The US F-18 inching closer to be deployed on Indian Navy Aircraft carriers

A few days ago our IFE News Network posted an article on the Indian Navy’s willingness to select carrier-borne F18 Super Hornets. Looks like steps are been taken to make sure the process is speeding up the laser with every passing day. The US Navy and Boeing have been conducting a Ski Jump experiment with F-18 on a war footing.

F-18 ski jump tests on war footing:

The details of the testing have been disclosed recently. The disclosure gives a clear insight into how the testing are been designed and conducted. The major milestone is to showcase the strike fighter’s capabilities to operate fr short takeoff with arrested recovery.

As the data available with IFE News Network, a F/A-18 E Super Hornet has completed the first Ski-Jump launch demonstration on 13th August by US Navy.

testing designed to show that the F/A-18E/F Hornet strike fighter can operate from a short takeoff but arrested recovery (STOBAR) configured aircraft carrier.

Undertaken using the ski-jump facility at Naval Air Station (NAS) Patuxent River in Maryland, the test campaign was performed by a F/A-18E (BuNo 165167/SD-213) to demonstrate the F/A-18E/F’s suitability for operation from the Indian Navy’s STOBAR carriers. The testing validated earlier simulation studies said, Boeing.

Indian Navy’s 57 twin-engine fighter jet program:

Early as of 2018, the Indian Navy released RFI to procure 57 twin-engine carrier-borne fighters. As of now, Navy variant Rafale and US Navy’s F-18 was seen as the lead contenders. The Indian Airforce has an important small batch of 36 Rafale Fighter Jets.

The Indian Navy is planning to induct home built 45,000-ton aircraft carrier IAC-1 named INS Vikrant. Currently Indian Navy operated a Russian modified carrier INS Vikramaditya (ex- Admiral Gorshkov). Russian imported MiG-29K fighters form the backbone of the Indian Navy’s carrier INS Vikramaditya. Navy’s INS Vikrant is expected to be conducting for operation by 2021.

Experts on F-18 testing by the US

Initially, MiG-29K fighters will be the primary armaments for both carriers. But in the future MiG is expected to be replaced by the most advanced F/A-18 Super Hornet or Rafale-M. While the older MiG-29K can be put in use to stop the squadron strength depletion with Indian Air Force (IAF).

According to the US Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), a series of test events was undertaken at NAS Patuxent River in August 2020 to demonstrate F/A-18E/F ski-jump launches in a variety of load configurations. The test program was coordinated by the F/A-18 and EA-18G Program Office (International Business and Test and Evaluation), Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 23 (VX 23), and Boeing.

Built for Air Superiority

The F/A-18 Block III Super Hornet is the newest highly capable, affordable and available tactical aircraft in U.S. Navy inventory. The Super Hornet is the backbone of the U.S. Navy carrier air wing now and for decades to come.

The combat-proven Super Hornet delivers cutting-edge, next-generation multi-role strike fighter capability, outdistancing current and emerging threats well into the future. The Super Hornet has the capability, flexibility and performance necessary to modernize the air or naval aviation forces of any country.

Two versions of the Super Hornet – the single-seat E model and the two-seat F model – are 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.

Source: US Navy, Boeing, Janes, IFE News Experts contributed to this article.