Graham Warwick/ST LOUIS

McDONNELL DOUGLAS (MDC) is developing upgrades for the F-18C/D that will give the aircraft a 9G manoeuvre capability and extend combat radius by about 40%.

The upgrades are being developed with international customers in mind, but efforts are being made to interest the US Navy, says F-18 programme general manager Mike Sears.

Clearance for 9g manoeuvres is expected in the first quarter of this year. The F-18 airframe is now cleared for 7.5g, but has sufficient structural margin to be recertified for 9g, according to Ron Anderson, deputy programme manager for the F-18 new-business group.

No strengthening of the primary structure is required, although minor items, such as landing-gear up-locks, will have to be strengthened, and flight-control software modified, he says.

Switzerland is likely to be the first customer to adopt the 9g upgrade for its 34 F-18s, the first of which was flown on 20 January. Sears says that the US Navy is also interested. Recertification of the upgraded F-18E/F, now under development, for 9g is also under consideration.

Flight testing of larger, 2,300- litre, under-wing tanks is planned for the first quarter. These replace 1,250litre tanks and are suitable for land-based use only, according to Anderson. The larger tanks would increase combat radius by 35%, he says.

Replacement of the fuselage fuel-bladders with lighter, more flexible, bladders developed for the F-18E/F is also planned. Replacing the C/D's stiff nitrile bladders with thinner polyurethane bladders would improve maintainability and increase fuel capacity by up to 160kg. Combined with reduced ullage for land-based operations, this would increase range by 5%, says Anderson.

Increased chaff/flare expendables are due to be flight-tested during the first half of 1996. The F-18C/D is already equipped with four dispensers under the inlets. A further six dispensers will be installed in low-drag fairings, extending aft of the intake missile stations, he says.

Also under consideration is upgrading of the F-18C/D cockpit with the liquid-crystal-display head-up-display "upfront" control-panel, fuel panel and larger, colour, tactical-situation display developed for the F-18E/F, according to Anderson.

Source: Flight International