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Hornet, Super Hornet, Growler ...

Whistle Pig

Member
Perhaps there are posts, resources you can direct me to ...

Wondering ...

Anyone who might offer insights, thoughts, experiences comparing ...

Hornet, Super Hornet, Growler.

Missions, pluses, minuses ... which would you select, given your preference? Why?

In advance, thanks for lending some insight, information, education.
 

RadicalDude

Social Justice Warlord
I can tell you that hornets and super hornets have virtually identical missions & tactics. And the few differences they do have you'll be responsible for knowing anyways, in case you ever fly mixed section/division, which you will.

Missions: Wide and varied but generally involve maneuvering into a suitable position from which to release free fall or forward firing munitions that will accurately guide and fuse and result in destruction of some sort of target/hostile.

Plusses/Minuses: To each their own. You can make the argument it's the most "tactical" fixed wing flying the Navy does. You'll absolutely drop bombs and shoot the gun, and there's a good chance you'll shoot some missiles. You have to be on the boat. You get to land/take off from the boat. You have a pretty lengthy work-up cycle followed by long deployments (sometimes back-to-back deployments.) The hours are long, especially if you're a single seat guy. You will go to Key West many times, and Fallon many more.

This is what I thought of off the top of my head. Feel free to elucidate more specific responses by refining your questions.

Growler, I'll defer to the AEA folks.
 

Swanee

Cereal Killer
pilot
None
Contributor
Do you like being plugged from behind? A Rhino may be for you. Do you like to do the plugging only? Hornets are in your future.
 

Renegade One

Well-Known Member
None
Do you like being plugged from behind? A Rhino may be for you. Do you like to do the plugging only? Hornets are in your future.
A trap is still a trap, yes?

Serious question: Do the IFR mission requirements net a few more sorties per day for the Rhino bubbas, or just "less of the rest". I'm harkening back to the days when A-6 squadrons had 4 extra aircraft (KA-6Ds) for the mission and (I assume), extra crews over and above the normal aircrew seat factor. But maybe the A-7 guys just sucked it up out of hide?
 

AUtiger

Crossing over to the dark side
pilot
Rhino squadrons who are designated as the tanker squadrons typically have 12 jets and slightly more pilots than your typical 10 jet Charlie squadron. On the boat it seems that they typically have a few of them configured specifically for tanker ops at all times. For example in the fall when we get the E we won't be receiving ARS pods with them and will not be a tanker squadron, so we will still have fewer sorties on the airplan and pilots will have fewer traps.
 

RadicalDude

Social Justice Warlord
Rhino squadrons who are designated as the tanker squadrons typically have 12 jets and slightly more pilots than your typical 10 jet Charlie squadron. On the boat it seems that they typically have a few of them configured specifically for tanker ops at all times. For example in the fall when we get the E we won't be receiving ARS pods with them and will not be a tanker squadron, so we will still have fewer sorties on the airplan and pilots will have fewer traps.
ehh... it's airwing dependent. all rhino squadrons have 12 jets. in our airwing we all share tanker duties. each day we have a tanker king squadron who is the overall tanker coordinator. all the rhino squadrons shared mission, pri, secondary, and ttlr.
 

armada1651

Hey intern, get me a Campari!
pilot
A trap is still a trap, yes?

Serious question: Do the IFR mission requirements net a few more sorties per day for the Rhino bubbas, or just "less of the rest". I'm harkening back to the days when A-6 squadrons had 4 extra aircraft (KA-6Ds) for the mission and (I assume), extra crews over and above the normal aircrew seat factor. But maybe the A-7 guys just sucked it up out of hide?

Through workups at least, in our airwing the Rhino squadrons have typically flown significantly more sorties day to day as a result of tanking requirements. So we still fly essentially the same amount of "other stuff" with tanking thrown in on top.

And for those who haven't done it, tanking really isn't a bad deal - it's often a good way to get some hours and a trap with a lot less stress and planning and briefing than a typical flight.
 

pilot_man

Ex-Rhino driver
pilot
ehh... it's airwing dependent. all rhino squadrons have 12 jets. in our airwing we all share tanker duties. each day we have a tanker king squadron who is the overall tanker coordinator. all the rhino squadrons shared mission, pri, secondary, and ttlr.

Not all Rhino squadrons have 12 jets. Those that tank do and since you are the tanking squadrons in your airwing, you have 12. Most airwings have 2 Rhino squadrons so they both are tanking squadrons but there are airwings out there that have more than 2. 2 of them are built for tanking and the others are not, but they can all do it.

Armada 1651 nailed it. It's nice to have 2 flights a day, one a training mission where you're bending the jet and one where you can just relax and give gas away.

To the OP: If dropping bombs or shooting missiles seems cool to you, go Rhino or Charlie. If jamming shit does, then go Growler (they shoot missiles too). The Charlie is a beast but doesn't have all the toys. Sometimes the toys are really nice to have.
 

RadicalDude

Social Justice Warlord
Not all Rhino squadrons have 12 jets. Those that tank do and since you are the tanking squadrons in your airwing, you have 12. Most airwings have 2 Rhino squadrons so they both are tanking squadrons but there are airwings out there that have more than 2. 2 of them are built for tanking and the others are not, but they can all do it.

Armada 1651 nailed it. It's nice to have 2 flights a day, one a training mission where you're bending the jet and one where you can just relax and give gas away.

To the OP: If dropping bombs or shooting missiles seems cool to you, go Rhino or Charlie. If jamming shit does, then go Growler (they shoot missiles too). The Charlie is a beast but doesn't have all the toys. Sometimes the toys are really nice to have.

we have more than two rhino squadrons in my airwing and they all tank, so YMMV.
 

Recovering LSO

Suck Less
pilot
Contributor
Snapshot from TWC of NUW and NLC as of 10 minutes ago:

Screen Shot 2013-07-04 at 8.45.13 AM.png= EA-18GScreen Shot 2013-07-04 at 8.46.25 AM.png = F/A=18 E/F

Seems pretty straight forward to me :)
 

Renegade One

Well-Known Member
None
I'm tempted to say "follow the money"…either base should have the needed MILCON upgrades (hangars, sim buildings, AIMD stuff, more...); added Security requirements (secure areas access, mission spaces, personnel, etc.) at least down on paper by now, if not actually on a budget line-item. AICUZ and Environmental Impact Studies?

The F-35C can't just "show up" anywhere...
 
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