Boeing plans to fly two F/A-18 Super Hornet to India: 5 things to know about jet

Maria Laine, vice president of Boeing's International Business Development, said that India is one of Boeing's enduring partners where "we have made strategic investments and will continue to do so in the future".

Published on: Apr 22, 2022, 11:05:15 IST

By HT News Desk | Edited by Kunal Gaurav

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American aerospace company Boeing is planning to send two Super Hornet fighter jets to Goa for operational demonstrations before its potential buyer Indian Navy this summer, reported news agency PTI quoting a senior company executive.

F/A-18E and 18F Super Hornets are seen on the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) in the Adriatic Sea. (Reuters)

Alain Garcia, vice president of Boeing's India Business Development, made a strong sales pitch for F/A-18 Super Hornet, saying the aircraft has been specifically designed for carrier operations. Garcia said that the fighter jet can operate from the Indian Navy warships and will meet or exceed the STOBAR (Short Take-off But Arrested Recovery) performance requirements of the Indian Navy.

"This has been proven by our successful ski-jump tests conducted in 2020 and extensive simulation studies. Additionally, we will also prove that further with operational demonstrations in India in May and June," PTI quoted Garcia as saying.

"I really believe the F/A-18 Super Hornet Block III will be a transformative capability for the Indian Navy, the way the P-8I has been...and also the impact that it will have on the aerospace industry,” he argued.

5 things to know about Boeing's F/A-18 Super Hornet:

The Block III Super Hornet comes with advanced networking and open architecture design that allows it to work jointly with the Indian Navy's P-8I and other US-origin assets, according to the Boeing executive.
The US Navy operates more than 800 Super Hornets and EA-18 Growlers, the electronic attack version of the F/A-18, forming the backbone of its carrier air wing.
Super Hornet F/A-18E weighs 14,552 kg, with a maximum takeoff weight 9,937 kg. It flies at Mach 1.6 speed, which means 65% faster than the speed of sound.
According to Boeing, the two versions of the Super Hornet can conduct day/night strikes with precision-guided weapons, fighter escort, close air support, suppression of enemy air defences, maritime strike, reconnaissance, forward air control and tanker missions.
Apart from the US, Australia and Kuwait are F/A-18 Super Hornet customers.

(With PTI inputs)

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