JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Blue Angels will soon have a new aircraft joining its lineup, one that was modified right here in Jacksonville.
Boeing has delivered its first Super Hornet aircraft to the U.S. Navy’s Blue Angels for testing at the Naval Air Station Patuxent River in Maryland. Boeing has a facility at Cecil Field in Jacksonville and converts F/A-18 Hornet and Super Hornet aircraft into Blue Angels there.
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The Super Hornet aircraft is essentially a larger version of the F/A-18 Hornet that the Blue Angels fly in. According to a news release, Boeing intends to modify and deliver 11 new aircraft to the Blue Angels in 2020.
The Blue Angels were active recently in the area with the ‘America Strong’ salute to honor healthcare workers and first responders on May 8.
“The Super Hornet is an iconic representation of excellence in naval aviation,” ret. Admiral Pat Walsh, vice president of U.S. Navy & Marine Corps Services for Boeing, said in a release. “As Boeing continues to support the operational fleet of Navy Super Hornets, we are excited to see this platform enter a critical phase of its journey to joining the team.”
The Super Hornet is the fourth line of Boeing aircraft that the Blue Angels have used. It began with the F-4J Phantom II in 1969 and then transitioned to the A-4F Skyhawk. The F/A-18A-D jet is the aircraft currently used by the flight demonstration squadron.
Among the significant modifications required to turn a regular jet into the iconic Blue Angel “include the addition of an oil tank for the smoke-generation system, fuel systems that enable the aircraft to fly inverted for extended periods of time, civilian-compatible navigation equipment, cameras and adjustments for the aircraft’s center of gravity,” according to Boeing.
The company has modified aircraft for the Blue Angels since 2008.