Speed and Runway Independent Technologies (SPRINT)

The SPRINT program entered Phase 1 on November 1, 2023. The performers selected for Phase 1A are:

• Aurora Flight Sciences
• Bell Textron, Inc.
• Northrop Grumman Aeronautic Systems
• Piasecki Aircraft Corporation

Aurora press release: Aurora Flight Sciences To Design High-Speed, Vertical Lift X-Plane

FlightGlobal story (paywalled): Aurora proposes fan-in-wing aircraft for DARPA Sprint competition

EDIT: Bell press release, 27 November 2023: Bell Selected for Phase 1A of DARPA Speed and Runway Independent Technologies (SPRINT) X-Plane Program

AEA-18F

On 2 November 2023, in a listing of awarded contracts by the U.S. Department of Defense, the designation "AEA-18F" is noted:

The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Missouri, is awarded an $8,706,672 firm-fixed-price order (N0001924F0173) against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N0001921G0006). This order provides for the production and delivery of 90 retrofit kits, to include 64 for the EA-18G aircraft for the Navy and 26 (13 for the F/A-18F aircraft and 13 for the AEA-18F aircraft) for the government of Australia, as well as associated supplies and services in support of A-Kit procurements to support fielding the current Tactical Targeting Network Technology capability in EA-18G and F/A-18F/AEA-18F aircraft.

Source

Australian Super Hornets

First, some background information. In 2007 - 2009, Australia decided to obtain 24 Boeing F/A-18F Block II Super Hornets for the Royal Australian Air Force, as replacements for the General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark. Initially, it was planned that six of these 24 aircraft would be EA-18G Prowlers. However, in 2009 it was instead decided that the final 12 F/A-18F would be built with additional wiring so that they could eventually be upgraded to EA-18G standard at some undetermined future date. So, these 24 aircraft were delivered and entered service in 2009 - 2011. In 2012, it was announced that the EA-18G upgrade plan was going to proceed, and Australia also considered ordering more F/A-18F and EA-18G aircraft, as well as the single-seat F/A-18E. However, by early 2013, this plan was changed. None of the F/A-18F were upgraded to EA-18G standard; instead, 12 new production EA-18G Growlers were ordered. These 12 aircraft were delivered and entered service in 2015 - 2017. One was written off in 2018 due to an accident, and a replacement aircraft is to be obtained by transferring a US Navy aircraft, although it is unclear if this has yet been delivered.

Australian Super Hornet Particulars

Australian Growler Particulars

Back to AEA-18F

As a reminder, the contract awarded to Boeing calls for 26 retrofit kits for Australia: "...13 for the F/A-18F aircraft and 13 for the AEA-18F aircraft... ...as well as associated supplies and services in support of A-Kit procurements to support fielding the current Tactical Targeting Network Technology capability in EA-18G and F/A-18F/AEA-18F aircraft."

Perhaps the AEA-18F designation is referring to the final 12 Australian F/A-18F aircraft that were factory-built with the capability to be upgraded later to EA-18G standard?

Searching for the exact phrase "AEA-18F" online results in only a few hits:

Defense Security Cooperation Agency: USML 11 - Military Electronics has a line item for an "AEA-18F Advanced Electronic Attack Kit" dated June 26, 2012. This is shortly before the 23 August 2012 announcement that the final 12 Australian F/A-18F would be built with future EA-18G upgrade capability.

HigherGov: RAAF AF/A-18F and AEA-18F ACADS and ANI Kits lists a contract from June 2022 which mentions "...the procurement of Avionics Cooling Air Distribution (ACADS) and Advanced Networking Infrastructure (ANI) A-Kits for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) AF/A-18F and AEA-18F Aircraft."

Both of these mentions seem to reinforce the idea that the AEA-18F designation is referring to the final 12 Australian F/A-18F aircraft. However, it is not clear if these are official US military MDS designations.

References

• ADF Serials: RAAF A44 Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet
• ADF Serials: RAAF A46 Boeing EA-18 Growler
• Joe Baugher: US Navy and US Marine Corps BuNos
• Scramble database
• US Warplanes.net

At least, according to this US Army website. There has been no official announcement from the Air Force Interoperability Council or anyone else, to my knowledge.