Blue Angels will be relinquishing their Legacy Hornets for Super Hornets in the not so distant future according to DoD contract announcement.
Well, it's actually happening. The Navy's Flight Demonstration Team, better known as the Blue Angels, is set to be fully equipped with Super Hornets by the end of 2021. The news was released with little fanfare via the daily contract announcements posted on the DoD's website, but it is very exciting news for the team and its huge global fanbase.
The contract includes the procurement of 11 kits that are based on a recent engineering study that will allow 9 F/A-18Es and 2 F/A-18Fs to be modified to suit the team's unique needs. This includes the removal of certain items, such as the jet's nose-mounted M61A2 cannon, and the installation of others, including air show smoke systems that help onlookers trace the team's path through the sky. Other modifications include a heavy spring in the control column that provides constant forward force. This helps the Blue Angel pilots pull off their especially tight formation aerobatics. There are some avionics modifications as well and, of course, the iconic blue and gold paint job.
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Update #1: U.S. Navy Blue Angels to Get Super Hornets By The End of 2021 (Aviationist)
Update #2: The Blue Angels Are Getting 'New' Jets (Popular Mechanics)
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