(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) — Following a decline in orders from customers, the American aerospace company Boeing will end production of the F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter aircraft in 2027.
The final order for this multi-role combat aircraft came from the United States Navy in March, which placed an order for 17 of these fighter jets valued at approximately $1.3 billion (RM5.85 billion).
This production of 17 F/A-18 Super Hornets for the United States Navy will be Boeing’s last.
Without US Navy orders, Boeing will conclude the production of this fighter aircraft ahead of schedule, in 2025.
After the termination of the F/A-18 Super Hornet production, Boeing’s facility in St. Louis will shift its focus towards increasing the production of the T-7A Red Hawk, F-15EX, wing components for the 777X, and the MQ-25 Stingray drone.
Boeing will also prioritize efforts towards the development of future programs.
The company is in the process of constructing three new facilities for both manned and unmanned platforms.
These new facilities, along with the MQ-25 drone facility in St. Louis, the Composite Fabrication Center in Arizona, and the design facility, represent a $1 billion (RM4 billion) investment by Boeing in its future, ensuring the company’s longevity in the military sector.
Despite the planned cessation of F/A-18 Super Hornet production in 2027, the aircraft will continue to be deployed by the United States Navy in the coming years.
It will remain a primary fighter jet for the Navy, as the Department of Defense does not expect to retire the F/A-18 Super Hornet until 2040.
In the meantime, these aircraft will continue to serve. The Navy’s F/A-18 Super Hornets will be upgraded to the Block III variant, with these upgrades expected to be completed by 2030.
In the long term, the role of the F/A-18 Super Hornet will be taken over by fifth-generation fighter jets such as the F-35 developed by Lockheed Martin and other future fighter aircraft.
As aircraft like the F-35 assume the roles long held by the F/A-18 Super Hornet, it will mark the end of the long history of the “Top Gun” movie’s iconic fighter jet in the nation’s military.
The F/A-18 Hornet made its first flight in 1978, while the F/A-18 Super Hornet had its maiden flight in 1995.
Over a 30-year production period, Boeing has built a total of 698 Super Hornets for the United States Navy and other naval forces worldwide.
The F/A-18 Super Hornet is a supersonic, multi-role combat aircraft equipped with twin engines.
Featuring advanced avionics, it is equipped with the AESA APG-79 radar for enhanced detection and tracking capabilities, the AN/ASQ-228 ATFLIR targeting pod for day and night capability as well as infrared imaging, the AN/ALR-67[V]3 radar warning receiver, among others. — DSA