© Boeing
Posted on 05/13/2009 6:00:14 AM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
Boeing's Super Hornet seeks export sale to launch 20% thrust upgrade
By Stephen Trimble
Boeing is seeking an international launch customer for a 20% higher thrust version of the General Electric F414 turbofan that powers the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet.
The F414 enhanced performance engine (EPE) includes an all new core and forward fan to dramatically increase the fighter's takeoff performance, said Bob Gower, Boeing vice president for F/A-18E/F.
The improvements would increase the F414 thrust rating from 22,000lbs to 26,600lbs. The baseline F414-GE-400, which also powers the Saab Gripen demonstration aircraft, is itself a 35% higher thrust version of the F404 and entered service with the Super Hornet fleet in 1998.
More recently, the US Navy, Boeing and GE have been developing durability improvements to reduce foreign object damage and specific fuel consumption, Gower told reporters participating in a Boeing media tour.
While the USN seeks a new engine core to make the F414 more durable, some international customers are interested in a new engine fan that enables higher thrust, Gower said.
The 'enhanced durability engine' becomes the 'enhanced performance engine' when you put the fan on it," Gower said.
Although the core enhancements are already under contract with the USN, the programme is seeking an export customer to launch development of the F414 EPE, Gower said.
The international order would lead to follow-on sales for the USN, which would gradually replace its current inventory with the improved version, Gower said.
Several countries, including India, Brazil, Denmark, Greece and Kuwait, are considering the F/A-18E/F, with the Royal Australian Air Force already signed on as the first export customer. The RAAF has ordered 24 F/A-18E/Fs, including 12 provisioned to become EA-18G Growlers.
The improved thrust would likely be most welcomed among militaries operating in hot weather, which reduces engine performance especially at a takeoff.
Despite the dramatic thrust increase, the EPE would not require enlarging the F/A-18E/F's engine inlets to enable increased air flow, Gower said.
"We are not modifying the mould line of the aircraft," Gower said. "The current inlet gives us enough [air] in-take."
Gower also said the EPE would require changing the number of compressor stages, but he did not elaborate.
The USN is also planning to steadily improve the F/A-18E/Fs sensors, electronic warfare system, connectivity and weapons load-out over the next decade, Gower said.
"The US government and Boeing and our suppliers," said Gower, "continue to invest in the platform because we see opportunities both domestically and internationally for the platform."
© Boeing
Quite an increase in thrust for the beast. Look at those intakes, wow!
What is the advantage of having rectangular intakes? Any specific reason?
Round intakes would stick further out, reducing the effective wing area.
The number of square inches is what is important. The actual intake to the engine is quite a ways back in the body of the airplane.
What about the old saying, “Round engines like round air”?
Doesn’t the squared shape create inefficiencies (which are compensated for by the larger area)?
Here is an earlier F-18 model... 
with round intakes, so I assume the larger, rectangular intakes allow more air to enter the engines.
Reduced radar reflection, 18% increase in air flow as compared to the D-shaped intake on the Hornet and “better” high speed performance.
The engine is buried deep within the intake. The intake is the intake.
Poor jet, looks like it’s fitted out with a tanker package.
FWIW, this version will be able to accelerate while going straight up. Cool. Wonder what happens to top speed, and combat radius.
Yeah that’s a buddy store on the centerline.
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So the whole idea of rectangular intakes is increased airflow and negligible wing surface loss, because the bottom surface of the rectangular intake plays the role of the lost wing surface due to the intake. The rounded intake would not generate as significant a lift, as the bottom of the rectangular one...
redurced radar signature
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