ASG-34 Infrared Search and Track pod
as well as Tactical Targeting Networking
Technology (TTNT) that will allow it
to transfer more data, and 10 x 19in
large-area cockpit displays. Additionally,
conformal fuel tanks will increase range
by 100-120nm (185-222km).
Boeing delivered 147 Block I Super
Hornets, comprising 64 F/A-18Es and83 F/A-18Fs, before deliveries of Block
II variants began in October 2002. The
service’s Program of Record currently
includes 584 Super Hornets and Boeing
has delivered more than 570 jets.
The Navy’s inventory included 284
F/A-18E and 257 F/A-18F models in
December 2017. The recently approved
Fiscal 2018 spending bill includedThe Block III standard will now
be introduced in new production
aircraft from 2020 and Boeing will
then begin upgrading Block II Super
Hornets in 2022
funding for 24 Super Hornets, and the
Trump administration plans to buy
110 additional ghters from scal
2019 to 2023 under the future years
spending plan.
Dan Gillian, Boeing’s Vice President of
F/A-18 and EA-18G programs told the
Yearbook: ‘The story of Super Hornet
has been and continues to be about
capacity and capability.’ By capacity,
Gillian means ‘the right number of
airplanes to be a front-line ghter
working alongside the F-35 out into the
2040s.’ Gillian adds: ‘capability is about
next-gen ghters. What does the Super
Hornet need to bring to the carrier
air wing?’
On June 23, 2017, President Trump
sent his Fiscal Year (FY)18 budget to
Congress with the requirement for $265
million for Block III elements. Gillian
adds: ‘Super Hornets have carried the
load for the Navy for the last 15 years
and the airplanes that were supposed
to be available later in that time period,
the hours have been burned up, so they
need additional airplanes to have the
right capacity.’ Increased operationalLeft: The
large-area
cockpit display
is now being
introduced
under the Block
III initiative.
Boeing
Below: F/A-18E
BuNo 168912/
AJ-302 of
VFA-87 ‘Golden
Warriors’,
seen here on
December 4,
2017, wearing
a kill marking
from its June
18, 2017,
Syrian Su-22
shootdown.
Jim DunnUS NAVY & MARINE CORPS AIR POWER YEARBOOK 2018
(^42) TYPE REPORT
40-43 Super Hornet block 3 C.indd 42 31/05/2018 18:17