I've seen both the Hornet and the Tomcat in action over the skies of Kuwait in 1990-91 during Desert Storm. I was an infantry mortarman on the frontlines with the 2nd MarDiv.
The F-18 is a very good 4th plus gen plane. Proven over many thousands of actual flight hours snd combat. The F-35 has so many new features and capabilities though that it's more of the future. It depends on if you can afford to wait or need protection now. A combination is probably the best action.
Composites in the Super Hornet have actually reduced their readiness rate when held against the older Hornet’s record. These newer components have had issues which appeared far earlier than anticipated.
Wouldn’t this be a good time to put the new engines into the F-35’s sitting around at the Lockheed facilities waiting the the software issues to be fixed?
Operators of the Hornet: Canada, Finland, Kuwait, Malaysia, Spain, Switzerland, and US Marine Corps Operators of the Super Hornet: Australia and US Navy Future operator of the Super Hornet: Kuwait Proposed operator of the Super Hornet: Finland Operators of the Growler: Australia and US Navy Proposed operators of the Growler: Finland, Japan
That does not sound like a major market penetration. In both the USN and the RAAF - the delays in F-35 development was a deciding factor in acquisition of the Super Hornet. They would not have been acquired if the F-35's had been available.
I've seen both the Hornet and the Tomcat in action over the skies of Kuwait in 1990-91 during Desert Storm. I was an infantry mortarman on the frontlines with the 2nd MarDiv.
The only thing I fear with the China J-20 is for the life of the pilot.
The F-18 is nice, but the F-14 was a legend, why they didn't get super tomcat 21 is beyond me.
My husband was finishing up his navy enlistment when the F-18 was 1st flown onto the USS Nimitz.
The F-18 is a very good 4th plus gen plane. Proven over many thousands of actual flight hours snd combat. The F-35 has so many new features and capabilities though that it's more of the future. It depends on if you can afford to wait or need protection now. A combination is probably the best action.
Composites in the Super Hornet have actually reduced their readiness rate when held against the older Hornet’s record. These newer components have had issues which appeared far earlier than anticipated.
USN making a final super bug buy in the FY24 appropriation bill stretching production out to 2027
F/A18 never had the range of the F14 tomcat. They gave up range F/A18 multi role they wanted.
Dumb question. Can the radar see behind, too?
Wouldn’t this be a good time to put the new engines into the F-35’s sitting around at the Lockheed facilities waiting the the software issues to be fixed?
Looks a better bet than the F35.
It looks “better” to adversarial radar as well
But it is far from being as effective, it is completely outdated!
Dasault is better but production numbers might be difficult
Operators of the Hornet: Canada, Finland, Kuwait, Malaysia, Spain, Switzerland, and US Marine Corps
Operators of the Super Hornet: Australia and US Navy
Future operator of the Super Hornet: Kuwait
Proposed operator of the Super Hornet: Finland
Operators of the Growler: Australia and US Navy
Proposed operators of the Growler: Finland, Japan
That does not sound like a major market penetration. In both the USN and the RAAF - the delays in F-35 development was a deciding factor in acquisition of the Super Hornet. They would not have been acquired if the F-35's had been available.
But everyone is decommissioning it in exchange for the F35.
for decades the best fighter
Russian fighters and Chinese made military planes are catching up and very reliable