Boeing F/A-18 Hornet - Fortfield.com

1 Boeing F/A-18 HornetFighter/AttackDecember 2010 Richard AboulafiaVice President, BriefingThe F/A-18 Hornet is a light-weight twin-engine, mid-wing sin-gle- and twin-seat (trainer)multi-mission tactical fighter prime manufacturer is Boeing (formerly McDonnell Aircraft Co.),with Northrop Grumman as the pri-mary production models includethe single-seat F/A-18A/C and thetwin-seat F/A-18B/D. The aircraft isin service with the US Navy, US Ma-rine Corps, Australia, Canada, Fin-land, Kuwait, Malaysia, Spain, andSwitzerland. A major new-build up-grade of the Hornet is now in produc-tion, known as the F/A-18E/F (the F isthe twin seat variant) or Super model flew in late 1995, and pro-duction deliveries began in December1998, with IOC in 2001.

2 The Navyplans to buy 578 F/A-18E/Fs includ-ing 85 EA-18G electronic attack of the NavyNaval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR)47123 Buse Rd. Unit 2272 Patuxent River, MD 20670-1547 Telephone: (301) :Major Subcontractor:The Boeing Grumman Aircraft & MissilesAircraft 5161 Northrop Louis, MO 63166 Hawthorne, CA 90250(314) 232-7238(213) Teal Group CorporationWorld Military & Civil Aircraft BriefingDecember 2010 SubsystemsAirframeAbout 20-22% by weight of theF/A-18E/F airframe is constructed ofcomposites. This is up from the10-12% found on the current C/Dmodel. The E/F wing is 25% larger,and the aircraft s empty weight is25% greater, and the E/F has only10% airframe commonality with SplitNorthrop Grumman is responsiblefor the center and aft fuselage sec-tions of the F/A-18 , and Boeing (McDonnell) is in charge of the rest,including final assembly.

3 Thisamounts to a 40% work share forNorthrop (42% on E/F) and 60% SubcontractorsBelow is a listing of subcontrac-tors and what they supply for the Hor-net production program: Aero Vodochody: gun bay doors Aerospace Technologies of Aus-tralia (ASTA): trailing edge flaps,shrouds (also on E/F) Alliant Techsystems: pilot canopyseal; IM-7 fiber (on E/F) Allied Engineering and Produc-tion: flush deck nose gear launchinstallation kits for catapult system ATP Intellitec: composite flapfairing components (on E/F) AMCAST Precision: investmentcastings AMI Metals: stainless steel andaluminum sheet and plate products Canadair (Bombardier): 50% ofall nose barrels required for USNF/A-18s Brunswick: nose radomes CASA (EADS): horizontal tailsurfaces, flaps, leading edge ex-tensions, speed brakes, rudders,rear side panels Cyclone: leading edge extensions($10 million contract for 60shipsets, starting in 1994) Cytec Engineered Materials: com-posite materials Dorne & Margolin: DM CN18 an-tenna Dowty Aerospace Landing Gear:landing gear on C/D and E/F Fleet Industries.

4 Composite doors GKN Aerospace: cockpit trans-parency system, composite andaluminum airframe parts (life ofprogram on E/F), titanium firstwing bulkhead Hexcel: composite materials Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd: gunbay doors (E/F, starting 2010) Honeywell (Bendix Wheels andBrakes): wheels and brakes (alsoon E/F) ICI Fiberite: 9773 toughened ep-oxy (on E/F) Integrated Aerospace: titaniumbulkheads, arresting shank assem-bly, external fuel tanks (on E/F) Magellan Aerospace: bulk-heads/assemblies fo center barrelretrofit (on C/D); titanium bulk-heads, spindles, engine mounts,formers (on E/F) Pneumo Dynamics: nose and mainlanding gear Stellex Aerostructures: structuralcomponents (on E/F) Wyman Gordon: bulkheads,frame, wing ribsPropulsion SystemEnginesThe F/A-18 is powered by twoF404-GE-400 augmented turbofans,rated at 16,000 lbst each.

5 GeneralElectric Co. s GE Aircraft EnginesGroup, based in Cincinnati, OH,builds the powerplants. Pratt & Whit-ney, in East Hartford, CT, was quali-fied as a second source although itwas discontinued in this role in 1989because the Navy believed produc-tion volume did not warrant upgraded version of the en-gine, called the Enhanced Perfor-mance Engine (EPE) and designatedF404-GE-402, is now in has a rating of 17,700 lbst. The en-gine powers Swiss and Kuwaiti Hor-nets and is a candidate for retrofit onall F/A-18s currently in service. Newproduction -402s for the USN/USMCwas included on FY92 and later pro-curements, and for F/A-18E/F is powered by theF414-GE-400 (or F404 Growth 2+,22,000 lbst). This uses the core of theF412, an F404 derivative developedfor the cancelled A-12 System Subcon-tractorsBelow is a listing of subcontrac-tors involved with the propulsion sys-tem: Chandler Evans Control SystemsDivision (Coltec Industries): F404and F414 fuel pumps CPI Aerostructures: exhaust ducts Honeywell (Bendix Engine Con-trols): F404 main fuel control sys-tems Johnson Technology: nozzle seg-ments Magellan Aerospace: componentsfor F414 on E/F MTU Aero Engines: partnerrole in F414 Parker Hannifin: main fuel noz-zles Vickers (Trinova): main enginehydraulic pumps (on E/F.)

6 ForNorthrop Grumman) Volvo Flygmotor: components forF414 on E/FDecember 2010 World Military & Civil Aircraft Briefing Teal Group CorporationBoeing F/A-18 HornetPage 2 ElectronicsDesignationDescriptionManufac turerNoteCommunicationsAN/APX-111 IFF interrogator/transponderBAE Systems (Hazeltine)for retrofit to US C/D fleetAN/ARA-63receiver/decoderEatonAN/AR C-182 UHF/VHF radion/aAN/ASW-25radio data linkHarrisn/aIFF interrogator/transponderBAE Systems (Marconi)for E/F and retrofit to USA/BC/D fleetn/acommunications system controlConracn/atelecom control unitsTelephonicsF/A-18E/FDisplays & InstrumentationAN/ARC-210secure radioRockwell CollinsF/A-18E/FAN/AVQ-28head-up displayKaiser ElectronicsAN/OD-150(V)multifunction displayKaiser ElectronicsDASHD isplay And Sight HelmetElbitavailable option as of June1993 Eagle-6multipurpose color display unitssPlanar Advance/dpiXF/A-18E/F; for KaiserFID 2035horizontal situation displayBAE Systems (Ferranti)ID-1791/Aflight director and UFCD displaysElbit (EFW)F/A-18E/F starting 2004n/aliquid crystal displaysKaiser ElectronicsF/A-18E/Fn/ahorizontal situation indicatorHoneywell (Bendix)n/aintegrated engine and fuel displayHercules Aerospace Dis-play Systems, engine and fuel instru-mentsGull, color cockpit dis-playSmiths IndustriesElectronic WarfareAN/ALE-39chaff dispenserLockheed Martin (Loral)until FY93AN/ALE-47chaff/flare dispenserBAE Systems (Tracor)F/A-18E/F.

7 C/Ds after FY93AN/ALE-50towed decoyRaytheonF/A-18E/FAN/ALE-55fiber optic towed decoysBAE Systems (Sanders)three on ALQ-214 (E/F)AN/ALQ-126 BECM systemBAE Systems (Sanders)AN/ALQ-214 Integrated Defensive ECM systemLockheed MartinSanders/ITTF/A-18E/F (starting withfourth deployment)AN/ALQ-162(V)jammerNorthrop Grummanon second batch of 36 Span-ish ECM systemITT/Northrop GrummanFinland, Switzerland, someUSMC; E/F until IDECMAN/ALQ-218(V)2 Tactical Jamming ReceiverNorthrop Grumman (LittonAmecom)EA-18 GAN/ALR-50radar warning receiverMagnavoxAN/ALR-67 (V) 3radar warning receiverRaytheon (Hughes)F/A-18E/F; (V) 2 on C/DUSQ-113(V)3communications countermeasuresBAE Systems (Sanders)EA-18 GMiscellaneous or Multipurpose SystemsAN/AYK-14mission computerControl DataGD XN-8 on C/DMIDS LVTLink 16 terminalsBAE Systems/RockwellCollinsAdded to C/D and E/F in2000n/aair data recorder for Bendixmaint.

8 Recording (Westland)Cat s Eyespilot night vision gogglesBAE Systems (GEC)night attack Hornetn/adigital memory device missionplanning interfaceHarrison F/A-18E/F/Gn/acockpit pressure altimeterKearflexn/aflight incident recorderSpar Aerospace AppliedSystems Groupn/afly-by-wire electronicsGeneral ElectricTAMMACT actical Airborne Moving MapCapabilityHarrisn/amaintenance recording systemHoneywellWR-818cockpit video recording systemDRS TechnologiesNavigationAN/AAR-50 Thermal Imaging Navigation Set(TINS)Raytheon (Hughes)night attack HornetAN/ARN-118 TACANR ockwell CollinsPage 3 Boeing F/A-18 Hornet Teal Group CorporationWorld Military & Civil Aircraft BriefingDecember 2010AN/ASN-130 Ainertial navigation systemNorthrop Grumman(Litton)being replaced by -139AN/ASN-139ring laser systemNorthrop Grumman(Litton)replacing -130AN/ASQ-196digital map systemHoneywellDF-301 EUHF/direction findern/aH-764 GPS/INSH oneywellE/Fn/aminiature airborne GPS receiverRockwell CollinsF/A-18C/Dn/aGPS receiver moduleTrimbleF/A-18E/Fn/aembedded GPSN orthrop Grumman(Litton)F/A-18E/Fn/astandby airspeed indicatorKearflexn/astandby altimeterSmiths Industriesn/astandby vertical speed indicatorKearflexSensorsAN/APG-65multi-m ode radarRaytheon (Hughes)APG-73 after 1993; to be re-placed by APG-79 AESAAN/APN-194radar altimeterHoneywellRecceLightShared Reconnaissance PodRafaeladded to some Spanishplanes, 2001 ASD-12(V)Shared Reconnaissance Pod(SHARP)RaytheonF/A-18E/F.

9 IOC 2003 Weapons Control/TargetingAN/AAS-38 Aattack FLIRL oralAN/ASQ-173laser detector tracker/strike cam-eraLockheed MartinASQ-228(V)Advanced Targeting FLIRR aytheon (Hughes)F/A-18E/F; C/D upgradeoptionAN/AYQ-9(V)stores management systemLear Sieglern/aInfrared Search and TrackLockheed MartinF/A-18E/F starting 2009n/adirector gunsightBoeing (MDC)n/alaser designatorBAE SystemsSniperadvanced targeting podLockheed MartinCanadian upgradeWeapon SystemsThe F/A-18 has nine externalweapons stations capable of carryinga variety of stores. This includes mis-siles such as the Raytheon AIM-9 Sidewinder, AIM-7 Sparrow,AIM-120 AMRAAM, AGM-65 Maverick, HARM, and AGM-84 Harpoon. Ordnance includes theGBU-10 and -12 laser-guided bombs,Mk 82/84 general-purpose bombs,and the GBU-59 cluster builds the BRU-32A/Abomb racks.

10 RUAG Aerospace builtlow drag pylons for the SwissF/A-18C/D buy. Also, a LockheedMartin M61 20mm rotary cannon ismounted. Western Design Howdenbuilds gun loading systems. The Hor-net can carry Brunswick s ADM-141 TALD decoy. Smiths Industries pro-vides its AYQ-9 stores F/A-18E/F can carry JDAM,JSOW,AGM-158 JASSM,SLAM-ER, and AIM-9X. In 2006 Australia selected JASSM as its nextgeneration cruise missile for its Hor-net agreement signed at the 1989 Paris Air Show between McDonnellDouglas and Matra of France in partcalled for the integration of the MICAair-to-air missile with the F/A-18 , butthis has not E/F can also act as an aerial re-fueling SubsystemsOther SubcontractorsFurther subcontractors involvedwith miscellaneous subsystems are asfollows: Acme Electric: battery systems Altair: manual control/emergencybrake valve assembly Arrowhead Products: bleed airducts (on E/F.)