Boeing and F/A-18E/F Super Hornet partners reiterate the fighter aircraft’s suitability for the IAF’s MMRCA requirements

Major factors that make the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet competitive are the economies of scale ac¬crued from two key aspects. First is the aircraft and its major subsystems, which are active production lines and hence have steadily reduced the unit cost of the aircraft. Sec¬ond, the modular nature of the aircraft’s sensors and propulsion system allow technology inser¬tion that dramatically increases performance at minimal expense. At a media briefing in Delhi on October 28, Boeing and its Super Hornet partners—Raytheon and General Electric (GE)—reiterated the fighter air¬craft’s suitability for the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) Medium Multi Role Com¬bat Aircraft (MMRCA) programme.

In reply to a query on Boeing’s response to expectations vis-à-vis transfer of technology, Boeing Military Aircraft IDS President Christopher M. Chadwick said, “Technology transfer is a key element of any partner company or for any competition where you have international competitors, where you have an air force and an industry which wants to have the state of the art equipment or 21st century warfare equipment. We have worked with our government and determined what state-of-the-art technology we can provide and partner with Indian industry, and are now in the process to move them forward to put in place the mechanisms to transfer that technology.”

Glenn Coleman, Director, Asia Business Development of Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems, which is making the radar for the aircraft, emphasised: “The F-18 aircraft was designed for growth and growth was designed at inception. Super Hornet was designed with this radar in mind. It can’t fly the radar in isolation. This radar, too, was designed with this aircraft in mind. Should India select the Super Hornet it will be the best offer in the competition.” Chadwick further points out: “Ours is not an aircraft—it is an integrated weapon system.”