Australian F/A-18 Super Hornets to Be Equipped with US Supplied Hypersonic HACM Missiles.

The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) will equip its F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jets with Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missiles (HACM) provided by the United States. This development follows the successful certification tests, further strengthening the cooperation between the two nations. This announcement comes after the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) revealed in June 2024 that Australia would participate in HACM trials from October 2024 to March 2027.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link

The Australian Air Force is exploring new weapon systems for its F/A-18 fighters. (Picture source: US DoD)

In statements to local media, the Australian Ministry of Defence emphasized the importance of the SCIFiRE agreement: "Through the SCIFiRE agreement, the United States and Australia continue to collaborate on the design and development of the HACM, including efforts to integrate the HACM into the RAAF’s F/A-18F aircraft and utilize Australian test infrastructure for flight tests. The Australian weapons ranges offer operational flexibility for the long-range tests planned under SCIFiRE."

The SCIFiRE agreement, established in 2020, is a partnership to advance the development and testing of hypersonic cruise missiles like the HACM. Initially, the program involved Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Raytheon, which presented initial designs for evaluation in 2022. Raytheon emerged as the winner. The new missile, awaiting the start of 13 announced tests, has an estimated budget of $1.9 billion.

Dr. James Weber, Principal Director of Hypersonics in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Critical Technologies, noted: "Under the SCIFiRE partnership with Australia established in 2021, HACM contracted three manufacturers, conducted three preliminary design reviews, and competitively selected Raytheon in September 2022. Recent tests include wind tunnel trials and static ground tests of the new rocket motor. In collaboration with Australia, the Air Force’s HACM program is on track to meet combat needs."

The HACM program results from the collaboration between DARPA and the U.S. Air Force (USAF) to develop a hypersonic missile system deployable from a wide range of aircraft. The USAF plans to equip its B-52 bombers with up to 20 of these missiles and is working to integrate them into its F-15E fighters.

The McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet is a multirole aircraft developed by McDonnell Douglas, entering service in 1983 for the A/B versions and in 1987 for the C/D versions. Derived from the Northrop YF-17 Cobra, it is equipped with two General Electric F404-GE-402 turbofan engines, offering significant power and impressive performance, such as a maximum speed of 1,950 km/h and a ceiling of 15,240 meters.

The F/A-18 Hornet can carry various armaments, with an internal 20mm cannon and up to 6,215 kg of external payloads. It features advanced avionics systems, including fly-by-wire controls, a head-up display, and sophisticated radars. With a range of 2,003 km and an endurance of up to 2,844 km, this aircraft is capable of diverse and complex missions, demonstrating its versatility and combat effectiveness.

The Australian Air Force is exploring new weapon systems for its F/A-18 fighters. Notably, the modified SM-6 missiles used by the U.S. Navy on Super Hornets during the RIMPAC 2024 exercises have sparked interest in Australia, according to ADM. This aligns with the RAAF's 2024 Integrated Investment Plan (IIP), which aims to keep the Super Hornets in service until 2040, incorporating new armaments as part of ongoing upgrades.