Boeing has successfully completed the upgrade and life extension of the first two F/A-18 Block III Super Hornets, delivering them to the U.S. Navy ahead of schedule. This achievement marks significant progress for the service life modification (SLM) program, with one aircraft delivered from St. Louis one month early and another from San Antonio two months early. These jets now possess the same advanced capabilities as those produced directly from Boeing’s new-build production line.
“Our success in meeting the accelerated timeline is proof our service life modification game plan is working,” stated Faye Dixon, Boeing SLM director. She highlighted the effective collaboration with the Navy and the accumulated experience from the program as key factors in this achievement.
In a concerted effort with the Navy, Boeing has refined its production processes to exceed the 15-month contract requirements for the Block III upgrades. This efficiency gain stems from a solid baseline understanding of the Block II F/A-18s’ condition, the Navy’s preparatory work on the jets, and the sharing of information and best practices across various SLM sites. These strategies have enhanced productivity, managed workload distribution, and optimized resource allocation.
“Great measures were taken by the Boeing and Navy teams to ensure these are the safest and most capable Block III F/A-18s we can give our warfighters,” said Mark Sears, Boeing Fighters vice president. He emphasized the importance of precision and reliability in the deliveries, which are expected to continue for approximately 15 more years.
The Block III upgrades include significant enhancements such as a large area display, more powerful computing capabilities through Tactical Targeting Network Technology, and a Distributed Targeting Processor-Networked open mission systems processor. The upgrade work is being conducted at Boeing facilities in St. Louis and San Antonio, as well as at the Navy’s Fleet Readiness Center Southwest in San Diego.
A notable development in March was the signing of a Public-Private Partnership agreement between Boeing and the Fleet Readiness Center Southwest. This agreement has expanded the scope of work at the Navy command, enabling it to undertake the same Block III SLM tasks as the other two Boeing sites.
“These first deliveries of Block III SLM jets are a major milestone in our continued efforts to ensure capability, reliability, availability, and maintainability of the Super Hornet aircraft,” commented Capt. Michael Burks, program manager for the F/A-18 and EA-18G Program Office. He expressed optimism about the ongoing partnership with Boeing to deliver this critical warfighting capability to the fleet.