From Friday's Australian Aviation section :
"One of the biggest advantages was that it was relatively easy for a pilot to switch from the Hornet to the Super Hornet.
But there were fewer advantages for maintenance and support staff, because the spare parts used were not interchangeable.
Dr Davies also said it had disadvantages stemming from its design to operate from aircraft carriers, for the Super Hornet had a stronger undercarriage, making it heavier.
And its wing design was really made for lower rather than high speeds.
"It is therefore behind the performance curve from the beginning when compared to land-based aircraft," he said in a recent report.
The Super Hornet also had poorer acceleration and a lower maximum altitude, he said."