Games PC JANE S-FA-18 User Manual

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ii JANE’S F/A-18 FLIGHT MANUAL

CHAPTER 1:

FIRST LOOK. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1

Selecting the Mission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2

Killing the MiG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2

Bombing the Target. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2

Sightseeing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3

CHAPTER 2:

INTRODUCTION. . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7

The World in the Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7

The Fleet’s Stinger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8

Mailed Fist – The Carrier Battle Group . . 2-10

CHAPTER 3:

INTERFACE OVERVIEW . . . . . . 3-15

General Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-15

Pop-Up Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-15

Main Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-16

Training. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-16

Loading a Training Mission. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-17

Training Main Brieﬁng. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-17

Instant Action . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-17

Fly Mission. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-18

Instant Action Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-19

Friendly Parameters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-19

Enemy Parameters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-20

Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-20

Instant Action Debrieﬁng . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-20

Single Mission. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-21

Loading a Mission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-21

Main Brieﬁng. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-22

Airframe/Pilot Selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-25

Pilot Edit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-26

Squadron Edit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-26

Arming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-27

Custom Arming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-28

Fly Mission. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-29

Debrieﬁng . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-29

Detailed Kill Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-29

Detailed Debrief. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-30

Weapon Stats. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-31

Pilot Status. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-31

Mission Playback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-32

Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-32

Time Log . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-33

Detailed Time Log . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-33

Campaign . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-33

Select Campaign . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-33

Select Squadron. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-33

Campaign Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-34

Airframe/Pilot Selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-34

Fly Mission. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-34

Multiplayer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-35

Direct Serial (Null Modem) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-36

Modem. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-37

IPX/SPX Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-37

TCP/IP Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-38

Chatting With Other Players . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-39

Who’s the Host?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-39

Hosting a Mission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-41

Disconnect Player . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-41

Joining a Mission. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-41

Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-43

Mission Builder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-43

Squadron/Pilot Edit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-43

Jane’s Reference. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-43

TTABLE OF CONTENTS

ABLE OF CONTENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS iii

CHAPTER 4:

FLIGHT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-47

Wings of the Hunter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-47

The Cockpit - the Pilot’s Ofﬁce . . . . . . . . . 4-49

Cockpit Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-49

Engine Fuel Display (EFD) . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-54

Head-Up Display (HUD) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-55

Basic HUD Symbology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-55

HUD – NAV Master Mode Symbology . . . . . . 4-56

HUD Landing & Steering Symbology . . . . . . 4-56

HUD – A/A Master Mode Symbology . . . . . . . 4-57

Weapon Independent HUD Symbology. . . . . 4-57

HUD – A/G Master Mode Symbology . . . . . . 4-58

Multi-Purpose Display Indicators (MDIs) /

Multipurpose Color Display (MPCD). . . . . 4-60

Up-Front Controller. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-81

Taking Off and Landing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-84

Carrier Takeoff. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-85

Land-Based Takeoff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-86

ILS – Instrument Landing System. . . . . . . . . 4-86

Carrier Landing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-87

Land-Based Landing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-89

Navigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-90

Basic Terms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-90

TACAN Signals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-90

Navigating Waypoints & Target Points . . . . . 4-91

Autopilot Modes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-91

Refueling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-91

Managing Your ﬂight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-92

CHAPTER 5:

COMBAT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-99

Combat – Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-99

Air-to-Air Combat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-99

Air-to-Air Radar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-99

Radar Antenna Scan Volumes and Time . . . . 5-99

Multi-Sensor Integration (MSI)

Trackﬁle Symbology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-100

Launch & Steering Target Designation . . . . 5-100

A/A Radar Sub-modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-101

Automatic Acquisition Sub-modes. . . . . . . . 5-105

Advanced Topics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-106

Air-to-Air Targeting FLIR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-110

Air-to-Air Weapons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-111

AIM-120 AMRAAM Medium Range Missile. 5-112

AIM-7 Sparrow Medium Range Missile . . . . 5-114

AIM-9 Sidewinder Short Range Missile . . . . 5-116

Internal A/A Gun . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-117

Air-to-Ground Combat. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-119

Air-to-Ground Target Designation . . . . . . . . 5-119

Air-to-Ground Radar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-120

Air-to-Ground Advanced Targeting FLIR 5-124

A/G ATFLIR Pointing Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-124

Air-to-Ground Weapons Employment . . . 5-125

Unguided Weapons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-125

Guided Weapons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-131

CHAPTER 6:

MISSION BUILDER . . . . . . . . 6-147

Design Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-147

Testing Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-147

Mission Builder Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-148

Intro to the Mission Builder . . . . . . . . . . 6-149

Mission Builder Features . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-150

Builder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-150

Placement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-151

Function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-151

Text. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-152

Common Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-152

Edit Object. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-152

Remove Item . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-152

Item Info . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-152

iv JANE’S F/A-18 FLIGHT MANUAL

Features. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-152

New Mission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-152

Open Mission. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-153

Save Mission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-153

Deleting a Mission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-153

Sample Mission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-153

Add Aircraft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-156

Add Ship. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-159

Add Moving Vehicle. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-159

Add Ground Object . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-159

Add Waypoint. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-160

Remove Waypoint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-167

Goal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-167

Remove Goal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-168

Add Area Goal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-168

Mission Event . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-168

Add JSTAR. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-172

Add Bullseye. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-172

Alternate Path . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-172

Brieﬁng Summary Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-172

Mission Brieﬁng. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-173

Add Overview Area. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-173

Mission Debrief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-173

General Mission Information. . . . . . . . . . . . 6-174

Mission Checklist. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-175

Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-175

Map Filter Options. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-175

Mission Builder Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-176

Add GCI Link. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-176

Add TACAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-176

Add GPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-177

Add FAC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-177

Fence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-177

Random Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-177

Rules of Engagement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-178

Add Mission Label . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-178

Distance Between Two Points . . . . . . . . . . . 6-178

Destroy This Object . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-178

Exit. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-178

CHAPTER 7:

CAMPAIGN OVERVIEW . . . . . 7-183

Russia’s Next Millennium . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-183

The Campaign . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-185

CHAPTER 8:

APPENDICES . . . . . . . . . . . . A-187

Producer Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-187

Acronyms & Abbreviations . . . . . . . . . . . A-190

Glossary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-193

Credits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-197

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-200

Casual Key Guide. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Back Cover

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CHAPTER 1

1-2 JANE’S F/A-18 FLIGHT MANUAL

A QUICK WORD FROM THE JANE’S

TEAM

All of us at Jane’s Combat Simulations thank you for purchasing Jane’s F/A-18. Whether this is your ﬁrst Jane’s product or one of many from the Jane’s Team, you are in for a real treat. Jane’s F/A18 is the latest in a series of highly accurate and challenging combat simulations.

As you maneuver through the exciting world of naval aviation, hold this thought. Y ou determine how to play Jane’s F/A-18; it was designed with you in mind. Whether you immediately jump into The North Cape Campaign or start just a little slower by easing into the action with the Instant Action missions, you are always in the pilot’s seat.

Our only desire is to provide you with an enjoyable experience – quality is our only goal. If you have questions concerning Jane’s F/A-18, or for that matter any comments or questions about any of the Jane’s products, please contact us at:

World Wide Web: Access our Web Site at http://www.ea.com FTP: Access our FTP Site at ftp.ea.com

This product has been rated by the Entertainment Software Rating Board. For information about the ESRB rating, or to comment about the appropriateness of the rating, please contact the ESRB at 1-800-771-3772.

CHAPTER 1:

FIRST LOOK

If you wish to jump right into the game with minimal fuss, this First Look mission is made to order. After just a few mouse clicks, you will bag your ﬁrst MiG and be blowing up ground targets.

Although Jane’s F/A-18 includes most every detail of naval combat aviation in the Super Hornet, this mission is designed to give you a quick “First Look.” For more detailed experiences, we recommend you next tackle the Training Missions.

SELECTING THE MISSION

◆

◆ From the main menu, click SINGLE MISSION found on the right portion of the screen.

◆

◆ Within the Single Mission screen, select the “First Look” mission from the scrollable list on the right side of the

screen.

◆

◆ To start the mission, click the airplane icon on the dial found in the lower right portion of the screen.

KILLING THE MIG

An unwary MiG is right in front of you; let’s shoot him down.

◆

◆ Press

to lock him up on radar.

◆

◆ Once he’s locked press

to activate air-to-air attack mode, then press or joystick button 2 to launch

a missile.

BOMBING THE TARGET

Now that that pesky MiG is out of the way, lets put some iron on target by destroying some fuel tanks.

◆

◆ Press

to activate air-to-ground bombing mode.

◆

◆ Fly towards the label in front of you marked “Primary Target.”

◆

◆ As you near the target begin a shallow dive and line it up directly to your front. When you get close, the bomb

cross appears at the bottom of the HUD. When the cross is positioned over the Primary Target, press or joystick button 2 to release a bomb.

FIRST LOOK 1-3

Shoot cue

Target

Bomb cross

Target (fuel tanks)

SIGHTSEEING

After you’ve bombed the target, ﬂy around a bit and enjoy the scenery. You can select the various views using the function keys. Enjoy the game!

1-4 JANE’S F/A-18 FLIGHT MANUAL 1-4

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CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 2:

INTRODUCTION. . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7

The World in the Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7

The Fleet’s Stinger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8

Mailed Fist – The Carrier Battle Group . . 2-10

2-6 JANE’S F/A-18 FLIGHT MANUAL

CHAPTER 2:

INTRODUCTION

“The affairs of war, like the destiny of battles, as well of empires, hang upon a spider’s thread.” —Napoleon

THE WORLD IN THE BALANCE

With the demise of the Soviet Union in the last decade of the 20THCentury, the traditional ideological rivalry that had dominated the free world for nearly 50 years has ceased to exist. The cold war mentality of force maximization and massive defense spending are no longer tenable positions. The United States woke up one day to ﬁnd itself in the unenviable position as the last superpower. Victory has its price.

In spite of the dramatic impact stemming from the breakup of the Soviet Union, a period of worldwide peace was in no way inevitable. The localized and regional conﬂicts, held in check for many years by the looming superpowers, were now free to rear their ugly heads. These nationalistic, religious, and ethnic rivalries, while seemingly non-issues, had in reality continued to churn just below the surface. Once unfettered from their shackles, they were free to pursue individualistic goals.

For the United States, far reaching economic interests mandate international stability. The time of waging war for purely political, religious, or geographic gain is no longer good business. In the world of today, the capacity to capture and maintain regional or global dominance is predominately grounded in economic supremacy. Wars are astronomically expensive. Conﬂict is now based more on proﬁt and loss rather than ideological conviction.

While the United States struggles to remain neutral on these regional issues, the threat of war, while not on a global scale, remains a real and ultimately an unavoidable consequence of man’s unquenchable need to possess more and more.

Quick reaction to active or potential hot spots is clearly the purview of the Navy. The Air Force will certainly argue this point, but they unquestionably lack the ability to transport their airﬁelds along with their aircraft. They require forward deployment areas within the range of the conﬂict. This necessitates the cooperation of allied or non-allied nations – never a guarantee. Fixed forward bases are also much more vulnerable to preemptive or in-conﬂict strikes – it is still much harder to hit a moving target.

The Navy is the only military arm possessing the wherewithal to quickly project the required force against an aggressor. Oceans cover nearly three-fourths of the earth’s surface. Those nations having the potential to threaten, or for that matter act out their aggression, typically occupy or are in close proximity to the coastal regions of the world. The U.S. Navy’s carrier forces are strategically deployed throughout the world to arrive on station within 48 hours or in rare cases 72 hours. During the 1990 Gulf Crisis, the carriers Eisenhower and Independence were both on station in range of Iraqi forces within 48 hours.

The vast majority of all products, whether ﬁnished goods or raw materials, are transported over water. The nation with the strongest navy exerts de facto control over the ebb and ﬂow of all these goods. They need not defeat the opposition forces or for that matter exercise signiﬁcant military force. Simply blockading ports, thereby preventing the inﬂow or outﬂow of goods, may be sufﬁcient to bring most nations to their knees. Economics ultimately wins out.

It is inevitable the United States will be drawn into shooting wars – these potential conﬂicts have been euphemistically dubbed ’Low Intensity Conﬂicts’ or LICs. The concept of “Global War” is now reserved for conﬂicts involving the unthinkable use of nuclear weapons. This does not mean that the ﬁghting or magnitude of commitment will reﬂect a minimal or low level of effort on the part of U.S. forces. Given the low current level of conventional forces, any commitment will require a maximum effort. In any event, the U.S. Navy will undoubtedly play a major role in any future conﬂict, LIC or otherwise.

INTRODUCTION 2-7

Jane’s F/A-18 models modern naval aviation at its best, highlighting one of the U.S. Navy’s most potent weapons – the F/A-18E Super Hornet. A versatile gem, the single-seat Hornet-E is equally adept at knocking enemy aircraft out of the skies as it is in delivering precision strikes against targets on land or on the sea. Jane’s F/A-18 does not just stop at that, it is a highly detailed and stunningly accurate simulation of naval aviation.

What does all this mean to you? You get see all from the cockpit of the Navy’s hottest new multi-role ﬁghter!

THE FLEET’S STINGER

The F/A-18 Hornet was designed to fulﬁll a number of different roles, hence its F/A (Fighter/Attack) designation. In the 1970s, the Navy came to the realization that it could no longer afford to develop single-use aircraft. As conceived, the Hornet was to replace the A-7 Corsair II light-attack and F-4 Phantom air superiority aircraft, at that time in service with sea-based Navy squadrons and land based Marine squadrons – do not overlook the fact that the Navy also oversees Marine aviation.

Cost control measures also dictated the method of aircraft selection. Congress and the DOD directed the Navy to join with the Air Force on its ’lightweight’ ﬁghter program and select a common airframe for both services. Two competing designs, General Dynamics/Vought’s YF-16 and Northrop/McDonnell Douglas’ YF-17, were in the running (the ’Y’ designates the aircraft as a prototype). In the past, the Navy and Air Force had worked together in aircraft concept, design, and development, ostensibly to control acquisition costs – buy a large quantity and the per unit cost is less. It also streamlines the ﬂow and cost of spare parts.

Well, that is all good in theory. In reality, the Navy and Air Force seldom were of one mind on aircraft selection. Ironically, the A-7 Corsair II and F-4 Phantom were the most recent examples of inter-service cooperation. These two aircraft were originally Navy programs “shared” with the Air Force, now the scales were reversed.

A good part of this single-mindedness can be written off to service pride, but the Navy does have some legitimate arguments. They favor a twin-engine conﬁguration due to the hazards of over-water ﬂight. In addition, carrier landings, affectionately described as controlled crashes, place extreme stress on the landing gear and undercarriage. This requires additional structure and weight, reducing the aircraft’s payload – a price the Air Force is unwilling to pay.

In the end, the Air Force selected the YF-16 and the Navy selected the YF-17. What happened to the single selection process? General Dynamics/Vought asked the same question. After much lobbying the Navy did prevail and managed to convince Congress and the DOD to support their decision. The YF-16 became the highly successful F16 Fighting Falcon while the YF-17 evolved into the newly designated F/A-18 Hornet.

The ﬁnal F/A-18 Hornet was hardly a YF-17 with a new name stenciled on its nose; it was essentially an entirely new design. This evolutionary process experienced its share of pitfalls, but what emerged was a very capable and advanced aircraft. Although, the production Hornet still had one shortcoming – limited range, or, in military parlance, “short legs”. After the evaluation signoff, production started in 1978; the ﬁrst operational aircraft entered service with VFA125, the Rough Raiders, in 1980.

The Hornet looks a like a smaller version of the F-14 T omcat with its twin-engines and twin-tails. In spite of its strike role, the Hornet is a dogﬁghter at heart. Its nose houses the multi-mode APG-65 radar (APG-73 in late model ’C’ and later versions) and the 20mm M61 6-barrel Gatling gun. AIM-120 AMRAAM (’C’ and later) and AIM-7 Sparrow AAMs (or the AAS-38 Nighthawk FLIR/laser targeting pod) are mounted in two recessed wells on the fuselage; the wingtips are reserved for AIM-9 Sidewinder AAMs.

2-8 JANE’S F/A-18 FLIGHT MANUAL

F/A-18 E Super Hornet

The centerline station typically carries an external fuel tank. Its wings have six weapons stations plumbed for AAMs and a variety of ordnance including Paveway LGBs, AGM-Maverick (IIR version in ’C’ and later), AGM-88 Harm, AGM-84D Harpoon, AGM-84H SLAM, as well as the full series of ’iron’ bombs.

That is enough about the exterior, how about taking a look where the pilot works. The cockpit is a pilot’s dream. It features a true ’glass’ layout with a series of computer screens replacing the traditional analog gauges. These displays are extremely versatile, allowing the pilot to conﬁgure them to suit a multitude of situations. An advancedgeneration HUD complements the ’head-down’ displays. It can be switched from air-to-air to air-to-ground mode with a simple ﬂick of a switch on the HOTAS controls. All this high-tech equipment enables the single-seat Hornet to fulﬁll the roles previously reserved for two crewmen.

According to naval aviators, a tough audience on a good day, the Hornet is a pleasure to ﬂy. Its FBW ﬂight control system, the ﬁrst for a carrier aircraft, makes for extremely responsive ﬁght. Hornet jockeys boast that their bird can ﬂy the wings off their Air Force counterparts. If that is not enough, the Hornet can even automatically touch down to a perfect three-wire landing while the pilot sits back and enjoys a day at sea.

After production of 371 F/A-18As, the Hornet continued to evolve and improve with the introduction C/D versions in 1986 (note that F/A-18 ’Bs’, ’Ds’, and ’Fs’ are the two-seat variants of the A/C/E respectively). With the new C/D version, the radar, avionics, self-protection systems, engines, and a number of additional systems were also improved and updated. This was the ﬁrst of the Hornets to support the AIM-120 AMRAAM AAM and the ImagingInfrared (IIR) version of the AGM-65 Maverick.

The new APG-73 radar markedly improved the Hornet’s air-to-air and air-to-ground signal processing with its fully programmable digital architecture. In both modes the radar is used to search for targets and then lock onto and track them for attack. In fact, it was so good that there was never a thought of upgrading it for the new F/A18E Super Hornet. The C/Ds ﬁxed the shortcomings of the initial A/Bs, with the exception of the fuel issue. Remember that was the knock against the ﬁrst model. This was the aircraft envisioned by the Navy planners from the very beginning.

The Marine Corp actually focused its attention on the two-seat ’D’ model. It acquired six squadrons of 72 aircraft enhanced for night precision strikes to replace the A-6 Intruder in their all-weather attack squadrons. Equipped above and beyond the normal two-seat Hornets, this improved version was originally dubbed the F/A-18D+.

The rear cockpit can be conﬁgured in one of two ways: “missionized” – where it lacks a ﬂight control column, replacing it with two side-mounted weapon/system stick controllers; or “trainer” – where the it has full ﬂight controls.

The E/F models promise to be the most capable Hornets yet. They were originally proposed in 1991 as a replacement for the disastrous A-12 Avenger program. The Super Hornet is a major step improvement over the previous models. This was the opportunity to produce an airframe that would serve well into the 21st Century, and the designers decided to take this to the max.

The Super Hornet took the basic ’C’ airframe and stretched it an additional 34 inches. This resulted in a 25% increase in wing surface as well as an enlarged horizontal stabilizer – the tail. This size increase solved what had been the biggest knock against the Hornet since its inception – limited internal fuel. The Super Hornet can carry 33% more fuel for a whopping 40% increase in range. With the larger wing, the designers were able to attach one additional weapon station per wing just inboard of the wingtips. The Super Hornet also gets two new powerful F414-GE-400 high-output afterburning turbofans.

Together, the two new engines produce 35% more thrust than the F404s in the C/Ds. However, the new design retains 90% of the avionics suite from the C/Ds, anchored by the highly capable APG-73 radar.

On the self-protection side, the Super Hornet is the ﬁrst naval aircraft to employ extensive radar and IR signature reduction in the form of reshaped engine inlets and radar absorbent coatings. The engine nozzles are designed to cool the jet exhaust, thereby reducing the aircraft’s infrared signature. The Super Hornet is also the ﬁrst to carry the new ALE-50 towed decoy system.

INTRODUCTION 2-9

35% higher thrust engines

25% larger wing

90% common F/A-18C/D avionics

2 additional multimission weapon stations

33% additional internal fuel

F/A-18 E Super Hornet

A proposed version of the ’F’ model is earmarked to replace the four-seat EA-6B Prowler electronic warfare platform. The two-seat EF-18G ’Electric’ Hornet will probably lead future strike aircraft to their targets, blinding enemy radar and suppressing enemy air defenses with AGM-88 Harm anti-radiation missiles.

CVW OF TODAY – 2001

14 – F/A-18 Super Hornet Air Superiority & Strike 14 – F-14 Tomcat Fleet Air Defense, Strike & Recon 24 – F/A-18 Hornet Air Superiority & Strike

4 – EA-6B Prowler Electronic Warfare & SEAD 4 – E-2C Hawkeye AEW 6 – S-3B Viking ASW, ELINT & Aerial Refueling 6 – SH-60R Seahawk ASW 2 – CH-60C Seahawk CSAR

74 aircraft

The Hornet is the cornerstone of the Navy’s present and future plans. For a program once under ﬁre from all sides, it has now emerged as the premier aircraft in the Navy’s arsenal. It currently represents half of the aircraft in every Carrier Air Wing (CVW). The future holds even more promise for the Hornet and its variants.

As more and more Super Hornets enter service, the venerable F-14 T omcat will retire from service. The Hornet will then pull double duty as the ﬂeet defense aircraft as well as the primary strike platform. The new Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), another one of those cooperative Navy and Air Force development programs, will serve as the medium strike aircraft, though it will also possess a degree of air-to-air capability. The “Electric” Hornet will replace the EA-6B Prowler while a new design, the Common Support Aircraft (CSA), is scheduled to replace the versatile E-2 Hawkeye and S3 Viking.

Depending on the outcome of the JSF program, and there is some doubt that it will ever see the light of day, the Hornet may actually be called upon to ﬁll all offensive and defensive roles.

The Super Hornet ﬁrst took ﬂight in late 1995. Production commenced in 1998; the ﬁrst deliveries are expected in early 2001.

MAILED FIST – THE CARRIER BATTLE GROUP

As the Navy’s primary conventional weapon, naval surface warfare centers on the carrier battle group (CVBG). T oday, there are ten active carrier battle groups, each with its assigned CVW. At any one time, any number of these CVBGs (CV is the military designation for a large conventional take-off and landing carrier) are strategically deployed throughout the world. As would be expected, its accompanying carrier air wing (CVW) is the primary offensive and defensive weapon system.

While certainly the most important unit, the carrier is still just one component of the battle group. It is composed of the carrier, its aircraft, and a number of escorts and support elements. Think of it in terms of trying to sit on a one or two-legged stool. The aircraft need the carrier, the carrier needs the escorts and support elements, and they need the carrier and its aircraft. Any one element is ineffective without the others – they are mutually supportive.

The battle group’s CVW is commanded by the “CAG,” short for commander, air group. This individual holds the rank of Captain, the same as the carrier’s commanding ofﬁcer. Do not confuse the rank of Captain and the title of captain. The rank of Captain is a Navy ’four-striper’, equivalent to the rank of Colonel in the Army or Marines. The title of captain is bestowed upon the individual, regardless of rank, who commands a naval vessel.

The “CAG” and the carrier’s captain work together as peers reporting to the battle group’s commander, a two-star Rear Admiral. Right about now you are probably wondering why is an air group commander commanding an air wing. The “CAG” is a traditional title, held in the highest of regard, which has carried over from the time when the air wing was called an air group. The air group became an air wing in 1975 with the addition of integrated support and ASW helicopter squadrons.

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CVW OF TOMORROW – 2011

36 – F/A-18 Super Hornet Fleet Air Defense & Strike 10 – JSF Air Superiority, Strike & Recon

4 – EF-18G Electric Hornet Electronic Warfare & SEAD 4 – CSA AEW AEW 6 – CSA Sea Control ASW & Recon 2 – CSA ESM ELINT & Aerial Refueling 6 – SH-60R Seahawk ASW 2 – CH-60C Seahawk CSAR

70 aircraft

The typical CVW includes about nine squadrons of combat and support aircraft including the helicopters. Over ﬁfty of the seventyfour aircraft are found in the four F-14 Tomcat and F/A-18 Hornet squadrons. As the predominate aircraft, the F/A-18 Hornet VFA (strike ﬁghter) squadrons now outnumber their F-14 Tomcat VF (ﬁghter) counterparts three to one. The remaining ﬁxed-wing squadrons consist of the EA-6B Prowler, E-2C Hawkeye, and S-3 Viking squadrons (in both ASW and ELINT roles).

The CVW is no longer just a Navy show. A shortage of aviators necessitated a change in the once exclusive community. It is now quite common to ﬁnd carrier-capable Marine squadrons serving as one of the F/A-18 Hornet squadrons or as the EA-6B Prowler squadron.

The third ’leg’ of the battle group is the escorts and support elements. Here you will ﬁnd much more diversity than that found in the composition of the CVW. Vessels are attached and released from the battle group depending on the immediate situation. For example, MCM (mine counter-measures) ships could be attached to

a battle group if it is to operate in relatively shallow waters or must traverse a predictable track or narrow channel. In general, a carrier battle group includes one or two cruisers, two or more destroyers, one or two frigates, one or

two submarines – yes submarines – and a replenishment ship. With the retirement of the last remaining nuclear powered-cruiser, the mantel passed to the Ticonderoga class of

Aegis (Greek for shield) guided-missile cruisers (military designation – CG). Even though they possess a considerable offensive punch with their Tomahawk and Harpoon cruise missiles and two 5-inch guns, the CGs are there for one purpose – defense. Their highly sophisticated SPY -1 phased-array radar system simultaneously tracks and engages a multitude of airborne targets. They also automatically control the weapons from the other ships in the battle group, creating an integrated defensive umbrella. These ships are so effective that the Admiral may elect to command the battle group from the deck of a Ticonderoga rather than from the traditional spot on the carrier.

The destroyer element draws its force from the old and the new. The new takes form in the Arleigh Burke class of guided-missile destroyers (military designation – DDG). In fact, the Burkes are the newest class of combat ships in the Navy’s arsenal. These well-designed ships also utilize the Aegis system with its SPY-1 radar. Though they are similar in capability to the Ticonderoga class, the Burkes carry fewer missiles and a single 5-inch gun.

The other destroyer option is drawn from the older Spruance class (military designation – DD). These ships were designed at the height of the cold war for anti-submarine (ASW) operations. As the Soviet deep-water submarine threat waned, their offensive punch was enhanced with the addition of Tomahawk cruise missiles to complement their Harpoons and two 5-inch guns.

The frigates are from the Oliver Hazard Perry class of guided-missile frigates (military designation – FFG). Even though these frigates hauled down their sails a long time ago, they are more than able to fulﬁll a number of important roles. Their size disguises very capable offensive and defensive capabilities. With a limited number of Harpoons and a single 3inch gun, they are best suited for escort duty and shallow water operations. Nevertheless, frigates are the most common class of warships in service today with the world’s navies.

The last combat support element is the submarine. Now what are submarines doing in a surface battle group? They serve a very important role in keeping with their unique abilities. Their far ranging and stealth abilities make them well suited for maritime reconnaissance and strike missions. More importantly, they are the battle group’s most potent anti-submarine weapon, since the best defense against a submarine is another submarine. While the surface escorts maintain relatively close contact with the carrier, the subs range far ahead and abeam of the battle group. The

INTRODUCTION 2-11

SIZE DOES MATTER

During World War I and II displacement, armor and gun size were used to classify warships. The four primary classes of modern warships are loosely grouped by length since displacement is no longer a direct indication of combat strength and guns have given way to missiles as the primary armament.

Modern cruisers are 150m or longer. Destroyers are 95 to 140m long. Frigates are similar to destroyers in length but are more lightly armed. Corvettes are 60 to 100m in length.

Improved Los Angeles class, the 688Is, are the most modern boats available (military designation – SSN, note that subs are call boats). They are also able to launch Tomahawk cruise missiles from their vertical launch system and Harpoons from their torpedo tubes.

Lastly, the battle group is supported by at least one fast combat support ship. While the carrier and subs do not require fuel, the remainder of the battle group needs oil for propulsion, and in any event, everyone needs to eat. The Wichita and Sacramento classes (military designation – AO) are ﬂoating shopping centers. These ships triple

their basic displacement with loads of fuel oil, aviation gas, food, spare parts, general supplies and ammunition. The only ship larger is the carrier.

Together, the battle group is much stronger than the capabilities of the individual vessels – a perfect example of the sum being greater than its parts. However, the whole carrier concept has been under extreme pressure due to its high price tag. A battle group costs nearly $20 billion to build and equip, and another $1 billion annually to operate. So expensive, few countries can afford to build or even operate such a costly weapon system.

The advent of cruise missile has applied additional pressure. The critics compare the $1 million price tag for a Tomahawk cruise missile with the $58 million for a single F/A-18E Super Hornet, and the dollars are just one part of the argument. On an even more important note, the unmanned T omahawk does not place a pilot’s life in danger.

Though, cruise missiles are great at hitting ﬁxed points, they are limited in hitting moving targets, especially ships at sea.

An aircraft’s pilot is also able to evaluate a situation before dropping the bombs; the cruise missile obediently and blindly attacks its target. Even more notable, a CVW can deliver about 450 tons of ordnance in a day – the equivalent of 900 Tomahawks!

Today, the carrier and its air wing are the most mobile and ﬂexible striking force in the United States arsenal. Whether called upon to carry the action to the enemy or hold one at bay, its ability to project military presence makes it the ultimate weapon system.

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CHAPTER 3