hybrid engine utilised the core of the non-
afterburning F412-GE-400 engine – which
was originally developed for the cancelled
A-12 Avenger II and incorporated design
features from the YF120 turbofan under
development for the Advanced Tactical Fighter
(ATF) programme.
The Hornet’s oval engine intakes were also
completely redesigned – the Super Hornet’s
rectangular inlets providing 18% more airflow
to the more powerful engines.WEAPONS
The legacy model’s weapons stations can
carry up to 14,000lb (6,350kg) of ordnance
or external fuel tanks, while the Super Hornet
can carry 17,700lb (8,029kg).
The classic and Super Hornets’ weapons
capabilities are almost identical – and include
the AGM-65 air-to-ground missile, AGM-88
High-Speed Anti-Radiation Missile (HARM),
AGM-88E Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided
Missile (AARGM), AIM-120 Advanced
Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM),
AGM-154 Joint Stand-Off Weapon (JSOW),
GBU-31/32/38 Joint Direct Attack Munition
(JDAM), GBU-54 Laser JDAM (LJDAM),
GBU-10/12/16/24/51 laser-guided bombs and
GBU-12F/52 dual-mode laser-guided bombs.
Both variants can also deliver Mk82/83/84
general-purpose ‘dumb’ bombs, 2.75in
(70mm) Hydra rockets and other weapons
including cluster bombs and naval mines.
They can also launch AGM-84 Harpoon anti-
shipping missiles and the AGM-84K Stand-off
Land-Attack Missile-Expanded Response
(SLAM-ER).
Wingtip rails support AIM-9 air-to-air
missiles, and both classic and Super Hornets
feature a nose-mounted internal 20mm M61
rotary cannon. The F/A-18E/F will be capable
of delivering the AGM-158C Long Range
Air Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM), integration
testing of which began in 2015: it’s expected to
achieve IOC with the Super Hornet in 2019.
The legacy Hornets can carry up to three
330 US gal (1,249 lit) tanks on the number
5 centreline and wing stations 3 and 7. The
Super Hornet features five ‘wet’ stations that
can carry up to five 480 US gal (1,817 lit) fuel
tanks on the centreline number 6 and wing
stations 3, 4, 8 and 9. It can also carry an air
refuelling pod (ARP) on the centreline station,
enabling it to act as a tanker. The buddy-
refuelling store has a fuel capacity of 300 US
gal (1,136 lit).SENSORS
While the F/A-18A had been equipped
with the Hughes (now Raytheon) AN/APG-
65 radar, the more capable AN/APG-73
appeared on Lot 16 F/A-18Cs from May 1994- and on Block I and early production Block II
Super Hornets.
Production installation of the Raytheon
AN/APG-79 AESA radar was carried out on
a number of Lot 27 to 29 aircraft and fully
introduced with Lot 30. Boeing unveiled the
first AESA radar-equipped fighter in St Louis
in April 2005. Its fixed array and agile beam
electronically provide for simultaneous air-
to-air and air-to-ground target detection and
tracking.
The AESA, which greatly improved the
weapon system’s threat detection range, high-
resolution synthetic aperture radar ground
mapping and targeting capabilities, was later
retrofitted to more than 130 earlier Block IIairframes and currently equips around 85% of
the fleet.
The classic Hornet was originally equipped
with the AN/AAS-38 Nite Hawk Targeting
Forward-Looking Infrared pod (TFLIR) – used
in conjunction with the AN/ASQ-173 Laser
Spot Tracker/Strike CAMera (LST/SCAM),
which was replaced by the AN/AAR-50Navigation FLIR (NAVFLIR) pod on Night
Attack models.
Modifications later provided the AN/AAS-
38 with a Laser Target Designator/Ranger
(LTD/R) and an LST for the aircraft to deliver
laser-guided munitions autonomously.
Initially equipped with the AN/AAS-46
TFLIR and the AN/AAR-55 NAVFLIR, theSuper Hornet introduced the AN/ASQ-
228 Advanced Targeting Forward-Looking
Infrared (ATFLIR) pod which combined the
functions of the legacy systems into a single
unit.
More recently the ATFLIR gained the
capability to downlink live video to Remote
Operations Video Receiver (ROVER)http://www.aviation-news.co.uk 45The Super Hornet can carry 17,700lb (8,029kg) of stores on its 11 weapon stations.
US Navy/MC2 Z A LandersThese F/A-18Cs, F/A-18Es and F/A-18Fs from VFA-87, VF-31 and VFA-213 prepare to launch from
the USS George H W Bush. Along with the F/A-18E equipped VFA-37, these three squadrons are
assigned to carrier air wing CVW-8. US Navy/MC3 Brianna BowensA ‘Ragin’ Bulls’ F/A-18C is launched from the waist catapult of the USS George H W Bush
while conducting ground attacks in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. US Navy/MC3
Christopher Gaines42-47_hornetDC.mfDC.mfDC.mfDC.indd 45 04/08/2017 14:45