Boeing to showcase its advanced Super Hornet fighter

Bangalore, Feb 7 (PTI) US Defence major Boeing willunveil an advanced version of its F/A-18 Super Hornet fighteraircraft here at the biennial Aero India show startingThursday.

"We are going to display a mock up of the SuperHornet international roadmap aircraft at the air show,� BoeingDefence, Space and Security India head Vivek Lall told PTIhere.

The International Super Hornet Roadmap featuresfuturistic enhancements made in the aircraft for internationalcustomers and would also allow them to specify theirrequirements to be equipped in their fighters.

The Super Hornet is in the race for supplying 126Medium-Multirole Combat Aircraft (M-MRCA) to the Indian AirForce under a USD 11 billion deal expected to be signed by theend of this year.

The unveiling of the International Super HornetRoadmap aircraft at the Aero India also signifies theimportance attached to India by Boeing, Lall said.

The company has been developing the advanced aircraftfor the last two years and has plans to provide anext-generation cockpit, a more powerful engine, missile laserwarning systems, conformal fuel tanks and enclosed weaponspods.

Lall said the company has received a formal requestfrom the Defence Ministry for procuring additional four P-8Ilong-range maritime surveillance aircraft.

India had placed an order worth USD 2.1 billion forprocuring eight P-8Is from the company.

Lall said the company would be offering a derivativeof the P-8I for the medium range reconnaissance aircraftrequirements of the Indian Navy.

Boeing�s heavy-lift Chinook helicopter and attackchopper Apache 64D are also in the race for bagging IAF deals.