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The Great Growler Gallery

I've seen the SH conformal tanks at the Boeing plant in St Louis (they weren't installed). One of the export market nations is buying them.
 
It was over a year ago that AW&ST featured Boeing's Super Hornet+ features. As I remember, that featured ~ 3,000lbs of additional internal fuel in the conformal tanks, uprated GE F-414 engines w/ ~ 25,000lbs thrust per side and 15% greater combat radius. As I think you suggested earlier, if the US Navy can get some foreign air forces to bite first on these improvements, I hope the USN will buy this a/c and update existing ones as feasible. Certainly, the Super Hornet is going to be around for another decade or so - at least.
 
Don't hold your breath. JSF is the focus and I can't see the bean counters expending that kind of cash to upgrade what they view as a legacy platform. If the Navy didn't buy all that stuff at the outset during a time when money to DoD was freely flowing, they're certainly not going to go there now.

Edit: Hey BzB, don't shoot the messenger. Like it or not, that's just the way it is.
 
Not sure if this has been asked, do the Growlers have the gold in the canopy?

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130107-N-ZV190-029 MISAWA AIR FACILITY MISAWA, Japan (Jan. 7, 2013) Aviation Machinist's Mate 3rd Class David McMillian, left, utilizes a static block to discharge the static buildup on a EA-18G Growler's canopy, while Aviation Electrician's Mate Airman Michael Combs signals to the aircrew. Both Sailors are assigned to Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 132 which is currently deployed in northern Japan at Naval Air Facility Misawa in support of the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Alfredo Rosado/Released)


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130107-N-ZV190-006 MISAWA AIR FACILITY MISAWA, Japan (Jan. 7, 2013) An EA-18G Growler from Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 132 returns from a mission and taxis on the Naval Air Facility Misawa flight line. VAQ-132 is deployed to northern Japan supporting U.S. 7th Fleet. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Alfredo Rosado/Released)
 
Since I'm obviously from the big non-folding wing Navy, I have a softball question for you go fast pointy nose drivers and riders out there... Why fold the wings if they are at a base vice ship?
 
Because everyone knows it's poor manners to RTB with your S-foils locked in attack position...

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EM1toNFO said:
Since I'm obviously from the big non-folding wing Navy, I have a softball question for you go fast pointy nose drivers and riders out there... Why fold the wings if they are at a base vice ship?
Click to expand...

At least in the Oceana pits (can't speak for elsewhere), Rhinos fold their wings when they go through (think it has to do with wingtip clearance between jets). The rest of us fold them ashore sometimes just to exercise the system prior to going to the boat.
 
Pilot_Man and subsequent posters nailed it. The area we're parking here is pretty small, so in order to put all the birds on the line we're folding the wings.
 
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