20 April 2009
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. --- Northrop Grumman Corporation has delivered the center/aft fuselage section for the first F/A-18F Super Hornet for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), the first international customer for the multirole fighter aircraft.
The shipset,'' consisting of the aircraft's center/aft fuselage section, twin vertical tails and all associated subsystems, was shipped April 2 to The Boeing Company's F/A-18 production center in St. Louis, Mo., for mating with the forward fuselage section and final assembly.
The Australian government is purchasing 24 F/A-18Fs from the United States. The F/A-18E/F Super Hornet entered operational service with the U.S. Navy in 2001 as its combat-proven multirole fighter. (The E'' model has one cockpit seat; the F'' has two).
As principal subcontractor to Boeing, Northrop Grumman is responsible for design and production of the entire F/A-18E/F center/aft fuselage, subsystems integration and after-delivery product support. Northrop Grumman has delivered more than 1,890 shipsets for all models of the F/A-18, including the earlier F/A-18A-D Hornet and now the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler.
This delivery continues the F/A-18 industry team's outstanding record of performance,'' said Michelle Scarpella, director of F/A-18 Programs at Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems. Each of the more than 380 F/A-18E/F Super Hornet deliveries has been on time or ahead of schedule.''
The F/A-18E/F program accounts for more than 1,200 jobs at Northrop Grumman's El Segundo Manufacturing Center and more than 10,000 jobs in California at over 700 supplier companies. The Super Hornet industry team includes Boeing, Northrop Grumman, GE Aircraft Engines, the Raytheon Company and more than 1,900 suppliers in the United States and Canada.
With built-in versatility, the aircraft features a suite of integrated and networked systems that provide enhanced interoperability and total force support for the combatant commander and troops on the ground. The U.S. Navy is expected to acquire a minimum of 506 Super Hornets and 88 EA-18G Growlers.
Australia was one of the original international users of the F/A-18A/B, the first version of the Hornet. Northrop Grumman also produced major structural assemblies for the RAAF's earlier Hornets as part of a capability upgrade program.
Both the Super Hornet single seat E and two-seat F models convert quickly from one mission type to the next with the flip of a switch to provide consistent air dominance:
*Day/night strikes with precision-guided weapons
*Anti-air warfare
*Fighter escort
*Close air support
*Suppression of enemy air defense
*Maritime strike
*Reconnaissance
*Forward air control
*Tanker
*Payload Flexibility
The Super Hornet's versatility applies to its weapon stations and payload types:
*11 weapon stations
*Supports a full complement of smart weapons, including laser-guided bombs
*Carries a full spectrum mix of air-to-air and air-to-ground ordnance
The Super Hornet is powered by two General Electric F414-GE-400 engines:
*Distinctive caret-shaped inlet to provide increased airflow and reduced
radar signature
*22,000 pounds (98 Kn) of thrust per engine, 44,000 pounds (196 Kn) per
aircraft
Flight qualities:
*Highly departure resistant through its operational flight envelope.
*Unlimited angle-of-attack and carefree flying qualities for highly effective
combat capability and ease of training.
*Reconfigurable digital flight-control system detects and corrects for battle
damage.
*Upgradeability
*Long-term designed in versatility ensures the Super Hornet's investment
value.
Current upgrades delivered in the Block Two configuration include:
*Active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar
*Advanced targeting forward-looking infrared (ATFLIR) system
*Joint-helmet mounted cueing system (JHMCS)
*Multifunctional information distribution system (MIDS)
*Advanced aft crew station
*Fibre channel switch for increased data processing capability
*Fully integrated weapons systems and sensors for reduced crew workload
and increased capability.
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. --- Northrop Grumman Corporation has delivered the center/aft fuselage section for the first F/A-18F Super Hornet for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), the first international customer for the multirole fighter aircraft.
The shipset,'' consisting of the aircraft's center/aft fuselage section, twin vertical tails and all associated subsystems, was shipped April 2 to The Boeing Company's F/A-18 production center in St. Louis, Mo., for mating with the forward fuselage section and final assembly.
The Australian government is purchasing 24 F/A-18Fs from the United States. The F/A-18E/F Super Hornet entered operational service with the U.S. Navy in 2001 as its combat-proven multirole fighter. (The E'' model has one cockpit seat; the F'' has two).
As principal subcontractor to Boeing, Northrop Grumman is responsible for design and production of the entire F/A-18E/F center/aft fuselage, subsystems integration and after-delivery product support. Northrop Grumman has delivered more than 1,890 shipsets for all models of the F/A-18, including the earlier F/A-18A-D Hornet and now the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler.
This delivery continues the F/A-18 industry team's outstanding record of performance,'' said Michelle Scarpella, director of F/A-18 Programs at Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems. Each of the more than 380 F/A-18E/F Super Hornet deliveries has been on time or ahead of schedule.''
The F/A-18E/F program accounts for more than 1,200 jobs at Northrop Grumman's El Segundo Manufacturing Center and more than 10,000 jobs in California at over 700 supplier companies. The Super Hornet industry team includes Boeing, Northrop Grumman, GE Aircraft Engines, the Raytheon Company and more than 1,900 suppliers in the United States and Canada.
With built-in versatility, the aircraft features a suite of integrated and networked systems that provide enhanced interoperability and total force support for the combatant commander and troops on the ground. The U.S. Navy is expected to acquire a minimum of 506 Super Hornets and 88 EA-18G Growlers.
Australia was one of the original international users of the F/A-18A/B, the first version of the Hornet. Northrop Grumman also produced major structural assemblies for the RAAF's earlier Hornets as part of a capability upgrade program.
Both the Super Hornet single seat E and two-seat F models convert quickly from one mission type to the next with the flip of a switch to provide consistent air dominance:
*Day/night strikes with precision-guided weapons
*Anti-air warfare
*Fighter escort
*Close air support
*Suppression of enemy air defense
*Maritime strike
*Reconnaissance
*Forward air control
*Tanker
*Payload Flexibility
The Super Hornet's versatility applies to its weapon stations and payload types:
*11 weapon stations
*Supports a full complement of smart weapons, including laser-guided bombs
*Carries a full spectrum mix of air-to-air and air-to-ground ordnance
The Super Hornet is powered by two General Electric F414-GE-400 engines:
*Distinctive caret-shaped inlet to provide increased airflow and reduced
radar signature
*22,000 pounds (98 Kn) of thrust per engine, 44,000 pounds (196 Kn) per
aircraft
Flight qualities:
*Highly departure resistant through its operational flight envelope.
*Unlimited angle-of-attack and carefree flying qualities for highly effective
combat capability and ease of training.
*Reconfigurable digital flight-control system detects and corrects for battle
damage.
*Upgradeability
*Long-term designed in versatility ensures the Super Hornet's investment
value.
Current upgrades delivered in the Block Two configuration include:
*Active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar
*Advanced targeting forward-looking infrared (ATFLIR) system
*Joint-helmet mounted cueing system (JHMCS)
*Multifunctional information distribution system (MIDS)
*Advanced aft crew station
*Fibre channel switch for increased data processing capability
*Fully integrated weapons systems and sensors for reduced crew workload
and increased capability.
