NaB - The Super Hornet's age (and the age of the original design) certainly means differences in terms of stealth versus a from-the-ground-up design.
If your requirement is written around JSF RCS numbers, the SH probably won't meet it, even with conformals and weapon pods and everything else that can be done.
On the other hand, it would be interesting to look at the actual RCS profiles of JSF and the Ultra Hornet - dB, aspect, band - and ask the question: How much difference does that make to survivability and lethality, across a likely set of missions and threats?
And stealth aside, the SH - particularly with conformals and the uprated engine, which are lower risk than the JSF at this point - gives little up to the F-35C, will surpass it in many respects and costs less. Maybe enough less to CATOBAR another carrier...
Last edited by LowObservable; 29th Jan 2012 at 12:40.