The Boeing Co., based in St. Louis, Missouri, has been granted a $70,704,608 cost-plus-fixed-fee reimbursable contract to offer integrated logistics support for the government of Kuwait, assisting in the preparation of Kuwaiti pilots for the arrival of the Kuwait F/A-18E/F Super Hornets. This support encompasses general logistics assistance, logistics program management, logistical aid for aircraft during pilot training within the continental U.S. (CONUS), maintenance for aircraft, aircraft armament equipment, F414 engines, and Sniper pods; logistics representative support within the CONUS, as well as both within and outside the CONUS ferry support; packaging, handling, storage, and transportation; and program security tasks. The work is anticipated to be completed by September 2026.
In May 2015, the Kuwait Air Force was rumored to be planning an order of 28 F/A-18E/Fs with options for an additional 12. However, in June 2015, reports emerged that Kuwait was contemplating a split purchase between the Eurofighter Typhoon and the F/A-18E/F. On September 11, 2015, Kuwait signed a deal for 28 Eurofighters. In November 2016, a proposed sale of 32 F/A-18E and 8 F/A-18F fighters, armaments, and related equipment to Kuwait was approved by the U.S. State Department, and Congress was notified.
In June 2018, the Kuwaiti Government ordered 22 F/A-18Es and 6 F/A-18Fs through a US$1.5 billion contract. All aircraft were initially scheduled for delivery by January 2021, but the timeline was later adjusted to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Boeing F/A-18E and F/A-18F Super Hornet are twin-engine, carrier-capable, multirole fighter aircraft variants, originating from the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet series. The F/A-18E single-seat and F/A-18F tandem-seat models are larger and more advanced iterations of the F/A-18C and D Hornet.
The Super Hornet is equipped with an internal 20mm M61A2 rotary cannon and can carry air-to-air missiles, air-to-surface missiles, and a range of other weapons. The aircraft can hold additional fuel in up to five external fuel tanks, and it can be configured as an airborne tanker by attaching an external air-to-air refueling system.