Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet

[F-2]

Actually, it has twice the AoA of a legacy Flanker

Oh yes, I mean it’s good enought to give a good impression of a thrust vectoring flanker. That paint job looked similar to a Su-30 I once saw.

 

[thefrecklepuny]

The S Hornet looks really nice in that 2 tone blue grey scheme.

 

[Cordy]

Boeing delivers first Block III Super Hornets to the US Navy, DefenseNews yesterday​

Do my eyes deceive me but the pic of the III does not appear to have the conformal fuel tanks, one of the major upgrades if not the major upgrade of III over II due to the F-18s limited combat range. (Wikipedia quotes combat range of F-18 E/F @ 390 nm vs A-6 @ 878 nm)​

Boeing delivers first Block III Super Hornets to the US Navy

The Block III configuration of the Super Hornet will bring greater connectivity, computing power and survivability to the Navy's fourth-generation fighter jet.

www.defensenews.com

 

[BLACK_MAMBA]

Boeing delivers first Block III Super Hornets to the US Navy, DefenseNews yesterday​

Do my eyes deceive me but the pic of the III does not appear to have the conformal fuel tanks, one of the major upgrades if not the major upgrade of III over II due to the F-18s limited combat range. (Wikipedia quotes combat range of F-18 E/F @ 390 nm vs A-6 @ 878 nm)​

Boeing delivers first Block III Super Hornets to the US Navy

The Block III configuration of the Super Hornet will bring greater connectivity, computing power and survivability to the Navy's fourth-generation fighter jet.

www.defensenews.com

I recall reading that they recently decided against including the conformal tanks in the production Block III aircraft?

 

[donnage99]

Do my eyes deceive me but the pic of the III does not appear to have the conformal fuel tanks, one of the major upgrades if not the major upgrade of III over II due to the F-18s limited combat range. (Wikipedia quotes combat range of F-18 E/F @ 390 nm vs A-6 @ 878 nm)​

they cut it. Ran into some technical problems during flight testing I think. No conformal tanks, and of course, conformal weapon bay was gutted a while back.

 

[Manuducati]

Actually, it has twice the AoA of a legacy Flanker

Oh yes, I mean it’s good enought to give a good impression of a thrust vectoring flanker. That paint job looked similar to a Su-30 I once saw.

That's the camo used on several Su-57 (# T50-8 for example).
I don't remember it on a Su-30 though.

 

[Cordy]

Do my eyes deceive me but the pic of the III does not appear to have the conformal fuel tanks, one of the major upgrades if not the major upgrade of III over II due to the F-18s limited combat range. (Wikipedia quotes combat range of F-18 E/F @ 390 nm vs A-6 @ 878 nm)​

they cut it. Ran into some technical problems during flight testing I think. No conformal tanks, and of course, conformal weapon bay was gutted a while back.

Thanks, found the War Zone write up which confirms your comment the CFTs got canned, don't understand why Navy/Congress procuring the F-18 III's with its very limited combat range of 390 nm when it has the option of the F-35C with a combat radius on internal fuel of 670 nm, which still ~ 200 nm short of the A-6

PS Did read some time ago ~28 to 30% of F-18 flight ops were as buddy tankers to refuel other F-18s due to its limited fuel load.

The Navy Has Received Its First Block III F/A-18 Super Hornets

Operational Navy squadrons are set to begin flying improved Block III Super Hornets by the end of this year.

www.thedrive.com

 

[Cordy]

F-18 Corrosion - October 1 report on F/A-18C-G Aircraft by the Inspector General (DODIG-2021-133)

"we found that DON maintainers did not perform required 84-day inspections in FY 2020 for [REDACTED] of the 151 aircraft in our sample"

"DON spends billions to address corrosion on F/A-18C-G aircraft. Specifically, from FYs 2017 through 2020, the cost to the DON of addressing organizational-level corrosion for F/A-18C-G aircraft was more than $2 billion"

Audit of Navy and Marine Corps Actions to Address Corrosion on F/A-18C-G Aircraft (DODIG-2

Publicly Released: October 1, 2021 The objective of this audit was to determine whether Navy and Marine Corps officials performed required inspections and maintenance to identify and address (prevent

www.dodig.mil

 

[Foo Fighter]

Well they failed to properly maintain their Harriers so it should not come as a big shock.

 

[isayyo2]

One new Growler for Australia as an attrition replacement ~ $125 million

Australia – EA-18G Growler Aircraft and Related Defense Services | Defense Security Cooperation Agency

www.dsca.mil

 

[GTX]

Only surprise here has been how long it has taken given it has been nearly 4yrs since A46-311 was lost.

 

[isayyo2]

Only surprise here has been how long it has taken given it has been nearly 4yrs since A46-311 was lost.

Maybe they were too busy negotiating with the French?

Though realistically the ADF's budget has been stretched in many different directions in the past several years. From M113 and ASLAV replacements, F-35s, their Abrams expansion, Apaches, Hunter Class, and now nuclear subs and cruise missiles. You guys have quite the impressive spread!

 

[GTX]

Though realistically the ADF's budget has been stretched in many different directions in the past several years. From M113 and ASLAV replacements, F-35s, their Abrams expansion, Apaches, Hunter Class, and now nuclear subs and cruise missiles.

Of those the only thing realistically taking any serious money (i.e. actual acquisitions rather than project teams) has been the F-35s (41 in service to date) and the Boxer CRV for Land 400 Ph2 as the ASLAV replacement. Looking at the rest:

• M113 Replacement - Land 400 Ph3 - still in RMA stage with final offers going in this coming week. Decision unlikely until mid 2022 and first vehicles in service probably ~5yrs after that;
• Abrams expansion - Land 907 Ph2 (for M1A2 SEP V3) & Land 8160 Ph1 (for M1074 & M1150) - although FMS approval given, is still to formally be approved by the Government and thus still not actually buying anything...yet;
• Apaches - Land 4503 - although announced, this is still to formally be approved by the Government and thus still not actually buying anything...yet;
• Hunter Class - Sea 5000 - first ship not due to commence until 2022 and not expected in service until 2031;
• SSNs - Only just announced;
• Cruise Missiles - Only just announced.

Yes, there is a lot planned and much going on, but don't mistake announcements for actual metal...

 

[14yellow14]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1451587023123456003

View: https://twitter.com/billieflynn/status/1451587023123456003

 

[Trident]

With its high AoA and relatively similar acceleration it would be an outstanding Flanker stand in.

Similar acceleration? To a Su-30MKI or Su-34 perhaps, but the basic Su-27S (let alone the Su-35S) is going to leave it in the dust.

 

[aonestudio]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1458145930503462913

View: https://twitter.com/SharkParsons/status/1458145930503462913

 

[helmutkohl]

^ to be honest.. I can't see Canada going for any more Boeing products for the time being, after what happened between Bombadier and Boeing. it would make the public/voters very upset.

 

[FighterJock]

^ to be honest.. I can't see Canada going for any more Boeing products for the time being, after what happened between Bombadier and Boeing. it would make the public/voters very upset.

So it looks like Canada will go for the F-35, since the problems with Boeing and Bombardier I cannot see the Royal Canadian Air Force going for the Block 3 FA-18E Super Hornet.

 

[aonestudio]

Boeing told its bid to sell fighter jets to Canada did not meet Ottawa's requirements

OTTAWA — Boeing has been told that its bid to replace Canada’s aging CF-18s with a new fleet of the American company’s Super Hornet fighter jets did not meet the federal government's requirements.

www.timescolonist.com

Boeing told its bid to sell fighter jets to Canada did not meet Ottawa's requirements
Three sources from industry and government say the message was delivered Wednesday as the other two companies competing for the $19-billion contract — U.S. defence giant Lockheed Martin and Swedish firm Saab — were told they met the government’s requirements.

Companies had been ordered to show their fighter jet was able to meet the military’s requirements for missions at home and abroad, but also that winning the contract would result in substantial economic benefits to Canada.

However, while Boeing’s failure to meet the requirements would appear to disqualify the Super Hornet from the competition, leaving only Lockheed Martin’s F-35 and Saab’s Gripen fighter jet in the running, none of the companies have been told whether they are still in or out.

A Boeing spokesperson said the company would reserve comment pending official notification from the government.

 

[GTX]

Berlin Security Conference 2021: Germany likely to issue letter of request for Super Hornet, Growler in January

Germany is expected to issue a letter of request (LOR) to the US government in the coming weeks, as it seeks to procure the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and EA-18G...

www.janes.com

 

[GTX]

As reported elsewhere:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/boeing-fighter-jets-1.6262851

 

[helmutkohl]

congrats Germany

but why the hornet over say, the Eagle?

 

[TomcatViP]

Stealth and G*

*Growler + the low level nuclear delivery mission is better suited that way with a mission success credibility parted b/w front aspect stealth and electronic attacks.

 

[GTX]

Death of Super Hornet May Not Be Greatly Exaggerated After All

 

[TomcatViP]

Death programmed in 2040...
Everybody dies. Nothing dramatic here.

 

[H_K]

Death programmed in 2040...

Sounds like it could be as early as 2024 if the German order falls through…

(After that there’s still the SLEP of existing USN Super Hornets, but not completely clear if that would allow the production line to restart for new orders)

Obviously service life is a different matter and the SH should still be flying well past 2050.

 

[TomcatViP]

I doubt that the US senate would let the production line close until a Naval NGAD is secured.
They would certainly still have vivid remembrance of what it cost to sustain the Prowler long after the line was closed. (Beyond any foreign order for the Growler)

 

[BLACK_MAMBA]

I doubt that the US senate would let the production line close until a Naval NGAD is secured.
They would certainly still have vivid remembrance of what it cost to sustain the Prowler long after the line was closed. (Beyond any foreign order for the Growler)

Politicians are a weird bunch! They tend to have very short memories and often don't think beyond the next election and what their successors will need to deal with...!

 

[helmutkohl]

something that randomly just popped into mind.

why does the regular Hornet (A-D) have this golden tipped radome

but its missing on the Super Hornet

is it simply due to the presence of an AESA radar on the super?

 

[sferrin]

Berlin Security Conference 2021: Germany likely to issue letter of request for Super Hornet, Growler in January

Germany is expected to issue a letter of request (LOR) to the US government in the coming weeks, as it seeks to procure the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and EA-18G...

www.janes.com

This is truly puzzling. The Growler I get. But they already have Typhoons. Why not just buy more of those instead of E/Fs?

 

[BLACK_MAMBA]

Berlin Security Conference 2021: Germany likely to issue letter of request for Super Hornet, Growler in January

Germany is expected to issue a letter of request (LOR) to the US government in the coming weeks, as it seeks to procure the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and EA-18G...

www.janes.com

This is truly puzzling. The Growler I get. But they already have Typhoons. Why not just buy more of those instead of E/Fs?

The Typhoon isn't capable of carrying the B-61. Thus the E/F buy to replace Tonka IDS. Growler to replace the Tonka ECR.

 

[sferrin]

Berlin Security Conference 2021: Germany likely to issue letter of request for Super Hornet, Growler in January

Germany is expected to issue a letter of request (LOR) to the US government in the coming weeks, as it seeks to procure the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and EA-18G...

www.janes.com

This is truly puzzling. The Growler I get. But they already have Typhoons. Why not just buy more of those instead of E/Fs?

The Typhoon isn't capable of carrying the B-61. Thus the E/F buy to replace Tonka IDS. Growler to replace the Tonka ECR.

Germany is carrying US nukes? So if the US says, "go nuke these guys" Germany will do it? I find that more than a little difficult to believe.

 

[sferrin]

Berlin Security Conference 2021: Germany likely to issue letter of request for Super Hornet, Growler in January

Germany is expected to issue a letter of request (LOR) to the US government in the coming weeks, as it seeks to procure the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and EA-18G...

www.janes.com

This is truly puzzling. The Growler I get. But they already have Typhoons. Why not just buy more of those instead of E/Fs?

The Typhoon isn't capable of carrying the B-61. Thus the E/F buy to replace Tonka IDS. Growler to replace the Tonka ECR.

Germany is carrying US nukes? So if the US says, "go nuke these guys" Germany will do it? I find that more than a little difficult to believe.

Germany has access to B61s. Its less of a case of being told to go Nuke someone and more of a case of having the option to go Nuke someone if the threat warranted it. I would assume that they would need US permission/resources to use those weapons, so unilateral deployment would likely be off the table, but deploying those munitions as a part of a coalition is a foreseeable eventuality.

I realize this has been a thing for decades (German F-104s could carry nukes) but it seemed more. . .believable during the Cold War.

"In the nuclear role, the Luftwaffe F-104G could carry a single 1 Megaton B-43 nuclear store underneath the fuselage on the centerline. A maximum of 250 Luftwaffe Starfighter were committed to NATO's nuclear forces. At the height of the Cold War, each of the Fighter-Bomber wings maintained a 24-hour force of six nuclear-armed Starfighters on Quick Reaction Alert, fueled and ready to take off within 17 minutes of authorization. I remember some concern being expressed at the time about a German finger being on the nuclear trigger. However, although these nuclear weapons were carried underneath German aircraft, these bombs remained under American control at all times, and could be released for delivery only under a direct order passed down the chain of command from the President of the United States. A typical load of conventional weapons for ground attack included Lepus flare bombs, CBU-33 cluster bombs, various iron bombs and LAU-3A unguided rocket packs."

916 Starfighter

 

[BLACK_MAMBA]

The Typhoon isn't capable of carrying the B-61. Thus the E/F buy to replace Tonka IDS. Growler to replace the Tonka ECR.

Germany is carrying US nukes? So if the US says, "go nuke these guys" Germany will do it? I find that more than a little difficult to believe.

Germany is part of NATO's nuclear force and thus want's the B61 integraded in its Tornado replacement. The Eurofighter consortium isn't very keen on allowing the US access for integration nor do I think the US wants to share the information freely either. Further more an ECR Typhoon will also be very expensive to develop. Super Hornet & Growler cover both bases in a common airframe. For once the F-35 doesn't seem to be viewed in a very favourable light and doesn't seem to be a front runner.

 

[GTX]

Super Hornet & Growler cover both bases in a common airframe. For once the F-35 doesn't seem to be viewed in a very favourable light and doesn't seem to be a front runner.

I suspect that is more due to the Super Hornet/Growler being seen as less of a threat to the Franco-German FCAS program than the F-35 would be.

 

[BLACK_MAMBA]

For once the F-35 doesn't seem to be viewed in a very favourable light and doesn't seem to be a front runner.

I suspect that is more due to the Super Hornet/Growler being seen as less of a threat to the Franco-German FCAS program than the F-35 would be.

Might be, but it has also been negatively connected politically with their ousted defence minister thus doesn't carry much favour in government as some toes were tread on. That said, never say never looking at other European nations' mistak... I mean competitions. F-35 is dominating Europe.

 

[TomcatViP]

Have we already forgotten here how the actual president of the EU commission, as the former German MoD, formally banned any mention of the F-35 by its military?
Had a fair process taken place, the F-35 would probably have won there also.

 

[Josh_TN]

I doubt that the US senate would let the production line close until a Naval NGAD is secured.
They would certainly still have vivid remembrance of what it cost to sustain the Prowler long after the line was closed. (Beyond any foreign order for the Growler)

There's no shortage of F-18 airframes that could be converted to a G configuration if more F-35C were purchased. Plus to some extent the F-35 already is an EW platform, albeit one without broadband omni directional transmitters.

 

[Josh_TN]

Berlin Security Conference 2021: Germany likely to issue letter of request for Super Hornet, Growler in January

Germany is expected to issue a letter of request (LOR) to the US government in the coming weeks, as it seeks to procure the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and EA-18G...

www.janes.com

This is truly puzzling. The Growler I get. But they already have Typhoons. Why not just buy more of those instead of E/Fs?

The Typhoon isn't capable of carrying the B-61. Thus the E/F buy to replace Tonka IDS. Growler to replace the Tonka ECR.

Germany is carrying US nukes? So if the US says, "go nuke these guys" Germany will do it? I find that more than a little difficult to believe.

Google 'Nuclear sharing dual key'

 

[bring_it_on]

The Navy hasn't bought new Growlers for many years and has fielded its objective inventory. In fact, re-starting Growler production probably has some element of fixed costs that Boeing would have to pay for Germany. Neither Congress, or the Navy (or Boeing for that matter) have recently brought up restarting Growler procurement for the Navy.