Posted on 05/27/2010 6:47:45 PM PDT by ErnstStavroBlofeld
The Royal Australian Air Force is on track to stand up the first Boeing F/A-18F operational squadron in December with two extra aircraft than originally planned and a new appreciation for the Super Hornet's capabilities.
A fleet of 24 F/A-18Fs will replace the RAAF's General Dynamics F-111 on an interim basis. Delays to the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter in 2004 forced the RAAF to acquire Super Hornets as a stopgap in 2006. But the F/A-18Fs are due to be retired by 2021 as the F-35 is delivered.
So far, Boeing has delivered the first five F/A-18Fs to 1 Sqn at RAAF Amberley, with as many as nine more jets arriving before initial operational capability is declared in December. The F-111 is scheduled for retirement on 2 December. Despite the Super Hornet's short-term service plan, the multi-role fighter has already surprised the RAAF leadership with its advanced capabilities.
"It's a little bit embarrassing for me," says Gp Capt Steve Roberton, commander of 82 Wing. "It is fair to say the jet has proven to be more robust and exceeded what we thought."
Roberton pointed to what he considers the aircraft's singular ability to simultaneously track air and ground targets using an array of sensors, including the Raytheon APG-79 active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar.
(Excerpt) Read more at flightglobal.com ...
I’ve seen the Blue Angels perform in their F18’s. I’m very damn impressed.
Made me proud and impressed to be an American. Beautiful planes, great pilots. WOW!
They’ve been flying F-111s since 1973. Of course they’re impressed with the Super Hornet. They’d be impressed with a Cirrus SR22!
“I’ve seen the Blue Angels perform in their F18’s. I’m very damn impressed.
Made me proud and impressed to be an American. Beautiful planes, great pilots. WOW!”
How can we translate this kind of exceptionalism into our politics? Maybe there’s no direct equivalent, like Fahrenheit to Celsius.
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