Trump suggests a large order for Boeing F/A 18XT Super Hornets could be imminent instead of some F35A
by noreply@blogger.com (brian wang) from NextBigFuture.com on (#2D4ZF)
President Donald Trump suggested that a larger purchase of Boeing Co.'s F/A-18 Super Hornet may be in the offing. "We are looking seriously at a big order," Trump said Friday of the fighter jet, with another Boeing plane, the newest 787 Dreamliner, looming in the background. "I think we may get there."
The Defense Department is studying the capabilities of the Super Hornet, designed in the 1990s, against those of Lockheed's F-35, which is still in development even as it's being produced. Trump indicated that price differences between the two fighters could sway the Pentagon to replace some orders for the F-35, which the president has criticized for cost overruns and delays, with more purchases of the Boeing jet.
"If the price doesn't come down, we would," Trump told reporters. "The F-18's a great plane and now put a stealth component onto it."
Reporters earlier spotted White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus holding a brochure for the F/A-18 XT, a proposed Super Hornet upgrade that could serve as a stand-in as Lockheed ramps up production of the F-35, the Pentagon's costliest weapons system
Advanced Super Hornet
Trump told reporters that, unless prices continued coming down on the F-35, he would be prepared to cut future F-35 contracts and order more Super Hornets instead. He also advocated taking steps to increase the stealth of the Super Hornet, according to Time's White House correspondent Zeke Miller.
The Navy has already requested money for two Super Hornets in its 2017 budget, and is set to request another 14 in 2018.
The F/A-18 XT twin-engine plane is also designed to come equipped with longer-range, low-drag, stealthy conformal fuel tanks; long-range sensors that can detect and target threats without having to depend on radar; a new advanced cockpit system to enhance situational awareness, providing the pilot with the capability to see, track and target multiple long range targets; and improved low-observable next-generation radar cross section for increased survivability, according to the company.
Lockheed has been pushing out data to defend the troubled F35 program
The U.S. Air Force is the largest F-35 operator of all the international forces with a planned purchase of 1,763 F-35A conventional takeoff and landing variant. The F-35 is the Pentagon's biggest acquisition program estimated at nearly $400 billion for almost 2,500 aircraft. The Marine Corps currently flies the F-35B short takeoff/vertical landing (STOVL) variant, with plans to purchase 353 STOVL jets and 67 F-35C carrier variant aircraft. The U.S. Marine Corps declared F-35B IOC in August 2016. Together with the Marines, the U.S. Navy will bring 5th Generation capability to the sea with 260 F-35C jets. The U.S. Navy plans to declare F-35C IOC in 2018.
Read more
The Defense Department is studying the capabilities of the Super Hornet, designed in the 1990s, against those of Lockheed's F-35, which is still in development even as it's being produced. Trump indicated that price differences between the two fighters could sway the Pentagon to replace some orders for the F-35, which the president has criticized for cost overruns and delays, with more purchases of the Boeing jet.
"If the price doesn't come down, we would," Trump told reporters. "The F-18's a great plane and now put a stealth component onto it."
Reporters earlier spotted White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus holding a brochure for the F/A-18 XT, a proposed Super Hornet upgrade that could serve as a stand-in as Lockheed ramps up production of the F-35, the Pentagon's costliest weapons system
Advanced Super HornetTrump told reporters that, unless prices continued coming down on the F-35, he would be prepared to cut future F-35 contracts and order more Super Hornets instead. He also advocated taking steps to increase the stealth of the Super Hornet, according to Time's White House correspondent Zeke Miller.
The Navy has already requested money for two Super Hornets in its 2017 budget, and is set to request another 14 in 2018.
The F/A-18 XT twin-engine plane is also designed to come equipped with longer-range, low-drag, stealthy conformal fuel tanks; long-range sensors that can detect and target threats without having to depend on radar; a new advanced cockpit system to enhance situational awareness, providing the pilot with the capability to see, track and target multiple long range targets; and improved low-observable next-generation radar cross section for increased survivability, according to the company.
Lockheed has been pushing out data to defend the troubled F35 program
The U.S. Air Force is the largest F-35 operator of all the international forces with a planned purchase of 1,763 F-35A conventional takeoff and landing variant. The F-35 is the Pentagon's biggest acquisition program estimated at nearly $400 billion for almost 2,500 aircraft. The Marine Corps currently flies the F-35B short takeoff/vertical landing (STOVL) variant, with plans to purchase 353 STOVL jets and 67 F-35C carrier variant aircraft. The U.S. Marine Corps declared F-35B IOC in August 2016. Together with the Marines, the U.S. Navy will bring 5th Generation capability to the sea with 260 F-35C jets. The U.S. Navy plans to declare F-35C IOC in 2018.
Read more