Boeing conducting modifications to 2 F/A-18 SHs, to conduct test at INS Hansa next month

Source : IgMp Bureau

The Super Hornet trials were held at a US naval air station at Patuxent River in Maryland (File Photo)

Boeing has started modification of two US Navy F/A-18E Super Hornets and the two aircraft will arrive in India in the last week of May for a two-week long operational demonstration of a ski jump at the Shore Based Test Facility (SBTF) at INS Hansa Naval Air Station.

The Super Hornet demonstration comes weeks after two French Navy Rafale-M fighter jets conducted a ski jump capability demonstration at INS Hansa which is a mandatory step in the Indian navy's hunt for 57 Multi-Role Carrier Borne Fighters.

The F/A-18s will be flying with two dummy harpoon missiles which will be an attempt to show that the Rafale-M has the ability to deploy only one comparable Exocet anti-ship missile on its centerline hardpoint, while Boeing F/A-18 can deploy two of the same class Harpoon anti-ship missiles on its hardpoints.

Indian Navy has been looking for a Naval Multirole Fighter of F/A-18 Super Hornet and Rafale-M class to replace troublesome Russian Mig-29K Deck Based Fighters.

Alongside, 57 Carrier Borne Multi-Role Fighters, the Indian Navy will also get an indigenous Twin Engine Deck Based Fighter (TEDBF) under development by ADA, DRDO, and HAL for future Carrier-based Fighter operations.