Superhornet (f/a18e/f) & Growler (ea-18g) Thread

[Jura The idiot]

... concrete, ...

today I tried to look at "TLAMs hitting or missing concrete":
3 minutes ago
https://www.sinodefenceforum.com/breaking-world-news-iii-no-discussion.t7090/page-184#post-446566

 

[FORBIN]

I was talking about you flying our old 172, have you ever been in a light aircraft? and I have no doubt that the F-35 is relatively easy to fly, and no doubt that I could take it around the patch after 5-10 hours in the real sim?

The F-18 prolly is fairly sweet with no bad habits as well, but prolly takes a little more finesse... now bringing anything aboard the boat, I'm out, that takes a "real man" or at least a tough chick that want's to play with the "big boys"...

but on 10,000 ft of concrete, I'm gold!

now early jets, F-100s - F-106s, A-4s, F-4s, you can keep that old stuff,,,, that stuff will kill ya, now the F-15, F-18, I'd try it? F-16? no way Hosea!

USN have do very good money with Super Hornet the 563 want the price of the 187 F-22... and completely delivered in time a simple solution for get a new fighter in fact a more large variant don't need always too sophisticated aircrafts !
For Oxygen, Swiss AF have also this problem no new but for 100000 h of flhight 7 serious cases, no accident, ridiculous % so much rumors for USN and maybe arguable ... ?

 

[TerraN_EmpirE]

1. Loss of some of the tremendous aerodynamic advantage of the Super Hornet, that tank will cost it some lift and high alpha capability, how much?? I don't know, but that is what scares me, no one has even mentioned that? have they? but that my friend is the real world, add to that additional weight that must be carried??
2. and much more important, I am a pilot, you DO NOT want all that fuel in your proximity, that's why fuel is in the wings, behind you, or under the wings. You put that bird on the ground, or put a rocket near those tanks and you have a flying bomb, look at the world trade centers, even that glorified kerosene will burn like the pit of hell!
fuel in the wing, or behind the aft bulk head, or preferably under the wing has a "fire wall"! Firewalls are on EVERY AIRPLANE for a reason, and its not for looks!

Nah, I'm talking the above wing conformal tanks on Advance Hornet.

First I think this is the last major iteration of the Super Hornet, Any machine from this point forward would be either a small upgrade based on swapping parts or a whole new machine. Now you may say "Well that's what upgrades are right?" This is not a regular upgrade this is a major structural change for the Rhino Hornet or Super Hornet. it's as much a change as from the F16C/D to the Export F16E/F ( in fact is makes some of the same changes in terms of mounting conformal tanks.
What is happening is this machine represents is the end of the Growth space of the machine. Growth space of the machine is the space or ability of a Machine to accept modifications. when you hit the end of growth space it is the point where for every new thing you put on the machine up have to remove features.

this iteration program, places limitations on the platform. As brat stated Although conformal tanks reduce the drag of traditional drop tanks and give the machine more fuel of the other side of that coin they loose some degree of aerodynamic performance. Furthermore to get the upgrades they also make another sacrifice in that the centerline hardpoint is now to be permanently occupied either with an external weapons pod like the one above.

Or the Legion pod. this means you will always have a EFT equivalent mounted that you cannot drop without losing mission equipment. although you have the reduced drag of the conformal tanks above you also have the increased drag below.


oh and That under body pod carries equal to only one of the F35's twin weapons bays.

This is the limit of the structure from this point on there is no more alterations that can really be made you can't bolt on any more parts here. Any new major features you might want to add require loosing parts like how the growler gave up it's 20mm cannon for parts of the jamming pod.
"Ultimate proof of viability", until we are ready to finally phase out. because any more moves to try and boost performance and mission ability is in the arena of diminishing returns. the Only place this can go next requires a new design.

 

[Air Force Brat]

USN have do very good money with Super Hornet the 563 want the price of the 187 F-22... and completely delivered in time a simple solution for get a new fighter in fact a more large variant don't need always too sophisticated aircrafts !
For Oxygen, Swiss AF have also this problem no new but for 100000 h of flhight 7 serious cases, no accident, ridiculous % so much rumors for USN and maybe arguable ... ?

The T-45C is "grounded" Bub, it is serious, over 100 Naval Flight Instructors have refused to fly, and won't send their students up until its fixed.....the F-18 is also experiencing serious issues, and legacy Hornets and Super Hornets are in a serious parts shortage with aircraft availability on legacy Hornets, below 50%......

So to recommend the Hornet replace the F-35 which had a 90%+ availability at the January Red Flag,,, and you should "know" the Hornet or SHornet are not gonna be stealthy on this planet anytime soon, NOT gonna happen

First I think this is the last major iteration of the Super Hornet, Any machine from this point forward would be either a small upgrade based on swapping parts or a whole new machine. Now you may say "Well that's what upgrades are right?" This is not a regular upgrade this is a major structural change for the Rhino Hornet or Super Hornet. it's as much a change as from the F16C/D to the Export F16E/F ( in fact is makes some of the same changes in terms of mounting conformal tanks.
View attachment 37620 What is happening is this machine represents is the end of the Growth space of the machine. Growth space of the machine is the space or ability of a Machine to accept modifications. when you hit the end of growth space it is the point where for every new thing you put on the machine up have to remove features.
View attachment 37621
this iteration program, places limitations on the platform. As brat stated Although conformal tanks reduce the drag of traditional drop tanks and give the machine more fuel of the other side of that coin they loose some degree of aerodynamic performance. Furthermore to get the upgrades they also make another sacrifice in that the centerline hardpoint is now to be permanently occupied either with an external weapons pod like the one above.
View attachment 37624
Or the Legion pod. this means you will always have a EFT equivalent mounted that you cannot drop without losing mission equipment. although you have the reduced drag of the conformal tanks above you also have the increased drag below.
View attachment 37625

oh and That under body pod carries equal to only one of the F35's twin weapons bays.

This is the limit of the structure from this point on there is no more alterations that can really be made you can't bolt on any more parts here. Any new major features you might want to add require loosing parts like how the growler gave up it's 20mm cannon for parts of the jamming pod.
"Ultimate proof of viability", until we are ready to finally phase out. because any more moves to try and boost performance and mission ability is in the arena of diminishing returns. the Only place this can go next requires a new design.

Which will require very high initial development costs that are not re-couped until very late in the production scheme, so while Rafale, Sukhoi, and Boeing are claiming significant signature reductions,,,, those reductions are rather insignificant for the expense and development time they take, they are more than likely to significantly reduce operational flexibility and capability??

Remember the "barbuddy", India was gonna buy Rafael, it was more capable and much more stealthy than the F-35??? well India did NOT buy all the Rafale they were going to??? now they may buy 36??? but we'll see, and no they will NOT be anywhere near as L/O as as Lockmarts F-35??

So the Hornet has been a wonderful airplane, but now many of them are butted up against their 6,000 hr projected life-span, many of them have "timed out" on making arrested landings on carriers as well, but nobody is talking about that either are they??

So without a major overhaul, and it will not be simple or cheap to "buy" an additional 3000 hrs per airframe, honestly, as a former aircraft mechanic, I'd be more than willing to bet the SLEP will cost more than those Hornets cost brand spanking new??

 

[TerraN_EmpirE]

Exactly, Boeing is hopeing to sell more super Hornets and that's fine but it's at the end of the life of the program. They may last till 2030 but that's dead horse territory.

 

[FORBIN]

The T-45C is "grounded" Bub, it is serious, over 100 Naval Flight Instructors have refused to fly, and won't send their students up until its fixed.....the F-18 is also experiencing serious issues, and legacy Hornets and Super Hornets are in a serious parts shortage with aircraft availability on legacy Hornets, below 50%......

So to recommend the Hornet replace the F-35 which had a 90%+ availability at the January Red Flag,,, and you should "know" the Hornet or SHornet are not gonna be stealthy on this planet anytime soon, NOT gonna happen

Yes yes but i don' t have in mind all problems in the world... and i have other subjects of predilections - i don't need always look for problems ! prefer see things whih worck - but surely Chinese, Russians etc... have also all weapons ships etc... but we don't know don' t be naive Brat

For readiness u mention for price reason F-18 don' t get the best for corrosion interesting but the main problem is budget for maintenance after a part of the Fleet is in modernization but when it is finished in more with new F-35B more numerous year after year there are not problem for USMC fighters Fleet which get for about 2025 a very recent Fleet as RAAF BTW.

For USN different coz very few F-35C ordered and for that the Super or Advanced Hornet can be a true solution more detectable, less powerful sure but Super Hornet gets the merit of get ready for a price more affordable, in big number.

Other solution Rafale hahaha

 

[Jeff Head]

The Advanced super Hornet will defintiely put the life of the Hornet into the 2030s...and that's a good thing.

The thing is, they can upgrade any and all F/A-18F Super Hronets into Advanced super Hornets. They may build a few more, particularly for other customers, but I see the US Navy upgrading the existing Super Hornets to increase their stealth and lethality as they build up the F-35C squadrons.

it is ging to take some time for the US Navy to do that...and the F/A-18F Advanced super Hornet will remain a very lethal machine, even against the PAKFA and J-20 IMHO.

I built a model of the new Hornet and was very impressed.

Also, some of the advancment (like the conformal tanks and new electronics) can be upgraded to the Gowlers too.



...and here's all three together:

 

[FORBIN]

The Advanced super Hornet will defintiely put the life of the Hornet into the 2030s...and that's a good thing.

The thing is, they can upgrade any and all F/A-18F Super Hronets into Advanced super Hornets. They may build a few more, particularly for other customers, but I see the US Navy upgrading the existing Super Hornets to increase their stealth and lethality as they build up the F-35C squadrons.

it is ging to take some time for the US Navy to do that...and the F/A-18F Advanced super Hornet will remain a very lethal machine, even against the PAKFA and J-20 IMHO.

I built a model of the new Hornet and was very impressed.

Also, some of the advancment (like the conformal tanks and new electronics) can be upgraded to the Gowlers too.

View attachment 37685 View attachment 37686 View attachment 37687

...and here's all three together:

View attachment 37688
View attachment 37689

Well done !

 

[FORBIN]

The T-45C is "grounded" Bub, it is serious, over 100 Naval Flight Instructors have refused to fly, and won't send their students up until its fixed.....the F-18 is also experiencing serious issues, and legacy Hornets and Super Hornets are in a serious parts shortage with aircraft availability on legacy Hornets, below 50%......

Again me hehe for causes, Swiss Blogger

The oxygenation of our Hornets

Following a series of problems revealed in the United States, the Swiss media reported problems with oxygen supply in the Air Force F / A-18 C / D "Hornet". It is important to clarify the situation, because once again the information is incomplete and can lead to confusion.
The situation in Switzerland:

The F / A-18 C / D "Hornet" have been flying for about 20 years in the Swiss Air Force and have accumulated more than 100,000 flight hours. During this period, some 100 complaints of pilots were recorded regarding oxygen supply. This corresponds to a complaint per 1000 flights made. Five of these ads were for hypoxia. This means that the pilot was insufficiently supplied with oxygen. These announcements date back to 2002, 2008, 2011, 2014 and 2016. Of these five cases, two were classified as serious.

Reaction:
The Air Force analyzed each of these announcements and took appropriate action. Thus, an additional test procedure was set up, the instructions for washing the engines after a prolonged engagement of the devices abroad were adapted and an additional alarm was integrated. The pilots were also sensitized to the theme by a training in decompression chamber and special exercises on simulator.

In addition, the Swiss Air Force F / A-18C / D Hornets are very well maintained by highly qualified personnel and are normally sheltered in hangars. Unlike the F / A-18s aligned by the United States, Swiss aircraft are not engaged from aircraft carriers or air bases located in the desert, which has a positive impact on the integrity of the air- Oxygen of aircraft.

Two different problems:
Two problems in the USA must be differentiated. On the one hand, there is a rare decompression problem with the Hornets of series A / B / C / D in the Block10 standard (Spain, Canada), equipped with the oxygen supply system with oxygen cylinders . On the other hand, the maintenance is adapted according to the aging of these apparatuses.

On the other hand, the Hornets C / D Block18 (Switzerland, Finland, Kuwait) and the Super Hornets, and more precisely the US Navy E / A-18G Growler, are equipped with the OBOGS-type power system. These devices have a different problem. Indeed, it appeared that the OBOGS system could be contaminated by lubricants and fluids engines that have infiltrated the oxygen generation system. It also appears that the US Navy school aircraft type BAe T-45 "Goshawk" suffer the same problem of contamination by fluids. This problem seems more serious on the T-45s, because Navy instructors refused for several weeks to continue to fly, as long as the problem is not solved

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[TerraN_EmpirE]

understandably Boeing Warns Against Long Stealth Fighter Development

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The Block 4 Super hornet.