F/A-18F Super Hornet for R.A.A.F.

[Guest Darren Masters]

Boeing Begins Final Assembly of Royal Australian Air Force F/A-18F

 

Super Hornets

 

ST. LOUIS, Dec. 17, 2008 -- Boeing [NYSE: BA] began final assembly

 

operations Dec. 9 in St. Louis on the first of 24 F/A-18F Super Hornets

 

for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). The Super Hornet multirole

 

fighter aircraft will be delivered to the RAAF from the first quarter

 

of 2010 through late 2011.

 

"The Super Hornet is on schedule to deliver unmatched multirole

 

capabilities for Australia," said Bob Gower, vice president of F/A-18

 

and EA-18 Programs for Global Strike Systems, Boeing Integrated Defense

 

Systems. "The Block II Super Hornet's next-generation technologies --

 

including Active Electronically Scanned Array radar, fused sensors, and

 

a network-centric data-sharing environment -- will provide wide-ranging

 

air combat solutions for Australian Defence forces. Those capabilities

 

will be delivered in a date-certain and cost-certain program."

 

Group Capt. Steve Roberton, Head Air Combat Transition Office, RAAF,

 

said the Super Hornet will enable Australia to retain a regionally

 

superior air combat capability. "The Super Hornet will bring Australia

 

into a new generation of air power," Roberton said. "Its advanced,

 

networked weapons system will deliver unprecedented air combat

 

capability across the spectrum of air defense, strategic land attack

 

and maritime strike. It is a true multirole aircraft and there's a lot

 

of excitement on the ground in Air Combat Group about the arrival of

 

the RAAF's Super Hornet."

 

The Super Hornet being produced for Australia is based on the F/A-18F

 

operated by the U.S. Navy. The Block II Super Hornet is the first

 

operationally deployed strike fighter that incorporates next-generation

 

capabilities.

 

"The Super Hornet is a model acquisition program for the United States

 

and the U.S. Navy, one that has continued to add capability while

 

decreasing costs," said U.S. Navy Capt. James Kennedy, F/A-18

 

International Business deputy program manager. "The Super Hornet will

 

provide our Australian partners with a powerful new weapon system. I'm

 

certain they will find the unparalleled aircrew situational awareness

 

and seamless execution of same-time air and ground missions to be as

 

invaluable as our U.S. Navy aircrews do. The Super Hornet is delivering

 

tomorrow's capabilities today."

 

The Australian government announced in March 2007 that it would acquire

 

24 F/A-18Fs, making Australia the first international Super Hornet

 

customer.

 

The Block II F/A-18E/F Super Hornet is a multirole aircraft, able to

 

perform virtually every mission in the tactical spectrum, including air

 

superiority, day/night strike with precision-guided weapons, fighter

 

escort, close air support, suppression of enemy air defenses, maritime

 

strike, reconnaissance, forward air control and tanker missions. Boeing

 

has delivered more than 375 F/A-18E/Fs to the U.S. Navy. Every Super

 

Hornet produced has been delivered on or ahead of schedule.