tempo over Iraq and Afghanistan,
coupled with delays in elding the
F-35C, mean that Super Hornets have
borne the brunt of carrier operations.
The Navy plan to procure 110
additional Super Hornets through FY23,
bringing the total production to 706
aircraft. The service is also proposing a
multi-year procurement (MYP) for the
Super Hornets covering FY19-21.
In addition, the Navy is also concluding
an electronic warfare force study that
Boeing says calls for between 24 and30 additional EA-18G Growlers to meet
electronic warfare requirements.
Notably absent from the Block III
plan are new F414-GE-400 Enhanced
Performance Engines (EPE), which o er
decreased fuel burn rates and up to 20
per cent more thrust. Gillian comments:
‘Everybody thinks that more thrust and
increased fuel e ciency is a great thing
to have and makes sense. It didn’t earn
its way onto the Block III package, but
everyone is still working hard to bring
that to the eet one day.’Above: The
Navy is looking
to procure
additional
EA-18G Growlers
to ensure its
carrier air wings
have su cient
punch for the
future. Jamie
Hunter
Top: Conformal
fuel tanks (CFTs)
mounted above
the fuselage add
roughly 870lb
to the airframe
but extend the
Super Hornet’s
range by 100-
120nm. BoeingUS NAVY & MARINE CORPS AIR POWER YEARBOOK 2018
SUPER HORNET^4340-43 Super Hornet block 3 C.indd 43 31/05/2018 18:17