Boeing's F/A-18E/F Super Hornet kicks off IAF's MMRCA field trials
Bangalore: Boeing Integrated Defence System's F/A-18E/F Super Hornet multi-role fighter will be the first to kick off the field trials for the $11 billion, 126 medium range, multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) tender of the Indian Air Force in Bangalore. The Super Hornet is one amongst six contenders for the massive contract, with the others being the Eurofighter Typhoon, the Swedish Gripen JAS-39, the French Dassault's Rafale, the Russian MiG-35 and Lockheed Martin's F-16 Fighting Falcon.
The F/A-18E/F is an all-weather, carrier-capable multi-role fighter, which is designed to attack both ground and aerial targets.
Two F/A-18s - one single-seater ('E') and the other a twin-seater ('F')- will take part in the MMRCA flight evaluation trials (FET) commencing 17 August. The trials are to be held over three different locations across the country, representing three differing climatic conditions – humid/normal, hot and cold.
Bangalore is the chosen venue for the evaluation under normal/humid climatic conditions.
According to official sources, a full-scale briefing for the Boeing team has taken place by the Indian MMRCA team on Saturday on all aspects of evaluation and flight and ground tests that are to be undertaken.
The IAF's test pilots for the Indian Evaluation Team (IET) are Group Captain Dixit and Wing Commander Chauhan. The IET also comprises of three flight test engineers as well as representatives from the ministry of defence, Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd, the Defence and Research Development Organisation, the Directorate-General of Aeronautical Quality Assurance and officers from air headquarters.
The F/A-18E/F will be followed into Bangalore, reportedly, by Lockheed Martin's F-16s. Lockheed will be flying in its aircraft from the United Arab Emirates, which is the only air force to operate the Block 60 version of the fighter, which is on offer for the IAF.
The F-16 will be followed by the French Rafale on 21 September with the MiG-35 arriving in October.
F/A-18E/F Super Hornet
The F/A-18 E and F Super Hornet maritime strike attack aircraft, manufactured by Boeing, flew for the first time in 1995. The Super Hornet is about 25% larger than its predecessor, the F/A-18C/D, and contains 42 per cent fewer structural parts. The single-seat F/A-18/E and the two-seat F/A-18/F fly greater ranges with heavier payloads and are powered by more powerful engines.
The F/A-18E/F Super Hornet is a combat-proven strike fighter with great versatility – capable of switching from one mission type to the next with the flip of a switch to provide consistent air dominance.
Its suite of integrated and networked systems provide enhanced interoperability, total force support for the combatant commander and for the troops on the ground.
Mission capability
Day/night strikes with precision-guided weapons
Anti-air warfare
Fighter escort
Close air support
Suppression of enemy air defense (SEAD)
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
Power and Flight Characteristics
The Super Hornet is powered by two General Electric F414-GE-400 engines:
A distinctive caret-shaped inlet provides 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.
Improvements scheduled for Block 2 aircraft include a redesigned forward fuselage which has fewer parts and changes to the aircraft's nose to accommodate the Raytheon APG-79 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar.
The aircraft is also being fitted with new mission computers, fibre-optic network, Raytheon AN/ASQ-228 ATFLIR targeting pod, Boeing joint helmet-mounted cueing system and Raytheon AIM-9X next generation Sidewinder air-to-air missile.
It also boasts of an Infrared Search and Track (IRST) system.
Fighter cockpit
The F/A-18E/F's cockpit is equipped with a touch-sensitive control display, a larger multi-purpose liquid crystal colour display, which shows tactical information, two monochrome displays and a new engine fuel display.
The cockpit also has a colour digital map and the pilots are equipped with night-vision goggles.
The zero/zero ejection seat is the SJU-5/6 from Martin Baker Aircraft Company Ltd in the UK.
Weapons
The Super Hornet has 11 weapon stations which support a full range of armaments including AIM-9 Sidewinder, AIM-7 Sparrow and AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles, guided air-to-ground weapons such as Harpoon, SLAM/SLAM-ER, GBU-10, GBU-51, HARM and Maverick; and free-fall air-to-ground bombs, Mk-76, BDU-48, Mk-82LD, Mk-82HD and Mk-84.
The aircraft can also carry the GPS- / inertially guided JDAM (Joint Direct Attack Munition), JSOW (joint stand-off weapon) and JASSM (joint air-to-surface stand-off missile).
The Joint Helmet-Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS) for the Super Hornet is fitted to Block 2 aircraft.
The F/A-18E/F new lightweight gun system is the General Dynamics M61A2 20mm Gatling gun, which has a switchable firing rate of 4,000 or 6,000 shots a minute and a fully integrated linkless ammunition feed system.
Countermeasures
The AN/ALQ-124 integrated defensive countermeasures system (IDECM) provides coordinated situation awareness and manages the on-board and off-board deception countermeasures, the expendable decoys, and signal and frequency control of emissions.
The BAE Systems Integrated Defense Solutions (formerly Tracor) ALE-47 countermeasures dispenser system is capable of dispensing chaff cartridges, flares, and the POET and GEN-X active expendable decoys.
The ALE-50 Towed Decoy, from Raytheon E-Systems, provides long-range detection and extremely fast deployment against most radar-guided threats.
BAE Systems AN/ALE-55 fibre-optic towed decoy has completed development testing and will replace the ALE-50 from December 2009 when it enters service. The Raytheon AN/ALR-67(V)3 radar warning receiver intercepts, identifies and prioritises threat signals, which are characterised in terms of frequency, amplitude, direction and pulse width.
Sensors
The Super Hornet is equipped with the Raytheon APG-73 radar which has an upgraded processor with increased speed and memory capacity in comparison to the earlier AN/APG-65. The modes of the APG-73 include air-to-ground tracking, air-to-air velocity search mode, range while search and track while scan.
Raytheon's AN/APG-79 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) fire control radar will increase the F/A-18's air-to-air target detection and tracking range and provide higher resolution air-to-ground mapping at longer ranges.
The aircraft is being fitted with the Raytheon AN/ASQ-228 ATFLIR (Advanced Targeting Forward-Looking Infrared) precision targeting pod.
F/A-18F aircraft also being fitted with the Raytheon SHARP multi-function reconnaissance pod, set to replace USN Tactical Airborne Reconnaissance Pod (TARPS), currently flown on the F-14 Tomcat.
Engines
The aircraft's power is provided by two F414-GE-400 turbofan engines from General Electric. The engines are an advanced derivative of the GE F404 engines installed on the Hornet. The air inlets have been enlarged to provide increased airflow into the engines.
The engines each provide 22,000lb thrust, with afterburn giving a maximum speed in excess of Mach 1.8.
The structural changes to the airframe on the F/E variant of the aircraft increase the internal fuel capacity by 3,600lb, a 33 per cent higher fuel capacity than the F-18C/D variant. This extends the mission radius by up to 40 per cent
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