Nashua, NH (80.6%); Mountain View, CA (12%); and Chelmsford, United Kingdom (7.4%), and is expected to be complete in September 2012. This contract was not competitively procured by the Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, MD, as the ALE-55’s manufacturer is already established (N00019-10-C-0069).

buglerbilly

29-06-10, 04:11 PM

F/A-18 Classic Hornet Centre Barrel Replacement Program Completion

(Source: Australian Department of Defence; issued June 29, 2010)

Minister for Defence Materiel and Science, Greg Combet, announced yesterday the completion of a major phase of the F/A-18 Classic Hornet Upgrade Program.

Under contract to the Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO), L-3 Communications MAS Canada and BAE Systems Australia have completed the F/A-18 Classic Hornet fleet Centre Barrel Replacement Program.

Under Phase 3.2 of the Classic Hornet Upgrade program select Classic Hornet aircraft were identified as requiring replacement of the centre barrel.

The centre barrel is the major structural element of the aircraft fuselage to which the wings and main undercarriage are attached.

“I am pleased to announce the successful completion of the Classic Hornet Centre Barrel Replacement Program,” Mr Combet said.

“The completion of this program will ensure that the Hornet fleet safely achieves the planned withdrawal date of 2020,” said Mr Combet.

“The success of this program is a reflection of the strong relationships formed between the DMO and its’ Industry Partners, in delivering quality products to the Defence Services.” (ends)

BAE Systems Participates In RAAF F/A-18 Hornet Centre Barrel Replacement Program

(Source: BAE Australia; issued June 29, 2010)

NEWCASTLE, Australia --- BAE Systems participated as the primary subcontractor to L-3 MAS (Canada) in the successful completion of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) F/A-18 Hornet Centre Barrel Replacement (CBR) Program.

The tenth and final F/A-18 Hornet to be modified as part of this program was handed to the Commonwealth this month during an official ceremony held at the BAE Systems facility in Williamtown, NSW.

The CBR Program, an integral part of the Structural Refurbishment Program Phase 2 (SRP2) for the F/A-18 Hornet fighter, involved the complete replacement of the aircraft’s centre fuselage (Centre Barrel section) near the wing root.

L-3 MAS, the world leader in F/A-18 Centre Barrel Replacement, selected BAE Systems Australia as the teaming partner in Australia to conduct the in-country scope of work.

The CBR Program, which commenced in 2006, is a complex engineering and maintenance undertaking which has substantially extended the service life of the ten upgraded aircraft.

BAE Systems Australia provided the structural “Tear Down” and “Rebuild” elements of the CBR Program from its facility in Williamtown, NSW.

“Tear Down” involved the dismantling of the aircraft and preparation for airlift via Antonov AN-124 aircraft to the L-3 MAS facility in Mirabel, Canada.

“Rebuild” comprised re-assembly of the aircraft, flight testing and delivery to the RAAF, all carried out to the most stringent military standards.

At Williamtown, approximately 180 BAE Systems Australia personnel and nine L-3 MAS personnel provide a range of technical and engineering support to the RAAF F/A-18 Hornet maintenance and modification program as well as the CBR program activities.

Todd Bardell, BAE Systems F/A-18 Project Manager, said today, “The completion of this program represents a major milestone towards assuring the critical RAAF Hornet air combat capability is sustained now and into the future”.

“We are proud to be part of one of the most complex structural refurbishment programs in the history of the RAAF,” he said.

Graeme Jones, L-3 MAS Operations Manager in Williamtown said, “This program has demonstrated the excellent collaboration between two complementary teams to perform a strategically important project for the Defence Materiel Organisation. We are delighted with the outcome of this successful program.”

BAE Systems Australia’s Fast Jet Support (FJS) line of business at Williamtown comprises over 350 personnel. These highly skilled personnel currently provide readiness and sustainment support including repairs, modifications and upgrades, to the RAAF F/A-18 Hornet and Hawk Lead-In Fighter (LIF) fleets.

BAE Systems is a global defence, security and aerospace company with approximately 107,000 employees worldwide. The Company delivers a full range of products and services for air, land and naval forces, as well as advanced electronics, security, information technology solutions and customer support services. In 2009 BAE Systems reported sales of £22.4 billion (US$ 36.2 billion).

-ends-

buglerbilly

01-07-10, 03:01 PM

Ares

A Defense Technology Blog

Growler Grows Up

Posted by Robert Wall at 7/1/2010 7:06 AM CDT

The U.S. Navy’s efforts to ready the growing EA-18G Growler fleet for operational use are ramping up.
Having declared initial operational capability with the new electronic attack aircraft last year with VAQ-132, efforts are now underway to increase the number of squadrons and train personnel. When the first EA-18Gs will deploy operationally is not yet clear, but VAQ-141, which has also transitioned to the aircraft, is expected to be the first squadron to embark on an aircraft carrier, Navy officials indicate.

The EA-18G is meeting performance requirements, but the electronic attack community clearly also is still working through some of the transition issues, particularly as they result from shifting to two-person crew arrangement from a four-person aircraft, according to Navy personnel detailed who detailed their transition efforts from the venerable EA-6B Prowler to the EA-18G during a recent visit by several reporters to the aircraft’s home base, the Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Wash.

“The community is still in its infancy and still trying to figure out how to best use the system” says Lt. Cmdr. Travis Inouye, another VAQ-129 pilot.

So far there are no major complaints with the hardware and software, though. “Every system works on the jet,” notes Lt. Mathew Driskill, an instructor at VAQ-129, the Navy’s EA-18G transition squadron.

One of the main issues now being worked through is “crew coordination standardization,” Inouye adds. For now, the syllabus remains in flux and there is no set definition, yet, on what elements of the electronic attack mission the pilot will take on versus what is the responsibility of the electronic warfare officer.

On the Prowler -- with its two crew in the front seats and two in the back -- personnel have a sense of what the operator next to them is doing, which eases the coordination process and builds a level of trust between personnel. That’s not the case on the EA-18G, where the EWO sits behind the pilot with no direct visibility into what the other is doing.

On the other hand, on the EA-18G the pilot is much more integrated in the electronic attack mission and, says Driskill, “the front seat has the full capability to operate the [airborne electronic attack systems].” The pilot will be responsible for all safety of flight elements of a mission, but operators say the aircraft is relatively easy to fly, so there is time for electronic warfare roles. Still, the level of involvement in electronic attack activities will be heavily dependent on how much flying has to be done.

Advanced tactics will be taught elsewhere, although the Navy has only begun the discussions to prepare that work and also to stand up a course at the Navy Fighter Weapons School at NAS Fallon, Calif.

VAQ-129 typically flies without the ALQ-99 jamming pod or other stores because the training can be done without the drag of the pods. Much of the training is done around Whidbey, although units also go to Fallon to exercise on the ranges there.

Once deployed, it will be left to units to decide whether pilots and EWOs are paired permanently or whether the teams will rotate. In most cases a junior EWO and senior pilot would work together, or vice versa.

One big plus of the new aircraft should be reliability. Aviation Structural Mechanic David Schuster, a Navy technician notes that the EA-6B required about 30 man-hours per flight hour of maintenance; on the Growler that figure is to be around 1.6 hours per flight.

There is still room for growth in the system. For instance, the APG-79 active electronically scanned array radar is not, yet, integrated with the jamming system.

The Navy’s EA-6Bs, which still dominate the landscape at Whidbey Island, are due to be retired in 2013, leaving the U.S. Marine Corps as the sole operator. Meanwhile, the Navy hopes to transition two squadrons a year to the Growler; that effort is now underway for VAQ-138. Each squadron will operate aircraft (VAQ-129 is an exception owing to its training role).

buglerbilly

06-07-10, 02:18 PM

More Super Hornets Touch Down in Australia

(Source: Australian Department of Defence; issued July 6, 2010)

Air Force’s transition to next-generation air combat capability has advanced further with today’s arrival of another six F/A-18F Super Hornets at RAAF Base Amberley, Minister for Defence Senator John Faulkner announced.

Today’s touch-down followed a four-day journey from Naval Air Station Lemoore in California.

“The Super Hornet acquisition project continues to be a major success. It is delivering a quantum leap in air combat capability to Air Force, on-time and on-budget,” Senator Faulkner said.

“This project is a great example of what can be achieved through a strong Defence and Industry partnership.”

“This is the culmination of the hard work and dedication of the Royal Australian Air Force, Defence Materiel Organisation, United States Navy, The Boeing Company and their industry partners, Raytheon, General Electric and Northrop Grumman,” Senator Faulkner said.

“No. 1 Squadron’s transition from operating the venerable F-111 to the highly sophisticated Super Hornet has delivered a new and potent air combat capability that will serve Australia for many years to come”.

Twelve of the RAAF Super Hornets have now been delivered by Boeing. The first Super Hornet delivered, A44-201, remains in the United States conducting ongoing advanced software development trials with the United States Navy. It is anticipated that this development activity will be completed later this year and the aircraft will be ferried to Australia before December to bring our in-service complement to twelve aircraft.

The Boeing Company is continuing to assemble Australia’s F/A-18F Super Hornets at its St Louis production facility.

No. 1 Squadron is working with the Australian Super Hornet project team, the Air Combat Transition Office and Air Combat Group to achieve Initial Operating Capability at the end of this year. (ends)

King Air Touches Down in Townsville

(Source: Australian Department of Defence; issued July 6, 2010)

No. 38 Squadron at RAAF Townsville will receive the eighth and final King Air Interim Light Transport, Greg Combet, Minister for Defence Materiel and Science announced today.

Three King Airs were handed over from Army’s No. 173 Air Surveillance Squadron in November 2009.

Today’s aircraft is one of five brand new King Airs that have been delivered to No. 38 Squadron this year. All eight are operated under lease from Hawker Pacific.

“No. 38 Squadron’s success with the King Air is the result of a 'one team' Defence/Industry approach at RAAF Base Townsville, in which Air Force personnel are working closely with Hawker Pacific staff,” Mr Combet said.

“Hawker Pacific and the Defence Materiel Organisation’s Training Aircraft Systems Program Office deserve credit for their efforts in providing very effective support.”

“The King Air is an interim replacement for the Caribou and is already proving to be a reliable and efficient light transport. The King Air provides a flexible means of achieving Australian Defence Force tasks across the region,” Mr Combet said.

“It delivers the opportunity for Air Force to train new pilots and technicians on an aircraft with modern avionics and turboprop engines, and then transition these personnel to bigger and more complex platforms, such as the C-130J, C-17, Wedgetail, and soon, the KC-30A.”

“At the same time, No. 38 Squadron is providing an operational capability. The King Airs have flown missions to New Zealand, Malaysia, and across Australia for the Australian Defence Force.”

-ends-

buglerbilly

21-07-10, 05:43 AM

Boeing Pitches Upgrades for F-18E/F

Posted by Bradley Peniston | July 20th, 2010

By JOHN REED, FARNBOROUGH, UK – In Boeing’s latest attempt to keep its 20th-century fighter lines alive well into the 21st, the Chicago-based firm unveiled a plan to transform the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet.

Boeing is proposing upgrades for its Super Hornets, like this F/A-18F. (U.S. Navy photo)

Under the “International Roadmap,” the jet would get a touch-screen cockpit inspired by the iPhone, conformal fuel tanks similar to those on Block 60 F-16s, new engines that giving the jet up to 20 percent more thrust, a belly-mounted weapons pod that can carry up to four AIM-120 AMRAAMs, an internal sensor pod and an infrared search and track system, said Shelley Lavender, vice president of Boeing strike fighter programs.

Boeing envisions customers picking among the upgrades for their Super Hornets or buying brand new F/A-18E/Fs with all of them. It’s part of Boeing’s strategy to tailor “increased capabilities” to customer requirements without breaking the bank in an era of fiscal restraint, Lavender said several times during a July 20 press conference.

“We know how to evolve these platforms and deliver new technology,” said Lavender.

She was alluding to Boeing’s upgrades of the original F/A-18 Hornet to the Super Hornet and the F-15 to the F-15E Strike Eagle and the stealthy F-15SE Silent Eagle.

She displayed a concept drawing of the new Super Hornet; it resembled the F-15SE — except for the weapons bay that hangs from the belly and will yield a larges radar signature than the Silent Eagle’s conformal bay.

Lavender said the new cockpit could be ready by 2015, but of the other upgrades could say only that they would likely be available by the end of the decade.

She stressed that the upgrades listed in the roadmap were put together after the Chicago-based company looked at the requirements all of its international Hornet and Super Hornet customers may develop over the coming decades. While the company has briefed the U.S. Navy about the plan, the sea service has not expressed serious interest in it, Lavender said.

buglerbilly

21-07-10, 09:30 AM

More details in this report from the DEW Line blog................

FARN10: Boeing does strike fighters

By Stephen Trimble on July 20, 2010 5:19 PM

The title of the briefing was "The Strike Fighter Evolution", and the briefer was Boeing vice president and general manager for global strike systems Shelley Lavender. In my experience, a briefing with such a title is unpromising: Lots of generic information and references to "generations", but little in the way of news.

But this briefing was different, as shown by this tantalizing slide:

Don't get too excited about the line on F-22. No, Boeing is not the prime contractor for the F-22, but it's responsible for building one-third of the fuselage and integrating the avionics. In the latter role, Boeing expects a thriving business for F-22 modernization programs in the years ahead.

But pay close attention to the last line on slide. It's the one labeled "propietary" and indicates that it's in production today. We don't know what "it" is, and, of course, Lavender declined to elaborate or clarify.

And that may not have been the most interesting slide in Boeing's brief. Take a look at the one below, and note the bullet point for "enclosed weapons pod" and image.

buglerbilly

21-07-10, 04:07 PM

Clearer shots of the above............

Farnborough Air Show 2010

On site special coverage from the 2010 Farnborough International Air Show

Boeing Bombshells

Posted by Bill Sweetman at 7/20/2010 7:03 AM CDT

Boeing is in production on at least one "proprietary" strike weapon system, vice-president and general manager of global strike systems Shelley Lavender disclosed here today. Further questions elicited a firm "I have nothing further for you on that."

More details were available of a new set of modifications to the Super Hornet, described as "a roadmap for the international market" but designed to be retrofitted to any Block 2 aircraft. The most visible change is a stealth-configured weapon pod designed to accommodate a range of weapons, including four AMRAAMs, but other changes include conformal fuel tanks and more powerful engines.

Boeing's been quietly talking about a "beyond Block 2" Super Hornet configuration since around 2005, and its low observable team has been working on ways to reduce the signatures of conventional aircraft. (Competitor EADS, by the way, assesses the existing aircraft as one of the stealthiest fighters out there, other than full-LO designs.) Today's disclosure, however, may indicate that slippage in the F-35 program has encouraged the company to be more aggressive.

Secret or "proprietary" programs were included on this chart, colored to indicate that they were in production:

The secret program or programs are unidentified, but could well have emerged from Boeing's history of ultra-stealthy tailless configurations, including the Bird of Prey demonstrator unveiled in 2002. That project was aimed at combining reduced radar cross section with visual signature reduction, to achieve 24-hour stealth.

buglerbilly

24-07-10, 06:27 PM

Pretty amazing shots...........:faint2

Seconds from disaster: Pilot ejects from fighter jet moments before it crashes in giant ball of flame

By Paul Bentley

Last updated at 2:29 PM on 24th July 2010

With only a split second before his plane hit the ground in giant ball of flame, this air force pilot miraculously managed to eject to safety.

As Captain Brian Bews, 36, of the Royal Canadian Air Force performed a daring low pass of an airfield yesterday, his CF-18 fighter jet suddenly stalled.

But his quick reactions and his rocket-powered ejector seat saved his life as he was catapulted out of the stricken £30million aircraft.

Lightning reactions: Royal Canadian Airforce Captain Brian Bews ejects to safety as his fighter jet stalls

Going down: The £30m aircraft plummets to the ground at the Lethbridge County Airport, near Alberta in Canada

Crash: Captain Bews watches from his parachute as the disaster unfolds. He had been taking part in a practice run the day before an air show

Ball of fire: The CF-18 jet explodes at the airfield

Lucky escape: Captain Bews was taken to hospital, where he will remain this weekend after landing hard and getting dragged across the runway by his parachute

The extraordinary crash was captured on camera during an afternoon practice session for an air show at the Lethbridge County Airport, near Alberta in Canada.

Captain Bews was taken to hospital, where he remains this weekend after landing hard and getting dragged across the runway by his parachute.

‘He's in the hospital,’ his sister-in-law, Heather Bews, said.

‘His ego's hurting pretty bad, but we don't even care. We don't care about the plane, the show... we just care about him.’

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1297283/Canadian-Airforce-pilot-ejects-fighter-jet-moments-crashes-ball-flame.html#ixzz0ucLgLqct

Deks

24-07-10, 11:20 PM

oops, too slow. Had heard about but hadn't seen photos, thanks!

Gubler, A.

25-07-10, 04:00 AM

But his quick reactions and his rocket-powered ejector seat saved his life as he was catapulted out of the stricken £30million aircraft.

30 million quid (USD 46 mil) for a 20 year old Classic Hornet? I don't think so! You could almost buy a brand new Super Hornet for that money.

Gubler, A.

25-07-10, 04:02 AM

Ball of fire: The CF-18 jet explodes at the airfield

Looks like the starboard engine failed.

Chunder

25-07-10, 10:37 AM

his sister-in-law, Heather Bews, said

‘His ego's hurting pretty bad, but we don't even care. We don't care about the plane, the show... we just care about him.’

'

My what a nice sister in law...

Edit:

On following the link, and watching the video, and reading the usual armchair experts, who have commented on a rateable board (green arrows like, red arrows dislike), some guys posted this gem:

Your comment is stupid, might explain why you've got more red arrows than the RAF.
- Peter Alsop, Calne Wiltshire England, 24/7/2010 11:10

Deks

25-07-10, 06:21 PM

30 million quid (USD 46 mil) for a 20 year old Classic Hornet? I don't think so! You could almost buy a brand new Super Hornet for that money.

Agree, were they even that expensive when new ?

Maybe if you added up all the maintenance and upgrades over the years ;)

JimWH

25-07-10, 11:01 PM

30 million quid (USD 46 mil) for a 20 year old Classic Hornet? I don't think so! You could almost buy a brand new Super Hornet for that money.

I think DND is trying to fudge the cost to scam their insurers.

SteveJH

26-07-10, 08:03 AM

I think DND is trying to fudge the cost to scam their insurers.

You can insure jet fighters? :P

buglerbilly

26-07-10, 08:29 AM

You can insure jet fighters? :P

Yeah its called The Government.............alternatively that bunch of twats in Ottowa, Canberra, Wellington or London, you take your choice................

Milne Bay

31-07-10, 05:40 AM

ABC News:

Canadian aircraft intercept Russian bombers

By Dan Karpenchuk in Toronto

Posted 13 minutes ago

Canadian fighter jets have scrambled to repel Russian bombers that intruded into Canadian airspace.

The Russian Tupolev-95 is a long-range bomber capable of carrying nuclear warheads.

Canadian defence minister Peter MacKay says CF-18s were sent to intercept two of the bombers that made several attempts to enter Canadian airspace.

Military officials say there was no advance warning and Mr MacKay says all such incursions will be met with a swift response.

Intelligence analysts say the frequency of these attempts has been increasing, especially as Canada and Russia are in a race to lay claim to huge sections of the Arctic seabed believed to hold vast reserves of oil and gas.

The incursions also come during the debate over whether Canada needs a new generation of high-tech military fighter jets.

buglerbilly

09-08-10, 03:01 PM

Finland Upgrading Hornet Fighters

(Source: YLE Finnish Broadcasting Corp.; issued Aug. 8, 2010)

The Finnish Defence Forces are preparing to spend more than a billion euros in the upgrading of its fleet of F-18 Hornet jet fighters.

The US-built planes are at about the halfway point of their effective lifespans. The upgrade is set to extend their usefulness so that new fighters would not be needed before 2025. Nevertheless, the Finnish Air Forces is looking at other possible jet fighters on the market.

The most recent achievement of advanced military aviation is the American F-35 fighter, which Norway’s air force is planning to acquire.

Finland is also looking at the F-35, although the super-modern jet is also super expensive.

Precision Weapons for Hornet

The Air Force says that it is now concentrating on the upgrading of the Hornet.

The planes, which are primarily attended to give the Finns the capability to repulse an attack, are being modified to function as assault planes, capable of hitting land targets from a long distance.

Army Also Upgrading Equipment

The Finnish Army is also planning to upgrade much of its materiel. East German equipment, [as well as] Leopard tanks which were acquired in the 1990s, is becoming obsolete.

A key requirement in new acquisitions is compatibility with NATO systems, even though Finland has no immediate plans to join the alliance.

-ends-

ADMk2

09-08-10, 03:39 PM

The Finns are certainly spending some coin on their Hornets. They've already paid for an MLU in 2 phases, with phase 2 including Paveway LGB's, JDAM and JSOW (after they were denied JASSM). Now they are spending another billion Euros on upgrading their attack capability.

Wonder what this will include? A new AESA radar perhaps? JASSM now?

Deks

09-08-10, 04:33 PM

Well it's not that illogical, we'd probably be doing the same if our Hornets were as new as the Finnish ones. AESA radar would be my bet :)

ADMk2

09-08-10, 04:43 PM

Raytheon would no doubt be very happy to have a launch F/A-18 customer for it's RACR AESA radar, which has been designed to fit onto F-16 or F/A-18A/B/C/D aircraft...

They might be able to generate quite a few sales if they can get that initial sale and integration effort, achieved.

The Swiss, Kuwaiti's and Malaysians are looking to keep their Bugs for quite a while yet...

Deks

10-08-10, 04:02 AM

I suppose the RACR is a cheaper alternative to upgrading the Finnish F/A-18C's with APG-73 ala the RAAF's HUG'd hornets?

Reading on the Raytheon site it doesn't say a hell of a lot to compare the two radars except to say they're relatively equal in capability.

ADMk2

10-08-10, 04:53 AM

The Finn Hornets are C/D models, so they'd would have come with the APG-73 radar when new. We were upgrading from the much older APG-65...

Deks

10-08-10, 05:02 AM

The Finn Hornets are C/D models, so they'd would have come with the APG-73 radar when new. We were upgrading from the much older APG-65...

My apologies, I must have crossed my wires somewhere. I know the HUG'd hornets have the APG-73, but for some reason I'd confused that with the APG-79 on the SH/Growler - which is what I meant, though I see now why it's not an option. :)

buglerbilly

10-08-10, 07:25 AM

Boeing May Get $7 Billion for Upgrades as Lockheed JSF Stalls

By Gopal Ratnam and Tony Capaccio - Aug 10, 2010 4:11 AM GMT+0800

Boeing Co. may receive $7 billion to extend the use of the Navy’s older fleet of F/A-18 jets, partly because of delays in Lockheed Martin Corp.’s F-35 Joint Strike Fighters.

In its 2012-2016 budget proposal, the Navy is considering spending the money to upgrade about 300 F/A-18 A and D fighters and lengthen their service lives by about 16 percent to 10,000 flight hours, the U.S. Government Accountability Office said in a report released today.

Overhauling the jets would help ensure that the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps have enough fighters to meet their needs through 2030 amid a slower-than-projected rollout of the JSF. The Air Force’s target is 2,000 fighters, and the total for the Navy and Marines is 1,240, the report said.

The Air Force and Navy may not meet those goals, and the “timing and magnitude of these shortfalls largely depend on assumptions about Joint Strike Fighter,” according to the GAO report, which was prepared for the U.S. House Armed Services Committee.

The F-35 program, with a projected cost of about $382 billion, is already four years behind schedule on milestones that include completion of the development phase and combat testing, beginning full-scale production and, finally, declaring the first Air Force and Navy units ready for combat.

John Kent, a spokesman for Lockheed, said it would be inappropriate to speculate on the U.S. Navy’s future budget. Damien Mills, a spokesman for Boeing, also said it wouldn’t be appropriate to comment.

Lockheed rose 53 cents to $75.60 at 4 p.m. in New York Stock Exchange composite trading, while Boeing gained 29 cents to $68.99.

New Spending

Spending on parts and equipment for older F/A-18s would be in addition to as much as $4.8 billion in planned Navy purchases of new F/A-18E/F models through 2015, the GAO said. The Air Force also is examining upgrades to about 300 Lockheed-built F- 16s, “but a fully informed cost-and-benefit analysis has not been done,” the report said.

The Pentagon is in the early stages of reviewing the fiscal 2012 budgets from the Army, Air Force and Navy, which won’t be final until February.

Combat Squadrons

The Air Force and Navy plan to operate their first combat- ready F-35 squadrons in 2016, about five years behind the Air Force’s original June 2011 date and four years after the Navy goal, according to program documents listing initial milestones.

The Marine Corps’s April 2012 date is two years off the intended schedule.

Cheryl Irwin, a spokeswoman for the Pentagon, said it would be premature for the F-35 program office to comment on the report. Lieutenant Nate Christensen, a spokesman for the Navy, declined to comment.

The JSF is intended to give the Air Force, Navy and Marines a common strike aircraft that can be modified for each service’s needs.

The Pentagon has budgeted $58 billion for F-35 purchases through 2015, reaching $14.6 billion in that fiscal year, up from the pending $9.3 billion request for fiscal 2011, according to budget figures disclosed in the GAO report.

Lockheed, based in Bethesda, Maryland, is the world’s largest defense company. Chicago-based Boeing is the second- biggest U.S. defense contractor.

To contact the reporters on this story: Gopal Ratnam in Washington at gratnam1@bloomberg.net; Tony Capaccio in Washington at acapaccio@bloomberg.net.

ADMk2

10-08-10, 08:46 AM

My apologies, I must have crossed my wires somewhere. I know the HUG'd hornets have the APG-73, but for some reason I'd confused that with the APG-79 on the SH/Growler - which is what I meant, though I see now why it's not an option. :)

Yep, the Super Hornets needed a new nose and additional cooling capacity to handle the APG-79. The RACR on the other hand, has been designed with the legacy Bug's size and cooling constraints in mind, whilst still offering a big increase in capability over the existing M-Scan radars.

A late model F/A-18C/D with a RACR radar along with a host of up to date NATO compliant avionics and data-links, a modern EO/IR sensor package (I think Finland chose Sniper XR off hand) and a modern weapons suite would be a very nice package, offering excellent capability for many years to come...

buglerbilly

31-08-10, 02:53 AM

Amendment Sought To Protect USN Hornet Buy

By JOHN REED

Published: 30 Aug 2010 16:10

U.S. lawmakers are scrambling to pass a stand-alone amendment to the 2010 Defense Authorization Act to keep the Navy's planned 124-plane Super Hornet deal alive after a pair of technicalities threatened to scuttle the buy.

An F/A-18 Super Hornet flies over the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt. (U.S. Navy)

The four-year purchase of F/A-18E/F Super Hornets and E/A-18G Growlers for an unspecified amount was approved by the Act, which was signed into law last October. But Navy officials missed the March 1 deadline for declaring its intention to buy the planes, telling lawmakers that they needed more time to negotiate prices with planemaker Boeing.

On May 15, the Navy announced that it would indeed exercise its option to buy the planes. The deal would save the service $590 million through 2013.

But with the deadline past, new legislation is required, Navy Secretary Ray Mabus wrote to the leaders of congressional defense committees in an Aug. 4 letter.

The missed the deadline means the Navy needs congressional approval to move ahead with the deal in the form of a second act "other than an appropriations act" before the end of fiscal year 2010, Mabus' letter said.

In his letter, Mabus urges the lawmakers to pass an amendment to the 2010 Act by Sept. 30.

On Aug. 10, Reps. Gene Taylor, D-Miss., and Todd Akin, R-Mo., introduced an amendment to the Act that would reset the March deadline to September and grant the Navy authority to buy the jets. Taylor is chairman of the House Armed Services seapower subcommittee and Akin its ranking minority member.

Backers plan to have the amendment considered in the House of Representatives on Sept. 14, the day lawmakers return from summer recess, and have it taken up as a unanimous consent bill on the Senate floor later that week, according to one Hill staff member.

Despite the compressed timeline, Hill staffers are confident the amendment will be on President Barack Obama's desk by the end of September.

The staffer said there is always the possibility of "unforeseen roadblocks," but added that "nothing obvious comes to mind right now."

The backup plan is to include the text of the amendment in any continuing resolution that may have to be considered before the end of fiscal 2010, the staffer said.

buglerbilly

01-09-10, 05:15 AM

New generation Hornets deliver deadly sting

KIM WHEATLEY

From: The Advertiser

August 31, 2010 8:15PM 38

One of the new generation RAAF F/A-18F Super Hornets landing on the runway at Edinburgh. Picture: RAAF Source: AdelaideNow

AUSTRALIA'S new combat aircraft, the $6 billion Super Hornet fleet, is in South Australia to begin its first live weapons trials at the Woomera Test Range.

Five F/A-18F and about 100 aircrew and maintenance personnel from No. 1 Squadron at RAAF Amberley, Queensland, began testing air-to-ground weapons firing in the middle of the South Australian desert on Monday.

The strike aircraft, affectionately known as the Rhino, is designed to replace the ageing F-111s, which are due to be retired later this year after three decades of service.

Wing Commander Glen Braz told The Advertiser yesterday the warbirds were performing above expectations.

"It's amazing. It's got incredible performance," he said. "You can be on the runway here at Edinburgh and, two minutes later, it's supersonic at 40,000 feet.

"In terms of capability, it has 11 weapons stations - a 2000 pound bomb. We can carry four of those, each the size of a small car.

"We drag those up to Woomera and drop them with pinpoint accuracy."

Reaching speeds of up to 1900km/h, it takes about 35 minutes to fly to Woomera each day, where an array of weaponry, including laser-guided bombs, rockets and missiles are being fired.

The jet is designed as a bridging fighter until Australia receives the stealthy, fifth generation F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, which is due to arrive from 2015.

The Howard Government purchased 24 of the $250 million Super Hornets, which are in service to the US Navy, to address the capability gap.

At the time, then Defence Minister Brendan Nelson was criticised for purchasing an interim aircraft.

Defence analyst Dr Andrew Davies is one of many who was initially critical of its capabilities, but now believes buying the strike fighter was the right decision.

"With the benefit of hindsight it was actually a really good decision," he said.

Pilots also argue that it will take the risk out of Australia's air combat capability for the next decade.

"It's incredibly agile and responsive. The weapon system itself is incredibly mature so it's a great aeroplane," Commander Braz said.

JimWH

01-09-10, 07:11 AM

Nice. So in about a week to a fortnight time we'll be able to confirm that we know how to operate the Super Hornet and declare the IOC (half a squadron of aircraft and personnel able to go on operations)?

ADMk2

01-09-10, 08:46 AM

Nah, it's only the initial weapons trials, they've got to do some weapons launches in the US as well as completing EW trials and this aircraft is to be delivered to Australia before the end of the year, to make up the 12x aircraft that is required for IOC.

Accordingly, IOC is slated for December...

JimWH

01-09-10, 09:01 AM

I thought the IOC (as opposed to the ISD) was defined as half a squadron able to be usefully employed? And a fair proportion of the crew on this trial have actually dropped or loaded weapons before whilst training in the US (haven't they)?

ADMk2

01-09-10, 09:20 AM

It's more than just being able to fly and launch a weapon, the support and training processes need to be in place, crews, including maintenance and ops planning crews need to be in place, weapon stocks availability etc. As I understand it, IOC for the RAAF means they can deploy a detachment to an operation without effecting it's overall training scheme and eventual development of FOC.

JimWH

01-09-10, 11:24 AM

I would have thought that being able to deploy 5 Rhino and 100 people to South Australia with the purpose of flying daily missions to Woomera was a relatively elegant proof that 1 Sqn is able to do just that. They have the people and kit to fly and maintain the aircraft, and they have the staff to plan and coordinate the missions too. Also, note that it is 1 Sqn sending the detachment (i.e. not 6 Sqn), which IMHO would imply that the training schedule back at Amberly will be continuing.
And as I understood it, having the training and maintenance structure fully in place was the definition of ISD not the IOC. IOC is only the 'if we need it' operational capability rather than the 'anytime you want it' capability.

ADMk2

01-09-10, 01:22 PM

Not really. The weapons, radar and EW still remain to be cleared and IOC include 12x aicraft in Australia which won't happen until December...

buglerbilly

03-09-10, 04:28 AM

F/A-18 Distributed Targeting System has first flight

NAVAL AIR SYSTEMS COMMAND, PATUXENT RIVER, Md. -- An F/A-18F Super Hornet equipped with the Distributed Targeting System completed its first one-hour test flight Sept. 1 at Naval Air Station China Lake, Calif.

The system is part of the U.S. Navy’s F/A-18E/F Network Centric Warfare Upgrades program and F/A-18E/F flight plan, a program designed to ensure that the Block II Super Hornet will stay ahead of known and emerging threats through 2025 and beyond.

“This is a major architectural implementation for the flight plan upgrade,” said Capt. Mark Darrah, F/A-18 and EA-18G program manager. “It will be a huge enhancement to the F/A-18 fleet aircraft.”

The DTS itself is a hardware and software system designed to provide precision strike capability against relocatable, targets, such as mobile surface-to-air missile units. The system uses sensor imagery gathered from the radar or infrared signatures emitted by potential targets. It then compares those images to references stored within DTS to determine if the target is a threat.

The system is designed to reduce the time it takes to search, identify, classify, pinpoint and attack a target as well as assess the damage to the target, a process also known as the kill chain. With onboard communications, a single aircraft equipped with DTS can provide multiple target points to other aircraft. Without this capability, each aircraft derives individual coordinates on each target.

“DTS provides real time precision strike capability to the warfighter, where no similar capability exists today,” said Darrah. “This ability to strike mobile threat targets with precision minimizes collateral damage to supporting ground forces in close contact.”

The DTS program, which will be fielded on all Block II F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, began in 2004. Initial operational capability is slated for fall 2012 with operational fielding in 2013.

-30-

Darrah – Capt. Mark Darrah addresses member of Air Test and Evaluation Squadron Thirty One, Naval Air Station China Lake, Calif., before the first flight of the F/A-18F Super Hornet equipped with the Distributed Targeting System. (U.S. Navy Photo)

Flight -- The F/A-18F Super Hornet equipped with the Distributed Targeting System prepares for its first flight. (U.S. Navy Photo)

buglerbilly

18-09-10, 04:30 AM

Defence given lift-off to buy Growler warplanes

Mark Dodd From: The Australian September 08, 2010 12:00AM

WASHINGTON has given the go-ahead for Australia to buy the EA-18G "Growler" electronic warfare aircraft.

It is the most advanced warplane of its type in the world, defence industry sources said yesterday.

The Australian understands the decision was made about a fortnight ago by the US Technology, Transfer, Security Assistance, Review Board (TTSARB), a decision that could pave the way for the first foreign military sale of the Growler, defence sources said.

TTSARB rules on potential foreign sales of sensitive high-end US military equipment. Its decision follows last year's request by the Rudd government to have 12 F/A-18F Super Hornets, half a 24-plane order for the RAAF, configured on Boeing's assembly line for a possible Growler upgrade.

Australia bought 24 F/A-18F Super Hornets -- described by its maker as the world's best multi-role fighter -- in a $6 billion deal to acquire a "bridging capability" to cover the retirement of its ageing fleet of F-111 strike aircraft.

The Super Hornet is regarded as a 4.5 generation aircraft ahead of a $16bn order for a so-called fifth-generation aircraft, the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

Exsandgroper

18-09-10, 06:24 AM

Cameron Stewart, Associate editor From: The Australian September 18, 2010 12:00AM

The air force is about to reverse a decade of decline with a string of new aircraft
THE balance of power in Asia is changing faster than the new Gillard government would like.

China is flexing its muscles, making its near neighbours nervous with its ambitious naval expansion. The US has taken note and is quietly shoring up its alliances in the region, reassuring all that it will remain the pre-eminent power in the Pacific.

These big-picture trends are causing debate, but in Australia there is a more subtle military shift under way that will also help redefine the balance of power in our immediate region for years to come.

The Royal Australian Air Force is about to reverse a decade of decline in its strength relative to other regional air forces. Within two months, the second batch of Super Hornets will arrive from the Boeing plant in St Louis, creating the first operational squadron of the RAAF's new jet fighter.

At the end of this year, these initial 12 Super Hornets -- the first of 24 -- will take over from the grand old dame of warplanes, the F-111 strike bombers.

The mothballing of the F-111 and the arrival of the Super Hornets, along with the new Wedgetail airborne early warning and control aircraft and new air-to-air refuellers, marks a long-awaited turnaround in Australia's air power capabilities.

"In terms of hardware, the air force has begun a period of transition in which most of its front-line fleet will be replaced by 2020 or shortly thereafter," says Andrew Davies of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute.

"The delivery of Wedgetail and the Super Hornet represents the arrest of a slow decline in the RAAF's long-held regional qualitative lead in air combat capability."

Chief of Air Force Mark Binskin admits this is a pivotal moment in the history of the RAAF.

"It's one of those generational changes," the air marshal tells Inquirer. "The F-111 has been around for a long time and is seen as the strategic strike weapon for Australia so I think there is a lot of emotion and it will be quite a time in December when the last F-111 flies . . . but it is time for a change.

"The Super Hornets coming in and the [advance capabilities] it will bring in combination with the upgraded [classic F/A 18] Hornets really does reset the relative combat power that we have."

While other countries in the region have been investing in advanced fighter jets such as Russian Sukhoi fighters, US F-15s and F-16s, Australia's fighter stocks have been in relative decline during the past decade.

Until recently, the RAAF's 70 F/A-18s have struggled to reach full operating capacity because of the need for progressive upgrades to keep them flying until their planned retirement date in 2018.

The 15-strong F-111 fleet has been largely ceremonial for the past decade; modern air defences have made it too risky to send the much loved "Pig" into a hot war without heavy aerial support. With their long range and their ability to fly low and blindingly fast, the F-111s were the pre-eminent strike bomber of their era, reaching their target before defence radars could spot them.

But since the 1980s the development of new radars, such as the F/A-18's pulse-Doppler APG-65 radar, made the F-111 vulnerable because they could pick out fast-moving, low-flying targets.

"More and more air forces were re-equipping with modern Western and Russian fighters and ground-based air defence systems built around such radars," defence expert Gregor Ferguson says. "Suddenly the F-111 wasn't invincible any more. There was nothing it could do that can't be done now by a different combination of aircraft and weapons which can also fill other roles and deliver wider operational benefits."

While the F-111 will be a sentimental loss, the arrival of the Super Hornet represents a sharp lift in actual combat capability.

Used by the US Navy, they are the first new RAAF front-line fighters since 1985.

A recent ASPI report on RAAF capability states: "Compared to the classic Hornets, they carry more powerful radar, electronic warfare and networking capabilities and can carry greater weapons load over a longer range. They also have a degree of low observability built in. The Super Hornets will give RAAF a capability on par with the US Navy."

Davies says the combination of the Super Hornets and the standard F/A-18s should ensure that Australia retains a capability edge in air power in the region ahead of the arrival of the F-35.

"The number and capability of Australia's air combat aircraft will overmatch the piecemeal and less well supported fleets of nearby nations [except Singapore]. As well, in any defence of Australia scenario, the RAAF should be able to establish local air superiority and conduct sea denial operations even against a major power."

Davies tells Inquirer: "What we will get with the Super Hornet is the ability to hit targets [that] have modern air defence systems.

"What we lose is a bit of range. We have to work harder to get a range anything like the F-111."

Twelve of the 24 Super Hornets will be configured so they can be potentially transformed into a specialised electronic warfare version of the Super Hornet known as the Growler.

"This is a dedicated electronic warfare aircraft and that is a significant capability that we have never had before," says Davies.

Because Super Hornets are already in use in the US Navy, they will arrive in Australia almost ready to fly.

Late last month, five Super Hornets and about 100 aircrew and maintenance personnel from No 1 Squadron at RAAF Amberley, Queensland, began the first live weapons trial in Australia, testing air-to-ground weapons firing at Woomera in the South Australian desert.

There are 11 Super Hornets in Australia and a new group of three planes is set to arrive in November. All 24 aircraft are expected here by the end of next year.

Their arrival coincides with the planned arrival by early next year of all six Wedgetail AWACs.

The Wedgetails are four years late and the program has been deeply troubled by technical hitches and cost overruns.

But when introduced into service next year the planes -- in theory -- should be able to scan the airspace above Australia's maritime approaches to detect an air or sea attack and direct planes and ships to defeat that threat.

"From a cruising altitude of 30,000 feet, the MESA radar mounted on the upper fuselage of the Wedgetail aircraft is designed to detect targets more than 400km away in all directions [including] hard-to-see targets such as cruise missiles," Ferguson says.

The Super Hornets are a bridging fighter to fill the gap between the retirement of the F-111s and the arrival from 2014 of the new F-35 Joint Strike Fighters.

Former defence minister Brendan Nelson was widely criticised in 2007 when he announced the $6 billion Super Hornet purchase, but setbacks and delays in the F-35 project have justified the decision in hindsight.

Australia plans to buy 100 F-35s but the project has been bedevilled by technical problems, cost blowouts and schedule slippages. Its original delivery date to Australia of 2012 has blown out and the first squadron of F-35s is not expected to become operational until 2018.

Despite this, the Australian government has never wavered from its commitment to the new warplane and still argues that it is the best and most cost-effective solution for the RAAF's future front-line fleet.

The troubled project also received a rare bit of good news recently. Its flight testing program, which has been well behind schedule, has gained some momentum and the full-year goal of 394 flights is likely to be met.

Cheers

buglerbilly

24-09-10, 04:32 AM

Boeing Completes Production of 1st Australian Super Hornet with Provisions for Future Electronic Attack Capability

ST. LOUIS, Sept. 23, 2010 -- Boeing [NYSE: BA] announced today that it has completed production of the first Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) F/A-18F Super Hornet that has the capability to be converted into an electronic attack aircraft.

Boeing is pre-wiring the RAAF's second lot of 12 Super Hornets for potential electronic attack capability conversion during production at the company's facilities in St. Louis.

"Incorporating the ability to introduce an electronic attack capability on 12 RAAF Super Hornets as they are produced in St. Louis provides maximum flexibility for our Air Force in the future," said RAAF Group Capt. Steve Roberton, Officer Commanding 82 Wing, which includes Super Hornet and F-111 aircraft. "Ultimately, if a decision to incorporate an electronic attack option is pursued, it will further expand the broad capability of an already formidable Super Hornet weapon system."

The Australian government announced in March 2007 that it would acquire 24 of the advanced Block II versions of the Super Hornet, all of which are equipped with the Raytheon-built APG-79 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar. Eleven Super Hornets are now operating at RAAF Base Amberley in Queensland. All 11 aircraft were delivered ahead of schedule and on budget. Boeing will deliver Australia's 24th Super Hornet in 2011.

"Besides giving the RAAF the potential of introducing electronic attack capability in the future, producing these 12 aircraft with this configuration from the outset also reduces cost when compared with retrofitting at a later date," said Carolyn Nichols, Australian Super Hornet program manager for Boeing.

The Boeing Super Hornet is a multirole aircraft, able to perform virtually every mission in the tactical spectrum, including air superiority, day/night strike with precision-guided weapons, fighter escort, close air support, suppression of enemy air defenses, maritime strike, reconnaissance, forward air control and tanker missions. Boeing has delivered more than 430 F/A-18E/Fs to the U.S. Navy. Every Super Hornet produced has been delivered on or ahead of schedule and on budget.

A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is one of the world's largest defense, space and security businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world's largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is a $34 billion business with 68,000 employees worldwide.

ADMk2

24-09-10, 05:29 AM

I'm guessing this will be the 13th airframe to be built then? Anyone know when the next batch is due to be delivered to Amberley? I knowvthey need 12x aircraft in Country before IOC can be declared, but it seems as if we might have a couple more than this...

Also, has anyone seen or heard anything about some issues with the Supers at Woomera recently? Defence were promising all sorts of pretty pics and footage of their initial weapons trials, but despite finishing more than 2 weeks ago, nothing has been reported... The only thing I've seen was on a four wheel drive forum of all things, with people stating that lighting facing outwards from the Supers at Edunburgh was preventing any night time photography and one or 2 solitary day time pics before they were politely asked to bugger off by local law enforcement...

JimWH

24-09-10, 06:11 AM

It'd have to be the 3th built AD, which means that we're unlikely to seem many more in country till early next year. Which is odd, because I could have sworn there was supposed to be another batch in country before the end of this year.
And yes, weird as hell that there aren't any photos coming out of Woomera. We'd better not have found a way to fuck up introducing the Rhinos...

Gubler, A.

24-09-10, 07:04 AM

Not so wierd. All it takes if one anal gumby within the admin chain to put a stop on picture release. Air Force News often does it so they can have first show of the pics in their paper.

buglerbilly

24-09-10, 04:21 PM

EMALS Readies for Launch with Super Hornet

(Source: US Naval Air Systems Command; issued September 23, 2010)

NAVAL AIR SYSTEMS COMMAND, Patuxent River, Md. --- The Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) completed catapult commissioning testing for its system functional demonstration at NAVAIR Lakehurst, N.J., last week.

“The team has successfully completed no-load and dead-load launches in all areas of the required performance envelope,” said Capt. James Donnelly, Aircraft Launch and Recovery Equipment program manager. “The program’s test performance and data supports moving from SFD commissioning to full SFD testing.”

Among the test points accomplished, the team recently completed a 154-knot dead-load launch equivalent to the weight of an F/A-18E Super Hornet, the first platform to be launched by EMALS scheduled this fall.

Moving into SFD marks the opening of the test program window for the F/A-18E launch and future launches. The F/A-18E is currently being instrumented and test data is being analyzed in order to obtain flight clearances and launch approval for later this year.

“Full SFD demonstrates the significant progress the EMALS program is making in Lakehurst,” said Ms. Lisa Nyalko, program executive officer for tactical aircraft programs (Acting). “Completing commissioning testing brings us one step closer to our first aircraft launch this fall and more importantly, to our on-time delivery of EMALS to CVN 78.”

SFD testing began Sept. 12 and will continue to demonstrate system operation and hone software development/maturation simultaneous to hardware production on the first ship set.

“The production and delivery of EMALS and SFD are two distinct efforts,” said Cmdr. Russ McCormack, deputy program manager for future systems. “Hardware production is occurring independently from the system functional demonstration as component operation was previously proven in the High Cycle Testing and Highly Accelerated Life Testing phases of the program.”

The EMALS program will begin delivery of the first ship set to CVN 78 in 2011.

-ends-

ADMk2

28-09-10, 04:19 AM

Not so wierd. All it takes if one anal gumby within the admin chain to put a stop on picture release. Air Force News often does it so they can have first show of the pics in their paper.

I'm becoming more convinced that there is something they are "not telling us" with the Supers. The last edition of Air Force news promised us a big spread on the Super's "bomb camp" in the next edition. Well the next edition is out now and there is narry a mention of the bomb camp and the only Super Hornet mention is in relation to it's display at the Williamtown air show...

There's a story here I reckon. Rumours abound that RAAF have run into problems with the Supers...

JimWH

28-09-10, 04:53 AM

How the hell could the zoomeys screw up introducing the Rhinos? It's an established aircraft, using weapons integrated onto the type, and the first batch of people to fly and operate them were trained by the USN. This should be fool-proof. Against which, all the phrase 'fool-proof' means is that somebody needs to develop a better fool...

ADMk2

28-09-10, 04:58 AM

Ask the DMO. The same ones that forgot to establish the Satcom capability needed to actually use the Blue Force Tracker capability on our
M1A1's. The ones who screwed up the support arrangements for the C-17A's...

Off the shelf they may be, that doesn't stop apparent incompetence or tight-fistedness in acquiring ALL the capabilities you need to successfully operate these "straight forward" acquisitions....

The "oops we forgot that" line seems to be a re-occuring theme according to all those ANAO reports on these "MOTS" acquisitions...

buglerbilly

28-09-10, 08:41 AM

F/A-18F Pre-wired For Electronic Attack Rolls Out

Sep 27, 2010

By Graham Warwick graham_warwick@aviationweek.com
WASHINGTON

Australia’s decision to pre-wire half of its F/A-18Fs for the electronic-attack mission is generating interest in the option among potential international buyers of the Super Hornet, Boeing says.

The first of 12 aircraft equipped with wiring for conversion to the electronic-attack mission has rolled off the production line in St. Louis and will be delivered to Australia by year’s end, says Kory Mathews, F/A-18 programs vice president.

Pre-fitting the F/A-18F with the same wiring as the EA-18G Growler allows the Super Hornet to be modified later to perform the “electronic awareness” and/or electronic-attack roles, Mathews says.

For electronic awareness, the aircraft would be equipped with the ALQ-218 radar-band and ALQ-227 communications-band receivers to enable it to monitor, analyze and locate potentially hostile emitters. The aircraft could act on the information or send it to other air or ground users. Adding the ALQ-99 jamming pods would give the modified Super Hornet the full electronic-attack capability of the EA-18G.

“Pre-wiring is a cost-effective option for a customer considering electronic awareness and/or electronic attack,” Mathews says. Internationally, there is “curiosity to understand what the option provides,” but no formal discussions yet, he adds.

Electronic awareness and electronic attack are separate functions, Mathews says. “Jamming is important, but there is significant operational utility in enhanced electronic awareness.”

There is “no downside” to pre-wiring the F/A-18F to provide the option for future conversion, he maintains. The additional cabling “adds about 300 lb. to the aircraft, otherwise there is no difference.”

Boeing, meanwhile, is moving ahead with planned upgrades to the F/A-18E/F. Flight tests of the distributed targeting system began this month. The upgrade adds an image-exploitation processor and mass memory unit.

The system compares synthetic-aperture radar maps from the aircraft’s active-array radar with stored geo-registered SAR maps and generates precise target coordinates for GPS-guided weapons. The capability is to become operational in 2012.

This is to be followed by a podded infrared search-and-track (IRST) sensor and enhancements to the APG-79 active, electronically scanned array radar and sensor-fusion capabilities.

Boeing also is offering a range of upgrades to potential international customers, including conformal fuel tanks, large-area cockpit displays, stealthy weapons pods, enhanced-performance engine (EPE), embedded IRST and distributed aperture systems.

The only one of these formally proposed so far, Mathews says, is the increased-thrust F414EPE in the F/A-18E/F offered to India for the 126-fighter Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft requirement.

Photo credit: U.S. Navy

buglerbilly

29-09-10, 02:46 PM

Pentagon Contract Announcement

(Source: U.S Department of Defense; issued September 28, 2010)

The latest F-18E/F multiyear production contract, awarded on Sept. 28, includes 58 EA-18G Growler electronic attack aircraft for the US Navy. (US Navy photo)

The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Mo., is being awarded a $5,297,000,000 modification to convert the previously awarded advance acquisition contract (N00019-09-C-0019) to a fixed-price-incentive-fee multi-year contract.

In addition, this modification provides for the procurement of 46 F/A-18E, 20 F/A-18F, and 58 EA-18G airframes for the Navy.

Work will be performed in St. Louis, Mo. (45.2 percent); El Segundo, Calif. (44.6 percent); Hazelwood, Mo. (3.4 percent); Cleveland, Ohio (1.7 percent); Torrance, Calif. (1.4 percent); Vandalia, Ohio (1 percent); Ajax, Canada (1 percent); Irvine, Calif. (0.7 percent); Johnson City, N.Y. (0.5 percent); and Grand Rapids, Mich. (0.5 percent).

Work is expected to be completed in May 2015. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year.

The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. (ends)

Boeing Receives Multi-Year Contract from US Navy for 124 F/A-18 and EA-18 Aircraft

(Source: Boeing Defense, Space & Security; issued September 28, 2010)

ST. LOUIS --- The Boeing Company has been awarded a new multi-year procurement (MYP) contract from the U.S. Navy for 124 F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler aircraft.

The new contract is valued at $5.297 billion. Under the terms of the agreement, Boeing will deliver 66 Super Hornets and 58 Growlers to the Navy from 2012 through 2015.

"The men and women of Boeing are honored to provide the Super Hornet's advanced, combat-proven multirole capability and the EA-18G's unmatched airborne electronic attack capability to the American warfighters serving their nation around the world each day," said Boeing F/A-18 and EA-18 Programs Vice President Kory Mathews. "Procurement of these 124 aircraft through a multi-year contract takes advantage of the full efficiencies of Boeing's production and supplier operations, which will generate more than $600 million in cost savings for U.S. taxpayers."

The new contract is the third multi-year agreement between Boeing and the Navy for production of the F/A-18E/F, the Navy's frontline strike fighter, which delivers forward-deployed air combat capability around the world from the decks of 11 Navy aircraft carriers, including ongoing missions in Afghanistan.

The EA-18G, the United States' newest combat aircraft, conducts advanced airborne electronic attack (AEA) missions to support Navy and joint force requirements. The EA-18G is scheduled for its first combat deployment later this year.

"Boeing and its Hornet Industry Team suppliers have delivered every Super Hornet and Growler on schedule to the warfighter and on budget for the taxpayer from the first Super Hornet delivery," said Mathews. "The first two F/A-18E/F multi-year contracts generated more than $1.7 billion in savings for the United States. We look forward to continuing to provide unmatched capability and value through this contract."

Boeing delivered 210 Super Hornets to the Navy during the initial F/A-18E/F MYP, which spanned fiscal years 2000 through 2004. Boeing was then awarded a second MYP that included aircraft procurement during fiscal years 2005 through 2009. Aircraft deliveries under that contract continue through 2011 and total 257 aircraft.

The Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet is a multirole aircraft, able to perform virtually every mission in the tactical spectrum, including air superiority, day/night strike with precision-guided weapons, fighter escort, close air support, suppression of enemy air defenses, maritime strike, reconnaissance, forward air control and tanker missions. Boeing has delivered more than 430 F/A-18E/Fs to the U.S. Navy.

The Boeing EA-18G Growler is the only air combat platform that delivers full-spectrum AEA capability along with the targeting and self-defense capabilities derived from the Navy's frontline fighter, the F/A-18E/F Block II Super Hornet. A derivative of the two-seat F/A-18F Block II, the EA-18G's highly flexible design enables warfighters to operate either from the deck of an aircraft carrier or from land-based airfields. It is replacing the Navy's current AEA platform, the EA-6B Prowler, which has been in service since 1971. The EA-18G joined the Navy's aircraft fleet in 2008, when it was introduced to fleet training squadron VAQ-129.

A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is one of the world's largest defense, space and security businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world's largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is a $34 billion business with 68,000 employees worldwide.

-ends-

buglerbilly

30-09-10, 02:27 AM

Interesting snippet from Steven Trimble on the Costs for successive Hornet buys..................

I researched Boeing's press releases to find out how much the Super Hornet's price has changed over the last decade. Even as the company introduced the Block II Super Hornet/Growler with active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, the price has steadily declined. Keep in mind these figures don't include 'actuals' -- Congressional plus-ups make true cost comparisons impossible. But the trend is clear.

• MYP 1 (June 2000) -- orders 222 aircraft for $8.9 billion, or $40.09 million per copy. Adjusted for inflation based on consumer price index: $49.45 million (2009 dollars)
• MYP 2 (December 2003) -- orders 210 aircraft for $8.6 billion, or $40.95 million per copy. Adjusted for inflation based on consumer price index: $47.65 million (2009 $), a 7.6% decrease
• MYP 3 (September 2010) -- orders 124 aircraft for $5.3 billion, or $42.72 million per copy, a 10.4% decline compared to MYP-2 and 13.6% decline compared to MYP-1

* Boeing MYP contracts exclude government furnished equipment, which includes engines

http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/the-dewline/

Deks

30-09-10, 04:20 AM

ADMk2

30-09-10, 12:22 PM

I wonder as well whether it includes all the EW gear, as there certainly is a larger proportion of the aircraft that are EA-18G's than in previous buys. Even so, that should make it more expensive and not less.

Super's were and are an amazing buy for what you pay for them. :)

These prices don't include any Government furnished equipment like engines etc... The Super is a great buy for the price. Unfortunately it's not considered "sexy enough" by too many people, but the capability it provides at the price compared to it's current competitors is un-believable.

Just look at the Indian MMRCA, every fighter in that competition bar the F-16 has to undergo a massive development program, that India herself will likely have to fund, simply to catch up to the capability that the Super Hornet Block II has operational today.

If it were about simple capability off the shelf, it'd be a 2 horse race between the Super and the F-16 and all the Russian/Euro models would be left struggling to catch up in overall capability terms to the US's previous generation aircraft...

JimWH

30-09-10, 12:56 PM

buglerbilly

30-09-10, 02:32 PM

Navy Awards Multiyear Contract for 124 F/A-18, EA-18 Aircraft

(Source: US Naval Air Systems Command; issued Sept. 29, 2010)

PATUXENT RIVER, Md. --- The Naval Air Systems Command's F/A-18 and EA-18G program office (PMA-265) in Patuxent River, Md., announced Sept. 28 that the Navy is purchasing 124 F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler aircraft during the next four years based on the award of a multiyear procurement contract.

"This contract award was possible due to the hard work of our government team with strong support and engagement from our senior acquisition leadership," said Capt. Mark Darrah, PMA-265 program manager.

The Super Hornet provides aircrew the capability and performance necessary to face 21st century threats and is scheduled to remain in service beyond 2035. In Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, its open architecture design allows it to perform new combinations of varied and distinct missions.

Similarly, the Growler is the latest variant of the F/A-18. This electronic attack aircraft combines the newly developed jamming capability upgrades of the EA-6B Prowler with the tactical versatility, advancements and capabilities of the Block II Super Hornet.

"This contract provides 600 million dollars in taxpayer savings over the next four years and is an example of how the U.S. Navy is finding ways to be more efficient with our budget," said Darrah.

With this multiyear procurement contract in place, the Navy will acquire the remaining program of record for 515 Super Hornets and 114 Growlers by the end of fiscal year 2013.

"The program is very pleased with the terms of this contract and the savings that were generated by implementing unique and flexible thinking by industry," said Darrah. "As an example, the contract provides a variation in quantity provision that allows the Navy to increase the number of aircraft purchased in any year to meet warfighter needs. Additionally, the provision could realize additional savings for the Navy through potential quantity increases for foreign military sales."

According to Lisa Nyalko, acting Program Executive Officer for Tactical Aircraft Programs, this award is a result of the ongoing relationship between the Navy and Boeing.

"The outstanding teamwork that exists between the Navy and Boeing has resulted in the multiyear procurement of 124 Super Hornets and Growlers at greater than 10 percent savings to the taxpayers, compared to a single-year procurement strategy," said Nyalko. "Since the first multiyear, in fiscal year 2000, this team has ensured fly-away costs for each subsequent lot was executed at a lower unit price than the proceeding lot. This is a great accomplishment for all involved."

-ends-

Deks

01-10-10, 01:13 AM

I suspect that both Typhoon and Rafale will catch up with the Super Hornet soon enough given already funded or likely refit programs, but as it stands today Rhino is the best of the crop for almost all missions. Better than F-22 for most jobs too. Which makes it excellent value for money for the next 3-6 years. After that once F-35s are coming down the line briskly they'll take the trophy easily. The bugger of it is convincing people that there is no incoherency in saying that Super Hornet is excellent today, but JSF will be excellent in a few years time, which explains the RAAF's stated policy*.

*I had this conversation last night.

I think it'll really come back to what the fly away price on the F-35A/C ends up at. If it does hit $65m as was claimed by LM not that long ago, then you'd have no arguments from me that the F-35 is the better buy.

Taking the worst case price though -ie if the F-35 ends up at over $100m - I'm not sure that continues to hold true. If it does end up being that expensive, I'd say a mixed fleet of F-35's and Supers would be the way to go if you're looking at a clean sheet solution.

buglerbilly

23-11-10, 01:35 PM

BAE Systems Delivers Hornets Ahead Of Schedule

(Source: BAE Systems Australia; issued Nov. 23, 2010)

NEWCASTLE, Australia --- BAE Systems has underlined its commitment to total performance by delivering the two most recent F/A-18 Hornets under the RAAF’s Deeper Maintenance Support Contract ahead of schedule and under budget.

The BAE Systems Australia Fast Jet Support maintenance team and partner L-3 MAS Canada delivered the first Hornet three working days ahead of schedule, followed by the second Hornet being delivered ten working days early at its Williamtown facility.

The Company, in co-operation with the DMO’s Tactical Fighter Systems Program Office, is implementing the Smart Maintenance concept as part of Defence’s Strategic Reform Program (SRP).

Commander of the RAAF Air Combat Group Air Commodore Mel Hupfeld said: “Air Force appreciates the endeavours and achievements of BAE Systems in supporting
SRP.

“We look forward to all of our industry partners assisting, on a sustainable basis, to the improved delivery of effective capability at lower cost to the Commonwealth of Australia. These early results from BAE Systems are encouraging and I congratulate them and applaud their initiatives.”

BAE Systems’ Aerospace Business Unit began introducing ‘Lean’ processes in 2009 and these recent successes reflect a continuing improvement in aircraft availability and reduced cost.

Director Aerospace John Monaghan, said: “We have worked very hard at every level — from the technicians on the line to our lead management team — to achieve the Commonwealth’s SRP objectives.

“Lean is taken very seriously and the implementation of Lean concepts is central to that process.

“We are striving along with our contract partners in L-3 MAS Canada to hone and refine our methods through phase based servicing, consultation, workforce engagement and constant improvement, using integrated monitoring, review and evaluation of our maintenance processes at every step.

“Even though we have carried out the work ahead of schedule, we have not compromised the safety of our personnel or airworthiness”

Since 2009, BAE Systems and partner L-3 MAS Canada have provided deeper maintenance and modification support for all 71 Australian F/A-18 Hornet fighters.

BAE Systems is a global defence, security and aerospace company with approximately 107,000 employees worldwide. The Company delivers a full range of products and services for air, land and naval forces, as well as advanced electronics, security, information technology solutions and customer support services. In 2009 BAE Systems reported sales of £22.4 billion (US$ 36.2 billion).

-ends-

Gubler, A.

30-11-10, 11:41 AM

There's a story here I reckon. Rumours abound that RAAF have run into problems with the Supers...

Looks like you were right here. From the ANAO "Major Projects Review 2010" Audit:

Emergent Risks (risk not previously identified but has emerged during 2009-10): There is a possibility that Initial Operating Capability will not be achieved in December 2010 due to delayed weapons integration for two weapons types (CLASSIFIED), avionics systems deficiencies (CLASSIFIED), and existing facilities OH&S deficiencies.
Remedial Action: Additional funds and resources have been allocated for root cause analysis and rectification. Increased management oversight and commitment by senior executives of the relevant organisations to rectify the issues has been established.

JimWH

30-11-10, 12:08 PM

Ummm... I didn't think we were doing any weapons integration on the Super Hornets just using the set the USN has already cleared it for.

Gubler, A.

30-11-10, 12:47 PM

Ummm... I didn't think we were doing any weapons integration on the Super Hornets just using the set the USN has already cleared it for.

I think this refers to the RAAF Super Hornets proving they can drop legacy USN integrated weapons - as seen in the JSOW campaign at Woomera - like Harpoon, LGB, JDAM, AMRAAM, AIM-9X. If the IOC requirements include firing all these weapon types or proving the capability to fire them they could still have a problem. Integration is more than just capture, carry and drop it also includes the RAAF demonstrating the skills to employ the weapons. The JSOW and the AIM-9X are both new weapons to the RAAF that could require a lot of learning to use properly.

NB: It was announced that JASSM would be integrated onto the SH but this would not be part of the IOC but a later capability growth step.

ADMk2

30-11-10, 03:28 PM

I haven't seen the acquisition of any new AMRAAM missiles, announced anywhere (C7 variants most likely, though direct commercial sales may not always be announced) and I read that AGM-154C1 JSOW won't be available in Australia until 2011 (though it hasn't received IOC in the US yet either, IIRC).

These would seem to account for the weapon issues, unless weapon types not previously announced were included in the rather large, costly weapons package...

Exsandgroper

07-12-10, 08:20 AM

Media are invited to RAAF Amberley for an announcement regarding the F/A-18F Super Hornets.

When: Wednesday 8 December 2010. Media should assemble at the main gate at RAAF Amberley at 1.30 pm for pass issue.

Anybody got a clue what's this is about.

Cheers

Milne Bay

07-12-10, 08:53 AM

When is the next batch due to arrive?
Maybe it will be a welcoming committee.

Gubler, A.

07-12-10, 12:39 PM

Probably the IOC announcement.

buglerbilly

03-02-11, 10:53 AM

Boeing to unveil stealthier F/A-18 aircraft

Published: Wednesday, Feb 2, 2011, 19:02 IST

By Hemanth CS | Place: Bangalore | Agency: DNA

A mocked up version of Boeing’s F/A-18 Super Hornet will be among the many metal birds to debut at the upcoming Aero India 2011.

Boeing, which is one of the contenders for the $10 billion medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) contract, will unveil a stealthier version of the F/A-18 at the air show to be held at the Air Force Station Yelahanka between February 9 and 13.

Boeing’s vice president and country head for defence, space and security, Vivek Lal, said that one of the two F/A-18s which will be performing at the bi-annual show will be configured with conformal fuel tanks, enhanced performance engines, spherical missile laser warning, enclosed weapons pad, next generation cockpit and internal infrared search and tracking system.

The mocked up aircraft, which will be unveiled at the Aero India will be the first F/A-18 to be developed as part of the ‘International Super Hornet Roadmap’ programme which was announced by the US-based aerospace company at last year’s Farnborough Air Show in the UK.

Labelled as the next evolution of Block II Super Hornet, the aircraft is said to have features “which increase survivability, situational awareness, and performance for customers”.

Lal said that if India inked the 126 MMRCA deal with Boeing, it would also have the option of shaping its technology in future. “We are putting up a platform which will be combat worthy for the next 30 to 40 years,” said Lal.

buglerbilly

04-02-11, 03:13 AM

U.S. Navy, Pentagon Debate EA-18G Growler

Feb 3, 2011

By Michael Fabey

While the U.S. Navy has continued to make improvements to its F/A-18 electronic attack variant — the EA-18G Growler — the service has yet to prove the aircraft is suitable for operations, says a recent report by the Pentagon’s Director of Operational Test and Evaluation (DOT&E).

At the same time, DOT&E notes another Navy electronic warfare aircraft, the EA-6B Prowler, is suitable, despite testing limitations faced by the program.

DOT&E notes “suitability problems” that were identified during Growler testing in 2008. The Navy conducted Verification of Correction of Deficiencies (VCD) testing on the EA-18G from September 2009 to January 2010 to resolve those issues.

“The VCD test results did confirm significant progress on improving suitability, but additional development and testing are needed,” DOT&E notes in its most recent report, released in January. “The EA-18G is operationally effective, but still not operationally suitable.”

In DOT&E’s parlance, “operationally effective” simply means the system can perform its mission. “Operationally suitable” means the system will be practical and supportable in the field.

As far as the Navy is concerned, the Growler’s initial operational test and evaluation proved it is both operationally effective and suitable. “From what we understand, DOT&E included items outside the specific scope of [the] test for the EA-18G program into its findings,” the service says in a statement. “Although these items were outside the scope of the development program, they are items DOT&E felt important enough to address from a Department of Defense perspective.

“No program ever enters IOT&E perfect or ends without identification of anomalies,” the Navy says. “None of the anomalies were showstoppers.”

Prime contractor Boeing acknowledges seeing “software anomalies” during testing. Company spokesman Philip Carder says “the majority of those anomalies were resolved through a previously planned system software update.”

DOT&E agreed the Navy has been making improvements. “The VCD test results provide strong evidence that aircraft software stability is improving,” DOT&E says. “But additional development and flight testing is required to confirm the problems have been resolved.”

The scheduled testing for the first quarter of this year should provide the Navy an opportunity to “assess efforts to fix these suitability issues, particularly with the latest software load that indicated significant progress with fixing maintainability problems,” DOT&E says.

[I]Photo credit: U.S. Navy

buglerbilly

09-02-11, 04:06 AM

Aero India: Boeing's advanced Super Hornet upgrade options

Flightglobal | February 08, 2011

Boeing Super Hornet Chief Test Pilot Ricardo Traven gives Flightglobal a tour at Aero India 2011 of advanced upgrade options on a Super Hornet. For more on Aero India see: http://www.flightglobal.com/air-shows...

ADMk2

09-02-11, 09:08 AM

All mockups I know, but the CFT's look like a particularly elegant solution. The "internal" IRST I'm not so sure about, nor that weapons pod. It's a "low drag design". Compared to what? A Mack truck? I find it difficult to believe that that pod offers lower drag than 2x shoulder station mounted AMRAAM missiles and two wing mounted air to surface weapons. It might be slightly more LO, but less draggy? I have a doubt...

McFriday

09-02-11, 09:18 AM

I wonder how much 24 sets of conformal fuel tanks would cost? Raising the internal fuel from c14k lbs to c17k lbs for no net drag [he didn't mention RCS] would be a plus wouldn't it?

Mac

ADMk2

09-02-11, 09:33 AM

If you mean RAAF, then there is no particular need to get 24 sets. The aircraft that aren't flying operational missions don't need them. Like the ATFLIR pods, we could probably get away with no more than 18x sets at best.

The Super Hornet Block II just with the CFT's (and no large drop tanks) and the engine upgrade would be a pretty handy performer (not that it isn't already) indeed. The rest of the kit I feel is a bit "gucci" and is probably only there to help win the International contracts it is currently seeking where rent payment (greasing the wheels) and "ToT" are going to count for more than whatever the aircraft chosen can actually do...

Milne Bay

09-02-11, 09:51 AM

I wonder how much 24 sets of conformal fuel tanks would cost? Raising the internal fuel from c14k lbs to c17k lbs for no net drag [he didn't mention RCS] would be a plus wouldn't it?

Mac

I don't think that these conformal tanks are strap-ons.
They look like a blended part of the fuselage/wing to me and seem to be part of a redesign.
Could be wrong though.
MB

McFriday

09-02-11, 10:20 AM

Aussie Digger;
"If you mean RAAF, then there is no particular need to get 24 sets. The aircraft that aren't flying operational missions don't need them. Like the ATFLIR pods, we could probably get away with no more than 18x sets at best."

I was really thinking of uniformity across the whole fleet. Of course you're right if a bulk deal wasn't the best deal.

"The Super Hornet Block II just with the CFT's (and no large drop tanks) and the engine upgrade would be a pretty handy performer (not that it isn't already) indeed".

It would indeed, didn't mention the engines as the answer was too obvious...ours are still under warranty! LOL

"The rest of the kit I feel is a bit "gucci" and is probably only there to help win the International contracts it is currently seeking where rent payment (greasing the wheels) and "ToT" are going to count for more than whatever the aircraft chosen can actually do..."

Your words but won't argue with the assessment, local rules being local rules...

Cheers,

MB,
I'm not sure now you mention it, some pieces I've read seem to imply they can be retrofitted but I can't find one now that states positively either way ATM.
Cheers,
Mac

buglerbilly

11-04-11, 02:51 PM

Ares

A Defense Technology Blog

New Super Hornet Maintenance Site Setup

Posted by Michael Bruno at 4/10/2011 4:22 PM CDT

The first Boeing F/A-18 to undergo a six-year Planned Maintenance Interval (PMI) at Fleet Readiness Center Southeast in Jacksonville, Fla., has been delivered back to operators in a strike fighter training squadron in Virginia.

Jacksonville is establishing the "fly-in, fly-out" PMI capability to handle overflow workload from Naval Air Station Oceana, Va., according to the center. The additional PMI site expands maintenance capability at a time when large numbers of Super Hornets near their required six-year inspections and maintenance.

“Our goal is to complete PMI on 16 aircraft each year, an average of four per quarter," said John Bandor, the F/A-18E/F Integrated Maintenance Concept (IMC) program manager. Four prototype PMI aircraft are planned for fiscal 2011, which ends Sept. 30.

The first Super Hornet arrived at Cecil Commerce Center on Dec. 8, 2010, for planned maintenance and minor repairs. “The first always takes longer due to the learning curve, setup and defining processes," Bandor explained in an April 8 announcement. "We need to ensure we’re effective first, then efficient. Once the capability is fully established and the processes defined, we will be at a fixed price. The PMI goal is 53 calendar days.”

Cmdrs. Mitch Conover and Paul Filardi delivered the first PMI prototype to the “Gladiators” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 106 at Oceana April 4.

(U.S. Navy)

buglerbilly

21-04-11, 12:31 PM

NAVAIR 04/20/2011

Navy celebrates 500th Super Hornet, Growler program delivery

ST LOUIS, MO -- The Navy and its industry partners marked the 500th delivery of the F/A-18 Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler aircraft during a celebration at the Boeing facility here today.

“Today is another significant milestone for a program that has by any measure exceeded expectations for cost, schedule and performance. The PMA-265/Hornet Industry Team has consistently delivered capable and reliable aircraft to our fleet customer,” said Capt. Mark Darrah, F/A-18 and EA-18G program manager (PMA-265).

Industry partners Northrop Grumman, General Electric Aircraft Engines and Raytheon also attended the ceremony. Northrop Grumman builds the aft and center fuselage portion of the airframe and provides the ALQ-218 AEA system for the Growler, while GE Aircraft Engines manufactures the F414 engine. Raytheon produces the APG-79 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, multiple racks and launchers and the ALR-67V(3) Radar Warning System.

“Today the Department of the Navy is employing more than 1,100 Legacy Hornets, Super Hornets and Growlers supporting operations world-wide, demonstrating exceptional flexibility across several mission areas and geographic locations,” Darrah said.

Built on the nation’s first multi-mission strike fighter, the Hornet, the F/A-18 Super Hornet and continues to give the operational commander more flexibility in employing tactical aircraft in rapidly changing scenarios. The Airborne Electronic Attack EA-18G Growler recently began its first deployment supporting overseas operations.

buglerbilly

24-04-11, 04:56 AM

Ares

A Defense Technology Blog

Rhino's Revenge

Posted by Bill Sweetman at 4/22/2011 8:50 AM CDT

Boeing says that the Super Hornet improvement package quietly rolled out at Farnborough last year, and manifest in mock-up modifications attached to an F/A-18E at this week's 500th-aircraft rollout, is aimed at international customers. And it has the inoffensive name of "International Roadmap Options" -- it's not the Ultra Hornet, Silent Hornet or (heavens, no) the Block 3.

(Someone asked Navy program manager Capt Mark Darrah in St Louis about comparisons with the F-35. He almost physically recoiled and refused point-blank to comment. I half expected him to pull out a crucifix and a squirt-gun and spray his questioner with holy water. Sensible guy.)

Boeing's stated strategic goal -- to stretch Super Hornet/Growler production to 1,000 aircraft -- is also not aggressive. The program is already close to 700 aircraft, including 41 additional Navy aircraft announced earlier this year to mitigate the effect of JSF delays. Campaigns and expressions of interest in countries that are not on the JSF list -- India, Brazil and the Middle East -- could reach that figure.

And yet, "a number of potential Joint Strike Fighter customers" have asked for information about the Super Hornet, according to Boeing Military Aircraft president Chris Chadwick. "We see customers trying to recapitalize their tactical fighter forces and balancing that with huge budget pressures, and trying to make the best decisions going forward." (That describes almost everybody.)

The Super Hornet is already formally pitched against the JSF in Denmark and it looks as though things are headed the same way in Japan. Chadwick calls the aircraft a "low risk, low cost, known-time offering worldwide" and Boeing officials Wednesday repeatedly observed that Super Hornets are all being delivered "on cost and ahead of schedule" -- a not-so-subtle reference to delays and overruns that might possibly afflict other programs.

Boeing's strategy, Chadwick says, is based on the idea that "what the customer wants is next-generation technology, when it's available and as soon as it can be incorporated. We have an approach that allows rapid integration of technology into the platform."

Now look again at the improvement package, with the EPE engine, a weapon pod and conformal tanks. Basically, this gives you two options. One is just to take the power and conformals, improving the Rhino's high-end performance (its best friends will concede that as a good idea) and adding some range.

The other is a clean configuration with two weapons in the pod and two tip-mounted missiles -- not unlike a JSF clean load-out. With the conformals, the 17500 pounds of fuel is not far short of an F-35A. (With the conformals and the pod, drag would be a little bit higher than a clean aircraft with a centerline tank.)

Fuel fraction is not quite as good (the carrier-based F-18 is heavier than the A-model) but ten feet more wingspan won't hurt the cruise efficiency. And 10,000 pounds more thrust from the EPEs, versus the F135, will make a difference in acceleration and agility.

What about stealth? There is some overlooked history here. A long time ago, after McDonnell Douglas had its wobbly bits handed to it by Lockheed and Northrop in the Advanced Tactical Fighter competition and was forced into a junior partnership with GD on the A-12, St Louis vowed that it would never happen again.

A robust stealth group was established and has been sustained ever since, working both on reducing signatures of conventional designs and on highly-LO designs such as X-36 and Bird of Prey. Back in 2007, then-Phantom Works chief George Muellner said that the LO group had made important advances in managing signatures with external stores -- and four years later, what emerges?

So the LO comparison between the new Hornet and the JSF might not be as cut-and-dried as one might think.

Finally, consider the US Navy. The performance comparison between the Boeing proposal and the heavier F-35C will lean toward Boeing. The chin-mounted infrared search and track system (not quite the same as the IRST function in the JSF's targeting system) meets a Navy need. And while Lockheed Martin has claimed that the F-35A will cost about as much as a Super Hornet, nobody makes that claim for the F-35C.

And by the way, an improved Super Hornet comes out of the box with all the weapons and functions developed (with a lot of time and money) for the current aircraft. The two-seater can be loaded with fuel tanks and flex into a forward air control mission. The conformals are a quick and useful range extension for the Growler (EPEs wouldn't hurt that aircraft either).

If I was Boeing, these are all things I would be telling the US Navy. Just not in public.

buglerbilly

27-04-11, 01:20 AM

DATE:26/04/11

SOURCE:Flight International

Super Hornet international version testing anticipated

By Zach Rosenberg

Video here: http://bcove.me/ur3cnqqd

Any decisions about flight testing further variations of the F/A-18E/F will take place in 2012, says Boeing. Wind tunnel testing of the upgraded Super Hornet, called the International Roadmap version, is anticipated later this year. Flight testing is contingent on customer interest; thus far no nations have purchased the new version, unveiled last year.

"We have offered in some instances," says Chris Chadwick, president of Boeing Military Aircraft, "so for example, the enhanced performance engine is baseline in our offer in India, because that aligns with what they want this aircraft to perform."

The International Roadmap includes a variety of options, including up-rated engines, panoramic display, conformal fuel tanks and an infrared search and track sensor. The concept was unveiled at the Farnborough airshow last year, and a mock-up displayed at Aero-India in February.

"I can tell you that a number of potential F-35 customers have asked for information, so that they can make the best decision going forward should they need to go in a different direction," Chadwick says.

Several Middle Eastern nations are "in various stages of evaluations" of the Super Hornet, Chadwick says. Though Boeing has not released the identities of or features offered to those nations, Qatar, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates are among the possible buyers in the region.

Unicorn

02-05-11, 09:53 AM

First RAAF exercise deployment of the Rhino.

ADF assets exercise around Malaysia

Australian Air Force multi-role F/A-18F Super Hornets will soar through the sky over Malaysia while Navy guided-missile frigates and a Collins class submarine will patrol the South China Sea in a major military exercise commencing today.

Exercise BERSAMA SHIELD 2011 (BS11) will see six F/A-18 Super Hornets from No. 1 Squadron, the ANZAC class frigates HMA Ships Ballarat and Parramatta, and the Collins class submarine, HMAS Dechaineux, join other warships and combat aircraft from Singapore, Malaysia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.

The Commander of the Australian Contingent, Wing Commander Kenneth Robinson, said the exercise will be conducted by member countries of the Five Power Defence Arrangement (FPDA) in various locations on the Malaysian Peninsula and in the South China Sea between 2 and 13 May.

“The exercise aims to enhance the interoperability of the combined air, ground and naval forces of the FPDA countries to enhance regional security, including the defence of Singapore and Malaysia,” Wing Commander Robinson said.

"The FPDA continues to be an integral part of the regional security architecture, which helps develop greater interoperability among the armed forces of member nations.”

The exercise marks a significant milestone for the Air Force’s new F/A-18F Super Hornets, with this their first overseas deployment since arriving in 2010. The Super Hornet permits Australia to maintain a formidable air combat capability during the transition to the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter over the next decade.

“BS11 will provide the F/A-18 Super Hornets with the opportunity to train with Royal Malaysian Air Force MiG-29s and Republic of Singapore F-16s,” Wing Commander Robinson said.

“The exercise’s maritime component involving the ANZAC class frigates, HMA Ships Ballarat and Parramatta, and the Collins class submarine, HMAS Dechaineux, will enhance high-end war-fighting skills in a highly complex maritime environment.”

BERSAMA SHIELD, marking its 40th anniversary this year, provides the ADF with the opportunity to develop relationships with important security partners while reinforcing Australia’s long-term commitment to regional stability.

Images: Images from the exercise are available at http://images.defence.gov.au/fotoweb/.

buglerbilly

16-05-11, 12:58 PM

DATE:16/05/11

SOURCE:Flight International

Malaysian Hornets set for $72m upgrade

By Greg Waldron

The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency has notified Congress of a possible $72 million deal to upgrade the Royal Malaysian Air Force's Boeing F/A-18D Hornets.

The proposed sale will cover a mid-life upgrade to the service's eight-strong fleet of aircraft, as well as six Raytheon ASQ-228 advanced targeting forward-looking infrared pods.

In addition, the deal will include software development, system integration and testing, test sets, aircrew and maintenance training, support equipment, spare and repair parts, and other elements, the agency said.

© Australian Department of Defence

Malaysia received eight two-seat Hornets in 1997

The announcement follows a request for the upgrades from the Malaysian government.

"Malaysia needs these assets to support future coalition operations and aircraft interoperability with the US and other regional partners," said the DSCA. "This will upgrade the current FLIR pod to a current configuration, reducing obsolescence issues." It will also give the Royal Malaysian Air Force "functionality similar to the US Navy", it said.

The principal contractor for the proposed deal is Boeing.

buglerbilly

12-07-11, 04:33 PM

DATE:12/07/11

SOURCE:Flight International

Testing the next-generation Super Hornet

By Mike Gerzanics

Nearly 11 years ago, I had the chance to fly a Boeing F/A-18F at NAS Lemoore, in California's central valley. During my familiarisation flight, I was able to sample first-hand the Super Hornet's capabilities.

To reduce risk and speed up delivery to the US Navy fleet, the initial (Block I) Super Hornet's avionics suite was the same as that of the then operational F/A-18C/D. The aircraft I flew had a Raytheon APG-73 radar and an inertial navigation system that could be augmented with a GPS receiver. Although not previewed on my flight, the Block I aircraft also had the capability to employ the joint helmet-mounted cueing system (JHMCS). At the time, I had not been long out of the cockpit of the Lockheed Martin F-16, and was generally impressed by the Super Hornet's capabilities. In particular, I found the radar's ground-mapping capability to be excellent.

Since then, Boeing has not stood still, and an upgraded Block II Super Hornet - incorporating numerous improvements to sensors, weapons systems and cockpit - was fielded in 2007. The new standard brought with it a state-of-the-art active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, an advanced tactical forward-looking infrared (ATFLIR) pod and a network capability.

© US Navy
The F/A-18E/F can employ weapons targeted by onboard sensors

Raytheon's APG-79 AESA radar significantly increased the Super Hornet's air-to-air as well as air-to-ground capabilities. The electro-optical ATFLIR offers high-resolution capability that can be "slaved" to the AESA radar and JHMCS. Net-centric operations capability was improved by adding a multi-functional information distribution system/Link 16 digital communication system.

Recently, at Boeing's facility in St Louis, Missouri, I was able to fly a fixed-base Block II Super Hornet simulator. The front cockpit was much as I remembered it from my flight. The aft cockpit, however, had a larger 8in x 10in (20cm x 25cm) multi-function display instead of the previous 6in x 6in one. Also, the missionised aft cockpit can now be operated independently of the front cockpit.

As with all current tactical aircraft, the Super Hornet has significant hands-on-throttle-and-stick (HOTAS) capabilities. But what it lacked was 3D audio and voice command capability. The usefulness of voice commands may be debatable, but 3D audio can provide valuable spatial cues for threat reaction.

Although the Super Hornet is JHMCS capable, this was not used during my cockpit familiarisation flight. The JHMCS should be a great tactical asset, particularly during air combat manoeuvring. The accuracy of the off-boresight Raytheon AIM-9X Sidewinder infrared-guided missile is greatly enhanced by the ability to visually aim and shoot it at large off-axis angles.

My simulator sortie had air-to-air and air-to-ground elements, all flown near China Lake, just north of Edwards AFB. A final element involved three carrier landings at a notional ship off the coast of California.

© Boeing
Further improvements to the General Electric F414 engines will enhance the performance

During the air-to-air engagements, it took me several minutes to get used to the Super Hornet's HOTAS controls. Cursor control in the F-16, for radar and other system slewing, is done with a thumb switch on the throttle. In the Super Hornet, it is done with the left middle finger, also on the throttle. Target designation can be done with a Z-axis/downward push on the slew button.

As a novice Super Hornet pilot, I found it difficult to keep the cursors over the target while designating it. I had the same problem when I flew a familiarisation flight in a Boeing F-15. I found using a separate button on the stick allowed me to designate targets without moving the cursors - an effective but much less elegant process than that employed by proficient F/A-18E/F pilots. Cueing symbols in the head-up display enabled me to visually acquire targeted aircraft rapidly, and the intuitive weapons symbology aided weapons employment.

Air-to-ground weapons delivery was practised from medium altitude. As with my actual flight in the Super Hornet, I found the Doppler beam sharpening mode of the radar built a very precise picture of the target environment. The APG-79's multi-tasking capabilities also allowed me to keep abreast of the air threats, while it drew a detailed picture of the China Lake airfield - our target area.

The Super Hornet is a formidable air-to-ground machine, with the ability to employ weapons targeted by onboard sensors (visual/radar/IR) as well as GPS- and laser-guided munitions. The two-seat Super Hornet with independent fore and aft cockpits should be a highly capable all-weather attack asset.

During the tactical portion of my simulator sortie, I felt at home in the Super Hornet's cockpit. Individual systems, the AESA radar in particular, are state of the art.

My overall feel for the pilot/vehicle interface, while it is effective and combat proven, was that it lags newer aircraft. Tactical information, for the most part, is presented on separate displays, forcing the pilot to do much of the fusion. This federated arrangement is no different from what I experienced when I flew a Block 60 F-16 simulator at Lockheed's Fort Worth facility in Texas in 2000. In 2007, I was able to fly a full-motion simulator for the Lockheed F-35 Joint Strike Fighter in both air-to-air and air-to-ground roles. The F-35's helmet-mounted display and large forward panel-mounted 19.6in x 8in display offered a wonderful palette to display truly fused tactical information.

© Boeing
In the cockpit, individual systems, such as the AESA radar in particular, are state of the art

Engine and aircraft system information - readily available and automatically presented when needed - does not clutter the cockpit. The F-35's level of integration and sensor fusion was a generation ahead of what I experienced in the Block II Super Hornet and Block 60 F-16 simulator sessions.

But further slips to the F-35's initial operational capability date are a distinct possibility, while the Super Hornet is available now. Also, Boeing is hard at work developing cost-effective improvements and upgrades to the type.

Proposed improvements to the aircraft's General Electric F414 turbofan engines will enhance the Super Hornet's performance, and conformal fuel tanks will enable tactical operations at greater ranges.

A next-generation cockpit is also under development and has a very large 19in x 11in touch-sensitive display. I was able to fly a cockpit built around this display and can confirm that it provides an ideal palette to display fused tactical information.

The Super Hornet may have started life as a fourth-generation fighter, but Boeing's efforts should keep the type tactically relevant for years to come.

buglerbilly

13-07-11, 12:56 AM

Hornet Buffs Up

Jul 12, 2011

By Bill Sweetman

The Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet was not supposed to live this long. But with the latest slippages in the Lockheed Martin Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program and aging fighter forces worldwide, Boeing talks about stretching production to 1,000 aircraft and keeping the line open to the end of the decade, despite the recent loss in India’s Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft competition. The program is close to 700 aircraft, including 41 additional U.S. Navy aircraft announced this year to mitigate JSF delays.

Active campaigns include Brazil and Denmark. A Middle Eastern customer—possibly Kuwait—has expressed interest. The Super Hornet is Boeing’s candidate for the next Japanese fighter order, competing with the Eurofighter Typhoon and JSF. The idea of another Super Hornet buy is being mooted in Australia, which could face a front-line fighter gap if the JSF slips further. Boeing says a number of JSF partners have asked for information on the Super Hornet.

Boeing’s strategy is not to initiate comparisons with JSF, although Boeing Military Aircraft President Chris Chadwick called Lockheed Martin on the mat in May for what he termed “fundamentally untrue” statements about the Super Hornet’s price. However, Boeing never talks about its product without pointing out that it offers “date and cost-certain” capabilities and that all Super Hornets and Growlers have been delivered on cost, and on or ahead of schedule. Recently, Chadwick suggested that the JSF “might become a niche fighter” on the international market because of its cost.

More details have emerged about the “international roadmap” features that have been disclosed piece-by-piece over the past year. The most visible are the conformal fuel tanks (CFT) above the body and the low-radar-cross-section (RCS) centerline weapons pod. Those are to be wind tunnel-tested this year, with a decision on a flight-test program to follow.

The CFTs carry 3,200 lb. of fuel. Boeing says they have no net drag at cruising speed, because they reduce trim drag enough to offset their added frontal area. As a result, a configuration with CFTs and a centerline tank delivers as much range as a three-tank configuration today. The weapon pod carries four AIM-120 missiles, a 2,000-lb. bomb or two 500-lb.-class weapons.

Transonic acceleration and specific excess power, particularly when temperatures at altitude are high, were criticized on the Super Hornet when it entered service. A roadmap option is an enhanced-performance engine (EPE) variant of the General Electric F414, offering up to a 20% thrust boost. That would take the EPE to 26,500 lb. of thrust, giving it the best thrust/weight ratio of any fighter engine—almost 11:1. It has a new core, based on demonstrations conducted with U.S. government funds in 2004 and 2006, and a redesigned fan and compressor. A third test engine was run in 2010.

GE says that it has developed 17 new or derivative engines successfully from the same technology readiness level. Unfortunately, India did not accept that argument.

Also on the roadmap menu is a spherical-coverage missile-approach warning system and an infrared search-and-track (IRST) system in a chin pod. Boeing and Lockheed Martin are working on a repackaged, updated version of the AAS-42 IRST (originally developed in the 1980s for the Grumman F-14D) for the Navy’s Hornet fleet, carried in a modified fuel tank. Boeing is open to other options for the international aircraft. (Japan, for instance, has its own domestic IRST technology on the F-15J Kai upgrade.)

Inside the cockpit, a new option is a big-screen display comprising an 11 X 19-in. panel, which could be flight-tested next year. Based on commercial technology, the panel is a hedge against obsolescence and a potential cost-saver as well as offering options for new display formats. A low-profile head-up display using digital LCD projection eliminates the big optical box that previously ruled out a panoramic display.

Boeing has been taking a working model of the big-screen cockpit to trade shows and bases worldwide, both to promote it and to get pilot reactions to conceptual display formats.

Although Boeing is careful to keep the “international” label attached to the new options, they are all designed for retrofit to Block 2 aircraft, all but 24 of which belong to the U.S. Navy. And while the modified aircraft will not directly match the F-35C in signatures, it closes the gap in RCS and range (with the CFTs), is lighter and more powerful, and current estimates say it will be less expensive to buy and operate.

Photo: Boeing

ADMk2

13-07-11, 05:28 AM

Smoking the Boeing peace-pipe now. He is truly a money grubbing whore... If it's not Eurofighter it's Saab. Not Saab, Boeing. Anything but JSF....

jack412

13-07-11, 11:45 AM

he's done a few pro-boeing things, they must put on a great lunch because he is eurocentric

JKM Mk2

13-07-11, 12:08 PM

The article mentions a possible additional buy from the ADF. Any truth in that rumor?

Cheers
JKM

buglerbilly

13-07-11, 12:10 PM

EA-18G completes 1st combat deployment

July 13th, 2011

- 2 additional EA-18G squadrons now deployed

- Growlers operating from aircraft carrier, land base

ST. LOUIS, July 12, 2011 -- Boeing [NYSE: BA] EA-18G Growlers operated by U.S. Navy electronic attack squadron VAQ-132 safely returned to their home base at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Wash., on July 9, after completing an eight-month deployment that included combat operations in the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) and U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) areas of responsibility.

During the deployment, VAQ-132’s personnel and aircraft supported CENTCOM operations in Iraq before quickly transitioning to AFRICOM to conduct operations supporting NATO in Libya.

Additional EA-18Gs are deployed with electronic attack squadron VAQ-141 aboard the USS George H.W. Bush (CVN77) aircraft carrier, marking the aircraft's first sea-based deployment. VAQ-141 is expected to conduct support missions as part of Carrier Air Wing Eight in the Mediterranean and Persian Gulf regions.

A third electronic attack squadron, VAQ-138, recently deployed to a land-based location.

"It's a very exciting accomplishment for the Navy and for our nation to have the Growler in the fleet -- on time, on cost, and with the performance that was expected. What we're hearing from the fleet is that the young lieutenants and lieutenant commanders who are flying the aircraft are, just as we thought, taking advantage of the capabilities of the Block 2 Super Hornet to make the jet more effective," said Capt. Mark Darrah, F/A-18 and EA-18G program manager (PMA-265). "We're looking forward to more feedback from the fleet in order to continue developing exciting capabilities for the aircraft."

"Boeing is honored to support the Navy and the service members operating and maintaining the new EA-18G Growler," said Kory Mathews, Boeing F/A-18 and EA-18 Programs vice president. "As we join the Navy in celebrating its first 100 years of aviation success, the service continues to achieve milestones that will stand out for decades to come."

The EA-18G is the only air combat platform that delivers full-spectrum airborne electronic attack (AEA) capability along with the targeting and self-defense capabilities derived from the Navy's frontline fighter, the F/A-18E/F Block II Super Hornet. A derivative of the two-seat F/A-18F Block II, the EA-18G's highly flexible design enables warfighters to operate either from the deck of an aircraft carrier or from land-based airfields. It is replacing the Navy's current AEA platform, the EA-6B Prowler, which has been in service since 1971. The EA-18G joined the Navy's aircraft fleet in 2008, when it was introduced to fleet training squadron VAQ-129.

jack412

13-07-11, 03:01 PM

The article mentions a possible additional buy from the ADF. Any truth in that rumor?

Cheers
JKM

no truth to it, ADF has said it isnt being considered

Unicorn

14-07-11, 12:54 PM

More correctly, someone in CAF's office asked what's the fall back position if JSF keeps going right on the calendar and was told, "well Boeing will jump through hoops to sell us more Super Hornets so we always have an alternative".

That's about the extent of the discussion.

.

buglerbilly

14-07-11, 01:27 PM

Boeing EA-18G Growlers complete first combat deployment

July 14, 2011

Boeing EA-18G Growlers operated by US Navy electronic attack squadron VAQ-132 safely returned to their home base at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Wash., on July 9, after completing an eight-month deployment that included combat operations in the US Central Command (CENTCOM) and US Africa Command (AFRICOM) areas of responsibility.

During the deployment, VAQ-132’s personnel and aircraft supported CENTCOM operations in Iraq before quickly transitioning to AFRICOM to conduct operations supporting NATO in Libya.

Additional EA-18Gs are deployed with electronic attack squadron VAQ-141 aboard the USS George H.W. Bush (CVN77) aircraft carrier, marking the aircraft's first sea-based deployment. VAQ-141 is expected to conduct support missions as part of Carrier Air Wing Eight in the Mediterranean and Persian Gulf regions.

A third electronic attack squadron, VAQ-138, recently deployed to a land-based location.

"It's a very exciting accomplishment for the Navy and for our nation to have the Growler in the fleet -- on time, on cost, and with the performance that was expected. What we're hearing from the fleet is that the young lieutenants and lieutenant commanders who are flying the aircraft are, just as we thought, taking advantage of the capabilities of the Block 2 Super Hornet to make the jet more effective," said Capt. Mark Darrah, F/A-18 and EA-18G program manager (PMA-265). "We're looking forward to more feedback from the fleet in order to continue developing exciting capabilities for the aircraft."

"Boeing is honored to support the Navy and the service members operating and maintaining the new EA-18G Growler," said Kory Mathews, Boeing F/A-18 and EA-18 Programs vice president. "As we join the Navy in celebrating its first 100 years of aviation success, the service continues to achieve milestones that will stand out for decades to come."

The EA-18G is the only air combat platform that delivers full-spectrum airborne electronic attack (AEA) capability along with the targeting and self-defense capabilities derived from the Navy's frontline fighter, the F/A-18E/F Block II Super Hornet. A derivative of the two-seat F/A-18F Block II, the EA-18G's highly flexible design enables warfighters to operate either from the deck of an aircraft carrier or from land-based airfields. It is replacing the Navy's current AEA platform, the EA-6B Prowler, which has been in service since 1971. The EA-18G joined the Navy's aircraft fleet in 2008, when it was introduced to fleet training squadron VAQ-129.

Boeing, acting as the weapon system integrator and prime contractor, leads the EA-18G Growler industry team, which also includes Northrop Grumman, Raytheon and General Electric Aircraft Engines.

Source: Boeing

Milne Bay

14-07-11, 11:22 PM

Unicorn

15-07-11, 11:08 AM

Probably some elint operations against insurgents and their Iranian backers.

.

ADMk2

19-07-11, 04:00 AM

Hornet Hypoxia

Not really Hornet related as such, but close enough?

In this week's Aviation Week I'm reporting on the background to the continuing, and record-setting, grounding of the USAF's Raptor force: F-22s Grounded Pending Oxygen System Probe.

What's been reported elsewhere is that investigators have focused on pilot hypoxia (lack of oxygen) as the primary cause for the November 16 crash of an F-22 operating from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska, and in particular on the functioning of the onboard oxygen generating system (Obogs).

What hasn't been reported is that there is a history of Obogs-related hypoxia issues in the world's biggest fleet of Obogs-equipped fighters, the bulk of the US Navy Hornet and Super Hornets.

Background: The AV-8B Harrier was the first aircraft to get Obogs -- a logical step, since US Navy amphibs had not needed to carry a liquid oxygen (LOX) generating plant before the AV-8A came on board, and LOX is equally a pain in austere basing. With the goal of eventually eliminating LOX from carriers, the Navy introduced Obogs on the Hornet from the third batch of C/D models.

However, experience up to 2009 has been that there are more hypoxia events on Obogs-equipped F/A-18s than on LOX jets -- by a factor of four in the early 2000s. Obogs is by far the largest cause of hypoxia events in the Hornet and has been identified as a cause of two fatal accidents in 2001-09.

Nobody knows the cause for certain. The Navy's response for most of the past decade was to upgrade hypoxia-awareness training. Finally, however, two corrective steps are being undertaken on the Hornet and Super Hornet fleet: the oxygen concentrator is being upgraded with the addition of a catalyst that converts carbon monoxide to benign carbon dioxide.

The Navy has been working to install an updated solid-state oxygen-monitoring system on all in-service F/A-18s that tracks both oxygen concentration and pressure rather than O2 concentration alone. The Eurofighter Typhoon has such a system and has had no reported Obogs issues.

Meanwhile, the F-22 investigation continues -- with its focus expanding to include the entire breathing system and how the Honeywell Obogs might respond to leaks or other failures. And, meanwhile, the USAF investigation is raising questions about whether the Navy could have acted more quickly to upgrade its hardware.

http://tinyurl.com/3moayef

Milne Bay

19-07-11, 06:10 AM

RAAF’s latest three Super Hornets arrive

Item by australianaviation.com.au at 3:33 pm, Monday July 18 2011

The RAAF now has 18 Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornets in service with the delivery of a further three jets to RAAF Base Amberley last week.

The jets – A44-216, -217 and -218 – were ferried across the Pacific by 6SQN aircrews, and touched down at Amberley on July 14. They comprised the fourth batch of Super Hornets the RAAF has received to date.

The final six aircraft of the 24 on order will be delivered by the end of the year.

The first 15 Super Hornets became operational with 1SQN on December 8 last year, following the retirement of the F-111.

Ref:
http://australianaviation.com.au/2011/07/raafs-latest-three-super-hornets-arrive/

JimWH

19-07-11, 06:48 AM

I'm kinda keen to see what they can do now. The RAAF is at a watershed moment, it has a thoroughly modern strike fighter it has modern tankers and it has AWACS, I'm keen to see what a 2011-2012 RAAF Expeditionary Air Wing would look like.

Unicorn

19-07-11, 10:57 AM

Look to Operation Pitch Black in about two years for that, the RAAF is still learning how to get the most out of their new toys.

As an aside, I saw Geoff Brown made CAF. I remember him as 3 SQN CO during exercises with the 12th Fighter Squadron flying their Eagles down from Okinawa.

A good operator, well thought of by his troops and rated a good stick.

From my perspective he understood the value of good PR, something not all of his peers understood.

.

tiddles

22-07-11, 02:00 PM

LM's IRST Sensor System Achieves Critical Development Milestone

Orlando, FL - Lockheed Martin's [NYSE: LMT] Infrared Search and Track (IRST(tm)) sensor system for the U.S. Navy F/A-18E/F achieved critical Milestone B approval to proceed into the Engineering, Manufacturing and Development phase. Lockheed Martin's IRST sensor system augments aircrews' ability to search, track and engage targets in dense threat environments.

"In air-to-air engagements, IRST provides a discriminating capability to counter threats at greater standoff distances enhancing survivability," said Paul Hey, IRST senior program manager in Lockheed Martin's Missiles and Fire Control business. "The successful Milestone B achievement sets the foundation for delivering IRST capability to the warfighter, and is a testament to the hard work and collaboration of the U.S. Navy and industry team."

Related Research on ASDReports.com:
The Military Electro Optical Infrared (EO/IR) Systems Market 2010-2020: Airborne, Ground and Naval

The passive IRST sensor system provides warfighters with unprecedented on-board situational awareness while detecting, identifying and engaging enemy targets at extended ranges. The IRST system's high-angle accuracy also provides the ability to track closely-spaced targets at maximum ranges. This information can be used alone or combined with other sensor data to further enhance the pilot's situational awareness.

Lockheed Martin has an active IRST production line delivering units to equip international variants of the F-15. A mature and proven technology, IRST sensor systems first equipped F-14D aircraft aboard U.S. carriers, and have accumulated over 200,000 flight hours. Lockheed Martin is currently subcontracted to the Boeing Company to supply IRST sensor systems in support of the U.S. Navy F/A-18E/F and U.S. Air Force F-15C IRST programs

Read more: http://www.asdnews.com/news/37032/LM_s_IRST_Sensor_System_Achieves_Critical_Developm ent_Milestone.htm#ixzz1SpnlgU00

Milne Bay

27-07-11, 10:03 AM

RAAF exercises with JASDF fighters for the first time

Item by australianaviation.com.au at 10:34 am, Wednesday July 27 2011

A 3SQN F/A-18 and a JASDF F-15 fly together during Red Flag Alaska. (Dept of Defence)

RAAF F/A-18 Hornets have conducted a “familiarisation sortie” with Japan Air Self Defence Force (JASDF) F-15 fighters, the first time aircraft from the two air arms have exercised together in a bilateral environment.

The flight, conducted on July 14 during Exercise Red Flag Alaska, involved 3SQN F/A-18s and F-15s from the JASDF’s No 4 Air Wing, and was a prelude to 3SQN’s visit to Misawa Air Base in Japan for a four day exchange visit.

“This level of high end engagement offered the important opportunity to build on the strong friendship between Australia and Japan,” said CO 3SQN, WGCDR Terry van Haren.

3SQN arrived at Misawa on July 25 as it transited Japan on its return to Australia from Red Flag Alaska.

“Now that we have arrived in Japan, we will hold a cultural and dialogue exchange at Misawa to further develop the strong bonds fostered between the two nations during Red Flag. The four day exchange program includes several cultural activities and capability briefs to enhance shared cooperation and military appreciation between the Australian and Japanese fighter squadrons.”

http://australianaviation.com.au/2011/07/raaf-exercises-with-jasdf-fighters-for-the-first-time/

buglerbilly

26-08-11, 04:18 AM

DATE:25/08/11

SOURCE:Flight International

Boeing starts work on IRST for F/A-18E/F

By Stephen Trimble

The US Navy has awarded Boeing a $135 million contract to develop an infrared search and tracker (IRST) to integrate in the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fleet.

The four-year development programme will adapt the Lockheed Martin AAS-42 IRST to mount in the forward section of the F/A-18E/F's centreline fuel tank. The AAS-42 was last operated on board the Grumman F-14D Tomcat.

Immune from most kinds of electromagnetic interference, including jamming, IRST sensors are popular especially onboard non-American fighter designs. The Sukhoi T50 prototypes boast forward and rear-facing IRST sensors integrally attached to the fuselage.

©Lockheed Martin

But US operators have preferred to integrate IRST sensors into external pods, and the Super Hornet's new system will be no exception.

The forward section of the centreline tank is empty, so integrating the sensor will not reduce its 330gal fuel capacity. That location also allows the IRST sensor to have a nearly unrestricted field of regard in the forward hemisphere except for directly above the nose and canopy.

Photo courtesy of US Navy

The US Navy plans to buy at least 150 IRST pods for the F/A-18E/F, according to Lockheed's marketing materials.

Boeing also has proposed an integrally-mounted IRST sensor for international customers. The "international roadmap" variant of the F/A-18E/F includes a low-observable, faceted window under the nose.

buglerbilly

05-11-11, 03:37 AM

Boeing Reveals Details Of International F-18

Nov 4, 2011

By Andy Nativi

GENOA, Italy — Engineers from U.S. behemoth Boeing are offering further glimpses into the so-called “international road map” variant of its F-18 Super Hornet, starting with its two shoulder-mounted conformal fuel tanks (CFTs) and numerous Enclosed Weapons Pods (EWPs).

The details are emerging as Boeing and rival Lockheed Martin, with its Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), move from being cut out of the Indian Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft and look to non-JSF partners like Japan for new business.

Several other air forces also are looking around for new fighters and will evaluate not only radar and avionics performances, but also how the fighters fare in both beyond-visual-range and close combat. Boeing has been promoting F-18 improvements under its international road map concept since last year, but it continues to dribble out more information as potential non-U.S. customers like Japan are targeted.

Along those lines, Boeing’s concept for a newer Super Hornet is intended to improve the basic airframe in terms of thrust/weight ratio, acceleration, agility, maneuverability, combat persistence, low-observable characteristics and sensor capabilities.

As Aviation Week & Space Technology and sister publication Defense Technology International have reported this year, to extend the F-18’s range without having to carry drag-inducing underwing fuel tanks, the new Super Hornet could rely on two CFTs. According to a preliminary calculation of a Super Hornet fitted with two CFTs and a belly-mounted conventional, external fuel tank, the aircraft would have the same combat radius that now only can be achieved with three external tanks. This is partly due to the position of the CFT’s center of gravity (CG), which is relatively close to the aircraft’s CG. The placement also cuts the amount of trim work and trim drag generated by the horizontal stabilizers.

Furthermore, the CFTs should not require modification of the flight control software, Boeing says, although confirmation will not come until wind tunnel and flight testing are carried out. The first test efforts are to be completed by the end of year with another round in 2012, the engineers say.

Along with the CFTs, Boeing also has been promoting replacement of the F-18’s wing and fuselage pylons and hardpoints with Enclosed Weapons Pods (EWPs), each of them able to host four AIM-120 missiles, a 2,000-lb. bomb or two 500-lb.-class weapons.

Boeing says that even if each EWP has a targeted empty weight of 370 kg (815 lb.), this “addition” is more than compensated for by elimination of pylons and rails and the better resulting aerodynamics, as well as reduced radar cross section (including against existing RCS treatments). With an underbelly and two underwing EWPs, the Super Hornet can carry 12 Amraams, plus the two wing-tip-mounted AIM-9Xs.

But the EWPs have yet to be certified for supersonic carriage and full combat load factors. Moreover, Boeing has not yet decided if it will modify an existing Super Hornet to flight test the CFTs and/or the EWPs.

Indeed, Boeing has yet to detail its estimates of how much better a Super Hornet fitted with an enhanced-performance engine variant of the General Electric F414, Transonic Flight Quality Improvement wing package, CFTs and EWPs would perform. But the company says that acceleration from level cruise speed to a supersonic Mach 1.3-Mach 1.5 will be reduced, depending on aircraft configuration and altitude, by 2-3.5 times compared with a standard Super Hornet. During a typical combat air patrol mission at altitudes around 40,000 ft., the time needed to accelerate from patrol to combat supersonic speed is to be reduced by 2-3 times.

And while it is clear that a modified Super Hornet will fly, accelerate, turn and have more specific excess power compared with the current Super Hornet within the same flight envelope, the international road map concept so far rests on Boeing internally funded research and development. The company wants a customer to fund more development and integration and test the improvements.

Photo: Boeing

buglerbilly

11-11-11, 02:11 AM

Super Hornet, Growler to get new mission computer

ST. LOUIS, Nov. 10, 2011 – The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] has received a $48 million contract from the U.S. Navy to collaboratively develop a new mission computer for the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler.

The Type 4 Advanced Mission Computer (AMC) will replace the current Type 3 on the Super Hornet and Growler aircraft, both of which are manufactured by Boeing. The new hardware will increase aircraft performance, address obsolescence issues, and improve image- and mission-processing functions.

"This contract will allow Boeing to increase warfighting capabilities for both domestic and international customers," said Tom Mantia, AMC Type 4 program manager for Boeing.

"Warfighters have a lot to gain from this new system because they will be better positioned for future Navy Flightplan capability upgrades," said Kevin Fogarty, Boeing director of F/A-18 and EA-18G Mission Systems. "This contract results from a tremendous amount of teamwork among our Navy customer, industry partners and Boeing."

The Flightplan is the U.S. Navy's technology insertion plan to ensure that the Super Hornet and Growler remain ahead of future threats.

The new AMC contract allows for future options. A production contract is expected in 2012.

buglerbilly

15-11-11, 12:00 PM

Dubai Airshow 2011: AESA radars to transform performance of 'legacy' Hornets

15 November 2011 - 9:32 by Tony Osborne in Dubai, UAE

As Raytheon delivers its 300th active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar system, the company is turning its attention to retrofitting world's fleets of 'legacy' F/A-18 Hornets with the technology.

At the Dubai Airshow, the company is touting its RACR AESA radar system, which can be potentially retrofitted into the hundreds of F/A-18 A/B/C/D Hornet that serve not only with the United States Navy, but the air arms of nations such as Spain, Switzerland, Canada and Finland.

The company has already garnered some 300,000 hours of flight operations with AESA radars since the first Raytheon AESA radars were fitted to Alaska-based F-15 Eagles and more recently with the APG-79 radar fitted to the latest configuration of the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet operated by the US Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force.

The company has developed and successfully flown its Raytheon Advanced Combat Radar (RACR) radar for the F-16 and is following up the F-16 programme with an AESA designed to fit into the smaller nose of the older Hornet. The company has fitted the F/A-18 RACR into the Hornet's nose but an aircraft fitted with the radar is yet to take to the skies.

'The RACR AESA for the legacy Hornet has a 90% commonality with the APG-79 radar fitted to the Super Hornet,' said Larry Seeley in charge of International Capture on the APG-79 programme.

Seeley pointed out that the lack of moving parts in the AESA radar makes it significantly more reliable than mechanically scanned arrays leading to higher mean time between failure (MTBF) rates with some components in the radar system actually having a longer life than the aircraft itself.

Seeley said that the installation of an AESA radar can see a return on investment in five to seven years based on the cost of radar maintenance alone.

The AESA radar fits into the same space as the old system, can be installed in a few hours and use the same cooling systems; as a result, the RACR radars require no modifications to the aircraft itself. The AESA fitted to a 'legacy' Hornet would double the radar range produced by the mechanically scanned array (MSA) currently in use and boost situational awareness for the crews who can scan air-to-air and air-to-ground targets at the same time.

At the Dubai International Air Chiefs conference held on the eve of the airshow, Air Marshal Charles Brown, Chief of the Royal Australian Air Force, concluded that introduction of AESA radars on 4th generation fighter aircraft immediately turned these aircraft into 4.5 generation aircraft and helped to close the gap between 4th generation aircraft and 5th generation types such as the F-35 and the F-22.

Currently, two unnamed nations are exploring the potential of upgrading their early Hornet models with an AESA radar while South Korea and Taiwan also also examining the technology to update their large fleets of F-16s.

ADMk2

15-11-11, 03:59 PM

Any chance RAAF is interested in adding RACR to it's Hornets, especially if the F-35A drags on? I know it was a big effort adding APG-73 7-8 years ago onto the Hornets, but these new radars are essentially bolt on kits, designed to go onto existing mounting points with no additional airframe modification required.

Software might be an issue, unless already developed and integrated with the Hornet combat system, but such a radar enhancement would go a long way to reducing any capability gap, especially with the new C7 AMRAAM's and their much longer ranges, coming online soon, not to mention the future BVR missile. Wuld probably be cheaper than adding Super Hornets too.

Here's a great video on the Northrop Grumman SABR radar installation...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmrQRlfuObo&feature=youtube_gdata_player

buglerbilly

23-11-11, 02:45 AM

New IRST system for Super Hornet can detect and track multiple targets in electronically denied environments

ST. LOUIS, Nov. 22, 2011 -- Boeing [NYSE: BA] has received a $135 million contract from the U.S. Navy for engineering and manufacturing development of the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet Infrared Search and Track (IRST) sensor system.

The F/A-18E/F IRST system is a passive, long-range sensor that searches for and detects infrared emissions. The system can track multiple targets simultaneously and provides a highly effective air-to-air targeting capability. IRST allows the user to detect advanced threats, even those equipped with radar-jamming technology.

IRST is an important element of the U.S. Navy’s F/A-18E/F Block II Super Hornet Flight Plan – a series of planned capability enhancements that ensures the Super Hornet will continue to outdistance known and emerging threats over the coming decades. The IRST system is scheduled to achieve Initial Operating Capability in 2016.

“The F/A-18E/F IRST team shares an absolute focus on getting this new capability into the hands of the warfighter,” said Tim Adrian, Boeing F/A-18E/F IRST program manager. “We will deliver a powerful sensor that is fully integrated with the advanced system architecture of the F/A-18E/F, while ensuring that the IRST system provides affordable, supportable and interoperable capability for the Navy.”

Subcontracted to Boeing on IRST are Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT], which is producing the IRST sensor; GE Aviation [NYSE: GE], which is supplying the fuel tank assembly that will contain the sensor; and Meggitt Defense Systems Inc., Irvine, Calif., responsible for the unit’s cooling subassembly.

The Boeing Super Hornet is a multirole aircraft, able to perform virtually every mission in the tactical spectrum, including air superiority, day/night strike with precision-guided weapons, fighter escort, close air support, suppression of enemy air defenses, maritime strike, reconnaissance, forward air control and tanker missions.

A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is one of the world's largest defense, space and security businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world’s largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is a $32 billion business with 63,000 employees worldwide. Follow us on Twitter: @BoeingDefense.

buglerbilly

23-11-11, 01:45 PM

Lockheed Martin Awarded U.S. Navy F/A-18E/F IRST Sensor System EMD Contract

(Source: Lockheed Martin; issued November 22, 2011)

ORLANDO, Fla. --- Lockheed Martin received a contract to complete the development of the Infrared Search and Track (IRST) sensor system for the U.S. Navy F/A-18E/F, marking the start of the Engineering, Manufacturing and Development phase of the program.

"IRST is a game-changer for air-to-air combat, providing a 'first to see, first to strike' capability," said Paul Hey, IRST senior program manager in Lockheed Martin's Missiles and Fire Control business. "IRST works with the aircraft's radar to enhance the overall weapon system performance--even in a jamming environment--allowing the warfighter to engage threats with a high probability of success."

Lockheed Martin's IRST sensor system improves aircrews' situational awareness, lethality and survivability, even in threat-intensive environments. The IRST is a passive, long-range sensor that simultaneously tracks multiple targets over a large area and is unaffected by electronic attack or radar jamming. The F/A-18E/F IRST is scheduled to achieve Initial Operating Capability in 2016.

The IRST system's high-angle accuracy also provides the ability to track closely-spaced targets at maximum ranges. This information can be combined with other on-board sensor data or used alone to further enhance the pilot's situational awareness.

This advanced IRST sensor system builds on Lockheed Martin's mature and proven IRST technology, which was carrier-deployed on the legacy F-14D platform. With an active IRST production line delivering units to equip international variants of the F-15, Lockheed Martin is currently subcontracted to the Boeing Company to develop an IRST capability for the U.S. Air Force F-15C.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security company that employs about 126,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The Corporation's 2010 sales from continuing operations were $45.8 billion.

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jack412

23-11-11, 09:28 PM

buglerbilly

26-01-12, 04:01 PM

Pentagon Contract Announcement

(Source: U.S Department of Defense; issued January 25, 2012)

The US Navy has increased by 15 the number of Boeing F-18E/F Super Hornets it is procuring as part of the FY2012 budget. Above, an F-18F on final approach. (US Navy photo)

The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Mo., is being awarded a $687,484,033 ceiling-priced modification to a previously awarded fixed-price-incentive-fee multi-year procurement contract (N00019-09-C-0019) for 14 additional fiscal 2012, Lot 36, F/A-18E aircraft and one additional fiscal 2012, Lot 36, F/A-18F aircraft contained in the F/A-18 multi-year III production contract.

Pursuant to the variation in quantity clause, this procurement will bring the number of F/A-18E aircraft on this contract from 55 to 69, and the F/A-18F from 20 to 21.

Work will be performed in St. Louis, Mo. (45.2 percent); El Segundo, Calif. (44.6 percent); Hazelwood, Mo. (3.4 percent); Cleveland, Ohio (1.7 percent); Torrance, Calif. (1.4 percent); Vandalia, Ohio (1 percent); Ajax, Canada (1 percent); Irvine, Calif. (0.7 percent); Johnson City, N.Y. (0.5 percent); and Grand Rapids, Mich. (0.5 percent).

Work is expected to be completed in October 2014. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year.

The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.

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buglerbilly

02-02-12, 01:47 PM

Boeing Begins Production of F/A-18E/F Distributed Targeting System

(Source: Boeing Co.; issued February 1, 2012)

ST. LOUIS --- Boeing today announced that it has started production of the new Distributed Targeting System (DTS) for the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet strike fighter.

DTS provides enhanced targeting capability for the Super Hornet. It is part of the U.S. Navy’s F/A-18E/F Network Centric Warfare Upgrades program and the F/A-18E/F Flight Plan, which will ensure that the Super Hornet remains ahead of emerging threats in coming decades.

The Navy granted approval for Low Rate Initial Production of DTS following successful completion of initial operational assessment flight testing at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, Calif., and Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md., between September 2010 and March 2011. Air Test and Evaluation Squadrons VX-31 and VX-23 conducted the tests.

“Distributed targeting is going to be a real game-changer for Super Hornet aircrews,” said Kevin Fogarty, Boeing F/A-18 and EA-18G Mission Systems director. “DTS increases pilot and aircrew situational awareness and precision targeting when engaging air-to-ground targets, in part by using geo-registration technology.”

Geo-registration technology compares images taken from tactical sensors with an onboard imagery database to produce highly accurate target coordinates.

DTS is on schedule to achieve Initial Operational Capability in January 2013.

The Boeing Super Hornet is a multirole aircraft, able to perform virtually every mission in the tactical spectrum, including air superiority, day/night strike with precision-guided weapons, fighter escort, close air support, suppression of enemy air defenses, maritime strike, reconnaissance, forward air control and tanker missions. Boeing has delivered more than 480 F/A-18E/Fs to the U.S. Navy. Every Super Hornet produced has been delivered ahead of schedule and on budget.

A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is one of the world's largest defense, space and security businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world’s largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is a $32 billion business with 63,000 employees worldwide.

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