How good is this L.M F-18

I see amongst all our messes currently ongoing in the UK at the moment, we've just put in a huge trillion Dollar order for a whole bunch of F-18's (various models)from the U.S. company Lockhead-Martin

Given that these things were the first to be designed/built/AND programmed and tested by Lockhead-Martin directly, and there are already questions being asked as to the wisdom of that decision in the U.S.(orinarily they like a separate company to do the programming)
How good are they ?

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1GHOST · M

On the first day of the Persian Gulf War, four F/A-18Cs took off from the USS Saratoga to bomb an airfield in southwestern Iraq. These F/A-18s were heavy. Each carried four MK 84 2000-lb. bombs, two AIM-7 Sparrows, two AIM-9L Sidewinders, and a centerline drop tank. As the Hornets from VFA-81 (the "Sunliners") made their approach, an E-2 Hawkeye airborne control aircraft passed word to the pilots: Two Iraqi MiG-21s were on the hunt.

The MiGs turned to intercept the Hornets, closing at 1.2 Mach. While two of the Hornets stood off, Navy Lieutenant Commander Mark I. Fox and his wingman, Lieutenant Nick Mongilio, turned into the enemy. Fox locked onto one plane, firing both a Sparrow and a Sidewinder, while Mongilio launched a single Sidewinder at the other. In a heartbeat, both Iraqi planes were destroyed. A mere 40 seconds passed from the initial E-2 warning to downing the Iraqi jets.

* note * this is while fully loaded .

Scubaguy027 · 46-50, M

@1GHOST i do believe Skipper Mongillo is now an Admiral. He was my CO in 2006 and he transferred shortly after deployment

firefall · 61-69, M

The F18 is a long-established design, and as I understand it all the bugs have been long ironed out. It's not as good as an F-22, but then it's like 1/10th the cost or something. I'd say it's an excellent decision, they're certainly far superior to the F-35, who is only at the start of identifying all the bugs of. They're probably the 2nd or 3rd best air to air fighter in the world.

patkaren1717 · 36-40, M

I used mine on Sunday and it handled nicely.

cherokeepatti · 61-69, F

@patkaren1717 🤔

Sicarium · 46-50, M

Lockhead Martin has been around for a long time. You also seem confused on the programming aspect. Not sure where you got that from. but would you buy a Ford and expect the ECU programming to be done by Toyota?

Picklebobble2 · 56-60, M

@Sicarium it was written on a wikipedia document i saw earlier.
And it IS normal procedure to not normally make one company responsible for ALL aspects of a complete defence project.

Sicarium · 46-50, M

@Picklebobble2 You're playing word games. A fighter aircraft overall isn't one defense project. It's several. Lockhead Martin handles the airplane. The various weapons companies handle the weapons systems. Same for electronics companies and the comms gear. Lockhead Martin (or Boeing actually for the F/A-18) doesn't handle the programming for the AIM-9 missiles, but it does handle the computer programming of the plane itself.

Valentine · M

Perhaps Mr Trumpy-wumpy should deliver them in person; there must be room on the new Embassy lawn? #justsaying...

Scubaguy027 · 46-50, M

I think you are thinking of the F-35. Boeing builds the F/A-18.

1GHOST · M

@Scubaguy027

RoleMultirole fighter
National originUnited States
Manufacturer

McDonnell Douglas (1974–1997)
Boeing (1997–present)
Northrop (1974–1994)

Scubaguy027 · 46-50, M

@1GHOST that part about Northrop isn't exactly right. They built some sub assemblies for it. The original plan was for Northrop to build a land based fighter only version with MD building a Naval fighter and attack version. Ultimately it became just the F/A-18.

1GHOST · M

@Scubaguy027 Mechanics loaded the aircraft's first bulkhead components into place July 10 on Northrop Grumman's state-of-the-art F/A-18 assembly line in El Segundo. The government of Australia is purchasing 24 F/A-18Fs from the United States in the first international procurement of the Super Hornet. The F/A-18E/F Super Hornet is already in service with the U.S. Navy as its combat-proven strike fighter.

As principal subcontractor to The Boeing Company, Northrop Grumman is responsible for design and production of the F/A-18E/F's center/aft fuselage section and twin vertical tails, integration of all associated subsystems and after-delivery product support. (The "E" model has one cockpit seat; the "F" has two.) Northrop Grumman has delivered more than 1,800 of these fuselage "shipsets."

"This F/A-18 shipset will be built with the same high level of quality as every one we've produced since the program began more than 30 years ago," said George Vardoulakis, vice president of F/A-18 Programs for Northrop Grumman's Integrated Systems sector. "That's a commitment our employees are proud to make, day in and day out, to the men and women in combat who rely on this capable aircraft."

Northrop Grumman's first RAAF shipset will be delivered in April 2009 for final assembly at Boeing's facility in St. Louis, Mo. Australia was one of the original international users of the F/A-18A/B, the first version of the Hornet. Northrop Grumman also has produced structural assemblies for the RAAF's earlier Hornets as part of a capability upgrade program.

luv2fly352 · 70-79, M

Excellent,been around a long time.

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