Lieutenant Chris Nigus sent us a jaw-dropping selection of spectacular images he took while flying on missions during the last couple of years of his deployment in Japan. Above you can see him flying at a low level in Japan's well known Orange Route.
Some of the images below even feature weapons firing from his Super Hornet.
F/A-18E Super Hornet's mighty M61A2 Vulcan nose cannon firing.
An A2A Sidewinder missile launch, just as it departs the wing - Who knows where to?
Aft looking image while firing the Nose Cannon.
Left Wingman flying out of formation.
Sidewinder dis-attaching from the wing - FIRE!
Mid-Air refuelling from the tanker!
Inverted flight between mountains in the F/A-18E
Passing over USS George Washington
Launched off of the catapult.
Questions connexes
Who is Lieutenant Chris Nigus?
Lieutenant Chris Nigus is a U.S. Navy F/A-18E Super Hornet pilot who shared a striking set of photographs taken during missions over the last years of his deployment in Japan. His images capture low-level flying on Japan's Orange Route and weapons firing in mid-air, including the nose cannon and air-to-air missiles.
What is the F/A-18E Super Hornet?
The Boeing F/A-18E Super Hornet is a twin-engine U.S. Navy carrier-based multirole fighter, a larger development of the original F/A-18 Hornet. It performs air-to-air and air-to-ground missions and carries a built-in cannon plus missiles such as the AIM-9 Sidewinder. Modern upgrades even pair it with new weapons like a hypersonic missile.
What cannon does the F/A-18 Super Hornet have?
The Super Hornet carries the M61A2 Vulcan, a six-barrel 20 mm Gatling-type rotary cannon mounted in the nose. It fires thousands of rounds per minute for close air-to-air combat and strafing. Lieutenant Nigus's photos capture the Vulcan firing, including a dramatic aft-looking shot taken while the gun was blazing.
What is the AIM-9 Sidewinder?
The AIM-9 Sidewinder is a short-range, infrared-guided ("heat-seeking") air-to-air missile used by the U.S. and many allied air forces. It homes on the heat of an enemy aircraft's engines. One of Nigus's images shows a Sidewinder the instant it leaves the Super Hornet's wing rail during a launch.
What is Japan's Orange Route?
The Orange Route is a well-known low-level military training corridor in Japan where aircrew practise high-speed flying close to the terrain. U.S. Navy pilots like Chris Nigus fly it in the F/A-18E Super Hornet. Such low passes are a recurring favourite among aviation photographers — see more on pilots flying ultra-low.
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