Article Posted on : - Sep 24, 2010

The first F/A-18F Super Hornet for the RAAF that has the capability to be converted into an electronic attack aircraft completes its first test flight on Aug. 21. A Boeing photo

ST. LOUIS (BNS): An F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter aircraft with the capability to be converted into an electronic attack aircraft for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) has completed its first flight test recently.

The aircraft is one of the 12 Super Hornets Australia is expected to receive in the second lot from Boeing by 2011. Eleven of them have already been inducted in the RAAF.

Boeing is pre-wiring all the 12 Super Hornets for potential electronic attack capability conversion during production at the company's facilities in St. Louis.

“Incorporating the ability to introduce an electronic attack capability on 12 RAAF Super Hornets as they are produced in St. Louis provides maximum flexibility for our Air Force in the future,” said RAAF Group Capt. Steve Roberton, Officer Commanding 82 Wing, which includes Super Hornet and F-111 aircraft.

Incorporating the electronic attack capability in the Super Hornets during their production will reduce the cost as compared to retrofitting it at a later date, a Boeing official said.

The Australian Government had signed a $6 billion contract with the US in March 2007 to acquire 24 F/A-18F Super Hornets. While the first lot of five aircraft arrived in the country in March this year, another six were delivered in July.

The first Super Hornet A44-201 delivered earlier remains in the US conducting ongoing advanced software development trials with the United States Navy. It is expected be ferried to Australia before December, 2010.

The new multi-role fighter aircraft with stealth power and other advanced features will replace the aging F-111 fighters of the RAAF.