Space

The F-18C will be the first in the Hornet line to use the airborne self-protection jammer, the advanced medium-range air-to-air missile (AMRAAM) AIM-120 and the infra-red imaging AGM-65F Maverick air-to-ground missile.

While this new version of the Hornet exhibits few changes in its outward appearance, the plane’s internal systems are substantially improved over earlier F-18 single-seat ‘A’ and two-seat ‘B’ models.

The F-18 ‘C’ and ‘D’ will have weapon systems provisions for the AMRAAM, the Maverick missile and the new jammer. The AMRAAM and Maverick will substantially improve the Hornet’s air-to-surface and beyond visual range air-to-air capabilities while the jammer will help F-18 pilots elude enemy radar.

Other systems in the new Hornet include common provisions for reconnaissance equipment, a new ejection seat “. ‘” which the Navy calls an air common escape system – an improved mission computer with more speed and memory and a flight incident recording and monitoring system.

The monitoring system will help improve the Hornet’s handling qualities by controlling fuel flow in the various fuel compartments. It enables the Hornet to automatically adjust its own centre of gravity as fuel is consumed during flight. It will also allow the plane to isolate avionic faults to the circuit card level for easier maintenance operations on the ground, improving the Hornet’s availability. .

The next step of the improvement programme calls for further changes in Hornet aircraft to be delivered beginning in October 1989, These F-18s will keep the designation ‘C’ and ‘D’, but they will receive additional equipment enabling them to perform night attack/austere all-weather missions.

International customers are being given the option to incorporate the US Navy-procured changes. The RAAF though has chosen to acquire only the wiring provisions so that growth and reconnaissance provisions could be incorporated later.

Night Attack

Hornets delivered to the US Navy from October 1989 will have a sophisticated night attack capability. This new capability will greatly enhance the Hornet’s navigation and target acquisition and weapon delivery accuracy at night. The night attack package consists of night vision goggles, a navigation FUR to complement the attack and targeting FUR, display of the navigation FUR on the HUD and a new colour-moving map display. With the FUR video on the HUD and using night vision goggles to fill in the area not covered by the FUR, the pilot will have near daylight vision capability for night attacks.

Using only the moon or reflected starlight, the goggles can provide the night vision that is necessary for aggressive manoeuvring at low altitudes. This is made possible by the goggles’ ‘Generation Ill’ image intensifier tubes that amplify ground-reflected starlight and moonlight. The goggles are lightweight (less than a kilo), self powered and removable in an emergency.

The cockpit’s lighting and displays will be modified so that the lighting emissions are not in the goggles’ response range and to allow normal reading of cockpit instruments while wearing the goggles.

A navigation FUR will also provide high-resolution infra-red images for precise navigation and weapon delivery. Test flights with the goggles and FUR have been completed and have shown that they are complementary and will enhance the Hornet’s operational capability. The fixed line-of-sight FUR will have a 20-degree field of view. It will be mounted in a 10in (25. 4cm) diameter pod which mounts on the Laser Detector Tracker/Strike Camera (LST/SCAM) adapter on stores station No. 6. In addition to the navigation imagery, the FUR will provide the pilot with target wiring.

The current Hornet HUD will be modified to incorporate a raster capability that displays video images from the navigation FUR. The FUR images will be displayed on the HUD in correct proportion to the outside world.

The existing moving map display, which is a projected film strip device located only in the front cockpit, will be replaced by a digital map/colour display. This will now give both crew members the moving rriap display. . .

The Digital Map System (OMS) consists of a digital map computer and a digital memory unit. The memory unit will use a laser video disk with map capacity approximately the same as the current horizontal indicator film strip. Map scales will include the current 10 and 40 mile scales and will add 5 and 20 mile scales.

Dedicated Back Seat

The F-18s DOis will be modified for the two-seat aircraft to drive the aft cockpit display formats independently from the front cockpit displays. Presently the aft cockpit displays are repeaters of the front cockpit displays. The aft cockpit control stick and throttle will be removed and replaced by sensor/display controllers on the left and right consoles. This increased capability for the two-seat version will enhance its capability on high workload missions. The system is designed so that the stick and throttle can be re-installed when required.

Reconnaissance

A reconnaissance capability is also being added to the Hornet. The gun in the nose can be removed and replaced by a pallet that houses the reconnaissance sensor equipment. A reconnaissance door replaces the gun bay door. This door will have an optical window for camera and a sliding ramp door to the infra-red sensor. Pallet installation can be accomplished in about eight hours. It takes about 20 minutes to service the reconnaissance sensors and 40 minutes to change a sensor.

In the reconnaissance configuration, the Hornet retains its multi-mission capabilities. All air-to-surface and air-to-air weapons, except the gun, can still be carried. The reconnaissance controls are integrated with other cockpit controls to minimise pilot workload.

It also retains the high resolution radar map capabilities of the APG-65 radar and the high resolution targeting FUR. The F-18(R) will have two multi-sensor stations and carry a centreline pod for sideways-looking radar and/or a data link.

Providing the reconnaissance capability is accomplished in three phases. Phase I consists of installing the ‘hard to get to’ items and wire bundles in aircraft as they are being manufactured. Twenty three Australian Hornets will have this Phase I part completed. Phase II is done at depot level and consists of installing items that will permit the eventual installation of a reconnaissance pallet in the gun bay area. Phase Ill is the pallet kit with sensors that can be installed in the gun bay by the operational unit to provide reconnaissance capability.

All sensors currently in the F-111C aircraft with a reconnaissance pallet can be installed in the Hornet in various configurations, although not all at the same time.

With the exception of the unique reconnaissance sensor equipment, the reconnaissance Hornet uses existing avionics, making it essentially common with other Hornets. It is fully convertible from the reconnaissance configuration to the gun configuration. The high standards of reliability and maintainability are retained. A test bed has been successfully flying for the past year and a half.

Hornet Enhanced Configuration

McDonnell Douglas and the US Navy are studying various improvements to the F-18 that may be incorporated in both single and two-seaters. Major component improvements include additional fuel capacity, engine upgrade and radar improvements. Survivability and vulnerability improvements are also under study. These capabilities have the potential to significantly expand the Hornet mission flexibility.

Provisions for additional fuel capacity are also being studied.

Additional fuel can be added internally by raising the upper dorsal profile of the fuselage. Three 480 gal (1817L) external fuel tanks can be carried on the existing wing stations and centreline station to add about 3,000Ib (1,360kg) of fuel when compared to the existing 330gal (1250L) tanks. The fuel increase will significantly improve the Hornet’s range and payload.

A 480gal external fuel tank has been developed for the Hornet by the McDonnell Aircraft Company with the Brunswick Corporation. The new fuel tank will take advantage of filament winding technology and toughened resin systems to produce an all-composite, lightweight, external fuel tank. This results in a fuel tank that weighs 250Ib (113kg) and holds 45% more fuel than the 220Ib (100kg) metal 330gal fuel tank. The tanks will be manufactured in Australia for the RAAF and the export market by the Government Aircraft Factories.

For carrier-based operation, a 480-gallon fuel tank can be carried on each inboard wing station. For ground based operations, it can be carried on both inboard wing stations and the centreline station.

General Electric is also developing several improved versions of the F404 engine. The objective of the design effort is to retain the reliability and maintainability of the current F404 but increase its performance through the following:

• Increased combustor pressure;

• Improved high pressure and low pressure turbines;

• Increased turbine inlet temperature; and

• Improved hot section materials.

• Improved versions including 18,000 and 20,000lb (8,200 and 9,100kg) thrust class engines are also being studied.

A number of radar improvements are being contemplated which will add significant capabilities on air-to-air, air-to-ground and reconnaissance missions. These improvements could enhance the Hornet’s low-altitude penetration, strike, reconnaissance and air-to-air capabilities.

McDonnell Aircraft Company is also evaluating an active fire suppression system for all fuselage fuel cells and associated dry bays. Halon gas will be used to prevent fire or explosion in all the dry bays and explosions in the fuel tanks. This will reduce the vulnerable area by approximately 35%.

Hornet growth studies provide even further enhancement.

With the provisions for 480gal external tanks in addition to more internal fuel, range is increased. These additions when combined with in-flight refuelling will substantially increase the mission radius, time on station or weapons on target, providing a significant force multiplier.

The promise of a true multi-role capability in a single airframe has, for the first time in the history of military aviation, now been delivered and proven in service. Future versions of the Hornet will provide even greater capabilities.