snickers Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 I just noticed their new Hornet paint scheme, is it an overall grey scheme? An designated F/A-18M? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
martin_sam_2000 Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 It looks like the "M" is the designation for the aircraft that went the the MLU. the following was foudn on THIS site This is what I could find, I don't think you understand Spanish so I'll try to translate them into English. The MLU was: * New Tactical Computer TPAC with a high speed multiprocessor, 6 1553 buses along the wings, 4 digital graphic channels and new asociated software. * New HUD * 2 new colour multifunction screens with high definition. * Digital tactical maps system. * MUFC multifunction screen of frontal control. * Digital colour camera video (for debriefings). * CIT, Combined Interrogator and Transponder, of INDRA. * EGI, Embed GPS and Inertial System (GPS and INS integrated) AN/ASN-172 * Filters for FM VOR/ILS inmunity * Installation of MIDS (Firstly it was "pre-installed", but it was succesfully installed in 2009) * Integration of AMRAAM, IRIS-T and Meteor. * ARC-210 Have Quick II radio with anti-jamming. * Outdoor and Indoor cockpit ilumination, compatible with night vision goggles. * IDM, improved data modem (a low capacity data-link for text message exchanging or target image sendig without breaking radio silence) Despite this MLU there were done other upgrades: * "Alertador" (in English? - Radar Warning Receiver) INDRA ALR-400 * "Dispensadores" (in English? - Counter measure dispensers - flare/chaff) AN/ALE-47 * SQ-600, a precise localization system of emissions. * ALQ-500 perturber. * Integration of Paveway III bomb * Integration of BPG-2000 bomb. * Integration of Taurus missile. * 22 "barquillas" (in English? - targetting pods) Litening II and 4 Reccelite (They will be upgraded Litening III with the IR sensor). These upgrades were done in 67 aircrafts of 91. I think the other 24 aircrafts have other minor upgrades, but I don't have information about it. Those 24 F-18 are in the Canary Islands. not sure about the new colours tho Sean Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Pep Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 Any links to pics of the new paint? Thanks Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Fiddler Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 (edited) Hi, This is the only Hornet I could find with something that looks like a monotone grey camo. The EF-18M version is not that new I thought. As I've seen allready quite a few of them. The Canary Islands Hornets are F/A-18As as they are bought afterwards from surplus US Navy stocks. So I suspect that these will be the subject here. The pic I included was from an EF-18M though Edited October 19, 2011 by Fiddler Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ALF18 Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 Hi, This is the only Hornet I could find with something that looks like a monotone grey camo. The EF-18M version is not that new I thought. As I've seen allready quite a few of them. The Canary Islands Hornets are F/A-18As as they are bought afterwards from surplus US Navy stocks. So I suspect that these will be the subject here. The pic I included was from an EF-18M though Great pic you linked to. From what I can tell, it is probably an EF-18M. It has the swept and tapered ARC 210 radio antennae (top and also behind the nose wheel), the GPS dome on top behind the radio antenna (for the Embedded GPS/INS or EGI), but I can't see the CIT (Combined Interrogator Transponder) "bird slicers" ahead of the windscreen. Nice and clean looking Hornet! ALF Quote Link to post Share on other sites
alvirus Posted October 20, 2011 Share Posted October 20, 2011 More pics at Spanish forum "Escala Española" http://www.network54.com/Forum/615009/thread/1318792186/Fotos+ALA+12.++%28EF-18M+Hornet%29 Greetings! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
snickers Posted November 15, 2011 Author Share Posted November 15, 2011 I checked on their official website www.ejercitodelaire.mde.es, checked on weapon inventory and it says they only use GBU-10/16? They do not have GBU-12 or any JDAMs? I put on 2 'winders, 2 GBU-12s, Litening pod (modified the pod from revell AV-8B by cutting the forward portion then twisting it to make the intake on the portside), and 3 tanks on my 1/144 EF-18 build. I still chose to build the A+. So If they do not use GBU-12, I might replace it with -10s or JDAMs. Follow up, any idea of their weapon loadout during Bosnia and Kosovo campaigns? Targeting pods they used? Do they only use their -18Bs exclusively for training? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Flankerman Posted November 15, 2011 Share Posted November 15, 2011 Have you noticed that some of the Spanish Hornets do not have the catapult launch bar on the nose leg ?? Apparently they were removed from the first batch of EF-18's. I spoke to a Spanish Hornet pilot at Waddington a few years back - and he told me they had problems with nosewheel shimmy because of it. The F/A-18A's purchased from ex-US Navy stocks retain the launch bar. Ken PS - IIRC, the Swiss or Finnish Hornets are the same....??? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Andre Posted November 15, 2011 Share Posted November 15, 2011 PS - IIRC, the Swiss or Finnish Hornets are the same....??? I think it was the Australians that removed the launch bar from their Hornets. Cheers, Andre Quote Link to post Share on other sites
snickers Posted November 15, 2011 Author Share Posted November 15, 2011 Have you noticed that some of the Spanish Hornets do not have the catapult launch bar on the nose leg ?? Apparently they were removed from the first batch of EF-18's. I spoke to a Spanish Hornet pilot at Waddington a few years back - and he told me they had problems with nosewheel shimmy because of it. The F/A-18A's purchased from ex-US Navy stocks retain the launch bar. Ken PS - IIRC, the Swiss or Finnish Hornets are the same....??? -Yes sir Ken, I noticed that some do not have the launch bar. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
snickers Posted November 16, 2011 Author Share Posted November 16, 2011 (edited) I just found out that during the Operation Allied Force: NATO's bombing campaign involved 1,000 aircraft operating from air bases in Italy and Germany, and the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt stationed in the Adriatic Sea. At dusk, F/A-18 Hornets of the Spanish Air Force were the first NATO planes to bomb Belgrade and perform SEAD operations. . Probably with dumb bombs or they employed LGBs? And this Torrejon-based bug with HARM during Operation Joint Endeavor! http://www.esacademic.com/pictures/eswiki/83/Spanish-F-A-18.jpg Edited November 16, 2011 by snickers Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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