U.S. Navy's Super Hornet Program Proposes Buying More Jets

Published: Nov 22, 2005
Source: www.aviationweek.com



The U.S. Navy's F/A-18E/F Super Hornet program is proposing to buy up to two dozen more fighters than currently planned, according to a program official.

While the Navy now is slated to buy 550 Boeing-built Super Hornets, Capt. James Wallace, the service's F/A-18 international programs manager, said the program believes the Navy could use another 20 to 24 of the high-demand aircraft, or enough to equip two squadrons. Wallace, who spoke Nov. 17 at the Institute for Defense and Government Advancement's fighter jet conference, said the case for more jets is being made to higher-ups.

Wallace said, however, that arguments for more Super Hornets have been complicated by the uncertain fate of the Lockheed Martin-built F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. The Navy plans to buy the stealthy F-35's carrier variant to complement the Super Hornet, but the Defense Department has been studying a range of options for the multiservice JSF, including slowing the program, speeding it up and killing the carrier variant.continue..