Super Hornet news

Hi, the following is from defence-data.com:

“Boeing delivers 100th Super Hornet to the US Navy

17 June 2002

Boeing has delivered the 100th F/A-18E/F Super Hornet to the US Navy. The airplane, a two-seat “F” model Super Hornet, was delivered during a ceremony at Boeing in St. Louis.

“The 100th Super Hornet is a significant milestone in this very successful program,” said Adm. Vern Clark, chief of naval operations. “The Hornet Industry-Navy team is producing an aircraft with greater range, striking power and survivability that will project dominant and decisive offensive power around the world well into the 21st century.”

The first production model Super Hornet was delivered in December 1998, more than a month ahead of schedule. After completing the most thorough operational evaluation in naval history, the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet entered operational service in November 1999. The Super Hornet is scheduled to deploy with the US Navy later this year.

In June 2000, Boeing and the US Navy signed a multiyear procurement contract for 222 aircraft. The contract, valued at $8.9 billion, saves taxpayers $700 million over single-year procurement. The multiyear contract spans fiscal years 2000 through 2004. Boeing and the Navy are currently discussing a second multiyear procurement.

The Super Hornet can perform a broad range of air-to-air and air-to-ground missions during the day or at night, in virtually any kind of weather. Equipped with an aerial refuelling system, the Super Hornet also can serve as a tactical airborne tanker.

Eleven weapons stations carry a vast array of air-to-air and air-to-surface weapons including precision-guided munitions. The Super Hornet can carry more than 17,000 pounds of ordnance, more than 30,000 pounds of fuel and can reach airspeeds of more than 1.5 times the speed of sound.

An aerospace industry team led by Boeing collaborates to build the Super Hornet. Boeing and Northrop Grumman co-operate to build the fuselage, General Electric manufacturers the engines and Raytheon provides the radar.

Next month, a squadron of Super Hornets will deploy to the Arabian Sea off Afghanistan aboard the carrier Lincoln. The mission will be the first in a combat area for the Super Hornet. Clark saluted the pilots who will fly those Super Hornets and said, “Write some history.”

Clark also took a peek at a demonstration model of the E/A-18G — “the Growler,” a Super Hornet modified as an electronic jamming plane. The Navy is shopping for a new jamming plane to replace its elderly E/A-6 Prowlers, a design that dates from the Vietnam era.”

Did you read that? The Super Hornet “can reach airspeeds of more than 1.5 times the speed of sound”. Is this something other than maximum speed? Its a little bit under 1.8, the requirement.

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