Look like Australia will buy 24 more Super Hornets

[tigershark]

A second squadron of twenty-four more and Australia could also be interested in an electronic attack version of the aircraft, known as the Growler, used to counter enemy communications, radar and missile systems.   The US Navy and the plane's maker, Boeing, are keen to secure foreign orders to keep the Super Hornet production line running until the introduction of the new Joint Strike Fighter (JSF).

Full story
http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/hornets-nest--are-we-buying/2007/09/15/1189277050456.html

[Gripen]

Question:

When we get the F-35, what do we do with all the Hornets and Super Hornets?
Sell em? Paint them pretty colours and use them in parades?

[RecceJet]

The RAAF sells the F/A-18C&Ds to the RNZAF 

And we'll probably end up keeping the Super Bugs, at least a decade after we get JSFs.

I don't think the RAAF "will buy 24 more" though.

[Gripen]

Seems Logical, depending on the state of the CURRENT government. Crap. I have to vote from next year as well

[Raptor]

I believe the Growler is designated EF-18?

I don't know about the 'not buy' bit, though...

I have a notion the Electronic attack version would be of a different use from the Super Bugs. Seeing as how the Aussies are so close... They do have some military importance to me... 

[Gripen]

Yeah i think the Growler is EF-18.

[RecceJet]

Sure the Growler would take on a whole new role as opposed to a multi-role fighter. But the RAAF has the Wedgetail AEW&C aircraft coming online soon. I think the Growler might not have enough unique features to make it economically viable or justifiable.

[Raptor]

Wedgetail is a 737...

http://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/737aewc/

Actually, i believe the Growler would have a much much higher top speed, correct? And it also would be more manueverable.  So, the purchase of say, one or two squadrons would be justifiable, to deploy all over the nation.

Give it flares and advanced ECM suite and you'll have the ultimate jamming pod.  Ok, wishful thinking, but seriously, it would be useful if used in conjunction with the fighter-attacks. "I'll hold off the missiles. You blow up the base."

[tigershark]

Not EF

EA-18G Airborne Electronic Attack Aircraft
F/A-18G "Growler"

EA-18G Airborne Electronic Attack Aircraft
F/A-18G "Growler"

The E/A-18G is the Navy's replacement for the EA-6B Airborne Electronic Attack aircraft and represents an entirely new way of looking at legacy aircraft replacement. Leveraging existing production capabilities at Boeing and Northrop Grumman, the Navy is using the F/A-18E/F MYC to buy an additional quantity of 'F' Aircraft, and marrying those airframes with Northrop Grumman's in-production Improved Capabilities (ICAP)- III Airborne Electronic Attack (AEA) system to produce the E/A- 18G to replace the aging EA-6B aircraft. This allows us to deliver the next generation Airborne Electronic Attack capability at reduced cost and in the shortest possible timeframe. The Marine Corps is examining a range of possibilities that will provide the needed capability.

In late September 2006 the Boeing Company delivered the first EA-18G Growler airborne electronic attack (AEA) aircraft to the US Navy test site at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, MD. The first EA-18G, known as aircraft EA-1, made the two-hour flight from St. Louis to Maryland with U.S. Navy pilot Lt. Matt Doyle and weapons system operator U.S. Navy Cmdr. Jamie Engdahl on board. EA-1 is the first of two test aircraft built under a System Development and Demonstration contract Boeing signed with the Navy on Dec. 29, 2003. In addition to flight testing, EA-1 will undergo extensive ground testing in the Patuxent River anechoic chamber to assess on-board radar, receiver and jammer compatibility and performance. The second EA-18G will join the flight test program at Patuxent River later this year.

Link
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/aircraft/f-18g.htm

[RecceJet]

Wedgetail is a 737...

http://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/737aewc/

Actually, i believe the Growler would have a much much higher top speed, correct? And it also would be more manueverable.  So, the purchase of say, one or two squadrons would be justifiable, to deploy all over the nation.

Give it flares and advanced ECM suite and you'll have the ultimate jamming pod.  Ok, wishful thinking, but seriously, it would be useful if used in conjunction with the fighter-attacks. "I'll hold off the missiles. You blow up the base."

Correct, the Wedgetail is indeed a Boeing 737 airframe. That would give a Super Hornet airframe such as the Growler a far higher top speed and manueverability, of course. But that doesn't make it justifiable to have two squadrons of Growlers, not in the case of Australia. In the US: definitely! They've got the spending power and resources to have that kind of capability; for the US it's simply a matter of replacing the EA-6 Prowlers. The Australian air power doesn't come close to matching what the US can do.

I find it highly unlikely that Australia would look at getting a second lot of 24 Super Hornets, let alone Growlers. As I said, the Wedgetail is coming online soon and that is an airbourne electronics platform. Combined with JSFs I think that alone will give the RAAF an edge in terms of advanced capability.

I don't think a couple of squadrons of Growlers will ever exist in the RAAF, considering the fact that until the Wedgetail comes online the RAAF has never even had an AEW&C capability. Starting up two new Growler squadrons means training two whole squadrons in a capability Australia has never had. That's a lot of money to spend! That said, yes it would still be nice if it were possible

[Raptor]

*Slaps forehead* What was i THINKING. Thanks, nonpilot.

Hmm. Well, i suppose so, Recce, seeing that We made do with 3 or was it 4 E-2Cs over here for quite a long time. Singapore will be switching to the Gulfstream G550 modified, so we'll have new EW platforms at about the same time. 

[tigershark]

I have a question where does Australia fall on the list of getting their F-35s?   Isn't their a bunch of countries waiting?  I think this may be a reason for the talk about 24 extra Super Hornet's.