F/A-18 Super Hornet

[Gun Grape]

Yes.

Marines are trained Naval Aviators.
Marine Squadrons are in the CVW rotation.

[DonBelt]

Going back to the earlier posts about about surging carriers, are all Marine pilots carrier qualified?

[Steven Jaime]

I'm still catching up on the pages of conversation, since I've been out of town for a bit. But from the AWACS perspective, having controlled both aircraft types against each other several times, the F-15C holds the advantage but the Super Hornet is good enough to take the advantage if the Eagle driver (or the AWACS controller) screws up the slightest thing.

Edit: Well, the past 5 pages were interesting. lol

:hug:

[Jimmy]

Ahh, so how was it like fighting the C/D Hornets while flying the F-15C?

I'm still catching up on the pages of conversation, since I've been out of town for a bit. But from the AWACS perspective, having controlled both aircraft types against each other several times, the F-15C holds the advantage but the Super Hornet is good enough to take the advantage if the Eagle driver (or the AWACS controller) screws up the slightest thing.

Edit: Well, the past 5 pages were interesting. lol

[JA Boomer]

There are currently 10-11 carrier air wings plus USMC squadrons so yes the US could surge 3-5 carriers at theoretical max air frame capacity.

There are currently 10 carrier air wings. With the retirement of the USS Enterprise there are currently 10 carriers. But as at least one carrier is always in the refueling and complex overhaul phase, at least one carrier air wing will always be unassigned to a carrier. There's also the USMC hornet squadrons not assigned to other carrier air wings you mentioned, and a naval reserve wing now called the tactical support wing with two more hornet squadrons attached. So there is surge capability available, the logistic of making it happen are unaware to me.

[zraver]

Gunny, Stitch,

My question was if the situation arrives and there is a need for let's say 3 decks with 75 planes (not all, but not a single one), are there spare frames to fit them and in what time frame.

I think I have the picture. Thank you both.

There are currently 10-11 carrier air wings plus USMC squadrons so yes the US could surge 3-5 carriers at theoretical max air frame capacity.

[Doktor]

Gunny, Stitch,

My question was if the situation arrives and there is a need for let's say 3 decks with 75 planes (not all, but not a single one), are there spare frames to fit them and in what time frame.

I think I have the picture. Thank you both.

[Stitch]

But that was made available with less jobs for the crew - peace time and no imminent threat from a big adversary around.

If there is a need for increase to let's say 75 planes, what's the estimated time to board them? Altogether with the needed logistical reqs of course.

They could always board while the ship is underway, too; it's not necessary to have all of the aircraft on-board when the ship leaves port (in fact, they rarely DO have all of their A/C on board when they leave port; there's always one or two squadrons that catch up to the ship while it's at sea) .

[Gun Grape]

But that was made available with less jobs for the crew - peace time and no imminent threat from a big adversary around.

If there is a need for increase to let's say 75 planes, what's the estimated time to board them? Altogether with the needed logistical reqs of course.

Are you talking all ships or the ability to drop 75 planes on deck for a deployment?

For short duration, there is the "Spare" Carrier Air wing from the ships that are in the yard. There is also all the Marine F-18 squadrons that are not in the Carrier rotation that could be pulled.

Not sure if the Navy has the air frames to outfit all the carriers with that number of planes at once.

A carrier with 40-50 F-18s has more combat capability than 2-3 of the old carrier air groups.

As far as logistics is concerned. The bomb magazines still carry the same amount as when they embarked 90 planes. Same with fuel. Logistics will be easier because all the aircraft use the same(for the most part) spares.

[Gun Grape]

Chogy hit the nail dead on the head. The Navy did flight deck studies in the late 80s and early 90s. They showed that a Nimitz Class ship with 48-50 Fixed wing planes could generate more sorties than one with a full deck.

Dropping down from 12 plane squadrons to 10 plane squadrons was/is an effort to save airframe hours. It may be a while before the 35C comes on board so they need to make the Shornets last.

[Doktor]

But that was made available with less jobs for the crew - peace time and no imminent threat from a big adversary around.

If there is a need for increase to let's say 75 planes, what's the estimated time to board them? Altogether with the needed logistical reqs of course.

[Albany Rifles]

What Chogy said....and reduces your logistics tail.

[Chogy]

In my zoomie head, (code for I know zilch about carrier ops) - I'd think that fewer aircraft overall would exponentially improve/expedite operations. Space is always a premium. With fast-paced operations ongoing, movement and placement of aircraft in the various queues (maintenance, arm/disarm, fuel) is greatly simplified with a less-crowded ship.

[TopHatter]

If I read you guys correct, the room for more planes is still there, only the need for them is not around

Both the need and the money.

However, if there is a need, more planes can/will be stationed, right?

Theoretically yes, the real estate is there.

[Doktor]

TH, Gunny,

If I read you guys correct, the room for more planes is still there, only the need for them is not around, hence the number of deployed aircraft is lower only due to the current requirements and spoiling the guys in the logistics.

However, if there is a need, more planes can/will be stationed, right?