At a recent discussion on U.S. Navy and Marine Corps aviation at the
Center for Strategic and International Studies, Vice Adm. Mike Shoemaker,
Naval Air Force commander, highlighted a Super Hornet Service Life Extension
Program (SLEP) as part of the solution for the U.S. Navy’s shortfall
of F/A-18 E/Fs in the mid-2020s. |
ARABIAN
GULF (Feb. 25, 2012) From top; an F/A-18F Super Hornet assigned to Strike
Fighter Squadron (VFA) 22, flown by Lt. Cmdr. Warren Tomlinson and Lt.
j.g. Josh Raymond, an F/A-18E Super Hornet assigned to Strike Fighter
Squadron (VFA) 81 flown by Lt. Daniel Solfelt, an F/A-18C Hornet assigned
to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 113, flown by Cmdr. Craig Sicola, and
an F/A-18C Hornet assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 25 flown
by Lt. Taylor Hesse, fly over the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile
destroyer USS John Paul Jones during a mission flown from the Nimitz-class
aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70). Carl Vinson and CVW 17 are
deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility. (U.S. Navy photo
by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class James R. Evans/Released)
|
“I
think we’ve got a pretty good plan right now to move forward and
avoid a significant impact to our strike fighter inventory as those
airplanes come out of service to get repaired and get back into service,”
Shoemaker says of upgrading F/A-18s. “It’s not an inconsequential
challenge we have ahead of us.”
Boeing is having ongoing dialogue with U.S. Navy officials to offer
a holistic solution to help solve their inventory management issues.
As described in an article from National Defense, the company is working
to help accelerate the SLEP program to help provide continual maintenance
and extend the life of the Super Hornet fleet. The Navy plans to extend
the Super Hornet’s life from its 6,000 hour design limit to 9,000
hours but still faces significant strike fighter inventory issues even
with this life extension.
This spring, the Chief of Naval Operations testified before Congress
that the Navy was facing a Super Hornet shortfall of two to three squadrons,
or 24 – 36 aircraft. The Navy requested 12 Super Hornets as a
top unfunded priority this year.
With the unmatched capability of the carrier strike group and its embarked
air wing, funding the 12 aircraft in fiscal year 2016 is critical to
not only address the Navy’s near-term needs, but also to keep
the door open so Boeing can provide an integrated solution to be sure
the Navy has enough Super Hornets – the workhorse of our Nation’s
carrier fleet – not only now but through 2040. |
