McDonnell Douglas F/A-18E Super Hornet

[Nostalgistic 312]

Hello! Today, I am introducing the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18E Super Hornet, a replacement for the F-14 Tomcat and a major upgrade of the F/A-18 Hornet model.

Overview

Aircraft: McDonnell Douglas F/A-18E Super Hornet

 

Role: 4th Gen / Jet Fighter / Naval Aircraft / Multirole

 

Snapshot:

Background

Spoiler

US Navy determined that the F-14 Tomcat serving in the fleet was too expensive to maintain, and thus, the Navy was seeking the replacement and directing a redesign of F/A-18 to meet the requirements. The older models of F/A-18 proved their capability but were held back by their small combat range, so the new model of F/A-18 had to be enlarged to carry more fuel and powerful engines and birthed the name of Super Hornet for the new model. The F/A-18E/F Super Hornet is 4.2 feet longer than the earlier models of Hornets and has a 25% larger wing area, and it carries 33% more internal fuel, increasing mission range by 41% and endurance by 50%. The Super Hornets were ordered by the Navy in 1992. The first Super Hornet flew in November 1995, and the production was approved and began in late 1995. The Super Hornets began its first operational deployment onboard USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) in July 2002 and involved first actions of strike missions in Southern Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. With the retirement of F-14 Tomcats, their spots got filled by new Super Hornets since 2006. In 2005, the new F/A-18 Super Hornets received the Block II package; the Block II incorporates redesigned forward fuselage with fewer parts for new APG-79 Active Electronically Scanned Array radar along with joint helmet-mounted cueing system and several other avionics replacements. By 2008, the earlier Super Hornets were retrofitted with Block II upgrades. Super Hornets Block II has earned a reputation as the backbone and a workhouse of the Navy’s carrier fleet. The final Super Hornet Block II was delivered to the service in April 2020. Later, new models of Super Hornets received the Block III package, and they received a new name - Advanced Super Hornet. The Advanced Super Hornet III made the first flight tests in August 2013. Block III incorporates new conformal fuel tanks, advanced avionics, enclosed weapons pod, and reduced radar cross-section to extend the Super Hornets’ service life and range. The Boeing Company delivered two Advanced Super Hornets Block III to the US Navy in June 2020; because of the successful testing, Boeing received a contract to produce 78 more Block III Super Hornets to the Navy through 2024. 

Specifications

General Characteristics

• Crew: 1 (Pilot)
• Length: 60 feet 2 inches (18.3388 meters)
• Height (To Top of Fins): 16 feet 0 inches (4.8768 meters)
• Height (To Top of Closed Canopy): 10 feet 8 inches (3.2512 meters)
• Span (Spread) with missiles:44 feet 11 inches (13.6906 meters)
• Span (Spread) without missiles: 42 feet 10 inches (13.0556 meters)
• Span (Folded): 32 feet 8 inches (9.9568 meters)
• Powerplant: F414-GE-400
• Empty Weight: 32,100 lb (14,552 kilograms)
• Gross Weight: 66,000 lb (29,937 kilograms)
• Fuel Capacity: 10,860 pounds (4,930 kg) internally

 

Performance

• Thrust: 22,000 lb each engine (9,977 kilogram each)
• Maximum speed: More than Mach 1.6 (>1,227.63 mph; >1,975.68 kph)
• Combat range: 1,458 miles (2,346 kilometers) with two AIM-9s
• Service Ceiling: Above 50,000 ft (15,240 meters)

 

Cockpit

Spoiler

 

Cockpit photo credited to Wikimedia Commons

Armament

Guns

 

• M61A2 20mm Light Cannon Gun System (412 rounds)

 

Air-to-Air Missiles

 

• AIM-7M
• AIM-7H
• AIM-7P

 

• AIM-9L
• AIM-9M
• AIM-9X

 

• AIM-120A
• AIM-120B
• AIM-120C

 

Air-to-Ground Bombs & Rockets

 

• AGM-65E Maverick
• AGM-65F Maverick
• AGM-84D Harpoon

 

• AGM-84E SLAM
• AGM-84H SLAM-ER
• AGM-84K SLAM-ER

 

• AGM-88A
• AGM-88B
• AGM-88C

 

• BLU-110A/B
• BLU-111A/B

 

• MK82 Bomb
• MK83 Bomb
• MK84 Bomb

 

• GBU-10 Paveway II
• GBU-12B Paveway II
• GBU-16B Paveway II
• GBU-24B Paveway III

 

• GBU-31B Joint Direct Attack Munition

 

• AGM-154A Joint Standoff Weapon

 

• LAU-10 Rocket Launcher
• LAU-68 Rocket Launcher

 

Misc

• AN/APG-73 (initial production) or AN/APG-79 (Block II and Block III)
• Radar Warning Receiver
• Flare and Chaff Countermeasures Set
• 11 Hardpoints (2x wingtips, 6x underwing, and 3x under-fuselage)

Images

Spoiler

 

All of those F/A-18E Super Hornet photos are credited by the media in the category of F/A-18E Super Hornet of commons.wikimedia.org.

Conclusion

Since Gaijin has announced fourth-generation fighter aircraft in development, there is no doubt that the fourth-generation aircraft content will be expanded in the imminent future. Hence, the F/A-18E Super Hornet is worthy enough to make into the suggestions.

Sources

Secondary

• https://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/fa18/
• https://www.boeing.com/defense/fa-18-super-hornet/
• https://www.navy.mil/Resources/Fact-Files/Display-FactFiles/Article/2383479/fa-18a-d-hornet-and-fa-18ef-super-hornet-strike-fighter/
• https://man.fas.org/dod-101/sys/ac/f-18.htm
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_F/A-18E/F_Super_Hornet

 

Thank you for your time reading my suggestion!

Edited January 18 by Nostalgistic
Sources list fixed

[leroyonly 4,303]

Open for discussion. 

[Fireraid233 4,257]

+1

[Milocat 4,835]

+1 for sure with other 4th generation aircraft.

[__Tigerwolf__ 100]

+1 from me

[RagnarRedBaron 24]

+1 I want to see a finnish F/A-18 in the game eventually.

[Beecher212 1]

+1 100% I would love to see f-18s added to the handful of 4th gens. Especially bc my dad flew f-18s

[ÖL 612]

14 hours ago, Beecher212 said:

+1 100% I would love to see f-18s added to the handful of 4th gens. Especially bc my dad flew f-18s

Thats cool, when the f18 is added you should let him try it!

[WardogLea 4]

The F-18 can cobra ? 

 

 Minute 0:52 F-18 throwing cobra with Loadouts ? and showing His extreme maneuverabilitie with weight ?.