Boeing Offers F/A 18 Naval Variant for Indian Navy Fighter Jet Requirement

[Mirza Jatt]

Boeing Offers F/A 18 Naval Variant for Indian Navy Fighter Jet Requirement

Boeing India has offered a naval variant of the F/A 18 E/F Super Hornets multi role fighter jet platform to the Indian Navy. The Navy currently has one aircraft carrier (INS Viraat) in service and Russia is expected to deliver INS Vikramaditya by 2012.

India is developing indigenous aircraft carriers and the aim is to have a total of three Aircraft carriers resulting in two fully operational Carrier battle groups and an additional Aircraft carrier eventually in refit making India an operating Blue-water navy.

Dr. Vivek Lall, Vice President, Boeing Defense, Space and Security, India confirmed:

"We have responded to the RFP with our F/A-18 Super Hornet platform. We made a presentation to Navy earlier this year."
-- Dr. Vivek Lall

The Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet is a twin-engine 4.5 generation carrier-based multi-role fighter aircraft. The F/A-18E single-seat variant and F/A-18F tandem-seat variant are larger and more advanced derivatives of the F/A-18C and D Hornet. The Super Hornet has an internal 20 mm gun and can carry air-to-air missiles and air-to-surface weapons.

Additional fuel can be carried with up to five external fuel tanks and the aircraft can be configured as an airborne tanker by adding a buddy air refuelling system.

The F/A 18's are being operated by the United States Navy -- the Super Hornet achieved initial operating capability (IOC) in September 2001 with the U.S. Navy's VFA-115 squadron at Naval Air Station Lemoore, California.

Boeing Offers F/A 18 Naval Variant for Indian Navy Fighter Jet Requirement | India Defence

 

[GUNS-N- ROSES]

Boeing Offers F/A 18 Naval Variant for Indian Navy Fighter Jet Requirement

Boeing India has offered a naval variant of the F/A 18 E/F Super Hornets multi role fighter jet platform to the Indian Navy. The Navy currently has one aircraft carrier (INS Viraat) in service and Russia is expected to deliver INS Vikramaditya by 2012.

India is developing indigenous aircraft carriers and the aim is to have a total of three Aircraft carriers resulting in two fully operational Carrier battle groups and an additional Aircraft carrier eventually in refit making India an operating Blue-water
ViratDr. Vivek Lall, Vice President, Boeing Defense, Space and Security, India confirmed:

"We have responded to the RFP with our F/A-18 Super Hornet platform. We made a presentation to Navy earlier this year."
-- Dr. Vivek Lall

The Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet is a twin-engine 4.5 generation carrier-based multi-role fighter aircraft. The F/A-18E single-seat variant and F/A-18F tandem-seat variant are larger and more advanced derivatives of the F/A-18C and D Hornet. The Super Hornet has an internal 20 mm gun and can carry air-to-air missiles and air-to-surface weapons.

Additional fuel can be carried with up to five external fuel tanks and the aircraft can be configured as an airborne tanker by adding a buddy air refuelling system.

The F/A 18's are being operated by the United States Navy -- the Super Hornet achieved initial operating capability (IOC) in September 2001 with the U.S. Navy's VFA-115 squadron at Naval Air Station Lemoore, California.

Boeing Offers F/A 18 Naval Variant for Indian Navy Fighter Jet Requirement | India Defence

can f-18s take off and land on INS virat

 

[Mirza Jatt]

 

[Mirza Jatt]

can f-18s take off and land on INS virat

I guess so...IN had sent a RFP, am sure they kept this point in their mind.

 

[GUNS-N- ROSES]

I guess so...IN had sent a RFP, am sure they kept this point in their mind.

f-18s would give much needed strategic reach to indian navy. coupled with mig-29 k (on ins vikramaditya) and sea harriers, f-18s would surely improve the strike capability of india navy.

 

[Capt.Popeye]

can f-18s take off and land on INS virat

No. They can't launch without a catapult and can't be recovered without arrester wires. Since INS Virat flies Sea Harriers, she has neither.

 

[GUNS-N- ROSES]

No. They can't launch without a catapult and can't be recovered without arrester wires. Since INS Virat flies Sea Harriers, she has neither.

in my opinion catapult system can be integrated (if not already there).

 

[sudhir007]

can f-18s take off and land on INS virat

may be with some minor modification it will work but does not sure. The RFP which issue is not for virat it is for vikrant.

 

[GUNS-N- ROSES]

may be with some minor modification it will work but does not sure. The RFP which issue is not for virat it is for vikrant.

bro vikrant has already retired/de-commissioned

 

[Mirza Jatt]

In any case, INS Viraat wont operate these aircraft...its probably for the second Indigenous Aircraft Carrier

 

[Mirza Jatt]

bro vikrant has already retired/de-commissioned

he is talking about project 71

 

[Capt.Popeye]

in my opinion catapult system can be integrated (if not already there).

Let me answer this question for you:
The "Virat" (as Hermes) had a flat-top deck and catapult. Then the RN modified the ship by removing the catapult and adding a ski-jump since they (and IN) were operating Sea Harriers in STOVL mode. Now there is no way to re-modify the "Virat" again, not to mention that it will be a waste of money.

Probably the news refers to the proposed new carriers after the INS Vikrant (the new one). Even that is not confirmed since IN has not made up its mind (yet) whether the future carriers will be CATOBAR or not.

Hope that helps.

 

[GUNS-N- ROSES]

i think we need to expedite the building of three air defence ships which are being. untill that is done IN will not be able to fully utilise f-18s and also will not be able to counter growing threat of chineese navy indian indian ocean

 

[jha]

Have heard that British are developing their own version of EMALs. Lets hope we get the tech for IAC-II/III.
And i would prefer F-35 operating from these rather than F-18 if we are going for american fighters..

 

[MAFIAN GOD]

In my opinion we should not go for F/A-18 naval variant.It is because we will be inducting MIG-29k,Naval-Tejas,Naval-FGFA/Naval-PAK-FA.
If we choose F/A-18 then this scenario will be like IAF operating too many kinds of fighters.
Though I agree that F/A-18 is very good for IN,providing maintenance and cost issues for MIG-29k,Naval-Tejas,Naval-FGFA/Naval-PAK-FA and F/A-18(if we choose) it will not be a good move.