The first batch of next-generation Super Hornets for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) will be delivered by the US by the end of the month.
Aircrew and maintenance personnel of the RAAF’s No. 1 Squadron, which is based at Lemoore Naval Air Station in California, are preparing the aircraft for the series of flights to Australia.
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RAAF Chief Air Marshal Mark Binskin said this was the beginning of a new chapter for the air force.
“The Super Hornet is a true multirole aircraft, which, when flown and supported by the RAAF’s high-calibre people, will ensure Australia’s regional air combat capability edge until the introduction of the F-35 joint strike fighter,” he said.
The RAAF will acquire 24 Super Hornets during 2010 and 2011 as an interim replacement for its aging F-111s.
“Another key task for the detachment will be working with an air-to-air tanker, and conducting day and night refuelling flights to ensure readiness for the journey to Australia,” Binskin said.
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By GlobalDataThe Super Hornets will be delivered to RAAF Amberley base near Ipswich.
Developed by Boeing, the F/A-18 Hornet is a supersonic, all-weather carrier-capable multirole fighter jet, designed to attack both ground and aerial targets.
