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F/A-18E/F Super Hornet

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Four F/A-18 E/F Super Hornets assigned to the "Black Aces" of Strike Fighter Squadron Forty One (VFA-41) fly over the western Pacific Ocean in a stack formation on 25 October 2003
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Four F/A-18 E/F Super Hornets assigned to the "Black Aces" of Strike Fighter Squadron Forty One (VFA-41) fly over the western Pacific Ocean in a stack formation on 25 October 2003

F/A-18F at RIAT 2004
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F/A-18F at RIAT 2004

The Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet is a carrier-based fighter and attack aircraft in service with the United States Navy.

Contents

Development

The Super Hornet is a variant on the F/A-18C/D Hornet. There are enough differences though sharing the same general layout and some systems that it has been called by many an essentially all-new aircraft. The fighter is colloquially referred to as the "Rhino" (for its prodigious nose), also "Superbug" and "Tankbug" for tanker variants. The Super Hornet was ordered from McDonnell Douglas in 1992, first flew in November 1995, made its first carrier landing in 1997 and entered service in 1999. Current versions include the F/A-18E single-seater and F/A-18F two-seater.

Currently, the Navy's F-14 squadrons have converted to the Super Hornet, which is also taking on the missions of the retired A-6 Intruder, S-3 Viking, and KA-6D. It is now the "high" part of the "hi-lo" mix (with F-18C's in the "low" role), and will continue to do so as legacy Hornets are replaced by the JSF. An electronic warfare variant, the EF-18G, will replace the aging EA-6B Prowler.

It is believed that a major reason the Super Hornet maintained the "F/A-18" designation was for political reasons. This would help to procure the development of an essentially new combat aircraft at a time when Congress was unwilling to sponsor new military systems.

The early 1990s brought a number of problems for US naval aviation. The A-12 Avenger II program, intended to replace the obsolete A-6 Intruders and A-7 Corsair IIs, had run into serious problems and was cancelled. The Gulf War revealed that the Navy's strike capability lagged that of the Air Force in certain respects. With no clean-sheet program likely to produce results before about 2020, updating an existing design became an attractive approach. As an alternative to the A-12, McDonnell Douglas proposed the "Super Hornet" (or, originally, "Hornet II"), originally put forward in the 1980s to improve early [F/A-18] models. At the same time, the Navy needed a replacement fleet defense fighter to replace the aging F-14 Tomcat and the canceled NATF (a proposed navalized variant of the F-22 Raptor); again, the Super Hornet, a larger edition of the already-capable F/A-18, could step into this role as well.

Compared with its predecessor, the Super Hornet has a 25% larger wing that allows the aircraft to return to an aircraft carrier with a larger load of unspent munitions. This had become important with the greater use of more expensive, precision-guided weapons and a growing consciousness about avoiding collateral damage. The fuselage was stretched to carry more fuel and room for future avionics upgrades. An engine with 35 % more power, the General Electric F414, was developed to power this larger, heavier aircraft. The aircraft can carry five 440 US gallon (1,700 litre) external fuel tanks for long-distance ferry flights or four tanks plus an Aerial Refueling Store[link] (ARS), or "buddy store," which allows the Super Hornet to refuel other aircraft. Other differences include angular intakes for the engines, a smaller radar cross section (RCS), two extra wing hardpoints for payload, and other aerodynamic changes. By the end of all this, the Super Hornet shared little with earlier F/A-18's aft of the forward fuselage.

Upgraded avionics being introduced in the Super Hornet include the APG-79 AESA radar, the ASQ-228 ATFLIR (Advanced Targeting FLIR), and the ALE-50 Towed Decoy System.

US Navy squadron service

Combat service

The first unit to bring their F/A-18 Super Hornets to combat was VFA-115. On November 6, 2002, two F/A-18Es conducted a "Response Option" strike in support of Operation Southern Watch on two Surface-to-air missile launchers at Al Kut and an air defense command and control bunker at Tallil air base. One of the pilots, Lieutenant John Turner dropped 2,000 lb JDAM bombs for the very first time from the F/A-18E in wartime.

In Support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, VFA-14, VFA-41 and VFA-115 flew Close Air Support, strike, escort SEAD and aerial refueling. Two F/A-18Es from VFA-14 and two F/A-18Fs from VFA-41 were forward deployed to the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72), the VFA-14 jets flew mostly as aerial refuelers and the VFA-41 jets as Forward Air Controllers.

Variants

EA-18G

An electronic attack version of the F/A-18F, the EA-18G Growler, will replace the Navy's and Marine Corps' EA-6B Prowler and the already-retired Air Force EF-111A Ravens. F/A-18F "F-1" was re-fitted with ALQ-99 electronic-warfare system, and successfully completed an initial flight demonstration of the EA-18 Airborne Electronic Attack (AEA) concept aircraft flight November 15 2001. Two test EA-18Gs aircraft are in assembly as of late 2005, and are expected to fly in late 2006. Initial Operational Capability is expected in 2009.

Specifications (F/A-18E Super Hornet)

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Future Upgrades

Plans for the F/A-18E/F include a redesign of the GE F414-400 engines reducing the number of parts and engine maintenance by more than 30% and increasing the engine output thrust by more than 25%. The F/A-18E/F will also get helmet-mounted sights for close-in dogfights. Boeing also plans to reduce its radar cross section.

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External links and sources

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