The Spanish Air Drive has welcomed the primary batch of eight F404 engines on the fifteenth Wing’s Zaragoza Air Base. These engines, supposed for his or her F-18 fighter fleet, had been acquired second-hand from the USA. They’re half of a bigger batch of 20 engines sourced from the 309th Aerospace Upkeep and Regeneration Group [AMARG] at Davis-Monthan AFB in Tucson, Arizona.
In October 2023, personnel from the Motorized Propeller Division [Semot] of the Logistics Assist Command [Malog], together with members of the fifteenth and forty sixth Wings, carried out an inspection of those pre-selected engines. The thorough examination included a borescope inspection and an in depth evaluation of their documentation.
Following this inspection, the Air Drive initiated the acquisition course of for these 20 engines, guaranteeing the continued upkeep of their F-18 fleet. An Aerospace Drive report highlights that personnel from Malog [Semot], fifteenth Wing, twelfth Wing, and forty sixth Wing will convene on the fifteenth Wing amenities shortly. They may decide the inspection and testing procedures for one engine, which can function a normal for subsequent inspections for all of the wings working the F-18 fighters.
F-18 by 2035
Up to now yr, the Ministry of Protection has initiated as much as three provide contracts for the F-18 fighter jet, totaling €90 million, geared toward extending its operational life till 2035. Simply final week, the Council of Ministers authorised the newest contract, valued at €40 million, for the acquisition of varied elements by means of the US FMS program. This contract ensures all of the logistical parts crucial for sustaining these plane, securing their operational functionality till 2035.
Spanish F-18s
The Spanish F/A-18 Hornet is a extremely adaptable multirole fighter jet that primarily serves the Spanish Navy, drawing its design from the Boeing F/A-18 Hornet. It’s bought energy to spare with two Normal Electrical F404-GE-402 turbofan engines, every pushing out round 18,000 kilos of thrust.
With a hefty most takeoff weight of fifty,000 kilos [22,680 kg] and the power to hit speeds of as much as Mach 1.8, this plane is not any slouch. Its avionics suite, headlined by the Northrop Grumman APG-73 radar, ensures it’s as much as the duty for each air-to-air and air-to-ground missions. Plus, with an operational vary of about 1,250 nautical miles [2,320 km] with out refueling, it might probably actually cowl some floor.
Relating to armament, the Spanish F/A-18 can pack a punch with its 9 hardpoints, carrying every part from AIM-7 Sparrow and AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles to GBU-12 Paveway II laser-guided bombs. It additionally has the AN/ALQ-165 digital countermeasures system to assist it keep secure in hostile territories.
Tailor-made for service operations, this jet has a wingspan of roughly 37.5 toes [11.4 m] and an general size of 56.5 toes [17.3 m], making it completely fitted to use on plane carriers and amphibious assault ships. All in all, the Spanish F/A-18 Hornet continues to be a significant a part of Spain’s naval aviation power, melding velocity, maneuverability, and cutting-edge know-how.
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