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Quote:

The Super Hornet is overrated, simple

How so Hudge?

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Elite 1K Joined: Jul 26, 2005 Posts: 1455 Status: Offline

Spartan-120 wrote:

Yes, the F414 Enhanced Durability Engine will be joining the fleet with the Block 3 Super Hornet sometime around 2009. This will increase installed thrust from 44,000 pounds to 55,000 pounds. Not a bad trick, squeezing F110 power out of an F404-sized engine. Super Hornet pilots I've spoken to at airshows insist that they have no fear of any fighter in the world WVR, except maybe the Raptor. The Block 3 Rhino will be a whole new headache in close. That's a BIG Ps increase.

I don`t think it is quite as clear cut as that. GE are quoting "up to a 20% thrust increase OR three times the life cycle at current thrust levels"...

Through application of advanced 3D-aero airfoil designs, low-loss structural frames, and the latest hot-section materials and cooling concepts, the F414 EDE offers up to 20% thrust increase over today's F414-400 engine, or up to three times the life of today`'s hot section at current thrust levels.
http://www.geae.com/aboutgeae/presscent ... 61212.html

If current thrust is at 44,000lbs, that increase would be 8,800lbs. It is basically, a brand new core. Now, ask yourself what the Navy will do with it? Go balls out for the extra thrust or find a balance between maintenance costs/durability and extra grunt?

My guess is somewhere in between so the thrust increase may not be that gargantuan. Either way this is needed and flags a known deficiency with todays Super`.

PhillyGuy wrote:

SixerViper wrote:

I don't see anything the Navy has beating the Viper or the Raptor in a one-on-one fight.

Nothing anyone has can beat the Raptor one on one but the Rhino Block II+ should be more than a match for anything else the US has. Technology wise the Block 30/50 don't match up to it.

If your referring the famous F-18E snapshot on an F-22 then your wrong. It wasnt considered a valid shot I heard and the pilot was rekless for breaking the bubble.
The only F-22 raptor kill I have ever heard was by an F-16 wich spawned back into the fight at the rapotrs 6 during a red flag exercise. The raptors were heavily outnumbered and there was not much they could do if they opponents materialized out of hyperspace just behind them.

F-16.net Editor Joined: Sep 23, 2003 Posts: 2862

quote="Spartan-120"[quote="sferrin]Are there any plans to upgrade the engine and would it do much good if they did? I've read several times of "plans" to get the 414 up to 26,500lbs thrust but nothing definitive./quote

Yes, the F414 Enhanced Durability Engine will be joining the fleet with the Block 3 Super Hornet sometime around 2009. This will increase installed thrust from 44,000 pounds to 55,000 pounds. Not a bad trick, squeezing F110 power out of an F404-sized engine. Super Hornet pilots I've spoken to at airshows insist that they have no fear of any fighter in the world WVR, except maybe the Raptor. The Block 3 Rhino will be a whole new headache in close. That's a BIG Ps increase.

The engines may do that on a test stand but each Super engine when installed puts out about 20k.

The uprated GE is still unfunded. GE has stated already that they can increase reliability of the engine or thrust, but not both.

Pilotasso wrote:

If your referring the famous F-18E snapshot on an F-22 then your wrong.

You misunderstood my post, I am aware that the Hornet "kill" was BS, unrealistic parameters, TR violations, not a confirmed kill, out of position/energy etc… That's why I stated that "nothing anyone has can beat the Raptor one on one". What I was trying to say is that the Block II+ supers should be more than a match for any other (besides F-22) Western fighter, let alone a standard block Viper.

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