ground stations, so the aircraft can now
support non-traditional intelligence,
surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) and
close air support (CAS) missions.
Although the ATFLIR was integrated
with US Navy legacy Hornets, the Marine
Corps ghters use AN/AAQ-28 LITENING AT
targeting pods, which were rst elded in 2004.
Reconnaissance capable F/A-18D(RC)
models, operated by the USMC, can be
equipped with the palletised AN/ASD-10
Advanced Tactical Airborne Reconnaissance
System (ATARS) that is installed in the nose
bay of the aircraft in place of the M61 cannon.
The sensor suite consists of a low-altitude
electro-optical sensor (LAEO), a medium-
altitude electro-optical sensor (MAEO), an
infrared line scanner (IRLS), two digital
recorders and a pod-mounted datalink. It was
rst deployed in support of Operation Allied
Force in May 1999.
Unlike the US Navy’s legacy Hornets which
do not have a reconnaissance capability, the
Super Hornet is compatible with the Raytheon
AN/ASD-12 Shared Reconnaissance Pod
(SHARP). First deployed in 2003 this high-
resolution, digital tactical air reconnaissance
system features advanced day/night and all-
weather capability.
Carried on the centreline station, the high-
resolution, multi-sensor pod provides near
real-time dual-band electro-optical/infrared
(EO/IR) medium- and high-altitude standoff
imagery.
When the Super Hornet entered
production, its avionics systems shared
around 90% commonality with the F/A-18C.
Changes to the cockpit incorporated a newcolour multifunction display (MFD), an engine/
fuel display and a monochrome Up-Front
Control Display (UFCD). It was also equipped
with the AN/USQ-140 Multifunctional
Information Distribution System (MIDS) for
Link 16 jam-resistant, secure digital voice and
data communications.
The Super Hornet was the rst naval
ghter to receive the Joint Helmet Mounted
Cueing System (JHMCS), which provides
multi-purpose aircrew situational awareness,
including high-off-boresight cueing of the AIM-
9X air-to-air missile. MIDS and JHMCS have
both since been integrated with the legacy
Hornet.
Although the USN elded two-seat
F/A-18Fs to operational squadrons, like the
earlier F/A-18B/D, it was originally intended
as a trainer and the aft cockpit of the Block I
versions replicated the systems installed in
the front. Apart from those ‘F’ models used for
pilot training, the two-seaters, like the USMC
F/A-18Ds, cannot be own from the aft cockpit
and the control stick and throttles are replaced
by two HCUs.
Block II Super Hornets were equipped
with a digital video map computer, advanced
mission computers and displays (AMC&D)
upgrades, and the rear cockpit of the F/A-18F
gained an Advanced Crew Station (ACS) that
featured a large 8 x 10in (20.3 x 25.4cm) aft
seat multi-purpose display (AMPD) as well as
two 5 x 5in (12.7 x 12.7cm) colour advanced
multi-purpose displays (AMPDs) and two
new HCUs. Incorporation of the AESA radar
allowed the front and redesigned aft cockpits
to be decoupled. This capability enables the
pilot and WSO to independently conduct air-to-air and air-to-ground functions simultaneously.
A subsequent upgrade incorporated the
Distributed Targeting System (DTS) so the
aircraft can hit moving ground targets.
Block I Super Hornets were equipped
with the AN/ALR-67 radar warning receiver
(RWR), AN/ALE-47 countermeasures
dispenser system (CDS) and an Integrated
Defensive Countermeasures (IDECM) system
comprising the AN/ALQ-165 Airborne Self-
Protection Jammer (ASPJ) and the AN/ALE-
50 RF towed countermeasures decoy. The
Block II’s IDECM systems were replaced with
the AN/ALQ-214 Onboard Jammer (OBJ) and
AN/ALE-55 bre optic towed decoy.
Although the legacy Hornet’s defensive
systems include the AN/ALQ-126 Defensive
Electronic Countermeasures (DECM) suite, it
will be replaced by a variant of the ALQ-214.
Additionally, the jets are being retro tted with
the latest version of the ALR-67.UPGRADES
The F/A-18 eet is monitored thorough the
Service Life Management Programme (SLMP)
and analysis is conducted under the Service
Life Assessment Programme (SLAP).
Structural modi cations extend the
Hornets’ service life to 8,000 hours and a
Service Life Extension Programme (SLEP) will
see 150 ‘hand-selected’ F/A-18C/Ds y 10,000
hours. The rst Hornets to undergo SLEP
were delivered in 2016. A similar programme
will extend the Super Hornet’s service life from
6,000 to 9,000 hours.
As part of a plan to keep the F/A-18A
operationally relevant, the US Navy modi ed
61 aircraft to the A+ con guration, with
upgraded APG-65 or AN/APG-73 radar and
avionics. Subsequently 54 F/A-18A+ aircraft
were upgraded to an equivalent F/A-18C
capability under the designation F/A-18A++.
Another plan to bring 30 low-time, early-
production F/A-18Cs to a C+ con guration for
the Marines will be completed in 2019. This
will provide digital communications, MIDS,
Link 16 data link, colour cockpit displays,
Tactical Aircraft Moving Map Capability
(TAMMAC), AN/ALE-47, the SJU-17 Naval
Aircrew Common Ejection Seat (NACES) and
the JHMCS along with the ability to carry the
latest G4 version of the AN/AAQ-28 targeting46 Aviation News incorporating Jets September 2017This Block II F/A-18F operated by VFA-2 carries a pair of laser-guided training rounds on a
multiple ejector rack (MER). US Navy/Airman Courtney LeavittAn F/A-18A+ assigned to VFA-87 ‘Golden Warriors’ conducts a full afterburner take-off from the
carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt. It is equipped with AIM-9X missiles on the wingtip rails and
carries a centreline fuel tank. US Navy/MC2 Michael Cole42-47_hornetDC.mfDC.mfDC.mfDC.indd 46 04/08/2017 14:45