Aging Aircraft: Cracks in USA’s F/A-18 fleet

F/A-18C to Afghanistan

In October 2008 a fleet-wide inspection program and limited grounding became necessary after aileron hinge cracks are discovered in some of the US Navy’s 630 or so F/A-18 A-D Hornet fighters. Discovery of new cracks in March 2010 led to a much wider grounding.

The USA’s is watching the average age of its fighter fleet rise, and will continue to do so even if all F-22s and F-35s envisioned in current Pentagon plans are purchased. The long saga of the USA’s F-15A-D fleet culminated in early retirement for a number of its aircraft. The A-10C re-winging program acquired added urgency with the revelation that wing cracks had been found in active aircraft. Now the US Navy’s long-serving F/A-18A-D Hornet fleet can be added to the list.

Rapid Fire 2011-09-06: Debt Super Committee Takes Off

• The Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction (aka Supercommittee – will it fly?) will have its first organization meeting on Thursday September 8. This will no doubt lead to a string of announcements from interested parties throughout the week. Bloomberg says lobbyists employed by primes have their work cut out for them.

• Member of US House Armed Services Committee Susan Davis (D-CA) tells the San Diego Union-Tribune she sees a need for more cybersecurity, drones, and special forces. LCS and carriers: yes (well, this is San Diego); JSF: maybe we don’t need the numbers that were initially projected. In an interview with Bloomberg Government, the chiefs of the House and Senate Armed Services committees similarly come out in support of an outward-looking role for the US in the world that would translate into continued funding support for projection forces.

• John Tierney (D-MA) introduced a bill to create a new Inspector General to supervise contingency contracting, in line with recommendations in the final report of the Commission on Wartime Contracting, reports The Hill.

K-MAX Unmanned Cargo Lifting Helo Makes Early Inroads

Loaded to the K-MAX

With its 5,145 lb empty weight (2.3 metric tons), the K-MAX UAS cannot quite convey the same sense of graceful lightness as its Hummingbird Boeing competitor, coming at slightly less than half the weight.

Belonging to a different weight class shifts the Lockheed Martin/Kaman helo to a different mission focus, with a clear emphasis on battlefield cargo resupply. K-MAX has a useful load of 6,855 lb (3.1 tons) vs. 2,500 pounds for the Hummingbird. Up to 6,000 lb (at sea level) can be attached to the cargo hook which is attached to a curved trolley system. Payload at 10,000 ft is still rated above 5,000 lb.