Vlado -

Realize that the Navy has some kind requirement for FAC(A) aircraft to be
2-seaters. With the Tomcat leaving, I'm guessing they must have the F model
to be able to continue to fulfill this role. I worked with a number of F-14
FACs and F-18F FACs over in Iraq last year, and they were some of the best
I've seen ever (Marines and A-10s included).

Also, realize that the 2 seats in the Tomcat were needed because of the lack
of automation with the AWG-9 radar -- for the intercept role, you needed
that RIO back there to work the gadget. The 2 seats in the F-18F are there
for a different reason -- it is a striker, and like the F-15E the Super Bug
is able to employ a wider range of air-to-ground ordnance more precisely
with that 'FO back there guiding it in.

I don't agree with the other poster's assertion that "High alpha pitch up is
not a wise manuver in ACM." I'm not sure what kind of "Air Combat
Maneuvering" that poster has ever done, but in the stuff I've done the
ability to point your nose and/or completely stop your forward movement over
the ground is *very* valuable. In a single circle BFM fight, that is
*exactly* the type of aircraft performance I'd like. Same thing goes for if
I'm in a defensive engagement...the ability to slow down quick and remain
flying is pretty convenient when you want to set up a flight path overshoot
and the hopeful follow-on reversal. People downplayed the ol' Flanker's
"Cobra Maneuver" a decade ago not because it didn't have tactical
application, but because it wasn't executable in a "real" flanker without
the radar removed, etc. You can talk until you're blue in the face about
"his wingman will pop you when you get too slow" -- and there is absolutely
something to be said about that -- but to say that there is no tactical
application, or that it's not wise, is not correct.

"MLenoch" wrote in message
...
I hadn't realized that the F/A-18F is currently replacing the the F-14 in
fleet
service. Why does the two seater need to replace the F-14? Cannot the
single
seat F/A-18E do the same role?

Since the F/A-18F is replacing the F-14, we will be seeing the Hornet at
local
airshows instead of the Tomcat for the Navy flight demonstrations. Having
seen
the Hornet just this past weekend, the aircraft was flown in the demo with
both
seats occupied. I couldn't help but comment about how strong a stomach
the
back seater must have. The F/A-18F has a much more robust flight display
than
the F-14; the aircraft seemed more agile in the slow speed regime than the
Tomcat. Two maneuvers stood out: the high alpha pitch up, where it
suddenly
stopped with the shredding air being easily heard during the pitch up.
Secondly, during a high alpha - slow speed climb out, the Hornet seemed to
do a
rudder roll, which almost looked like a light aircraft snap roll. Some
recent
publications described the F/A-18E & Fs as being almost departure proof.
This
lends itself to some interesting flight display maneuvering.

(More 2 cents, but no politics)
VL