Advanced Super Hornet demonstrates significant stealth and range improvements

by BA Staff

During three weeks of flight testing the Advanced Super Hornet F/A-18F, Boeing and its partner Northrop Grumman demonstrated that the fighter can outperform threats for decades to come with improvements that make the jet much harder for radar to detect and give it significantly more combat range.

Through 21 flights in St. Louis and Patuxent River, MD., that began Aug. 5, the team tested conformal fuel tanks (CFT), an enclosed weapons pod (EWP), and signature enhancements, each of which can be retrofitted on an existing Block II Super Hornet aircraft or included on a new jet.

Improvements to the aircraft’s radar signature, including the enclosed pod, resulted in a 50 percent reduction compared with the U.S. Navy’s stealth requirement for the current Super Hornet variant. The tests also showed that the CFTs increase the jet’s combat radius by up to 130 nautical miles, for a total combat radius of more than 700 nautical miles.

Boeing and Northrop Grumman funded the testing. The companies, along with Hornet Industry Team partners GE Aviation and Raytheon, are investing in more advanced technologies for the Advanced Super Hornet, including internal Infrared Search and Track, an enhanced engine and a next-generation cockpit.

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Boeing and Bharat Electronics expand partnership in India

Boeing and Navaratna public sector unit Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) are expanding their partnership through a follow-on contract involving the manufacture of sub-assemblies for the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighter jet.

This contract, for Super Hornet subassemblies, expands work Boeing awarded to BEL in 2011. BEL delivers components for the Super Hornet and P-8I maritime reconnaissance aircraft; and is a partner with Boeing at the Analysis & Experimentation Centre in Babgalore that opened in 2009.

Through the new contract BEL will produce Super Hornet sub-assemblies including the Ground Power Panel, Helmet Vehicle Interface Stowage and Switch assembly and Cockpit Console Panels. For the F/A-18, BEL also produces a stowage panel for the Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System connector cable and an avionics cooling system fan test switch panel with a Night Vision Imaging System-compatible floodlight assembly. For the P-8I it provides the Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) interrogators and Data Link II communications systems.

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Photo: US Navy Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet NJ135 of VFA-122 turning, burning, condensing at Farnborough

Shot at the limit of 400mm, Boeing Super Hornet NJ135 belonging to the US Navy Strike Fighter Squadron 122 (VFA-122), The Flying Eagles, pulls high G's away from the admiring crowd, including me. Condensation, afterburners burning bright orange, and their massive heat obscuring part of the aircraft, this photo has it all. Incidentally, NJ135 also performed at Aero India last year.

Click on the image to see a high resolution view.

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Dassault Rafale selected in $10.4 billion Indian Air Force MMRCA deal

One of the largest military contracts in the world, the Indian Air Force's competition for 126 Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) appears to have been decided in favour of the French airframer Dassault's Rafale, though there is no official confirmation.

Sources indicate the Rafale has been selected over the Eurofighter Typhoon from European competitor EADS for a contract estimated at around $10.4 billion (Rs. 51,000 Cr.), which has been keenly fought over for the better part of this century. Last year saw the exit of four other competitors the Lockheed Martin F-16IN SuperViper, the Boeing F/A-18E/F SuperHornet, the Saab JAS 39 Gripen, and the MiG 35.

The Government will hold further negotiations on price with Dassault over the next two weeks and the contract is expected to be signed in the next fiscal year which commences on April 1.

As per terms of the tender Dassault is to supply 18 of the 126 ordered aircraft, within 36 months, from its facilities with the remaining aircraft being produced under license at Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL), in Bangalore.

This order will be a huge boost for both Dassault as well as President Sarkozy. Till date, the Rafale has been limited to service only at the French Air Force and Navy. Dassault has also won a small contract to sell a few planes to Brazil.

In selecting the Rafale, the sentiments of those "in the know", have been proven true. For the last two years sources have consistently told Bangalore Aviation that other things being equal, the Indian Air Force will go for Dassault, due to their long standing, and more importantly, very positive, relationship.

The Indian Air Force has used both the Ouragan and Mystère jets, and was one of the earliest adopters of the Mirage 2000 (called Vajra meaning Thunderbolt) despite skipping the famous Mirage III fighter.

In July 2011, India signed a contract worth $3 billion (Rs. 15,000 Cr.) to upgrade its fleet of 51 Mirage 2000H's to Mirage 2000-5 standard.

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More images from Aero India - Grippen, Sarang, Sitara, Super Hornet, Rafale,

Still have about 6,000 photos to sort through. In the mean time, some more opening day photos from Vedant, a Bangalore Aviation photographer. See more of his pictures here. Click on the images for a larger view.

The Saab Gripper shows off its moves.
The Indian Air Force helicopter demonstration team Sarang performs the dangerous 4 aircraft cross. The sweep diameter of the props makes this dangerous.
The Intermediate Jet Trainer prototype Sitara.
The U.S. Navy Boeing F/A-18F (F=Fighter A=Attack)
The French Air Force (Armee De L'Air) Dassault Rafale. Watch the birdie.

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Boeing delivers to US Navy first F/A-18 Super Hornet fitted with HAL made gun bay door

Last week on July 20, Boeing [NYSE: BA], delivered to the U.S. Navy the first F/A-18 Super Hornet featuring a gun bay door manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) based in Bangalore, India.

F/A-18 featuring HAL made gun bay door. Click on image for a high resolution view.

These gun bay doors are the product of the first military contract between Boeing and HAL which manufactures them at their huge complex in Bangalore. The two companies are also cooperating on military projects likethe Indian Navy variant of the US Navy P-8 Poseidon, the P-8I and commercial airplanes like the Boeing 777.

Boeing's involvement with Indian aerospace vendors has been growing dramatically after it won a raft of commercial and military orders from Indian government entities. Initially driven by offset agreements over their sales to Air India, Indian Airlines, and various arms of the Indian military, aerospace manufacturers have discovered a wealth of capabilities within the Indian engineering sector.

Recently, in its magazine Frontiers, Boeing detailed its multi-dimensional partnership with India. The Boeing F/A-18IN Super Hornet is a competitor in Indian Air Force's Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft tender.

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100th photo on JetPhotos - F/A-18F Super Hornet and F16IN Super Vipers

On 09-09-09 JetPhotos accepted my 100th photo.


On a rainy cloudy evening of August 14th the day before India's independence day, two F/A-18's arrived for the trials and evaluation of the Indian Air Force's (IAF) upcoming Medium Multi Role Combat Aircraft procurement.

The other US contender is from my neighbourhood in my home county of Tarrant the Lockheed Martin F-16IN Super Viper.

A few days earlier after four futile attempts over week filled with clouds and rains, the God's decided to let the sun shine and the Super Vipers fly.

An IAF test pilot from ASTE handle "Tester 93" flew this sortie. Aircraft appears to be configured in an air to air combat configuration.



This sortie was flown by Lockheed Martin test pilot with a handle "Rocket 2"; and did he fly the Viper like his handle. Took off across the runway at full throttle at a gentle 5 degrees. About five miles out he went almost vertical to FL500 (50,000 feet). Could not catch the rocket on take off, but got him on his equally fast landing. Any F16 guru who can comment on what the pod on the left below the cockpit is ? Also in the belly; is that a drop tank or a dummy bomb ?

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Images: Boeing F/A-18s Super Hornets arrive in Bangalore for MMRCA test flights

On the eve of India's Independence Day, the Indian Air Force's multi-billion dollar medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) procurement moved up a stage this evening.

A pair of the first of the contenders -- the Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet arrived at Bangalore's HAL Airport for the technical evaluations, along with their mother ship the McDonnell Douglas DC-10-40 Omega Tanker.

The pair of F/A-18F's flew over the airport to gauge the runway and then made some hard low level base leg manoeuvres and landed, followed by the Omega Tanker.

Hope you enjoy the pictures of Omega Tanker McDonnell Douglas DC-10-40I N974VV and Boeing F/A-18F 166675 NJ-134 (cn F153).


Have a great weekend, and to Indian readers a very happy Independence Day.

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Boeing F/A-18 Hornet crashes in San Diego

CNN is reporting a Boeing F/A-18 Hornet fighter attack jet crashed into a residential neighborhood in San Diego, California, on Monday as it tried to land at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar.

The pilot ejected before the jet, an F/A-18, went down two miles from the airfield about 11:55 PT (19:55GMT), Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Ian Gregor said.

Photo : Boeing photo

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