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BOEING FLIES FIRST PRODUCTION SUPER HORNET

by Karl Schwarz

Despite scepticism and critical comments, the Super Hornet program has reached an important milestone: On November 9, Test Pilot Dave Desmond took the first production F/A-18E, (LRIP ñ low-rate initial production), for its maiden flight. It went ìwithout any problemsî. This has cleared the path for the hand-over to the US Navy before Christmas.

Until the start of the Operational Evaluation (OPEVAL), which starts next May, will lasts six months and include some 800 flights, seven FA-18E/F will be deliveredto the US Navy. If the defence budget for 1999 is included, Boeing now has orders for 62 Super Hornets (12 + 20 + 30 in three separately approved LRIP lots).

Now Boeing is focusing on the all-important full-rate production decision, which should push the build rate up t 36 Super Hornets a year. The company will probably propose a five-year contract for 220 aircraft to the Pentagon. When compared with annual contracting, this arrangement would probably save $500 to $600 million.

In St. Louis confidence that this target will be achieved is high. According to program managers, one is still comfortably with the given time and cost limits. Vice President of F/A-18E/F Chuck Allen is proud to announce that ìWhile we are constructing the first twelve aircraft, we find that we are currently 17 per cent below our initial cost estimatesî. To prove the General Accounting Office wrong, the $4.88 billion limit for development/testing will also be adhered to. As for test programs of American fighter jets go, this is truly unique!

As far as performance is concerned, Pat Finneran, Boeingís General Manager for the F/A-18 program, is quick to emphasise that all important design targets will be met:

• Range/Endurance: With 36 per cent more internal fuel and up to five 1,817 l external tanks, the combat radius of the F/A-18C/D is extended by roughly 40 per cent.
• Weapons: 7,049kg can be carried on eleven stations, (two additional ones); capacity is up by 25 per cent.
• Bringback: The F-18E/F is able to land on an aircraft carrier with reserve fuel, (1,815kg), and 2,270kg external loads. This is why there is no need to jettison unused expensive precision weapons. In this respect, the F-18C/D is limited to 725kg.
• Survivabilty: The survivability is said to be three times higher than that of the Hornet. The introduction of Stealth characteristics, (specially shaped air inlets and maintenance panels, radar absorbing materials and coatings) and improved ECM systems, (towed decoy, more flare and chaff dispensers) as well as comprehensive measures for damage limitation, (fire extinguisher, foam filled tanks and ìintelligentî flight control software) all contribute to this end.
• Gowth potential: Currently there are 0.48 cubic meters of free space for additonal systems.

However, the success story cannot deny the fact that there have been numerous problems during the course of over 3,700 flight hours, (as of October 31). Boeing and the Navy on the one hand and the US General Accounting Office on the other hand cannot always agree on how significant these problems have been.

The most difficult problem to solve was probably the so-called ìwing dropî, where the F/A-18E/F rolled suddenly and without warning almost 20 degrees around the longitudinal axis. This phenomenon would occur during flight at an AOA of seven to twelve degrees and at Mach 0.7 to 0.95.

More than 500 (unscheduled) flight hours were necessary, until the decision was made to install a porous cover for the wing folding mechanism. Additional air now flows over the upper side of the wing in the area of the dogtooth and forces more energy into the detached air stream. These modifications have resulted in one small drawback: The range of the aircraft has been reduced by seven kilometers. The important thing is that the wing did not have to be redesigned.

Some other aerodynamic problems like a ìwing dropî when approaching an aircraft carrier or the collision of weapons with the fuselage side have also been solved. The pylons are now turned by a few degrees to enable them to point directly into the local wind streams. Additionally a small flap has been removed at the extended wingroot.

The ALE-50 towed decoy is still causing headaches. Its rope, which runs below the fuselage of the aircraft, was simply burnt by engine emissions. A small spacer is obviously not yet the best solution.

Alterations to the structure were also necessary, because the laminated skin of the tail unit, which had been glued onto metal, was coming off. An initial change to the design was not successful. The vertical tail units also had to be changed. It all boiled down to the fact that 13kg additional weight had to be shed and construction simplified.

In addition to Boeing, engine manufacturer General Electric, was busily eliminating flaws. The General Accounting Office found several faults: the five minute warm up phase before take off was too long, too much smoke was emitted and the turbine blades were fracturing. Additionally the engine was too heavy by five kilograms, due to a strengthened fan covering. Modifications, which were obviously necessary, resulted in cost increases of about four per cent and program delays. The first factory produced engine was only supplied on August 13.

All in all the development team has taken the biggest hurdles. Everyoneís attention can now be drawn to possible improvements of the Super Hornet, e. g. raising of the engine thrust in two stages by eight to ten and then up 25 per cent. The system could be improved by installing new mission computers and larger cockpit displays.

According to Boeing the sensors offer considerable potential. Raytheon Systems, (formerly Hughes), is already working on a new infra red pod. A new radar system with active electronic scanned array is also on the cards. The Navy is currently trying to secure funding for further developments from 2001. The first extensive modernisation of the F/A-18E/F will be tackled in the middle of the next decade.

How many aircraft the Navy will actually buy is yet uncertain. Initially there will be 548 Super Hornets. However, if the Joint Strike Fighter is delayed, more might be ordered. Obviously Boeing wants to export the aircraft as well. This will not be easy, because a Super Hornet will realistically cost around $75 million.

From page 44 of FLUG REVUE 1/99