Message to Beijing: This Super Hornet Loves to jump
Military.com, a US Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet has demonstrated it can take off from a “ski jump” ramp, proving it can someday operate from international
Editorial Staff
Message to Beijing: This Super Hornet Loves to jump
If they do, they’ve got one helluva fighter jet on their hands — one that will make Chinese fighter jets of the PLAAF, pale in comparison. According to a report in Military.com, a US Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet has demonstrated it can take off from a “ski jump” ramp, proving it can someday operate from international aircraft carriers — a big plus for foreign sales. The Navy and Boeing tested this capability at the famed Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland, according to a December Boeing release. The demo was conducted for India, which is looking to buy new carrier-based fighters that can launch from its short-runway ships. Unlike most nations, the US operates flat-decked carriers that launch aircraft via a high-powered catapult, Military.com reported. India operates the INS Vikramaditya, which lacks catapult systems for assisted aircraft take off. Its successor, the INS Vikrant — the country’s first locally built carrier — will also use a ski-jump takeoff ramp. “The first successful and…
