The Royal Australian Air Force currently operates 24 Super Hornets, while Kuwait has ordered 28 of the jets.
From 'Top Gun' fans to IAF enthusiasts, everyone’s talking about the F/A-18 Super Hornet this week. We take a closer look…
Since the trailer for 'Top Gun: Maverick' dropped last week, aviation enthusiasts have been buzzing about the multi-role fighter that the Indian Air Force (IAF) and Indian Navy could soon fly, courtesy of Boeing and two Indian companies.
In April 2018, Boeing announced a partnership with PSU Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Mahindra Defence Systems (MDS) to manufacture the F/A-18 Super Hornet in India under the ‘Make in India’ programme. Last month, HAL delivered its 150 th gun bay door for the F/A-18 Super Hornet.
A few interesting facts about the fighter aircraft that’s got everyone talking:
We’re proud of our #makeinIndia partnership with @HALHQBLR, who’ve just delivered the 150th gun bay door for the F/… https://t.co/vVZlE51Bnu
1. The F/A-18 Super Hornet is a twin-engine multirole combat jet based on the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet. It was designed primarily for use on aircraft carriers of the US Navy after the US government decided to stop purchases of the F-14 Tomcat in 1991 (the fighter jet featured in the original Top Gun movie).
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2. Today, the latest evolution of the F/A-18 – the Block III – is able to perform a variety of tactical missions such as air superiority, day/night strike with precision guided weapons, fighter escort, close air support, suppression of enemy air defence, maritime strike, reconnaissance, forward air control and buddy refuelling.
3. According to the Boeing website, the F/A-18 Super Hornet will deliver on India’s need for a carrier and land-based multi-role fighter being the least expensive aircraft per flight hour of its kind with advanced survivability and continuous evolution.
4. This assessment is based on extensive testing that Boeing has done to test the Super Hornet’s compatibility with Indian carriers. Results show that the Super Hornet is capable of launching off a ski-jump carrier and could be operated from Indian carriers with a meaningful fuel and weapons load, as found on the company’s website. Specifications of F/A-18 Super Hornet. 5. Should the IAF and the Indian Navy decide to purchase the Super Hornets, the value of the IAF contract alone is estimated to be $15 billion.
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6. Depending on the number of machines ordered by both the Navy and the IAF, Boeing will set up a completely new production facility in India for the production of its F/A-18 Super Hornets with the aim that the new facility can be used for other programs like India’s Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) program.
7. The Royal Australian Air Force currently operates 24 Super Hornets, while Kuwait has ordered 28 of the jets. The Super Hornet was also proposed for the Indian Air Force's now-aborted deal to purchase 126 fighter aircrafts.
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International Paris Air Show: Vahana, Falco Xplorer, And Other Flying Wonders Ready To Chart New Skies
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Emerging technologies in civil and military aviation brought together nearly 2,500 firms from 49 countries at the world’s biggest aerospace show at Paris that concluded on Sunday.
While stealth technology, fuel efficiency, transparency over plane safety, and cutting down carbon emission were some of the key areas of discourse at the International Paris Air Show this year, the showstopper was the unmanned aerial vehicle.
These autonomous units are versatile in reconnaissance, search and rescue, emergency response and strategic missions with limited human intervention.
Check out the latest in unmanned aerial vehicles from leading aerospace obot to perform mundane work manufacturers at the International Paris Air Show.
(Text: Rajarshi Bhattacharjee)
Emerging technologies in civil and military aviation brought together nearly 2,500 firms from 49 countries at the world’s biggest aerospace show at Paris that concluded on Sunday.While stealth techno..
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The VSR700 offers the best endurance of any vertical takeoff/landing unmanned aerial vehicle (VUAV) in its class, designed to cater to the navy in battlefields and seas. The ship-borne UAV can stay airborne for up to 10 hours, carry a payload of around 250 kg and extend a ship’s operational horizon. Thus, it can be used for search and rescue, maritime security and anti-surface warfare.
(Image: www.airbus.com)
The VSR700 offers the best endurance of any vertical takeoff/landing unmanned aerial vehicle (VUAV) in its class, designed to cater to the navy in battlefields and seas. The ship-borne UAV can stay ..
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Vahana electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) autonomous drone air taxi, manufactured by Airbus SE, is an all-electric, single-seat, tilt-wing prototype from Airbus’s Silicon Valley outpost, A3. The autonomous demonstrator uses a self-piloted system to sense and avoid obstacles in the air, which enables navigation in high-density urban airspace.
(Image: Twitter/@VahanaAero)
Vahana electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) autonomous drone air taxi, manufactured by Airbus SE, is an all-electric, single-seat, tilt-wing prototype from Airbus’s Silicon Valley outpost, ..
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The Falco Xplorer, manufactured by Leonardo SpA, is a tactical-class remotely-piloted air system (RPAS) with a payload capacity of 350 kg, more than 24 hours flight time and a satellite communications capability for beyond-radio-line-of-sight operations. Leonardo designed it to respond to the needs of coast guards, emergency responders as well as the military.
(Image: Twitter/@Leonardo_live)
The Falco Xplorer, manufactured by Leonardo SpA, is a tactical-class remotely-piloted air system (RPAS) with a payload capacity of 350 kg, more than 24 hours flight time and a satellite communication..
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Elbit Systems unveiled its Hermes 45 small tactical unmanned air vehicle (UAV) at this year’s Paris Air Show. It is designed to provide intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) for military and naval squadrons. The flying unit has a maximum takeoff weight of 70 kg with a 20 kg payload, flight range of 200km with endurance claimed to be over 20 hours.
(Image: Twitter/@ElbitSystemsLtd)
Elbit Systems unveiled its Hermes 45 small tactical unmanned air vehicle (UAV) at this year’s Paris Air Show. It is designed to provide intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) for milita..
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Azur Drones’s SKEYETECH Drone Box is an advanced drone-in-a-box system dedicated to surveillance. Due to its docking station and embedded intelligence, it can be operational 24x7 without any human intervention. The drone can thus be used to strengthen the security of strategic locations such as oil and gas infrastructures and critical assets. The system has received approval from the French Directorate-General for Civil Aviation (DGAC) for fully autonomous flights.
(Image: Twitter/@AzurDrones)
Azur Drones’s SKEYETECH Drone Box is an advanced drone-in-a-box system dedicated to surveillance. Due to its docking station and embedded intelligence, it can be operational 24x7 without any human i..
