The Boeing Spotter- St. Louis

Boeing Show's Off Block III Mock-Up

Wed, 22 May 2013 12:56:57 -0400

The added components include conformal gas tanks, a weapons pod, and an internally-mounted infrared search and track system added to a factory fresh ‘F’ model. The real testing will only be doing aerodynamic study’s on an older already delivered ‘F’. Here are some images from inside Boeing’s main barn in St. Louis. Boeing is currently trying to convince the USN for another multi-year contract.

RAAF to receive first export Growlers

Thu, 02 May 2013 22:46:00 -0400

Australia will purchase 12 new EA-18G Growlers from Boeing in order to fill a stop gap that is left from the F-35 program. Their defense ministry confirmed the purchase earlier this week. Earlier plans called for a conversion of 12 already delivered F/A-18F Super Hornets into the Growler configuration, for which they paid extra for in 2010. Analysts had speculated that the country would order an additional 24 Super Hornets this year, but it appears that plans changed somewhere down the line. The purchase will make the RAAF the first air force in the world to use the Growler, behind the United States Navy.

No word on cost or planned delivery dates.

Today I Spotted...

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 18:06:08 -0400

(X2)

Happy Spring!

The potential 2014 defense budget calls for an additional order...

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 15:03:00 -0400

The potential 2014 defense budget calls for an additional order of 21 EA-18G Growlers for the United States Navy.

Boeing To Test Super Hornet Upgrades This Summer.

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 14:54:00 -0400

Boeing will finally begin initial testing of conformal weapon bay’s and a stealthy weapons pod for it’s F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fleet this summer. The company is funding the testing along with Northrop Grumman and the United States Navy. These components are just part of the proposed Block III Super Hornet which includes the above plus upgraded engines and cockpit displays; the later two will not be tested.

Testing will begin in St. Louis this summer before moving to NAS Patuxent River, Maryland in the fall. No word on how much money the USN will actually use to field (if they field) these upgrades.

Boeing Reveals Updated F/A-XX design.

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 21:23:00 -0400

The U.S. Navy wants a replacement for the Super Hornet by the 2030’s. Below is Boeing’s concept:

Recent Tibbets

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 21:03:17 -0400

Congress has approved a potential foreign sale for 60 F-35A aircraft, or 60 F-15 Silent Eagle aircraft for South Koreas F/X-III requirement. Both are competing with each other, along with the Eurofighter Typhoon for the deal. A final decision is expected this June.

In other news, the USN has announced that it expects the RAAF to purchase 12-24 additional F/A-18F Super Hornets this summer. They also have high expectations for sales with Brazil, Malaysia, and Kuwait. Boeing Co. recently gave a demonstration of the fighter at Malaysia’s annual airshow in March. The Navy will be sending information regarding the F-18 family to Canada shortly, but a formal competition is not expected to be implemented for aircraft selection. Although Canada had committed to the F-35 in 2010, the country was recently forced to re-evaluate its options from the general auditor because of price increases and delays with the JSF.

Photo

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 20:21:28 -0400

In my opinion, the sickest looking legacy hornets ever built....

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 22:42:54 -0400

In my opinion, the sickest looking legacy hornets ever built. Malaysia received eight of them in 1997… pretty rare in the grand scheme of things.

USN considering conformal tanks for Super Hornet

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 22:01:00 -0400

The F/A-18E/F would get an additional 3,500 gallons of fuel, addressing a long standing issue for the Super Hornet… its range. Could this be the start of a Block III upgrade? The article goes into details about that too! Testing is expected to take place this summer by Boeing, no word on adapting this to the G models.

Saudi F-15's: Then and Now

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 00:44:00 -0400

Built in 1996:

Built in 2013:

Wow. Yay.

Photo

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 23:51:36 -0400

Full Load!

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 23:46:51 -0400

Full Load!

Saudi F-15SA First Flight Video.

Sun, 17 Mar 2013 20:14:54 -0400

Saudi F-15SA First Flight Video.

F-15SA Makes First Flight!

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 19:26:38 -0400

I can finally write this!

The USAF has confirmed before Boeing that the first F-15SA for Saudi Arabia made it’s first flight on February 20th, 2013 just before noon. Flown by veteran Boeing pilot Joe Felock, the flight lasted around 45 minutes before returning to the production facility. I was lucky enough to watch this historic moment as he slowly took the bird up; followed along by F-15E1 as it’s chase. This is the first fly-by-wire F-15 and also includes newly activated weapon stations and a fully colored cockpit display. F-15SA 12-1002 is the first of three F-15SA’s that will take part in a testing program at St. Louis and Palmdale, California (the second SA has already gone up over the last few weeks). Production airframes will begin flight testing in 2014 with deliveries planned from 2015 until early 2019. The Kingdom of Suadi Arabia has thus far ordered 84 F-15SA airframes, along with upgrades to it’s entire original F-15S fleet.

The F-15SA’s first flight comes less than a year after the initial start of the program. Congrats to Boeing!

Singapore evaluating F-15SE and F-35

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 13:20:00 -0400

Singapore is interested in buying more fighters. Over the past few months they have ‘low key’ been evaluating the F-35 and F-15SE… the South Korean F/X-III decision is expected to be a strong influence on the final decision. It is not known how many fighters they are seeking, or what timetable they are wanting delivery’s… not that we would know anyways as Singapore usually like’s to keep defense matters private.

Brazil Fighter Decision Delayed... Again.

Sun, 10 Mar 2013 09:52:26 -0400

Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff has delayed the buy of thirty six new fighter jets for a third time. All bidding contractors were asked to re-submit their applications after March 30th, the delay will extend the negotiation time another six months. Brazil is unhappy with the amount of money needing to be spent and could be using the continued delays to negotiate a better overall price. Boeing is offering a Block II Super Hornet, Dassault its Rafale fighter and the Gripen from Swedish manufacture Saab. Boeing is seen as the front liner in the contract because of a competitive price, and recent agreements with Brazilian based Ebarer. Although first deliveries were initially set to start in 2014, the earliest as of now would be early 2016 because of the ongoing delay.

Brazil is just one out of many countries currently considering the Super Hornet, which also includes an additional buy from Australia and considerations from Canada and Malaysia.

"EIGHT test flights today. What a day it was….. Super Hornets, Growlers, and Eagles oh my!"

Wed, 06 Mar 2013 18:22:00 -0500

“EIGHT test flights today. What a day it was….. Super Hornets, Growlers, and Eagles oh my!”

Ricardo Traven tears the sky up at Farnborough 2012. Still...

Tue, 05 Mar 2013 22:26:56 -0500

Ricardo Traven tears the sky up at Farnborough 2012. Still trying to figure out what his call sign is when he fly’s around STL.

Boeing going for 'Blood' with Canada tender

Thu, 28 Feb 2013 12:10:00 -0500

It’s a rather long article, so I am going to summarize the main points:

The Super Hornet is less than half the cost per F-35
The cost per flying hour is over 50% less than those projected for the F-35
Two engines are better than one, even more so for a country like Canada
The Super Hornet has stealth; not as much as the F-35 but enough to get the job done. Stealth is no longer the only thing an airframe needs, the F-35 sacrifices maneuverability where as the Super Hornet does not
No one knows the real cost estimates of the F-35; its an unproven concept thus far where as the Super Hornet is known and here now
Sure, all development programs take some time, but the F-35 is nearly a decade behind schedule and billions over budget
Boeing promises to match or beat the amount of industry Lockheed (will) bring to Canada if the Super Hornet is chosen.

(Canadian press takes a visit to Boeing’s main hangar, look closely and you can see an F-15 wing to the far right)

And some words from Boeing’s chief F/A-18 test pilot and fellow Canadian Ricardo Traven:

Twin engines, dual redundant hydraulics … I mean, I can go on and on,” Traven enthuses. “Those are the things I don’t want to give up in flying to remote places or even in combat, because those are the things that’ll bring you home.”

Canada is currently looking at alternatives to the F-35, and Boeing’s Super Hornet is looked upon favorably due to the commonality with the country’s current CF-18 fleet. Australia is currently looking into buying an additional 2 dozen airframes, and Brazil has been looking at a 3 dozen purchase since 2010. To date over 500 Super Hornets have been delivered to the USN and RAAF, current orders keep the line open until 2016.