Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet

What are the chances with the reduced wingspan of the AARGM that you could double or triple rack it? Especially in SiAW form would be great to bulk out the munitions load for a reasonably average weighted missile.
 
Its about 1000lbs and uses lugs not rails so might fit on a BRU-55/57/69 rack for a pair but I have no idea about real total weight. If doable would be nice for the Growlers to double their ARM load but would the drag and reduced range be worth it?
 
Last edited:
It's 1030 lbs if the slide below is accurate. BRU-55/57 can carry JSOWs which are a bit heavier so AARGM-ER should work too.
But the Growler would have to give up the underwing ECM pods to carry more than 2 missiles. In that case, 4 pylon mounted AARGM-ERs are probably enough.
Carriage on the outer wing pylons has not been confirmed yet however...
 

Attachments

  • AARGM-ER_weight.jpg
    AARGM-ER_weight.jpg
    75 KB · Views: 256
Last edited:

Super Hornet Seen With Rare SLAM-ER Missile Loadout On Yemen Mission​

www.twz.com

Super Hornet Seen With Rare SLAM-ER Missile Loadout On Yemen Mission

The highly accurate AGM-84H/K was among the varied collection of precision-guided munitions used during U.S. operations against Houthi targets earlier this year. The highly accurate AGM-84H/K was among the varied collection of precision-guided munitions used during U.S. operations against Houthi...
www.twz.com www.twz.com
 
Attached, the declassified report. Make for an interesting read*.

Notice how lucky the turn of events was with, first, no loss of lives but also the fact that it was the 2x SH that were targeted instead of the returning E-2D**. Lucky also that MH-60R in direct proximity of the Gettysburg managed to evade missile path and a difficult flight situation with blinding conditions (pilots were on NVG when the first missile blasted off the ship right under their noses after a wave off order).

*Although I was surprised to see that the exact timeline was not redacted (or altered?) when it give a clear indication of what naively I would have thought were sensitive reaction times, notably the delay from an order to shoot to missile launch.
**The Blue on Blue incident resulted from a misidentification of contacts closing on the Aircraft Carrier. The last remaining 3 aircraft still on patrol were ordered to land and in the traffic pattern, or about to) with all their sensors (radar and ECM shut down).
 

Attachments

  • Redacted_Full CI Friendly Fire HSTCSG (2)_Redacted.pdf
    6.2 MB · Views: 36
Last edited:
Josh_TN said:
What military option is the U.S. going to exercise without local cooperation?
Click to expand...
Anything. Dropping a MOP? no local cooperation required, B-2s come from Whiteman AFB. Anything else? F-35C or Super Bugs, operating off a carrier. Doing whatever the POTUS orders.



HMS_Ardent said:
我 am curious about if F/A-18 is supersonic with the load of 4*AIM-174Bs, 4*AIM-120s and 2*sidewinders, but I have a little information to estimate. So who has any idea?
Click to expand...
Do you have a copy of the Super Hornet Standard Aircraft Characteristics sheets? I have a copy dated 2001, and I'm guesstimating off the 4x Mk83+2x 480gal load table. Which suggests a sea level top speed of less than 600 knots.
 
Desertfox said:
We just pirated a Venezuelan oil tanker... so...
Click to expand...

Just to try and create a distraction from the release of 95,000 photographs by the Epstein estate.

Overall seizing one crude-oil tanker in of itself isn't meaningful, only if the USN starts seizing more ships on the high seas.

If the F/A-18E/Fs are deployed I wonder how well they will perform given that their current use rates are using up their remaining fatigue-life of their airframes.
 
Scott Kenny said:
If close, the Super Bugs put a fuel tank on the centerline, 16x SDB2s, a pair of JSOWs or AARGMs, and AMRAAMs on the wingtips.
Click to expand...

Some issues: It seems the GBU-53 is only cleared on the BRU-55/A on the SH. So two per pylon max.
Also, JSOW can't be carried on the outer wing pylons, neither can AARGM afaik. No AMRAAMs on the wingtips for sure.
 

Similar threads

Back
Top Bottom