The Navy Needs More Carrier Aircraft

Megan Scully had an article in Congressional Daily about the Super Hornet shortage in the Navy, and it would appear all those forward deployments supporting the war has caught up with the Navy.

The Navy has uncovered problems with plans to extend the life of its F/A-18 Hornets that could exacerbate efforts to mitigate a shortage of strike fighter aircraft that is expected to vex the service until 2025. Preliminary results from a continuing Navy review have found that keeping the A- through D-model Hornets flying longer will "require additional inspections, modifications and a longer time out of service," a Navy spokesman said Thursday. To minimize the size of the shortfall, the Navy has hoped to eke 10,000 flight hours out of each of its Hornets instead of the 8,000 hours under an earlier plan.

Senior Navy officials have said the strike fighter shortfall will peak in 2017 at 69 aircraft and continue, in smaller numbers, until the service completes procurement of Lockheed Martin's F-35C Joint Strike Fighters in 2025. But those figures were based on getting 10,000 flight hours out of the Hornets and also keeping the JSF program on schedule.

The article goes on to note that the Hornets were originally planned to fly 6,000 flight hours, before they were extended to 8,000 hours in 2006. The Navy has 636 Hornets, half of which have flown more than 6,000 hours. The article also cites a CRS report dated May 27th which states the shortage "could lead to a reduction in the number of strike-fighter squadrons available for service, a reduction in the number of strike fighters in each squadron, or both."

What is interesting about this report from our point of view is that Megan is citing the Navy as a source, but over at Defense Tech, the Air Force is complaining that Boeing is spreading lies about the Joint Strike Fighter to sell more F-18s. Steve Trimble cites U.S. Air Force Lt Gen Charles Davis in accusing Boeing of "spreading lies and half-truths" about the F-35 to bolster its case for selling the F/A-18E/F. Steve is reporting from the Farnborough air show, so it could be that the General doesn't realize the issue is bigger than Boeing.

The Navy is making a conscious decision not to rush the production of the Joint Strike Fighter, which is the right decision in our opinion, because one thing that is absolutely true in defense procurement... you pay more for speed.

Instead of paying for speed, Boeing is offering a discount.

To address the shortfall, Boeing has pushed for a third multiyear contract for newer F/A-18E/F Super Hornets to begin in FY10 and last through FY13. A multiyear agreement, Boeing officials have said, would allow the Navy to sign a long-term contract for a fixed price, providing stability for Boeing and reduced prices for the Navy. The Navy already plans to buy 89 Super Hornets through the traditional procurement process after the current multiyear contract expires. But Boeing has given the Navy an unsolicited offer for 170 aircraft at $49.9 million apiece, which the company estimates is a 7 percent to 10 percent discount per aircraft.

We have a few questions. A large number of A-D models of the Hornet have already been replaced with the E and F model, in fact as best we can tell, at least half of the A-D models deploying with air wings are Marine, not Navy. Is the Navy replacing the Marine Hornet models too or just the Navy models?

Below is our last recorded listing of Carrier Air Wing assignments.

CVW-1 Enterprise (CVN-65)

VFA-211 “Fighting Checkmates” (12 F/A-18F)
VMFA-251 “Thunderbolts” (12 F/A-18C)
VFA-86 “Sidewinders” (10 F/A-18C)
VFA-136 “Knighthawks”(10 F/A-18E)
VAW-123 “Screwtops” (4 E-2C)
VAQ-137 “Rooks” (4 EA-6B)
VRC-40 (Det. 2) “Rawhides” (2 C- 2A)
HS-11 “Dragonslayers” (2 HH-60H / 4 SH-60F)

CVW-2 Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72)

VFA-2 “Bounty Hunters” (12 F/A-18F)
VFA-151 “Vigilantes” (12 F/A-18C)
VFA-137 “Kestrels” (12 F/A-18E)
VFA-34 “Blue Blasters” (12 F/A-18C)
VAW-116 “Sun Kings” (4 E-2C)
VAQ-131 “Lancers” (4 EA-6B)
VRC-30 (Det. 2) “Providers” (4 C-2A)
HS-2 “Golden Falcons” (4 SH-60F /2 HH-60H)
HSL-47 (Det. 4) “Saberhawks” (2 SH-60B)

CVW-3 Harry S. Truman (CVN-75)

VFA-32 “Swordsmen” (12 F/A-18F)
VFA-37 “Bulls” (11 F/A-18C)
VFA-11 “Red Rippers” (12 F/A-18F)
VFA-105 “Gunslingers” (12 F/A-18E)
VAW-126 “Seahawks” (4 E-2C)
VAQ-130 “Zappers” (4 EA-6B)
VRC-40 (Det. 5) “Rawhides” (4 C-2A)
HS-7 “Dusty Dogs” (3 HH-60F / 3 SH-60F)

CVW-5 Kitty Hawk (CV-63)

VFA-102 “Diamondbacks” (12 F/A-18F)
VFA-192 “Golden Dragons” (12 F/A-18C)
VFA-195 “Dam Busters” (12 F/A-18C)
VFA-27 “Royal Maces” (12 F/A-18E)
VAW-115 “Liberty Bells” (4 E-2C)
VAQ-136 “Gauntlets” (4 EA-6B)
VRC-30 (Det. 5) “Providers” (4 C-2A)
HS-14 “Chargers” (2 HH-60F/ 4 SH-60F)

CVW-7 Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69)
VFA-143 “Pukin’ Dogs” (12 F/A-18E)
VFA-103 “Jolly Rogers” (12 F/A-18F)
VFA-131 “Wildcats” (10 F/A-18C)
VFA-83 “Rampagers” (10 F/A-18C)
VAW-125 “Tigertails” (4 E-2C)
VAQ-140 “Patriots” (4 EA-6B)
VRC-40 (Det. 3) “Rawhides” (4 C-2A)
HS-5 “Night Dippers” (2 HH-60F / 4 SH-60F)

CVW-8 Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71)

VFA-213 “Black Lions” (12 F/A-18F)
VFA-31 “Tomcatters” (12 F/A-18E)
VFA-15 “Valions” (12 F/A-18C)
VFA-87 “Golden Warriors” (10 F/A-18A)
VAW-124 “Bear Aces” (4 E-2C)
VAQ-141 “Shadowhawks” (4 EA-6B)
VRC-40 (Det. 1) “Rawhides” (4 C-2A)
HS-3 “Tridents” (2 HH-60F / 4 SH-60F)

CVW-9 John C. Stennis (CVN-74)

VFA-154 “Black Knights” (12 F/A-18F)
VFA-146 “Blue Diamonds” (12 F/A-18C)
VFA-147 “Argonauts” (12 F/A-18E)
VMFA-323 “Death Rattlers” (12 F/A-18C)
VAW-112 “Golden Hawks” (4 E-2C)
VAQ-138 “Yellow Jackets” (4 EA-6B)
HS-8 “Eightballers” (2 HH-60F / 4 SH-60F)

CVW-11 Nimitz (CVN-68)

VFA-41 “Black Aces” (12 F/A-18F)
VFA-14 “Tophatters” (12 F/A-18E)
VFA-81 “Sunliners” (12 F/A-18C)
VMFA-323 “Red Devils” (12 F/A-18A)
VAW-117 “Wallbangers” (4 E-2C)
VAQ-135 “Black Ravens” (4 EA-6B)
VRC-30 (Det. 3) “Providers” (4 C-2A)
HS-6 “Indians” (2 HH-60F / 4 SH-60F)

CVW-14 Ronald Reagan (CVN-76)

VFA-113 “Stingers” (12 F/A-18C)
VFA-25 “Fist of the Fleet” (12 F/A-18C)
VFA-115 “Eagles” (12 F/A-18E)
VFA-22 “Fight Redcocks” (12 F/A-18F)
VAW-113 “Black Eagles” (4 E-2C)
VAQ-139 “Cougars” (4 EA-6B)
VRC-30 (Det. 1) “Providers” (4 C-2A)
HS-4 “Black Knights” (2 HH-60F / 4 SH-60F)

CVW-17 George Washington (CVN-73)

VFA-81 “Sunliners” (12 F/A-18E)
VFA-103 “Jolly Rogers” (12 F/A-18F)
VFA-131 “Wildcats” (10 F/A-18C)
VFA-83 “Rampagers” (10 F/A-18C)
VAQ-121 “Bluetails” (4 E-2C)
VS-22 “Checkmates” (8 S-3B)
VAQ-132 “Scorpions” (4 EA-6B)
VRC-40 (Det. 1) “Rawhides” (4 C-2A)
HS-15 “RedLions” (2 HH-60F / 4 SH-60F)

The George Washington and Kitty Hawk have not switched air wings yet, but that is one upcoming change. Note how many old Hornets the fleet is still flying. The USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63), USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), and Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) are all at sea right now on deployment, and just between those three carriers there are 72 old Hornets logging flight hours.

While the Air Force can get upset at Boeing all day long, the problem remains, how does the Navy transition to the Joint Strike Fighter and maintain the aircraft necessary to field a full air wing? Congress is going to take up the issue of the "navy fighter gap" in FY2010, and we think the choice between a purchase of discounted Super Hornets to fill the gap, instead of a rushed procurement of the Joint Strike Fighter at a higher price, is perhaps the easiest decision for purchasing aircraft Congress has been able to make in a long time, and probably will be the easiest decision looking well into the future.