Article Posted on : - Mar 22, 2010

The Australian Super Hornets perfrom a work up flight over the Sierra Nevada Mountain Ranges in California, USA. An RAAF Photo

CANBERRA (BNS): The Royal Australian Air Force is all set to receive the first batch of Super Hornet fighter aircraft from the US in a few days.

Four to five F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter-bombers will arrive in Australia later this month.

A detachment of aircrew and maintenance personnel from the RAAF's No. 1 Squadron is currently at Naval Air Station Lemoore in California, preparing the aircraft for the series of flights to Australia.

With their arrival, the country will gets its first new combat aircraft in 25 years, the RAAF said.

The Australian Government had signed a $6 billion deal with the US to acquire 24 Super Hornet fighters which would replace the RAAF's aging fleet of F-111 strike bombers.

The multi-mission Super Hornet aircraft with anti-warfare capabilities carries precision-guided weapons. It can be engaged in anti-warfare missions, fighter escort, close air support, maritime strike and reconnaissance missions.

The aircraft can fly at a maximum speed of Mach 1.8 and has a range of 2,000km. It can be fitted with an array of weapons, including laser guided bombs.

Australia intends to get 12 Super Hornets by the end of 2010 and another 12 in 2011 from the US.