Woodrow M. “Woody” Payton, Product Support Manager (PSM) for the F/A-18 and EA-18G Program Office (PMA-265), was announced as recipient of the 2020 Secretary of Defense (SECDEF) PSM of the Year (Major Defense Acquisition Programs/Acquisition Category I Program) Award on Feb. 10.

Payton’s was instrumental in the team’s accomplishment of exceeding the SECDEF mandate of 80 percent mission capable F/A-18E/F Super Hornets and EA-18G Growlers in 2019 and sustaining those rates throughout FY2020.

The U.S. Navy received delivery of the fourth F/A-18E/F Super Hornet to undergo Service Life Modification (SLM) earlier this month – and the first completed at The Boeing Company’s line in San Antonio, Texas.

The three previous jets underwent the series of modifications in St. Louis, Missouri, returning to the fleet fully mission capable, with flight hours extended. The Navy expects delivery of the next completed jet out of St. Louis later this month.

The F/A-18 and EA-18G Program Office (PMA-265) Power and Propulsion Integrated Product Team (IPT) has led the reversal of a more than a decade-long shortfall of Generator Control Units (GCUs) for its F/A-18 Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler aircraft, ultimately allowing PMA-265 to exceed the 80 percent mission-capable readiness goal set in October 2018 by then-Secretary of Defense James Mattis.   

The F/A-18 and EA-18G Program Office (PMA-265) Readiness and Sustainment (R&S) Integrated Product Team (IPT) is leading several high-level digital data initiatives, with many of these efforts being scaled for future use by other type/model/series (T/M/S) aircraft, to save the Navy valuable time and money.

The Navy is welcoming its next generation multi-mission tactical fighter by taking delivery of the first Block III F/A-18 Super Hornet test jets this month, as part of its continuing effort to improve aircraft lethality, survivability, interoperability and sustainability in an ever-evolving threat environment.

Since 2005, F/A-18 Super Hornet Block II aircraft have been rolling off Boeing’s production line and serving as the U.S. Navy’s multi-mission capable workhorse. The service took delivery of the final Block II Super Hornet, closing out a run of 322 one-seater F/A-18Es and 286 two-seated F/A-18Fs, on April 17.

“Aircraft E322 will leave Boeing’s production line and head straight to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 34 based in [Naval Air Station] Oceana,” explained Cmdr. Tyler Tennille, of Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA), who oversees Acceptance Testing.

One year after first hitting the fleet, a unique F/A-18 analytical tool, Hornet Health Assessment and Readiness Tool (HhART), continues to benefit the warfighter and demonstrate how a mix of big data analytics and engineering can serve as an accelerator for U.S. Navy aircraft readiness.

“This cutting edge technology will reduce unscheduled maintenance and make diagnostics and maintenance planning easier for the warfighter,” said Don Salamon, an engineer for the Physiological Episodes (PE) Integrated Product Team in the F/A-18 and EA-18G Program Office (PMA-265).

The first Next Generation Jammer Mid-Band (NGJ-MB) engineering development model pod delivered to the Navy is fit checked on an EA-18G Growler at Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 23 in September. The fit check verifies the pod securely attaches to the Growler in preparation for flight tests scheduled to begin later this year.

Military members, civilians and program alumni of the F/A-18 & EA-18G Program Office (PMA-265) gathered for their change of command ceremony July 11 in Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX-23) Hangar 201 at Naval Air Station Patuxent River.

Capt. Jason Denney relieved Capt. David Kindley, who retired after 29 years of naval service, as PMA-265’s 14th program manager.

Rear Adm. Shane Gahagan, Program Executive Officer for Tactical Aircraft Programs (PEO(T)), served as the ceremony’s keynote speaker.