U.S. Navy awards contract to Boeing to produce 44 F/A-18 Super Hornets & EA-18G GrowlersTuesday, 01 July 2014
The F/A-18 and EA-18G Program Office (PMA-265) announced today a contract award to Boeing for 44 F/A-18 Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler aircraft over the next two years.
“The F/A-18 and EA-18G program continues to thrive, and it is by far the predominant tactical force for naval aviation – both U.S. Navy and Marine Corps,” said Capt. Frank Morley, PMA-265 program manager. “The hard work of the government and industry team to negotiate this contract will ensure that the great capabilities provided by these variants continue to serve our warfighters and foreign partners.”
The F/A-18 and EA-18G Program Office (PMA-265) announced today a contract award to Boeing for 44 F/A-18 Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler aircraft over the next two years.
(picture: US Navy)With this production contract in place, the Navy will procure the fiscal 2014 program of record aircraft in addition to the 12 EA-18Gs requested by Australia in July 2013 for the Royal Australian Air Force.
“The Navy’s long-range strike fighter procurement strategy is to have a mix of F/A-18E/F Super Hornets and F-35 Lightning IIs by the early-2020s,” Morley said. “We will operate F/A-18E/F and F-35 aircraft together from our aircraft carriers through the 2030s.”
The Super Hornet is highly capable aircraft across the full mission spectrum: air superiority, fighter escort, reconnaissance, aerial refueling, close-air support, air-defense suppression and day/night precision strike.
An EA-18G Growler from the "Shadowhawks" of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 141 is stopped by an arresting gear wire after landing aboard USS George Washington (CVN 73)
(picture: US Navy)Similarly, the latest variant of the F/A-18, the EA-18G Growler, is an electronic attack aircraft combining the newly developed jamming capability upgrades of the EA-6B Prowler with the tactical versatility, advancements and capabilities of the Block II Super Hornet.
F/A-18 Hornets, Super Hornets and EA-18G Growlers currently operate in forty-three (43) U.S. Navy and eleven (11) U.S. Marine Corps Strike Fighter and Electronic Attack Squadrons from carriers and air stations worldwide. There are an additional fourteen (14) squadrons carrying out training, test, reserve and flight demonstration duties. In addition, international business customers include Canada, Spain, Finland, Kuwait, Malaysia, Switzerland and Australia, all who fly the F/A-18 Hornet. Australia has also purchased the F/A-18 Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler.
U.S. Navy awards contract to Northrop Grumman for 25 E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraftTuesday, 01 July 2014
In a decision that will save the federal government about $369 million, Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) awarded a $3.643 billion multi-year procurement contract to Northrop Grumman Corp. on June 30 for 25 E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft.
The five-year contract covers the purchase of full-rate production (FRP) E-2D aircraft, Lots two through six, during fiscal 2014 through fiscal 2018.
NORFOLK (March 20, 2014) An E-2D Hawkeye assigned to the Tiger Tails of Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 125 flies over Naval Station Norfolk. VAW-125 provides airborne early warning and command and control to Carrier Air Wing 1 and is assigned aboard the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71). (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Ernest R. Scott/Released) “The multi-year contract award increases the affordability of the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye, achieving the best price with taxpayer dollars,” said Capt. John Lemmon, E-2/C-2 Airborne Tactical Data System Program Office (PMA-231) program manager. “PMA-231 is committed to providing the warfighter with this interoperable weapon system. The program office’s unified mission focus and expertise will enable the E-2D aircraft to meet initial operational capability (IOC) at the start of next fiscal year.”
The E-2D Advanced Hawkeye is the newest variant of the E-2 aircraft platform. It features a state-of-the-art radar and upgraded aircraft systems, which will improve supportability and increase readiness. The program is on track for IOC, or in fiscal 2015. When fielded to the fleet, the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye will join the F/A-18 and EA-18G Growler to comprise the future carrier flight deck, which will continue the Navy’s integrated warfighting legacy.
The E-2D Advanced Hawkeye joins the E-2C and Hawkeye 2000 in providing its command and control capability to coordinate multiple missions, including air warfare, strike warfare, surface warfare and search-and-rescue operations.
Serving as a “digital quarterback,” the E-2D surveils the environment with its onboard sensors and processes this data with its tactical mission computer. It distributes the tactical picture to command centers and other assets through its onboard communication subsystems. The Navy also uses this capability to participate in humanitarian and disaster-relief operations.