
The Navy opened a third Service Life Modification (SLM) line to increase Super Hornet flight hours to improve the Navy’s strike fighter inventory levels. The SLM work involves aircraft maker Boeing [BA] taking F/A-18E/F Super Hornet Block II aircraft nearing the end of their 6,000 flight hour service lives and upgrading them to the new Block III configurations with a focus on pushing their flight hour lifespan to 10,000 hours total. The process includes two increments, first increasing flight hour…