A real Naval Aviation question

What does the N in F/A-18C(N) mean? Is it an official USN
designation? And if so what is the difference between a C and a C(N)?
TIA.

Walt wrote in news:49iua6tknsf4jvbv3qi41kpfk4up5a45rl@
4ax.com:

What does the N in F/A-18C(N) mean? Is it an official USN
designation? And if so what is the difference between a C and a C(N)?
TIA.

I MAY be mistaken, and if so , I'm sure that I will be corrected.
But IIRC:
its a F/A-18C that has been upgraded to have night attack capabilities.


"The F/A-18C Nigh Attack Hornet has a pod-mounted Hughes AN/AAR-50 thermal
imaging navigation set, a Loral AN/AAS-38 Nite Hawk FLIR targeting pod, and
GEC Cat's Eyes pilot's night vision goggles"

On Fri, 08 Oct 2010 13:24:01 -0500, John Szalay
john.szalay.at.att.net wrote:

Walt wrote in news:49iua6tknsf4jvbv3qi41kpfk4up5a45rl@
4ax.com:

What does the N in F/A-18C(N) mean? Is it an official USN
designation? And if so what is the difference between a C and a C(N)?
TIA.

I MAY be mistaken, and if so , I'm sure that I will be corrected.
But IIRC:
its a F/A-18C that has been upgraded to have night attack capabilities.


"The F/A-18C Nigh Attack Hornet has a pod-mounted Hughes AN/AAR-50 thermal
imaging navigation set, a Loral AN/AAS-38 Nite Hawk FLIR targeting pod, and
GEC Cat's Eyes pilot's night vision goggles"


Thanks for the reply John. I knew it was some kind of upgrade, but I
was wondering if there was any new production. Also as far as I can
determine it isn't a official Navy designation.

Originally Posted by Walt[_5_]

On Fri, 08 Oct 2010 13:24:01 -0500, John Szalay
john.szalay.at.att.net wrote:

Walt wrote in news:49iua6tknsf4jvbv3qi41kpfk4up5a45rl@
4ax.com:

What does the N in F/A-18C(N) mean? Is it an official USN
designation? And if so what is the difference between a C and a C(N)?
TIA.

I MAY be mistaken, and if so , I'm sure that I will be corrected.
But IIRC:
its a F/A-18C that has been upgraded to have night attack capabilities.


"The F/A-18C Nigh Attack Hornet has a pod-mounted Hughes AN/AAR-50 thermal
imaging navigation set, a Loral AN/AAS-38 Nite Hawk FLIR targeting pod, and
GEC Cat's Eyes pilot's night vision goggles"


Thanks for the reply John. I knew it was some kind of upgrade, but I
was wondering if there was any new production. Also as far as I can
determine it isn't a official Navy designation.

I thought it was the designation that the Navy put on thier "aggressor" aircraft in combat training school

On Tue, 12 Oct 2010 15:12:22 +0000, Volitan
wrote:


'Walt[_5_ Wrote:
;743249']On Fri, 08 Oct 2010 13:24:01 -0500, John Szalay
john.szalay.at.att.net wrote:
-
Walt wrote in news:49iua6tknsf4jvbv3qi41kpfk4up5a45rl@
4ax.com:
-
What does the N in F/A-18C(N) mean? Is it an official USN
designation? And if so what is the difference between a C and a C(N)?
TIA.-

I MAY be mistaken, and if so , I'm sure that I will be corrected.
But IIRC:
its a F/A-18C that has been upgraded to have night attack capabilities.


"The F/A-18C Nigh Attack Hornet has a pod-mounted Hughes AN/AAR-50
thermal
imaging navigation set, a Loral AN/AAS-38 Nite Hawk FLIR targeting pod,
and
GEC Cat's Eyes pilot's night vision goggles"

-
Thanks for the reply John. I knew it was some kind of upgrade, but I
was wondering if there was any new production. Also as far as I can
determine it isn't a official Navy designation.

I thought it was the designation that the Navy put on thier "aggressor"
aircraft in combat training school

Not in the case of the F/A-18C(N). They are an upgrade, but I still
don't know if the upgrade was applicable to all C aircraft.

There is an F-16N and a F-5N, both are aggressors. In this case I
believe the N indicates Navy versions. The F-5Ns (F-5E or F-5n
depending on the source) are ex USAF F-5Es and most carry original
USAF serials. The original F-16Ns (22?) were built for the Navy, but
IIRC they later obtained some ex-USAF (or boyocotted ex-Pakastini)
aircraft which apparently carried their original AF designation.

More information would be appreciated.