Boeing’s offering for MMRCA 2.0 is the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. How does the F/A-18 meet the IAF’s requirements? What about the F/A-18 being offered to the Indian Navy as a carrier-based fighter?

With advanced technologies and multi-role capabilities, the Super Hornet, introduced in 2007, is perfectly suited to meet the needs of the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the Indian Navy now and in the future. Its multi-role capabilities, advanced technologies and low acquisition and sustainment costs make the F/A-18 Super Hornet the clear choice for India.

The F/A-18 Super Hornet was designed from day one for carrier operations and remains to this date, the world’s preeminent carrier capable aircraft. It is a combat proven, supersonic, all weather multi-role fighter jet with a defined US Navy flight plan to outpace threats for decades to come. So far, every Super Hornet has been delivered on cost and on schedule to the US Navy. With designed-in stealth, an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar and many other advanced technologies that are ideal for mission requirements of the naval aviator, the F/A-18 Super Hornet is the most advanced aircraft of its kind in operation today and will provide immense operational benefits to the existing and future force structure of the Indian Navy.

One look at the decks of our navy’s aircraft carriers and the Royal Australian Air Force’s fleet and you’ll see advanced, combat-proven strike capability. The Super Hornet is the multi-role solution for the Navy and international air force customers. The Royal Australian Air Force operates 24 Super Hornets and 12 Growlers.

The Super Hornet is highly capable across the full mission spectrum and is a true multi-role aircraft, 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 defences, maritime strike, reconnaissance, forward air control and tanker missions.

When it comes to possible future platforms, the F/A-18 Super Hornet is designed to need far less maintenance that translates into high mission availability and its ease of maintenance (supportability) results in lower maintenance man-hours, per flight hour. Additionally, the Super Hornet does not require any scheduled depot-level maintenance and the engine does not require any scheduled maintenance between overhauls.

With government to government concurrence, future F/A-18 Super Hornet