Aerospace major Boeing has tried again to woo the Indian Navy with its carrer-borne fighter -- F/A-18 Super Hornet -- by performing a "ski jump" ramp, demonstrating the aircraft`s suitability for Indias aircraft carriers.
The demonstrations, held at US Naval Air Station Patuxent River in Maryland, showed that the Super Hornet would do well with the Indian Navy`s Short Takeoff but Arrested Recovery (STOBAR), said Boeing.
"The first successful and safe launch of the F/A-18 Super Hornet from a ski-jump begins the validation process to operate effectively from Indian Navy aircraft carriers," said Ankur Kanaglekar, Head India Fighters Sales, Boeing Defense, Space and Security.
"The `F/A-18 Block III Super Hornet` will not only provide superior war fighting capability to the Indian Navy but also create opportunities for cooperation in naval aviation between the United States and India. The `F/A-18 Block III Super Hornet` will offer unrivalled growth potential to the Indian Navy through single and two-seater carrier compatible variants and the ability to interface with the P-8I as a force multiplier."
According to the aeospace major, the `F/A-18 Block III Super Hornet` will offer the Indian Navy value in the form of advanced warfighter technologies at a low acquisition cost and affordable cost per flight hour because of its ease of maintainability design and durability.
"The Indian Navy stands to benefit from the multi-billiondollar investments made towards new technologies in the Super Hornet by the US Navy and several international customers," the aerospace major said in a statement.
"This includes advanced network technology, longer range and low-drag with conformal fuel tanks, long-range detection with `Infrared Search & Track`, enhanced situational awareness with a new `Advanced Cockpit System`, improved signature reduction and a `10,000+ hour` life."
Boeing is on schedule to deliver next-generation `Block III` capabilities to the US Navy in 2021 and by 2024, one squadron per carrier air wing will consist of `Block III Super Hornets`.