The McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet is an all-weather,
twin-engine
A twinjet or twin-engine jet is a jet aircraft powered by two engines. A twinjet is able to fly well enough to land with a single working engine, making it safer than a single-engine aircraft in the event of failure of an engine. Fuel efficien ...
,
supersonic
Supersonic speed is the speed of an object that exceeds the speed of sound ( Mach 1). For objects traveling in dry air of a temperature of 20 °C (68 °F) at sea level, this speed is approximately . Speeds greater than five times ...
,
carrier
Carrier may refer to:
Entertainment
* ''Carrier'' (album), a 2013 album by The Dodos
* ''Carrier'' (board game), a South Pacific World War II board game
* ''Carrier'' (TV series), a ten-part documentary miniseries that aired on PBS in April 20 ...
-capable,
multirole combat aircraft, designed as both a
fighter and
attack aircraft
An attack aircraft, strike aircraft, or attack bomber is a tactical military aircraft that has a primary role of carrying out airstrikes with greater precision than bombers, and is prepared to encounter strong low-level air defenses while pre ...
(hence the F/A
designation). Designed by
McDonnell Douglas
McDonnell Douglas was a major American aerospace manufacturing corporation and defense contractor, formed by the merger of McDonnell Aircraft and the Douglas Aircraft Company in 1967. Between then and its own merger with Boeing in 1997, it ...
(now part of
Boeing
The Boeing Company () is an American multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and sells airplanes, rotorcraft, rockets, satellites, telecommunications equipment, and missiles worldwide. The company also provides leasing and ...
) and
Northrop (now part of
Northrop Grumman
Northrop Grumman Corporation is an American multinational aerospace and defense technology company. With 90,000 employees and an annual revenue in excess of $30 billion, it is one of the world's largest weapons manufacturers and military tech ...
), the F/A-18 was derived from the latter's
YF-17 in the 1970s for use by the
United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
and
Marine Corps. The Hornet is also used by the air forces of several other nations, and formerly by the U.S. Navy's Flight Demonstration Squadron, the
Blue Angels
The Blue Angels is a flight demonstration squadron of the United States Navy. .
The F/A-18 was designed to be a highly versatile aircraft due to its avionics, cockpit displays, and excellent aerodynamic characteristics, with the ability to carry a wide variety of weapons. The aircraft can perform
fighter escort
The escort fighter was a concept for a fighter aircraft designed to escort bombers to and from their targets. An escort fighter needed range long enough to reach the target, loiter over it for the duration of the raid to defend the bombers, and ...
, fleet
air defense
Anti-aircraft warfare, counter-air or air defence forces is the battlespace response to aerial warfare, defined by NATO as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action".AAP-6 It includes surface based ...
,
suppression of enemy air defenses,
air interdiction
Air interdiction (AI), also known as deep air support (DAS), is the use of preventive tactical bombing and strafing by combat aircraft against enemy targets that are not an immediate threat, to delay, disrupt or hinder later enemy engagement of ...
,
close air support
In military tactics, close air support (CAS) is defined as air action such as air strikes by fixed or rotary-winged aircraft against hostile targets near friendly forces and require detailed integration of each air mission with fire and movemen ...
, and
aerial reconnaissance
Aerial reconnaissance is reconnaissance for a military or strategic purpose that is conducted using reconnaissance aircraft. The role of reconnaissance can fulfil a variety of requirements including artillery spotting, the collection of im ...
. Its versatility and reliability have proven it to be a valuable carrier asset, though it has been criticized for its lack of range and payload compared to its earlier contemporaries, such as the
Grumman F-14 Tomcat in the fighter and
strike fighter
In current military parlance, a strike fighter is a multirole combat aircraft designed to operate both as an attack aircraft and as an air superiority fighter. As a category, it is distinct from fighter-bombers. It is closely related to the con ...
role, and the
Grumman A-6 Intruder
The Grumman A-6 Intruder is an American twinjet all-weather attack aircraft developed and manufactured by American aircraft company Grumman Aerospace and operated by the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps.
It was designed in response to a 1957 r ...
and
LTV A-7 Corsair II in the attack role.
The Hornet first saw combat action during the
1986 United States bombing of Libya
The 1986 United States bombing of Libya, code-named Operation El Dorado Canyon, consisted of air strikes by the United States against Libya on Tuesday 15 April 1986. The attack was carried out by the U.S. Air Force (USAF), U.S. Navy and U.S. M ...
and subsequently participated in the 1991
Gulf War
The Gulf War was a 1990–1991 armed campaign waged by a 35-country military coalition in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Spearheaded by the United States, the coalition's efforts against Iraq were carried out in two key phases: ...
and 2003
Iraq War
{{Infobox military conflict
, conflict = Iraq War {{Nobold, {{lang, ar, حرب العراق (Arabic) {{Nobold, {{lang, ku, شەڕی عێراق (Kurdish languages, Kurdish)
, partof = the Iraq conflict (2003–present), I ...
. The F/A-18 Hornet served as the baseline for the
Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, its larger, evolutionary redesign, which replaced both the older Hornet and the F-14 Tomcat in the US Navy.
Development
Origins
![YF-16 and YF-17 in flight](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1a/YF-16_and_YF-17_in_flight.jpg)
The U.S. Navy started the Naval Fighter-Attack, Experimental (
VFAX) program to procure a multirole aircraft to replace the
Douglas A-4 Skyhawk
The Douglas A-4 Skyhawk is a single-seat subsonic carrier-capable light attack aircraft developed for the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps in the early 1950s. The delta-winged, single turbojet engined Skyhawk was designed a ...
, the
A-7 Corsair II
The LTV A-7 Corsair II is an American carrier-capable subsonic light attack aircraft designed and manufactured by Ling-Temco-Vought (LTV).
The A-7 was developed during the early 1960s as replacement for the Douglas A-4 Skyhawk. Its design w ...
, and the remaining
McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II
The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is an American tandem two-seat, twin-engine, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor and fighter-bomber originally developed by McDonnell Aircraft for the United States Navy.Swanborough and B ...
s, and to complement the
F-14 Tomcat
The Grumman F-14 Tomcat is an American carrier-capable supersonic aircraft, supersonic, twinjet, twin-engine, two-seat, twin-tail, variable-sweep wing fighter aircraft. The Tomcat was developed for the United States Navy's Naval Fighter Experi ...
. Vice Admiral
Kent Lee, then head of
Naval Air Systems Command, was the lead advocate for the VFAX against strong opposition from many Navy officers, including Vice Admiral
William D. Houser, deputy chief of naval operations for air warfare – the highest-ranking naval aviator.
[Kelly, Orr. ''Hornet: the Inside Story of the F/A-18''. Novato, California: Presidio Press, 1990. .]
In August 1973, Congress mandated that the Navy pursue a lower-cost alternative to the F-14.
Grumman
The Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation, later Grumman Aerospace Corporation, was a 20th century American producer of military and civilian aircraft. Founded on December 6, 1929, by Leroy Grumman and his business partners, it merged in 1994 ...
proposed a stripped F-14 designated the F-14X, while
McDonnell Douglas
McDonnell Douglas was a major American aerospace manufacturing corporation and defense contractor, formed by the merger of McDonnell Aircraft and the Douglas Aircraft Company in 1967. Between then and its own merger with Boeing in 1997, it ...
proposed a naval variant of the
F-15
The McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle is an American twin-engine, all-weather tactical fighter aircraft designed by McDonnell Douglas (now part of Boeing). Following reviews of proposals, the United States Air Force selected McDonnell Douglas's ...
, but both were nearly as expensive as the F-14.
[Jenkins 2000, pp. 19–21.] That summer,
Secretary of Defense
A defence minister or minister of defence is a cabinet official position in charge of a ministry of defense, which regulates the armed forces in sovereign states. The role of a defence minister varies considerably from country to country; in so ...
James R. Schlesinger ordered the Navy to evaluate the competitors in the Air Force's
Lightweight Fighter
The Lightweight Fighter (LWF) program was a United States Air Force technology evaluation program initiated in the late 1960s by a group of officers and defense analysts known as the " Fighter Mafia". It was spurred by then-Major John Boyd's ' ...
(LWF) program, the
General Dynamics
General Dynamics Corporation (GD) is an American publicly traded, aerospace and defense corporation headquartered in Reston, Virginia. As of 2020, it was the fifth-largest defense contractor in the world by arms sales, and 5th largest in the Uni ...
YF-16 and
Northrop YF-17
The Northrop YF-17 (nicknamed "Cobra") is a prototype lightweight fighter aircraft designed by Northrop Corporation, Northrop aviation for the United States Air Force's Lightweight Fighter (LWF) technology evaluation program. The LWF was initia ...
.
["F/A-18 Hornet and F/A-18 Super Hornet."]
''U.S. Navy''. Retrieved: 4 July 2008. The Air Force competition specified a day fighter with no strike capability. In May 1974, the House Armed Services Committee redirected $34 million from the VFAX to a new program, the Navy Air Combat Fighter (NACF),
[ intended to make maximum use of the technology developed for the LWF program.][
]
Redesigning the YF-17
Though the YF-16 won the LWF competition, the Navy was skeptical that an aircraft with one engine and narrow landing gear could be easily or economically adapted to carrier service, and refused to adopt an F-16 derivative. On 2 May 1975, the Navy announced its selection of the YF-17. Since the LWF did not share the design requirements of the VFAX, the Navy asked McDonnell Douglas and Northrop to develop a new aircraft from the design and principles of the YF-17. On 1 March 1977, Secretary of the Navy W. Graham Claytor announced that the F-18 would be named "Hornet".[
]
Northrop had partnered with McDonnell Douglas as a secondary contractor on NACF to capitalize on the latter's experience in building carrier aircraft, including the widely used F-4 Phantom II. On the F-18, the two companies agreed to evenly split component manufacturing, with McDonnell Douglas conducting the final assembly. McDonnell Douglas would build the wings, stabilator
A stabilator is a fully movable aircraft horizontal stabilizer. It serves the usual functions of longitudinal stability, control and stick force requirements otherwise performed by the separate parts of a conventional horizontal stabilizer and e ...
s, and forward fuselage; while Northrop would build the center and aft fuselage and vertical stabilizers. McDonnell Douglas was the prime contractor for the naval versions, and Northrop would be the prime contractor for the F-18L land-based version which Northrop hoped to sell on the export market.[
The F-18, initially known as McDonnell Douglas Model 267, was drastically modified from the YF-17. For carrier operations, the airframe, undercarriage, and tailhook were strengthened, folding wings and catapult attachments were added, and the landing gear was widened.][Jenkins 2000, pp. 22–26.] To meet Navy range and reserves requirements, McDonnell increased fuel capacity by , by enlarging the dorsal spine and adding a 96-gallon fuel tank to each wing. A "snag" was added to the wing's leading edge and stabilators to prevent an aeroelastic flutter
Aeroelasticity is the branch of physics and engineering studying the interactions between the inertial, elastic, and aerodynamic forces occurring while an elastic body is exposed to a fluid flow. The study of aeroelasticity may be broadly classif ...
discovered in the F-15 stabilator. The wings and stabilators were enlarged, the aft fuselage widened by , and the engines canted outward at the front. These changes added to the gross weight, bringing it to . The YF-17's control system was replaced with a fully digital fly-by-wire
Fly-by-wire (FBW) is a system that replaces the conventional manual flight controls of an aircraft with an electronic interface. The movements of flight controls are converted to electronic signals transmitted by wires, and flight control ...
system with quadruple redundancy, the first to be installed in a production fighter.[
]
Originally, plans were to acquire a total of 780 aircraft of three variants: the single-seat F-18A fighter and A-18A attack aircraft, differing only in avionics, and the dual-seat TF-18A, which retained full mission capability of the F-18 with a reduced fuel load.[ Following improvements in avionics and multifunction displays, and a redesign of external stores stations, the A-18A and F-18A were able to be combined into one aircraft.][ Starting in 1980, the aircraft began to be referred to as the F/A-18A, and the designation was officially announced on 1 April 1984. The TF-18A was redesignated F/A-18B.][
]
Northrop's F-18L
Northrop developed the F-18L as a potential export aircraft. Since it was not strengthened for carrier service, it was expected to be lighter and better performing, and a strong competitor to the F-16 Fighting Falcon
The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a single-engine multirole fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force (USAF). Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successf ...
then being offered to American allies. The F-18L's normal gross weight
In science and engineering, the weight of an object is the force acting on the object due to gravity.
Some standard textbooks define weight as a vector quantity, the gravitational force acting on the object. Others define weight as a scalar qua ...
was lighter than the F/A-18A by , via lighter landing gear, lack of wing folding mechanism, reduced part thickness in areas, and lower fuel-carrying capacity. Though the aircraft retained a lightened tailhook, the most obvious external difference was removed "snags" on the leading edge of the wings and stabilators. It still retained 71% commonality with the F/A-18 by parts weight, and 90% of the high-value systems, including the avionics, radar, and electronic countermeasure
An electronic countermeasure (ECM) is an electrical or electronic device designed to trick or deceive radar, sonar, or other detection systems, like infrared (IR) or lasers. It may be used both offensively and defensively to deny targeting info ...
suite, though alternatives were offered. Unlike the F/A-18, the F-18L carried no fuel in its wings and lacked weapons stations on the intakes. It had three underwing pylons on each side, instead.[Jenkins 2000, pp. 26–29.]
The F/A-18L version followed to coincide with the US Navy's F/A-18A as a land-based export alternative. This was essentially an F/A-18A lightened by about ; weight was reduced by removing the folding wing and associated actuators, implementing a simpler landing gear (single wheel nose gear and cantilever
A cantilever is a rigid structural element that extends horizontally and is supported at only one end. Typically it extends from a flat vertical surface such as a wall, to which it must be firmly attached. Like other structural elements, a cant ...
oleo main gear), and changing to a land-based tail hook. The revised F/A-18L included wing fuel tanks and fuselage stations of the F/A-18A. Its weapons capacity would increase from , largely due to the addition of a third underwing pylon and strengthened wingtips (11 stations in total vs 9 stations of the F/A-18A). Compared to the F-18L, the outboard weapons pylons are closer to the wingtip missile rails. Because of the strengthened nonfolding wing, the wingtip missile rails were designed to carry either the AIM-7 Sparrow
The AIM-7 Sparrow (Air Intercept Missile) is an American, medium-range semi-active radar homing air-to-air missile operated by the United States Air Force, United States Navy, and United States Marine Corps, as well as other various air forces ...
or Skyflash medium-range air-to-air missiles, in addition to the AIM-9 Sidewinder
The AIM-9 Sidewinder (where "AIM" stands for "Air Intercept Missile") is a short-range air-to-air missile which entered service with the US Navy in 1956 and subsequently was adopted by the US Air Force in 1964. Since then the Sidewinder has prove ...
as found on the F/A-18A. The F/A-18L was strengthened for a 9 g design load factor compared to the F/A-18A's 7.5 g factor.
The partnership between McDonnell Douglas and Northrop soured over competition for foreign sales for the two models. Northrop felt that McDonnell Douglas would put the F/A-18 in direct competition with the F-18L. In October 1979, Northrop filed a series of lawsuits charging that McDonnell was using Northrop technology developed for the F-18L for foreign sales of the F/A-18 in violation of their agreement, and asked for a moratorium on foreign sales of the Hornet. McDonnell Douglas countersued, alleging Northrop illegally used F/A-18 technology in its F-20 Tigershark. A settlement was announced 8 April 1985 for all of the lawsuits. McDonnell Douglas paid Northrop $50 million for "rights to sell the F/A-18 wherever it could". Additionally, the companies agreed on McDonnell Douglas as the prime contractor with Northrop as the principal subcontractor. As principal subcontractor, Northrop will produce the rear section for the F/A-18 (A/B/C/D/E/F), while McDonnell Douglas will produce the rest with final assembly to be performed by McDonnell Douglas. At the time of the settlement, Northrop had ceased work on the F-18L. Most export orders for the F-18L were captured by the F-16 or the F/A-18.[ The F-20 Tigershark did not enter production, and although the program was not officially terminated until 17 November 1986, it was dead by mid-1985.
]
Into production
During flight testing, the snag on the leading edge of the stabilators was filled in, and the gap between the leading-edge extension
A leading-edge extension (LEX) is a small extension to an aircraft wing surface, forward of the leading edge. The primary reason for adding an extension is to improve the airflow at high angles of attack and low airspeeds, to improve handling a ...
s (LEX) and the fuselage was mostly filled in. The gaps, called the boundary layer
In physics and fluid mechanics, a boundary layer is the thin layer of fluid in the immediate vicinity of a bounding surface formed by the fluid flowing along the surface. The fluid's interaction with the wall induces a no-slip boundary cond ...
air discharge slots, controlled the vortices generated by the LEX and presented clean air to the vertical stabilizers at high angles of attack
In fluid dynamics, angle of attack (AOA, α, or \alpha) is the angle between a reference line on a body (often the chord line of an airfoil) and the vector representing the relative motion between the body and the fluid through which it is ...
, but they also generated a great deal of parasitic drag
Parasitic drag, also known as profile drag, is a type of aerodynamic drag that acts on any object when the object is moving through a fluid. Parasitic drag is a combination of form drag and skin friction drag. It affects all objects regardless of ...
, worsening the problem of the F/A-18's inadequate range. McDonnell filled in 80% of the gap, leaving a small slot to bleed air
Bleed air is compressed air taken from the compressor stage of a gas turbine upstream of its fuel-burning sections. Automatic air supply and cabin pressure controller (ASCPCs) valves bleed air from high or low stage engine compressor sections. Lo ...
from the engine intake. This may have contributed to early problems with fatigue cracks appearing on the vertical stabilizers due to extreme structural load
A structural load or structural action is a force, deformation, or acceleration applied to structural elements. A load causes stress, deformation, and displacement in a structure. Structural analysis, a discipline in engineering, analyzes the ...
s, resulting in a short grounding in 1984 until the stabilizers were strengthened. Starting in May 1988, a small vertical fence was added to the top of each LEX to broaden the vortices and direct them away from the vertical stabilizers. This also provided a minor increase in controllability as a side effect.[Jenkins 2000, p. 35.] F/A-18s of early versions had a problem with insufficient rate of roll, exacerbated by the insufficient wing stiffness, especially with heavy underwing ordnance loads. The first production F/A-18A flew on 12 April 1980. After a production run of 380 F/A-18As[ (including the nine assigned to flight systems development), manufacture shifted to the F/A-18C in September 1987.][
]
Improvements and design changes
In the 1990s, the U.S. Navy faced the need to replace its aging A-6 Intruders and A-7 Corsair IIs with no replacement in development.[Donald 2004, p. 45.] To answer this deficiency, the Navy commissioned development of the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet
The Boeing F/A-18E and F/A-18F Super Hornet are twin-engine, carrier-capable, multirole fighter aircraft variants based on the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet. The F/A-18E single-seat and F/A-18F tandem-seat variants are larger and more ad ...
. Despite its designation, it is not just an upgrade of the F/A-18 Hornet, but rather, a new, larger airframe using the design concepts of the Hornet.
Hornets and Super Hornets will serve complementary roles in the U.S. Navy carrier fleet until the Hornet A-D models are completely replaced by the F-35C Lightning II. The Marines have chosen to extend the use of certain F/A-18s up to 10,000 flight hours, due to delays in the F-35B variant.
Design
The F/A-18 is a twin engine, midwing, multimission tactical aircraft. It is highly maneuverable, due to its good thrust-to-weight ratio, digital fly-by-wire
Fly-by-wire (FBW) is a system that replaces the conventional manual flight controls of an aircraft with an electronic interface. The movements of flight controls are converted to electronic signals transmitted by wires, and flight control ...
control system, and leading-edge extension
A leading-edge extension (LEX) is a small extension to an aircraft wing surface, forward of the leading edge. The primary reason for adding an extension is to improve the airflow at high angles of attack and low airspeeds, to improve handling a ...
s, which allow the Hornet to remain controllable at high angles of attack. The trapezoidal wing has a 20-degree sweepback on the leading edge and a straight trailing edge. The wing has full-span, leading-edge flaps and the trailing edge has single-slotted flaps and aileron
An aileron (French for "little wing" or "fin") is a hinged flight control surface usually forming part of the trailing edge of each wing of a fixed-wing aircraft. Ailerons are used in pairs to control the aircraft in roll (or movement around ...
s over the entire span.
Canted vertical stabilizers are another distinguishing design element, one among several other such elements that enable the Hornet's excellent high angle of attack
In fluid dynamics, angle of attack (AOA, α, or \alpha) is the angle between a reference line on a body (often the chord line of an airfoil) and the vector representing the relative motion between the body and the fluid through which it is m ...
ability, including oversized horizontal stabilators, oversized trailing-edge flaps that operate as flaperons, large full-length leading-edge slats, and flight control computer programming that multiplies the movement of each control surface at low speeds and moves the vertical rudders inboard instead of simply left and right. The Hornet's normally high angle of attack performance envelope was put to rigorous testing and enhanced in the NASA F-18 High Alpha Research Vehicle (HARV). NASA used the F-18 HARV to demonstrate flight handling characteristics at high angle-of-attack (alpha) of 65–70 degrees using thrust vectoring
Thrust vectoring, also known as thrust vector control (TVC), is the ability of an aircraft, rocket, or other vehicle to manipulate the direction of the thrust from its engine(s) or motor(s) to control the attitude or angular velocity of the ve ...
vanes. F/A-18 stabilators were also used as canards on NASA's F-15S/MTD.
The Hornet was among the first aircraft to heavily use multifunction displays, which at the switch of a button allow a pilot to perform either fighter or attack roles or both. This "force multiplier
In military science, force multiplication or a force multiplier is a factor or a combination of factors that gives personnel or weapons (or other hardware) the ability to accomplish greater feats than without it. The expected size increase req ...
" ability gives the operational commander more flexibility to employ tactical aircraft in a fast-changing battle scenario. It was the first Navy aircraft to incorporate a digital multiplexing
In telecommunications and computer networking, multiplexing (sometimes contracted to muxing) is a method by which multiple analog or digital signals are combined into one signal over a shared medium. The aim is to share a scarce resource - ...
avionics bus, enabling easy upgrades.["F/A-18 Hornet."]
''Federation of American Scientists''. Retrieved: 4 July 2008.
The Hornet was designed to reduce maintenance, and as a result, has required far less downtime than its heavier counterparts, the F-14 Tomcat
The Grumman F-14 Tomcat is an American carrier-capable supersonic aircraft, supersonic, twinjet, twin-engine, two-seat, twin-tail, variable-sweep wing fighter aircraft. The Tomcat was developed for the United States Navy's Naval Fighter Experi ...
and the A-6 Intruder. Its mean time between failures
Mean time between failures (MTBF) is the predicted elapsed time between inherent failures of a mechanical or electronic system during normal system operation. MTBF can be calculated as the arithmetic mean (average) time between failures of a system ...
is three times greater than any other Navy strike aircraft, and requires half the maintenance time.[ Its ]General Electric F404
The General Electric F404 and F412 are a family of afterburning turbofan engines in the class (static thrust). The series is produced by GE Aviation. Partners include Volvo Aero, which builds the RM12 variant. The F404 was developed into the l ...
engines were also innovative in that they were designed with operability, reliability, and maintainability first. The engine, while unexceptional in rated performance, demonstrates exceptional robustness under various conditions and is resistant to stall and flameout. The F404 engine connects to the airframe at only 10 points and can be replaced without special equipment: a four-person team can remove the engine within 20 minutes. The aircraft has a top speed of Mach 1.8 at 40,000 ft.
The engine air inlets of the Hornet, like that of the F-16, are of a simpler "fixed" design, while those of the F-4, F-14, and F-15 have variable geometry or variable intake ramp
An intake ramp is a rectangular, plate-like device within the air intake of a jet engine, designed to generate a number of shock waves to aid the inlet compression process at supersonic speeds. The ramp sits at an acute angle to deflect the intake ...
air inlets.
A 1989 USMC study found that single-seat fighters were well suited to air-to-air combat missions, while dual-seat fighters were favored for complex strike missions against heavy air and ground defenses in adverse weather—the question being not so much as to whether a second pair of eyes would be useful, but as to having the second crewman sit in the same fighter or in a second fighter. Single-seat fighters that lacked wingmen were shown to be especially vulnerable.
Operational history
United States
Entry into service
McDonnell Douglas rolled out the first F/A-18A on 13 September 1978,["F/A-18 Hornet Milestones."]
''Boeing''. Retrieved: 17 March 2007. in blue-on-white colors marked with "Navy" on the left and "Marines" on the right. Its first flight was on 18 November.[ In a break with tradition, the Navy pioneered the "principal site concept"][ with the F/A-18, where almost all testing was done at ]Naval Air Station Patuxent River
Naval Air Station Patuxent River , also known as NAS Pax River, is a United States naval air station located in St. Mary’s County, Maryland, on the Chesapeake Bay near the mouth of the Patuxent River.
It is home to Headquarters, Naval Air S ...
,[ instead of near the site of manufacture, and using Navy and Marine Corps test pilots instead of civilians early in development. In March 1979, Lt. Cdr. John Padgett became the first Navy pilot to fly the F/A-18.][Jenkins 2000, p. 29.]
Following trials and operational testing by VX-4 and VX-5, Hornets began to fill the Fleet Replacement Squadrons VFA-125
Strike Fighter Squadron 125 (VFA-125), also known as the "Rough Raiders", is a United States Navy strike fighter squadron based at Naval Air Station Lemoore, California. The "Rough Raiders" are a Fleet Replacement Squadron flying the F-35C ...
, VFA-106, and VMFAT-101, where pilots are introduced to the F/A-18. The Hornet entered operational service with Marine Corps squadron VMFA-314 at MCAS El Toro
Marine Corps Air Station El Toro was a United States Marine Corps Air Station located next to the community of El Toro, near Irvine, California.
Before it was decommissioned in 1999, it was the home of Marine Corps Aviation on the West Coas ...
on 7 January 1983,[ and with Navy squadron ]VFA-25
Strike Fighter Squadron 25 (VFA-25) is an aviation unit of the United States Navy based at Naval Air Station Lemoore, California. The squadron flies the Boeing F/A-18E Super Hornet and is currently assigned to Carrier Air Wing 11. Its callsign is ...
on 1 July 1984, replacing F-4s and A-7Es, respectively.[
Navy strike-fighter squadrons ]VFA-25
Strike Fighter Squadron 25 (VFA-25) is an aviation unit of the United States Navy based at Naval Air Station Lemoore, California. The squadron flies the Boeing F/A-18E Super Hornet and is currently assigned to Carrier Air Wing 11. Its callsign is ...
and VFA-113 (assigned to CVW-14) deployed aboard from February to August 1985, marking the first deployment for the F/A-18.
The initial fleet reports were complimentary, indicating that the Hornet was extraordinarily reliable, a major change from its predecessor, the F-4J.[ In January 1985, the ]VFA-131
Strike Fighter Squadron 131 (VFA-131), also known as the "Wildcats", is a United States Navy F/A-18E Super Hornet fighter squadron stationed at Naval Air Station Oceana. Their radio call sign is "Wildcat" and their aircraft tail code is ''AC''.
H ...
"Wildcats" and the VFA-132 "Privateers" moved from Naval Air Station Lemoore, California to Naval Air Station Cecil Field, Florida to become the Atlantic Fleet's first F/A-18 squadrons. VFA-151, VFA-161, VFA-192 and VFA-195 transitioned to the F/A-18A in 1986. With the exception of VFA-161, the rest would move to NAF Atsugi, Japan to join CVW-5
Carrier Air Wing Five (CVW-5) is a United States Navy aircraft carrier air wing based at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni. The air wing is attached to the aircraft carrier . It was initially formed in 1943. It has participated in the Second Wor ...
and the USS ''Midway''. Other squadrons that switched to F/A-18 included VFA-146 "Blue Diamonds", and VFA-147
Strike Fighter Squadron 147 (VFA-147), also known as the "Argonauts," is a United States Navy strike fighter squadron based at Naval Air Station Lemoore, California (USA). VFA-147 was established on 1 February 1967 and flies the F-35C Lightning ...
"Argonauts".
The U.S. Navy's Blue Angels
The Blue Angels is a flight demonstration squadron of the United States Navy. Flight Demonstration Squadron switched to the F/A-18 Hornet in 1986,[ replacing the A-4 Skyhawk. The Blue Angels performed in F/A-18A, B, C, and D models at air shows and other special events across the US and worldwide before transitioning to the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet in late 2020.] Blue Angels pilots must have 1,400 hours and an aircraft-carrier certification. The two-seat B and D models were typically used to give rides to VIPs
A very important person or personage (VIP or V.I.P.) is a person who is accorded special privileges due to their high social status, influence or importance. The term was not common until sometime after World War 2 by RAF pilots.
Examples inc ...
, but also filled in for other aircraft, if such a need arose.
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research.
NASA was established in 1958, succeedin ...
operates several F/A-18 aircraft for research purposes and also as chase aircraft; these F/A-18s are based at the Armstrong Flight Research Center
The NASA Neil A. Armstrong Flight Research Center (AFRC) is an aeronautical research center operated by NASA. Its primary campus is located inside Edwards Air Force Base in California and is considered NASA's premier site for aeronautical res ...
(formerly the Dryden Flight Research Center) in California. NASA received three two-seat F/A-18B aircraft in 2018. On 21 September 2012, two NASA F/A-18s escorted a NASA Boeing 747
The Boeing 747 is a large, long-range wide-body airliner designed and manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes in the United States between 1968 and 2022.
After introducing the 707 in October 1958, Pan Am wanted a jet times its size, ...
Shuttle Carrier Aircraft
The Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) are two extensively modified Boeing 747 airliners that NASA used to transport Space Shuttle orbiters. One (N905NA) is a 747-100 model, while the other (N911NA) is a short range 747-100SR.
The SCAs were used ...
carrying the Space Shuttle ''Endeavour'' over portions of California to Los Angeles International Airport
Los Angeles International Airport , commonly referred to as LAX (with each letter pronounced individually), is the primary international airport serving Los Angeles, California and its surrounding metropolitan area. LAX is located in the ...
before being delivered to the California Science Center museum in Los Angeles.
Combat operations
The F/A-18 first saw combat action in April 1986, when VFA-131, VFA-132, VMFA-314, and VMFA-323 Hornets from flew Suppression of Enemy Air Defense (SEAD) missions against Libyan air defenses during Operation Prairie Fire and an attack on Benghazi
Benghazi () , ; it, Bengasi; tr, Bingazi; ber, Bernîk, script=Latn; also: ''Bengasi'', ''Benghasi'', ''Banghāzī'', ''Binghāzī'', ''Bengazi''; grc, Βερενίκη ('' Berenice'') and ''Hesperides''., group=note (''lit. Son of he Ghaz ...
as part of Operation El Dorado Canyon
The 1986 United States bombing of Libya, code-named Operation El Dorado Canyon, consisted of air strikes by the United States against Libya on Tuesday 15 April 1986. The attack was carried out by the U.S. Air Force (USAF), U.S. Navy and U.S. M ...
.[Jenkins 2000, pp. 42–44.]
During the Gulf War
The Gulf War was a 1990–1991 armed campaign waged by a 35-country military coalition in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Spearheaded by the United States, the coalition's efforts against Iraq were carried out in two key phases: ...
of 1991, the Navy deployed 106 F/A-18A/C Hornets and Marine Corps deployed 84 F/A-18A/C/D Hornets.[Jenkins 2000, p. 71.] F/A-18 pilots were credited with two kills during the Gulf War, both MiG-21s. On 17 January, the first day of the war, U.S. Navy pilots Lieutenant Commander Mark I. Fox and, Lieutenant Nick Mongilio were in a flight of four Hornets when they were sent from in the Red Sea
The Red Sea ( ar, البحر الأحمر - بحر القلزم, translit=Modern: al-Baḥr al-ʾAḥmar, Medieval: Baḥr al-Qulzum; or ; Coptic: ⲫⲓⲟⲙ ⲛ̀ϩⲁϩ ''Phiom Enhah'' or ⲫⲓⲟⲙ ⲛ̀ϣⲁⲣⲓ ''Phiom ǹšari''; ...
to bomb airfield H-3 in southwestern Iraq
Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...
. While en route, they were warned by an E-2C
The Northrop Grumman E-2 Hawkeye is an American all-weather, carrier-capable tactical airborne early warning (AEW) aircraft. This twin-turboprop aircraft was designed and developed during the late 1950s and early 1960s by the Grumman Aircraft ...
of approaching "Bandits" or Iraqi MiG-21 aircraft. The Hornets shot down the two MiGs with AIM-7
The AIM-7 Sparrow (Air Intercept Missile) is an American, medium-range semi-active radar homing air-to-air missile operated by the United States Air Force, United States Navy, and United States Marine Corps, as well as other various air forces a ...
and AIM-9 missiles in a brief dogfight. It took 40 seconds from when the bandits appeared on the radar of the E-2 until both aircraft were shot down. The F/A-18s, each carrying four bombs, then resumed their bombing run before returning to ''Saratoga''.[Jenkins 2000, pp. 74–75.]
The Hornet's survivability was demonstrated when a Hornet took hits in both engines and flew back to base. It was repaired and flying within a few days. F/A-18s flew 4,551 sorties with 10 Hornets damaged including three losses, one confirmed lost to enemy fire.[Jenkins 2000, p. 72.] All three losses were U.S. Navy F/A-18s, with two of their pilots lost. On 17 January 1991, Lieutenant Commander Scott Speicher
Michael Scott Speicher (July 12, 1957 – January 17, 1991) was a naval aviator in the United States Navy who was shot down over Iraq during the Persian Gulf War becoming the first American combat casualty of the war. His fate was not known u ...
of VFA-81
Strike Fighter Squadron 81 (VFA-81), also known as the "Sunliners", is a United States Navy F/A-18E Super Hornet strike fighter squadron stationed at Naval Air Station Oceana. They are a part of Carrier Air Wing One, their radio callsign is ''Inf ...
was shot down and killed in the crash of his aircraft. An unclassified summary of a 2001 CIA
The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA ), known informally as the Agency and historically as the Company, is a civilian foreign intelligence service of the federal government of the United States, officially tasked with gathering, processing, ...
report suggests that Speicher's aircraft was shot down by a missile fired from an Iraqi Air Force aircraft,["Intelligence Community Assessment of the Lieutenant Commander Speicher Case". 27 March 2001. FOIA Electronic Reading Room. CIA. 10 September 2006]
page 1
page 2
page 3
/ref> most likely a MiG-25.[Weiner, Tim]
"With Iraq's O.K., a U.S. Team Seeks War Pilot's Body."
''The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'', 14 December 1995: A1.
On 24 January 1991, F/A-18A bureau number 163121, from , piloted by Lt H.E. Overs, was lost due to an engine failure or loss of control over the Persian Gulf. The pilot ejected and was recovered by .[''The Air Forces Book of the F/A-18 Hornet'', p. 85.] On 5 February 1991, F/A-18A bureau number 163096, piloted by Lieutenant Robert Dwyer was lost over the North Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf ( fa, خلیج فارس, translit=xalij-e fârs, lit=Gulf of Fars, ), sometimes called the ( ar, اَلْخَلِيْجُ ٱلْعَرَبِيُّ, Al-Khalīj al-ˁArabī), is a mediterranean sea in Western Asia. The bo ...
after a successful mission to Iraq; he was officially listed as killed in action, body not recovered.
As the A-6 Intruder was retired in the 1990s, its role was filled by the F/A-18. The F/A-18 demonstrated its versatility and reliability during Operation Desert Storm
Operation or Operations may refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media
* ''Operation'' (game), a battery-operated board game that challenges dexterity
* Operation (music), a term used in musical set theory
* ''Operations'' (magazine), Multi-Ma ...
, shooting down enemy fighters and subsequently bombing enemy targets with the same aircraft on the same mission. It broke records for tactical aircraft in availability, reliability, and maintainability.
Both U.S. Navy F/A-18A/C models and Marine F/A-18A/C/D models were used continuously in Operation Southern Watch
Operation Southern Watch was an air-centric military operation conducted by the United States Department of Defense from Summer 1992 to Spring 2003.
United States Central Command's Joint Task Force Southwest Asia (JTF-SWA) had the mission of mon ...
and over Bosnia and Kosovo in the 1990s. U.S. Navy Hornets flew during Operation Enduring Freedom
Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) was the official name used synonymously by the U.S. government for both the War in Afghanistan (2001–2014) and the larger-scale Global War on Terrorism. On 7 October 2001, in response to the September 11 a ...
in 2001 from carriers operating in the North Arabian Sea. Both the F/A-18A/C and newer F/A-18E/F variants were used during Operation Iraqi Freedom
{{Infobox military conflict
, conflict = Iraq War {{Nobold, {{lang, ar, حرب العراق (Arabic) {{Nobold, {{lang, ku, شەڕی عێراق (Kurdish languages, Kurdish)
, partof = the Iraq conflict (2003–present), I ...
in 2003, operating from aircraft carriers as well from an air base in Kuwait. Later in the conflict USMC A+, C, and primarily D models operated from bases within Iraq.
An F/A-18C was accidentally downed in a friendly fire
In military terminology, friendly fire or fratricide is an attack by belligerent or neutral forces on friendly troops while attempting to attack enemy/hostile targets. Examples include misidentifying the target as hostile, cross-fire while en ...
incident by a Patriot missile when a pilot tried to evade two missiles fired at his plane and crashed. Two others collided over Iraq in May 2005.
As of 2017, the USMC plans to use the F/A-18 until the early 2030s.
The last operational deployment of the F/A-18C Hornet in U.S. Navy service was aboard the and ended on 12 March 2018. The aircraft briefly went back to sea for routine carrier qualifications in October, but it was retired from active Navy service on 1 February 2019. The type continued to be used by reserve units, primarily for adversary training. The actual final Navy F/A-18C operational flight occurred on 2 October 2019.["US Navy F/A-18C Hornet makes final flight"](_blank)
''Flightglobal.com''. 4 October 2019.
Non-U.S. service
The F/A-18 has been purchased and is in operation with several foreign air services. Export Hornets are typically similar to U.S. models of a similar manufacture date. Since none of the customers operate aircraft carrier
An aircraft carrier is a warship that serves as a seagoing airbase, equipped with a full-length flight deck and facilities for carrying, arming, deploying, and recovering aircraft. Typically, it is the capital ship of a fleet, as it allows a ...
s, all export models have been sold without the automatic carrier landing system, and the Royal Australian Air Force further removed the catapult attachment on the nose gear.[Jenkins 2000.] Except for Canada, all export customers purchased their Hornets through the U.S. Navy, via the U.S. Foreign Military Sales
The United States Department of Defense's Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program facilitates sales of U.S. arms, defense equipment, defense services, and military training to foreign governments. The purchaser does not deal directly with the defense ...
program, where the Navy acts as the purchasing manager, but incurs no financial gain or loss. Canada is the largest Hornet operator outside of the U.S.
Australia
The Royal Australian Air Force
"Through Adversity to the Stars"
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march =
, mascot =
, anniversaries = RAAF Anniversary Commemoration ...
purchased 57 F/A-18A fighters and 18 F/A-18B two-seat trainers to replace its Dassault Mirage IIIOs.[Crick, Darren]
"ADF Aircraft Serial Numbers RAAF A21 McDonnell Douglas F/A-18A/B Hornet."
''adf-serials.com''. Retrieved: 31 December 2006.[Jenkins 2000, p. 86.] Numerous options were considered for the replacement, notably the F-15A Eagle, the F-16 Fighting Falcon
The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a single-engine multirole fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force (USAF). Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successf ...
, and the then new F/A-18 Hornet. The F-15 was discounted because the version offered had no ground-attack capability. The F-16 was considered unsuitable largely due to having only one engine.[ Australia selected the F/A-18 in October 1981.][ Original differences between the Australian and US Navy's standard F/A-18 were the removed nose-wheel tie bar for catapult launch (later re-fitted with a dummy version to remove nose wheel shimmy), addition of a high frequency radio, an Australian fatigue data analysis system, an improved video and voice recorder, and the use of ]instrument landing system
In aviation, the instrument landing system (ILS) is a precision radio navigation system that provides short-range guidance to aircraft to allow them to approach a runway at night or in bad weather. In its original form, it allows an aircraft to ...
/VHF omnidirectional range
Very high frequency omnirange station (VOR) is a type of short-range radio navigation system for aircraft, enabling aircraft with a receiving unit to determine its position and stay on course by receiving radio signals transmitted by a networ ...
instead of the carrier landing system.[Tewes, Alex]
"Australia's F/A-18 Hornet Aircraft: Implications of Use in Iraq."
''Parliament of Australia Parliamentary Library'', 18 March 2003. Retrieved: 1 November 2009.
The first two aircraft were produced in the US, with the remainder assembled in Australia at Government Aircraft Factories. F/A-18 deliveries to the RAAF began on 29 October 1984, and continued until May 1990.[Jenkins 2000, pp. 86, 89.] In 2001, Australia deployed four aircraft to Diego Garcia
Diego Garcia is an island of the British Indian Ocean Territory, a disputed overseas territory of the United Kingdom. It is a militarised atoll just south of the equator in the central Indian Ocean, and the largest of the 60 small islands of ...
, in an air-defense role, during coalition operations against the Taliban in Afghanistan. In 2003, 75 Squadron deployed 14 F/A-18s to Qatar as part of Operation Falconer and these aircraft saw action during the invasion of Iraq.[Holmes 2006, p. 38.] Australia had 71 Hornets in service in 2006, after four were lost to crashes.[
The fleet was upgraded beginning in the late 1990s to extend their service lives to 2015.][Jenkins 2000, p. 91.] They were expected to be retired then and replaced by the F-35 Lightning II.[Nelson, Brendan]
"Joint Strike Fighter."
''Defence Ministers & Parliamentary secretary Media Release,'' 1 February 2007. Retrieved: 4 July 2008.[Nelson, Brendan]
"$6 billion to maintain Australia's regional air superiority."
''Defence Ministers & Parliamentary secretary Media Release'', 3 June 2007. Retrieved: 4 April 2008. Several of the Australian Hornets have had refits applied to extend their service lives until the planned retirement date of 2020. Australia has also purchased 24 F/A-18F Super Hornets, with deliveries beginning in 2010.
In March 2015, six F/A-18As from No. 75 Squadron were deployed to the Middle East as part of Operation Okra, replacing a detachment of Super Hornets.
Australia has sold 25 F/A-18A/Bs to Canada with first two delivered to RCAF in February 2019. By 2021, 12 (A)F/A-18A and 6 (A)F/A-18B (and an additional 7 disassembled (A)F/A-18 for spare parts) were sold to the RCAF.[Canada receives final ex-RAAF F/A-18A/B Hornets, by Andrew McLaughlin, May 13, 2021](_blank)
/ref>
At Wings Over Illawarra 2021, the Hornet performed its last public flying display before retirement. Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands. With an area of , Australia is the largest country by ...
formally retired the Hornet at RAAF Base Williamtown
RAAF Base Williamtown is a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) military air base located north of the coastal city of Newcastle ( by road) in the local government area of Port Stephens, in New South Wales, Australia. The base serves as the ...
on 29 November 2021. On 30 November 2021, No. 75 Squadron RAAF flew 7 of the last Hornets from RAAF Base Tindal to RAAF Base Williamtown. On 3 December 2021, the last Hornet left RAAF Base Tindal for decommissioning. Due to inclement weather, the Hornet diverted to RAAF Base Townsville and concluded the final RAAF Hornet flight to RAAF Base Williamtown on 4 December 2021.
Canada
Canada was the first export customer for the Hornet, replacing the Canadair CF-104 Starfighter
The Canadair CF-104 Starfighter (CF-111, CL-90) is a modified version of the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter supersonic fighter aircraft built in Canada by Canadair under licence. It was primarily used as a ground attack aircraft, despite being ...
(air reconnaissance and strike), the McDonnell CF-101 Voodoo
The McDonnell CF-101 Voodoo was an all-weather interceptor aircraft operated by the Royal Canadian Air Force and the Canadian Forces between 1961 and 1984. They were manufactured by the McDonnell Aircraft Corporation of St. Louis, Missouri for ...
(air interception) and the Canadair CF-116 Freedom Fighter (ground attack). The Canadian Forces Air Command
The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; french: Aviation royale canadienne, ARC) is the air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environm ...
ordered 98 A models (Canadian designation CF-188A/CF-18A) and 40 B models (designation CF-188B/CF-18B). The original CF-18 as delivered was nearly identical to the F/A-18A and B models.["Auditing the Upgrades to the CF-18 Fighter Aircraft (Part 1)."](_blank)
''casr.ca'', December 2004. Retrieved: 8 June 2010. Many features that made the F/A-18 suitable for naval carrier operations were retained by the Canadian Forces, such as the robust landing gear, the arrestor hook, and wing folding mechanisms.
In 1991, Canada committed 26 CF-18s to the Gulf War, based in Qatar. These aircraft primarily provided Combat Air Patrol
Combat air patrol (CAP) is a type of flying mission for fighter aircraft. A combat air patrol is an aircraft patrol provided over an objective area, over the force protected, over the critical area of a combat zone, or over an air defense area, ...
duties, although, late in the air war, began to perform air strikes on Iraqi ground targets. On 30 January 1991, two CF-18s on CAP detected and attacked an Iraqi TNC-45 patrol boat. The vessel was repeatedly strafed and damaged by 20mm cannon fire, but an attempt to sink the ship with an air-to-air missile failed. The ship was subsequently sunk by American aircraft, but the Canadian CF-18s received partial credit for its destruction.
In June 1999, 18 CF-18s were deployed to Aviano AB, Italy, where they participated in both the air-to-ground and air-to-air roles in the former Yugoslavia.
62 CF-18A and 18 CF-18B aircraft took part in the Incremental Modernization Project which was completed in two phases. The program was launched in 2001 and the last updated aircraft was delivered in March 2010. The aims were to improve air-to-air and air-to-ground combat abilities, upgrade sensors and the defensive suite, and replace the datalinks and communications systems on board the CF-18 from the F/A-18A and F/A-18B standard to the current F/A-18C and F/A-18D standard.
In July 2010 the Canadian government announced plans to replace the remaining CF-18 fleet with 65 F-35 Lightning IIs, with deliveries scheduled to start in 2016. In November 2016, Canada announced plans to buy 18 Super Hornets as an interim solution while reviewing its F-35 order. The plan for Super Hornets was later, in October 2017, put on hold due to a trade conflict with the United States over the Bombardier C-Series. Instead, Canada was seeking to purchase surplus Hornets from Australia or Kuwait. Canada has since acquired 25 ex-Australian F/A-18A/Bs, the first two of which were delivered in February 2019. 18 of these airframes will be introduced into active service with the remaining 7 to be used for spare parts and testing.
Finland
The Finnish Air Force
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march =
, mascot =
, anniversaries =
, equipment = 159
, equipment_label ...
ordered 64 F-18C/Ds (57 C models, seven D models) in 1992. All F-18D were built at St. Louis, and then all F-18C were assembled in Finland. Delivery of the aircraft started in November 1995 and ended in August 2000.[Senior, p. 33.] The Hornet replaced the MiG-21bis
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 (russian: Микоян и Гуревич МиГ-21; NATO reporting name: Fishbed) is a supersonic jet fighter and interceptor aircraft, designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau in the Soviet Union. Its nickna ...
and Saab 35 Draken
The Saab 35 Draken (; 'The Kite' or 'The Dragon') is a Swedish fighter-interceptor developed and manufactured by Svenska Aeroplan Aktiebolaget ( SAAB) between 1955 and 1974. Development of the Saab 35 Draken started in 1948 as the Swedish air f ...
in Finnish service. The Finnish Hornets were initially to be used only for air defense, hence the F-18 designation. The F-18C includes the ASPJ (Airborne Self-Protection Jammer) jamming pod ALQ-165.[Jenkins 2000, pp. 100–101.] The US Navy later included the ALQ-165 on their F/A-18E/F Super Hornet procurement.
One Hornet was destroyed in a mid-air collision in 2001. A damaged F-18C, nicknamed "Frankenhornet", was rebuilt into a F-18D using the forward section of a Canadian CF-18B that was purchased.[ The modified fighter crashed during a test flight in January 2010,]["PICTURES: Second accident spells end for Finland's 'Frankenhornet'"]
. "Flightglobal", 22 January 2010. due to a faulty tailplane servo cylinder.
The Finnish Air Force's Hornet fleet went through a two-stage Mid-Life Upgrade (MLU) program. From 2006 to 2010, the MLU 1 stage was aimed at improving the aircraft's air-to-air capabilities. It included the integration of the new AIM-9X Sidewinder
The AIM-9 Sidewinder (where "AIM" stands for "Air Intercept Missile") is a short-range air-to-air missile which entered service with the US Navy in 1956 and subsequently was adopted by the US Air Force in 1964. Since then the Sidewinder has prov ...
missile together with the JHMCS helmet-mounted sight, new radios, a new IFF interrogator, and a new moving map display. Then, from 2012 to 2016, the MLU 2 stage was mainly focused at enabling the aircraft to use standoff air-to-ground weapons, including the JDAM, JSOW
The AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) is a glide bomb that resulted from a joint venture between the United States Navy and Air Force to deploy a standardized medium range precision guided weapon, especially for engagement of defended targe ...
and JASSM. The Hornets also received the Litening targeting pod. New chaff
Chaff (; ) is the dry, scaly protective casing of the seeds of cereal grains or similar fine, dry, scaly plant material (such as scaly parts of flowers or finely chopped straw). Chaff is indigestible by humans, but livestock can eat it. In agri ...
/flare
A flare, also sometimes called a fusée, fusee, or bengala in some Latin-speaking countries, is a type of pyrotechnic that produces a bright light or intense heat without an explosion. Flares are used for distress signaling, illumination, ...
dispensers were installed. The cockpit was modernized, and Link 16
Link 16 is a military tactical data link network used by NATO and nations allowed by the MIDS International Program Office (IPO). Its specification is part of the family of Tactical Data Links.
With Link 16, military aircraft as well as ship ...
was added. The upgrade also includes the procurement and integration of a new version of the AIM-120 AMRAAM
The AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile, or AMRAAM (pronounced ), is an American beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM) capable of all-weather day-and-night operations. It is 7 inches (18 cm) in diameter, and employ ...
air-to-air missile. In total, 62 aircraft (the whole Finnish Hornet fleet as of 2016) were modernized to MLU 2 standards.
With a service life of 30 years, the Hornets are to remain in active service until 2025–2030. In October 2014, the Finnish national broadcaster Yle announced that consideration was being given to the replacement of the Hornet. In 2015, Finland started the HX Fighter Program that aims to acquire new multirole fighters to replace the current Hornet fleet. On 10 December 2021, the Finnish government announced the selection of Lockheed Martin's fifth-generation F-35A Lightning II for its HX Fighter Program.
Kuwait
The Kuwait Air Force
The Kuwait Air Force ( ar, القوات الجوية الكويتية , al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Kuwaitiya) is the air arm of the Armed Forces of Kuwait. The Air Force headquarters is located at Abdullah Al-Mubarak Air Base, with the remaining ...
(''Al Quwwat Aj Jawwaiya Al Kuwaitiya'') ordered 32 F/A-18C and eight F/A-18D Hornets in 1988. Delivery started in October 1991 until August 1993.[Jenkins 2000, pp. 93–94.][Senior, p. 31.] The F/A-18C/Ds replaced A-4KU Skyhawk. Kuwait Air Force Hornets have flown missions over Iraq during Operation Southern Watch
Operation Southern Watch was an air-centric military operation conducted by the United States Department of Defense from Summer 1992 to Spring 2003.
United States Central Command's Joint Task Force Southwest Asia (JTF-SWA) had the mission of mon ...
in the 1990s. They have also participated in military exercises with the air forces of other Gulf nations.[Jenkins 2000, p. 96.] Kuwait had 39 F/A-18C/D Hornets in service in 2008. Kuwait also participated in the Yemeni Civil War (2015–present) Yemeni Civil War may refer to several historical events which have taken place in Yemen:
* Alwaziri coup, February – March 1948
* Yemeni–Adenese clan violence, 1956–60
* North Yemen Civil War, 1962–70
* Aden Emergency, 1963–67
* North Yem ...
. In February 2017, the Commander of the Kuwait Air Force revealed that the F/A-18s based at King Khalid Air Base
King Khalid Air Base (Arabic: قاعدة الملك خالد الجوية) (KKAB) is an airbase of Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) sited in the south-west of Saudi Arabia, near Khamis Mushait.
History
The airbase, with code KMX, has a paved runway ...
had performed approximately 3,000 sorties over Yemen.
Malaysia
The Royal Malaysian Air Force
The Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF, ms, Tentera Udara Diraja Malaysia; TUDM; Jawi: ) was formed on 2 June 1958 as the Royal Federation of Malaya Air Force (; ). However, its roots can be traced back to the Malayan Auxiliary Air Force format ...
(''Tentera Udara Diraja Malaysia'') has eight F/A-18Ds.["Boeing Delivers Malaysian Hornets on Schedule."]
''Boeing'', 9 September 1997. Retrieved: 4 July 2008. Delivery of the aircraft spanned from March 1997 to August 1997.[
Three Hornets together with five UK-made BAE Hawk 208 were deployed in a bombing airstrike on the "Royal Security Forces of the Sultanate of Sulu and North Borneo" terrorists on 5 March 2013, just before the joint forces of the Malaysian Army and Royal Malaysia Police commandos launched an all-out assault during ]Operation Daulat
The 2013 Lahad Datu standoff, also known as the Lahad Datu incursion or Operation Daulat ( ms, Operasi Daulat), was a military conflict in Lahad Datu District, Sabah, Malaysia, that started on 11 February 2013, lasting until 24 March 2013. T ...
. The Hornets were tasked with close air support to the no-fly zone
A no-fly zone, also known as a no-flight zone (NFZ), or air exclusion zone (AEZ), is a territory or area established by a military power over which certain aircraft are not permitted to fly. Such zones are usually set up in an enemy power's te ...
in Lahad Datu, Sabah.
Spain
The Spanish Air and Space Force
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march = Spanish Air and Space Force Anthem
, mascot =
, anniversaries = 10 December
, equipment ...
(''Ejército del Aire y del Espacio'') ordered 60 EF-18A model and 12 EF-18B model Hornets (the "E" standing for "España", Spain), named respectively as C.15 and CE.15 by Spain.[Senior.] The Spanish version was delivered from 22 November 1985 to July 1990.[Senior, p. 25.] These fighters were upgraded to F-18A+/B+ standard, close to F/A-18C/D (plus version includes later mission and armament computers, databuses, data-storage set, new wiring, pylon modifications and software, new abilities as AN/AAS-38B NITE Hawk targeting FLIR pods).
In 1995 Spain obtained 24 ex-USN F/A-18A Hornets, with six more on option. These were delivered from December 1995 until December 1998.[Senior, p. 27.] Before delivery, they were modified to EF-18A+ standard.[Jenkins 2000, p. 93.] This was the first sale of USN surplus Hornets.
Spanish Hornets operate as an all-weather interceptor 60% of the time and as an all-weather day/night attack aircraft for the remainder. In case of war, each of the front-line squadrons would take a primary role: 121 is tasked with tactical air support and maritime operations; 151 and 122 are assigned to all-weather interception and air combat roles; and 152 is assigned the SEAD mission. Air refueling is provided by KC-130Hs and Boeing 707TTs. Pilot conversion to EF-18 is centralized in 153 Squadron (Ala 15). Squadron 462's role is air defense of the Canary Islands
The Canary Islands (; es, :es:Canarias, Canarias, ), also known informally as the Canaries, are a Spanish Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community and archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, in Macaronesia. At their closest point to ...
, being responsible for fighter and attack missions from Gando AB.
Spanish Air Force EF-18 Hornets have flown Ground Attack, SEAD, combat air patrol (CAP) combat missions in Bosnia and Kosovo, under NATO command, in Aviano detachment (Italy). They shared the base with Canadian and USMC F/A-18s. Six Spanish Hornets had been lost in accidents by 2003.[
Over Yugoslavia, eight EF-18s, based at Aviano AB, participated in bombing raids in ]Operation Allied Force
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) carried out an aerial bombing campaign against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia during the Kosovo War. The air strikes lasted from 24 March 1999 to 10 June 1999. The bombings continued until an a ...
in 1999, being among the first planes to strike Yugoslav targets. Over Bosnia, they also performed missions for air-to-air combat air patrol, close air support air-to-ground, photo reconnaissance, forward air controller-airborne, and tactical air controller-airborne. Over Libya, four Spanish Hornets participated in enforcing a no-fly zone.
Switzerland
The Swiss Air Force
The Swiss Air Force (german: Schweizer Luftwaffe; french: Forces aériennes suisses; it, Forze aeree svizzere; rm, Aviatica militara svizra) is the air component of the Swiss Armed Forces, established on 31 July 1914 as a part of the army an ...
purchased 26 C models and eight D models.[ Aircraft were delivered from January 1996 to December 1999.][Senior, p. 37.][ Three D models and one C model had been lost in crashes as of 2016.]["Boeing F/A-18 Hornet"](_blank)
''lw.admin.ch,'' 2015. On 14 October 2015, an F/A-18D crashed in France during training with two Swiss Air Force Northrop F-5
The Northrop F-5 is a family of supersonic light fighter aircraft initially designed as a privately funded project in the late 1950s by Northrop Corporation. There are two main models, the original F-5A and F-5B Freedom Fighter variants and t ...
s in the Swiss/French training area EURAC25; the pilot ejected safely.
In late 2007, Switzerland requested to be included in the F/A-18C/D Upgrade 25 Program, to extend the useful life of its F/A-18C/Ds. The program includes significant upgrades to the avionics and mission computer, 12 ATFLIR surveillance and targeting pods, and 44 sets of AN/ALR-67v3 ECM equipment. In October 2008, the Swiss Hornet fleet reached the 50,000 flight hour milestone.
The Swiss Air Force has also taken delivery of two F/A-18C full-scale mock-ups for use as ground crew interactive training simulators. Locally built by Hugo Wolf AG, they are externally accurate copies and have been registered as Boeing F/A-18C (Hugo Wolf) aircraft with tail numbers X-5098 and X-5099. These include a complex equipment fit, including many original cockpit components and instruments, allowing the simulation of fires, fuel leaks, nosewheel collapse and other emergency scenarios. X-5098 is permanently stationed at Payerne Air Base while X-5099, the first one built, is moved between air bases according to training demands.
Air USA
Air USA, a provider of training services to various U.S. government agencies, has signed a deal to acquire Australia's remaining F/A-18A/B Hornets, after 25 of these were sold to Canada. Air USA is slated to receive 46 Hornets, with 36 in flyable condition and is planning to restore the remaining 10 to airworthiness as well. The Hornets will be used as testers and aggressor jets to train pilots.
Potential operators
The F/A-18C and F/A-18D were considered by the French Navy
The French Navy (french: Marine nationale, lit=National Navy), informally , is the maritime arm of the French Armed Forces and one of the five military service branches of France. It is among the largest and most powerful naval forces in t ...
(''Marine Nationale'') during the 1980s for deployment on their aircraft carriers ''Clemenceau'' and ''Foch''[ Tillman Barrett. ''MiG Master: Story of the F-8 Crusader'' (second edition). Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press, 1990. .] and again in the 1990s for the later nuclear-powered ''Charles de Gaulle'',[Donald 2001, p. 122.] in the event that the Dassault Rafale M
The Dassault Rafale (, literally meaning "gust of wind", and "burst of fire" in a more military sense) is a French twin-engine, canard delta wing, multirole fighter aircraft designed and built by Dassault Aviation. Equipped with a wide range ...
was not brought into service when originally planned.
Austria
Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
,[Anderson, Barbara]
"Philippine Pilots Complete F/A-18 Hornet Flight Evaluation."
''McDonnell Douglas,'' 11 December 1996. Chile
Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the eas ...
,[ ]Czech Republic
The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. The ...
,[ ]Hungary
Hungary ( hu, Magyarország ) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning of the Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Cr ...
,[ ]Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
,[ ]Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populou ...
,[ and Singapore][ evaluated the Hornet but did not purchase it. ]Thailand
Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is b ...
ordered four C and four D model Hornets but the Asian financial crisis in the late 1990s resulted in the order being canceled. The Hornets were completed as F/A-18Ds for the U.S. Marine Corps.[
The F/A-18A and F-18L land-based version competed for a fighter contract from Greece in the 1980s. The Greek government chose F-16 and ]Mirage 2000
The Dassault Mirage 2000 is a French multirole, single-engine, fourth-generation jet fighter manufactured by Dassault Aviation. It was designed in the late 1970s as a lightweight fighter to replace the Mirage III for the French Air Force (' ...
instead.
In 2021, the U.S. offered the F-18 to the Argentine Air Force.
Variants
F/A-18A/B Hornet
The ''F/A-18A,'' single-seat variant, can employ the AGM-84 Harpoon, AGM-65E Maverick, AGM-88 HARM and the AGM-62 Walleye I/II. The F/A-18A was also equipped with the AN/AAS-38 Nite Hawk targeting pod and the AN/ASQ-173 laser spot tracker for targeting. During the Gulf War, there were limited numbers of the Nite hawk for USN and USMC Hornets. The ''F/A-18B'' has space for the two-seat cockpit, provided by a relocation of avionics equipment and a 6% reduction in internal fuel. Two-seat Hornets are otherwise fully combat-capable. The B-model is used primarily for training.
In 1992, the original Hughes
Hughes may refer to:
People
* Hughes (surname)
* Hughes (given name)
Places Antarctica
* Hughes Range (Antarctica), Ross Dependency
* Mount Hughes, Oates Land
* Hughes Basin, Oates Land
* Hughes Bay, Graham Land
* Hughes Bluff, Victoria La ...
AN/APG-65 radar was replaced with the Hughes (now Raytheon
Raytheon Technologies Corporation is an American multinational aerospace and defense conglomerate headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. It is one of the largest aerospace and defense manufacturers in the world by revenue and market capitali ...
) AN/APG-73, a faster and more capable radar. A-model Hornets that have been upgraded to the AN/APG-73 and are capable of carrying the AIM-120 AMRAAM
The AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile, or AMRAAM (pronounced ), is an American beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM) capable of all-weather day-and-night operations. It is 7 inches (18 cm) in diameter, and employ ...
are designated ''F/A-18A+''.
F/A-18C/D Hornet
The ''F/A-18C'' is the single-seat variant and the ''F/A-18D'' is the two-seat variant. The D-model can be configured for training or as an all-weather strike craft. The "missionized" D model's rear seat is configured for a Marine Corps Naval Flight Officer
A naval flight officer (NFO) is a commissioned officer in the United States Navy or United States Marine Corps who specializes in airborne weapons and sensor systems. NFOs are not pilots (naval aviators), but they may perform many "co-pilot" or ...
who functions as a Weapons and Sensors Officer to assist in operating the weapons systems. The F/A-18D is primarily operated by the U.S. Marine Corps in the night attack and Forward Air Controller (Airborne) (FAC(A)) roles.[Jenkins 2000, pp. 64–66.]
The F/A-18C and D models are the result of a block upgrade in 1987[ incorporating upgraded radar, avionics, and the capacity to carry new missiles such as the ]AIM-120 AMRAAM
The AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile, or AMRAAM (pronounced ), is an American beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM) capable of all-weather day-and-night operations. It is 7 inches (18 cm) in diameter, and employ ...
air-to-air missile[ and later on the ]AGM-84E SLAM
The AGM-84E SLAM (Standoff Land Attack Missile) was a subsonic, over-the-horizon air-launched cruise missile that was developed by McDonnell Douglas from the AGM-84 Harpoon antiship missile. The SLAM was designed to provide all-weather, day and nig ...
as well as the IR version of the AGM-65 (AGM-65F). Other upgrades include the Martin-Baker
Martin-Baker Aircraft Company Limited is a British manufacturer of ejection seats and safety-related equipment for aviation. The company's origins were originally as an aircraft manufacturer before becoming a pioneer in the field of ejection s ...
NACES (Navy Aircrew Common ejection seat
In aircraft, an ejection seat or ejector seat is a system designed to rescue the pilot or other crew of an aircraft (usually military) in an emergency. In most designs, the seat is propelled out of the aircraft by an explosive charge or rock ...
), and a self-protection jammer. A synthetic aperture ground mapping radar enables the pilot to locate targets in poor visibility conditions. C and D models delivered since 1989 also have improved night attack abilities, consisting of the Hughes
Hughes may refer to:
People
* Hughes (surname)
* Hughes (given name)
Places Antarctica
* Hughes Range (Antarctica), Ross Dependency
* Mount Hughes, Oates Land
* Hughes Basin, Oates Land
* Hughes Bay, Graham Land
* Hughes Bluff, Victoria La ...
AN/AAR-50 thermal navigation pod, AN/AAS-38A NITE Hawk FLIR
Forward-looking infrared (FLIR) cameras, typically used on military and civilian aircraft, use a thermographic camera that senses infrared radiation.
The sensors installed in forward-looking infrared cameras, as well as those of other thermal ...
(forward looking infrared array) targeting pod, night vision goggles, and two full-color (formerly monochrome) multi-function display
A multifunction display (MFD) is a small-screen ( CRT or LCD) surrounded by multiple soft keys (configurable buttons) that can be used to display information to the user in numerous configurable ways. MFDs originated in aviation, first in mil ...
(MFDs) and a color moving map.[
In addition, 60 D-model Hornets are configured as the night attack ''F/A-18D (RC)'' with ability for reconnaissance.][ These could be outfitted with the ATARS electro-optical sensor package that includes a sensor pod and equipment mounted in the place of the M61 cannon.][Jenkins 2000, pp. 66–70.]
Beginning in 1992, the F404-GE-402 enhanced performance engine, providing approximately 10% more maximum static thrust became the standard Hornet engine.[Donald, David. "Boeing F/A-18 Hornet". ''Warplanes of the Fleet''. AIRtime Publishing Inc, 2004. .] Since 1993, the AAS-38A NITE Hawk added a designator/ranger laser, allowing it to self-mark targets. The later AAS-38B added the ability to strike targets designated by lasers from other aircraft.[Jenkins 2000, pp. 61–62, 156.]
Production of the C- and D- models ended in 2000. The last F/A-18C was assembled in Finland and delivered to the Finnish Air Force in August 2000.[ The last F/A-18D was delivered to the U.S. Marine Corps in August 2000.][
The U.S. Navy retired its F/A-18C/D in February 2019. However, USMC still retains theirs, and is in the process of upgrading their radar to APG-79(V)4 ]Active Electronically Scanned Array
An active electronically scanned array (AESA) is a type of phased array antenna, which is a computer-controlled array antenna in which the beam of radio waves can be electronically steered to point in different directions without moving the an ...
(AESA) radar system.
E/F Super Hornet
The single-seat ''F/A-18E'' and two-seat ''F/A-18F'', both officially named ''Super Hornet'', carry over the name and design concept of the original F/A-18 but have been extensively redesigned by McDonnell Douglas. The Super Hornet has a new, 25% larger airframe, larger rectangular air intakes, more powerful GE F414 engines based on F/A-18's F404, and an upgraded avionics suite. Like the Marine Corps' F/A-18D, the Navy's F/A-18F carries a naval flight officer
A naval flight officer (NFO) is a commissioned officer in the United States Navy or United States Marine Corps who specializes in airborne weapons and sensor systems. NFOs are not pilots (naval aviators), but they may perform many "co-pilot" or ...
as a second crew member in a weapon systems officer (WSO) role. The Super Hornet is unofficially known as "Rhino" in operational use. This name was chosen to distinguish the newer variants from the legacy F-18A/B/C/D Hornet and avoid confusion during carrier deck operations. The Super Hornet is also operated by Australia.
G Growler
The EA-18G Growler is an electronic warfare version of the two-seat F/A-18F, which entered production in 2007. The Growler has replaced the Navy's EA-6B Prowler
The Northrop Grumman (formerly Grumman) EA-6B Prowler is a twin-engine, four-seat, mid-wing electronic-warfare aircraft derived from the A-6 Intruder airframe. The EA-6A was the initial electronic warfare version of the A-6 used by the United ...
and carries a Naval Flight Officer as a second crewman in an Electronic Warfare Officer (EWO) role.
US variants list
;F/A-18A: Original single-seat version, can carry the AGM-84 ASM, AGM-62 Walleye, AGM-88 HARM and the TV guided versions AGM-65 Maverick.
;F/A-18B: Two-seat version of the F/A-18A, combat capable but mainly used for training.
;F/A-18C: Improved version of the F/A-18A, can carry the AIM-120 AMRAAM, AGM-84E SLAM and the IR guided versions AGM-65 Maverick.
;F/A-18D: Two-seat version of the F/A-18C, used only by USMC.
;F-18(R): This was a proposed reconnaissance version of the F/A-18A. It included a sensor package that replaced the 20 mm cannon. The first of two prototypes flew in August 1984. Small numbers were produced.[
;RF-18D: Proposed two-seat reconnaissance version for the US Marine Corps in the mid-1980s. It was to carry a radar reconnaissance pod. The system was canceled after it was unfunded in 1988. This ability was later realized on the F/A-18D(RC).][
;TF-18A: Two-seat training version of the F/A-18A fighter, later redesignated ''F/A-18B''.][
]
;F-18 HARV: Single-seat High Alpha Research Vehicle for NASA.[Jenkins 2000, pp. 49–52.] High angles of attack using thrust vectoring, modifications to the flight controls, and forebody strakes
; X-53 Active Aeroelastic Wing: A NASA F/A-18 has been modified to demonstrate the Active Aeroelastic Wing technology, and was designated ''X-53'' in December 2006.
Export variants
''These designations are not part of 1962 United States Tri-Service aircraft designation system
The Tri-Service aircraft designation system is a unified system introduced in 1962 by the United States Department of Defense for designating all U.S. military aircraft. Previously, the U.S. armed services used separate nomenclature systems. ...
.''
;F-18L: A proposed land-based export version of the single-seat F-18A with air-superiority and attack capabilities. This variant was to be lightened by the removal of carrier landing capability and assembled by Northrop. Customers preferred the standard Hornet and the F-18L never entered mass production.[
;(A)F/A-18A/B
* (A)F/A-18A: Single-seat fighter/attack version for the ]Royal Australian Air Force
"Through Adversity to the Stars"
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march =
, mascot =
, anniversaries = RAAF Anniversary Commemoration ...
.
* (A)F/A-18B: Two-seat training version for the Royal Australian Air Force.
:"F/A-18A" was the original company designation, designations of "AF-18A" & "ATF-18A" have also been applied. Assembled in Australia (excluding the first two (A)F/A-18Bs) by Aero-Space Technologies of Australia (ASTA) from 1985 through to 1990, from kits produced by McDonnell Douglas with increasing local content in the later aircraft. Originally the most notable differences between an Australian (A)F/A-18A/B and a US F/A-18A/B were the lack of a catapult attachment, replacing the carrier tailhook with a lighter land arresting hook, and the automatic carrier landing system with an Instrument Landing System
In aviation, the instrument landing system (ILS) is a precision radio navigation system that provides short-range guidance to aircraft to allow them to approach a runway at night or in bad weather. In its original form, it allows an aircraft to ...
. Australian Hornets have been involved in several major upgrade programs. This program called HUG (Hornet Upgrade) has had a few evolutions over the years. The first was to give Australian Hornets F/A-18C model avionics. The second and current upgrade program (HUG 2.2) updates the fleet's avionics even further. By 2021 12 (A)F/A-18A and 6 (A)F/A-18B (and an additional 7 broken down (A)F/A-18 for spare parts) were sold to the Royal Canadian Air Force
The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; french: Aviation royale canadienne, ARC) is the air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environm ...
.
; CF-188
* CF-188A: Single-seat fighter/attack version for the Canadian Armed Forces
}
The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF; french: Forces armées canadiennes, ''FAC'') are the unified military forces of Canada, including sea, land, and air elements referred to as the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army, and Royal Canadian Air Force.
...
(CAF)/Royal Canadian Air Force
The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; french: Aviation royale canadienne, ARC) is the air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environm ...
(RCAF). Unofficially referred to as the CF-18A Hornet.
* CF-188B: Two-seat training and combat version for the CAF/RCAF. Unofficially referred to as the CF-18B Hornet.
;EF-18 Hornet
* EF-18A: Single-seat fighter/attack version for the Spanish Air and Space Force
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march = Spanish Air and Space Force Anthem
, mascot =
, anniversaries = 10 December
, equipment ...
, the E is for ''España'' (Spain in Spanish). The Spanish Air and Space Force designation is C.15, the C being for ''Caza'' (fighter aircraft in Spanish, lit. hunt). They were first upgraded to the EF-18A+ version in 1992, this included pylons, computing and electronic systems in the F/A-18C standard. The Spanish Air and Space Force acquired licenses and locally developed many upgrades to the Operating Flying Program (OFP), i.e. the software that controls the aircraft computers. They were the first hornets in the world capable of using the AGM-65 Maverick
The AGM-65 Maverick is an air-to-ground missile (AGM) designed for close air support. It is the most widely produced precision-guided missile in the Western world, and is effective against a wide range of tactical targets, including armor, ...
air to ground missile, and the first air force to use it against naval targets. From 2004 to 2013 they were locally upgraded by EADS CASA and Indra Sistemas
Indra Sistemas, S.A. () is a Spanish information technology and defense systems company. Indra is listed on the Bolsa de Madrid and is a constituent of the IBEX 35 index.
Indra is organized around three business areas: information technologies ...
in the Mid-life Upgrade (MLU) program, with better avionics, data buses, TPAC, data presentation (bigger color and touch displays similar to the F/A-18E Super Hornet), navigation, communications (radios), software and ECM suit. The AN/APG-65 radar was upgraded to the V3 version and the aircraft also received the AL-400 Radar Warning Receiver and the ASQ-600 emission detector and were certified to operate with Iris-T, Meteor
A meteoroid () is a small rocky or metallic body in outer space.
Meteoroids are defined as objects significantly smaller than asteroids, ranging in size from grains to objects up to a meter wide. Objects smaller than this are classified as mi ...
, GBU-48 and Taurus. This also included a thorough structural and engine revision and overhaul, and a new paint job for a few units. This version is locally known as EF-18MLU/C.15M and is considered superior to the US F/A-18C version.
* EF-18B: Two-seat training version for the Spanish Air and Space Force. The Spanish Air and Space Force designation is CE.15. The E is for ''Entrenamiento'', meaning training in Spanish. They were first upgraded to the EF-18B+ version in 1992.
;KAF-18 Hornet
* KAF-18C: Single-seat fighter/attack version for the Kuwait Air Force
The Kuwait Air Force ( ar, القوات الجوية الكويتية , al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Kuwaitiya) is the air arm of the Armed Forces of Kuwait. The Air Force headquarters is located at Abdullah Al-Mubarak Air Base, with the remaining ...
[
* KAF-18D: Two-seat training version for the Kuwait Air Force][
]
;F-18C/D Hornet
* The Finnish Air Force
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march =
, mascot =
, anniversaries =
, equipment = 159
, equipment_label ...
uses F/A-18C/D Hornets, with a Finland-specific mid-life update. The first seven Hornets (D models) were produced by McDonnell Douglas. The 57 single-seat F-18C model units were assembled by Patria in Finland.[Karivalo, Perttu. ''Tomcat vs. Hornet: An Air Forces Monthly Special'', p. 68. Key Publishing Ltd, 2003.] These variants were delivered without air-to-ground capability so the letter A was dropped from the name. They were later upgraded to carry air-to-ground weaponry.
;F-18C/D Hornet
* Switzerland uses F-18C/D,[Nicholls, Mark. ''Tomcat vs. Hornet: An Air Forces Monthly Special'', p. 78. Key Publishing Ltd, 2003.] later Swiss specific mid-life update. The Swiss F-18s had no ground attack capability originally, until hardware was retrofitted.
Operators
;
* Royal Australian Air Force
"Through Adversity to the Stars"
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march =
, mascot =
, anniversaries = RAAF Anniversary Commemoration ...
(former operator)
** No. 3 Squadron RAAF 1985–2017 (converted to F-35A)
** No. 75 Squadron RAAF 1988-2021 (converted to F-35A)
** No. 77 Squadron RAAF
No. 77 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) squadron headquartered at RAAF Base Williamtown, New South Wales. It is controlled by No. 81 Wing, and equipped with Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II multi-role fighters. The squadr ...
1985-2020 (converted to F-35A)
** No. 2 Operational Conversion Unit RAAF
No. 2 Operational Conversion Unit (No. 2 OCU) is a fighter training unit of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). Located at RAAF Base Williamtown, New South Wales, the unit trains pilots to operate the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II. ...
1985-2019 (converted to F-35A)
** Aircraft Research and Development Unit
;
* Royal Canadian Air Force
The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; french: Aviation royale canadienne, ARC) is the air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environm ...
(see McDonnell Douglas CF-18 Hornet
The McDonnell Douglas CF-18 Hornet (official military designation CF-188) is a Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) variant of the American McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet fighter aircraft. In 1980, the F/A-18 was selected as the winner of the New ...
)
** 86 (63 CF-18A & 23 CF-18B) aircraft in use as of 2021.
;
* Finnish Air Force
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march =
, mascot =
, anniversaries =
, equipment = 159
, equipment_label ...
- 55 F-18Cs and 7 F-18Ds in use as of 2021.
** Karelian Air Command
The Karelia Air Command ( fi, Karjalan lennosto, abbr. ''KarLsto''; sv, Karelens flygflottilj) is the peace-time Finnish Air Force unit responsible for the protection of the airspace of Eastern and South-Eastern Finland. In spite of its name, the ...
( No. 31 Squadron)
** Lapland Air Command
The Lapland Air Command ( fi, Lapin Lennosto, abbr. ''LapLsto''; sv, Lapplands flygflottilj) is the peace-time Finnish Air Force unit responsible for the protection of the airspace of northern Finland. The headquarters of the air command is loca ...
( No. 11 Squadron)
** Satakunta Air Command
The Satakunta Air Command ( fi, Satakunnan Lennosto, abbr. ''SatLsto''; sv, Satakunta flygflottilj) is a peace-time Finnish Air Force unit. Its headquarters is not located in the present-day province of Satakunta, but in historical Satakunta a ...
( No. 21 Squadron, defunct 6/2014)
;
* Kuwait Air Force
The Kuwait Air Force ( ar, القوات الجوية الكويتية , al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Kuwaitiya) is the air arm of the Armed Forces of Kuwait. The Air Force headquarters is located at Abdullah Al-Mubarak Air Base, with the remaining ...
- 31 F/A-18Cs and 8 F/A-18Ds in service ["Directory: World Air Forces."]
''Flight International
''Flight International'' is a monthly magazine focused on aerospace. Published in the United Kingdom and founded in 1909 as "A Journal devoted to the Interests, Practice, and Progress of Aerial Locomotion and Transport", it is the world's olde ...
'', 11–17 November 2008. Only 34 (27 F/A-18C & 7 F/A-18D) aircraft remain in use as of 2021.
** 9th Fighter and Attack Squadron["Kuwait Air Force Overview. Aircraft Order of Battle."]
''Scramble Magazine''. Retrieved: 31 December 2008.
** 25th Fighter and Attack Squadron[
]
;
* Royal Malaysian Air Force
The Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF, ms, Tentera Udara Diraja Malaysia; TUDM; Jawi: ) was formed on 2 June 1958 as the Royal Federation of Malaya Air Force (; ). However, its roots can be traced back to the Malayan Auxiliary Air Force format ...
- 8 F/A-18Ds in operation 2021[
** No. 18 Squadron, RMAF Butterworth air base.
;
* ]Spanish Air and Space Force
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march = Spanish Air and Space Force Anthem
, mascot =
, anniversaries = 10 December
, equipment ...
- 85 F/A-18A+/B+ in service. Only 84 (72 EF-18M and F/A-18C & 12 EF-18BM) aircraft remain in use as of 2021.[World Aircraft Directory, 2022 (FlightGlobal, part of DVV Media International Ltd, 2021) p.30]
** Ala de Caza 15 (15th Fighter Wing) Zaragoza AB, (151, 152 and 153 Squadrons)
** Ala de Caza 12, Torrejón AB (121 and 122 Squadrons)
** Ala 46, Gando AB (Canary islands), with Squadron 462 operating 20 ex-US Navy F/A-18As. They have not received any important upgrades, unlike the hornets operating from the Spanish mainland.[Yañez and Rodriguez 2008, p. 23.]
;
* Swiss Air Force
The Swiss Air Force (german: Schweizer Luftwaffe; french: Forces aériennes suisses; it, Forze aeree svizzere; rm, Aviatica militara svizra) is the air component of the Swiss Armed Forces, established on 31 July 1914 as a part of the army an ...
- 25 F/A-18Cs and 5 F/A-18Ds in service as of 2021.
** Fliegerstaffel 11["Schweizer Luftwaffe. Aircraft Order of Battle."]
''Scramble Magazine''. Retrieved: 31 December 2008.
** Fliegerstaffel 17[
** Fliegerstaffel 18][
;
* ]United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
(former operator)[
** ]VFC-12
Fighter Squadron Composite Twelve (VFC-12) ''Fighting Omars'' is a United States Navy Reserve fighter squadron based at NAS Oceana. It provides adversary training to East Coast Navy air wings. VFC-12 reports to Tactical Support Wing, a component ...
1990–present (Naval Air Reserve Force)
** VFA-15 1986–2017 (disestablished)
** VFA-22 1990–2004 (initially converted to F/A-18E Super Hornet
The Boeing F/A-18E and F/A-18F Super Hornet are twin-engine, carrier-capable, multirole fighter aircraft variants based on the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet. The F/A-18E single-seat and F/A-18F tandem-seat variants are larger and more ad ...
, 2004–2007; subsequently converted to F/A-18F Super Hornet, 2007–present)
** VFA-25
Strike Fighter Squadron 25 (VFA-25) is an aviation unit of the United States Navy based at Naval Air Station Lemoore, California. The squadron flies the Boeing F/A-18E Super Hornet and is currently assigned to Carrier Air Wing 11. Its callsign is ...
1984–2013 (converted to F/A-18E Super Hornet)
** VFA-27 1991–2004 (converted to F/A-18E Super Hornet)
** VFA-34 1996–2019 (converted to F/A-18E Super Hornet)
** VFA-37 1990–2018 (converted to F/A-18E Super Hornet)
** VFA-81
Strike Fighter Squadron 81 (VFA-81), also known as the "Sunliners", is a United States Navy F/A-18E Super Hornet strike fighter squadron stationed at Naval Air Station Oceana. They are a part of Carrier Air Wing One, their radio callsign is ''Inf ...
1988–2008 (converted to F/A-18E Super Hornet)
** VFA-82
VFA-82, Strike Fighter Squadron 82, known as the ''Marauders'' was a U.S. Navy strike fighter squadron formerly based at MCAS Beaufort, South Carolina, established in 1967 and deactivated in 2005. Its radio callsign was ''Streetcar''.
History
Atta ...
1987–2005 (disestablished)
** VFA-83
Strike Fighter Squadron 83 (VFA-83), also known as the "Rampagers", are a United States Navy F/A-18E Super Hornet fighter squadron stationed at Naval Air Station Oceana. They are a part of Carrier Air Wing 3, their tailcode is ''AC'' and their rad ...
1988–2018 (converted to F/A-18E Super Hornet)
** VFA-86 1987–2012 (converted to F/A-18E Super Hornet)
** VFA-87 1986–2015 (converted to F/A-18E Super Hornet)
** VFA-94 1990–2016 (converted to F/A-18F Super Hornet)
** VFA-97
Strike Fighter Squadron 97 (VFA-97) is a naval aviation squadron of the United States Navy. It is equipped with the F-35C Lightning II and is stationed at Naval Air Station Lemoore. The squadron is nicknamed "Warhawks" and it is currently assigne ...
1991–2015 (converted to F/A-18E Super Hornet)
** VFA-105 1990–2006 (converted to F/A-18E Super Hornet)
** VFA-106
Strike Fighter Squadron 106 (VFA-106), also known as the "Gladiators", is a United States Navy F/A-18 Hornet and F/A-18E/F Super Hornet Fleet Replacement Squadron stationed at Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia.
Mission
As the East Coast Flee ...
1984–2018 (fleet replacement squadron for USN and USMC; operates F/A-18E/F; legacy F/A-18A/A+/B/C/D Hornets phased out in 2018)
** VFA-113 1984–2016 (converted to F/A-18E Super Hornet)
** VFA-115
Strike Fighter Squadron 115 (VFA-115) is known as the "Eagles", callsign "Talon", a United States Navy F/A-18E Super Hornet strike fighter squadron stationed at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni. Their tail code is ''NF''. It was established as T ...
1996–2001 (converted to F/A-18E Super Hornet)
** VFA-122 2010-2013 (fleet replacement squadron for F/A-18E/F; legacy F/A-18A/A+/B/C/D Hornets phased out in 2013)
** VFA-125
Strike Fighter Squadron 125 (VFA-125), also known as the "Rough Raiders", is a United States Navy strike fighter squadron based at Naval Air Station Lemoore, California. The "Rough Raiders" are a Fleet Replacement Squadron flying the F-35C ...
1980–2010 (disestablished, former fleet replacement squadron for USN and USMC; aircraft transferred to VFA-122 and legacy F/A-18A/A+/B/C/D Hornets phased out in 2013)
** VFA-127 1989–1996 (disestablished)
** VFA-131
Strike Fighter Squadron 131 (VFA-131), also known as the "Wildcats", is a United States Navy F/A-18E Super Hornet fighter squadron stationed at Naval Air Station Oceana. Their radio call sign is "Wildcat" and their aircraft tail code is ''AC''.
H ...
1984–2018 (converted to F/A-18E Super Hornet)
** VFA-132 1984–1992 (disestablished)
** VFA-136
Strike Fighter Squadron 136 (VFA-136) also known as the "Knighthawks" is a United States Navy strike fighter squadron based at Naval Air Station Lemoore, California. The "Knighthawks" are an operational fleet squadron flying the F/A-18E Super Ho ...
1985–2008 (converted to F/A-18E Super Hornet)
** VFA-137 1985–2003 (converted to F/A-18E Super Hornet)
** VFA-146 1989–2015 (converted to F/A-18E Super Hornet)
** VFA-147
Strike Fighter Squadron 147 (VFA-147), also known as the "Argonauts," is a United States Navy strike fighter squadron based at Naval Air Station Lemoore, California (USA). VFA-147 was established on 1 February 1967 and flies the F-35C Lightning ...
1989–2007 (converted to F/A-18E Super Hornet, but currently operating the F-35C Lightning II)
** VFA-151 1986–2013 (converted to F/A-18E Super Hornet)
** VFA-161 1986–1988 (disestablished)
** VFA-192 1986–2014 (converted to F/A-18E Super Hornet)
** VFA-195 1985–2011 (converted to the F/A-18E Super Hornet)
** VFA-201 1999–2007 (Naval Air Reserve Force; disestablished)
** VFA-203
VFA-203, nicknamed the ''Blue Dolphins'', was a Strike Fighter Squadron of the U.S. Naval Reserve. It was established as Attack Squadron 203 (VA-203) flying the A-4 Skyhawk at NAS Jacksonville, Florida on 1 July 1970, as a reserve force squadron ...
1990–2004 (Naval Air Reserve Force; disestablished)
** VFA-204 1990–present (Naval Air Reserve Force)
** VFA-303 1990–1994 (Naval Air Reserve Force; disestablished)
** VFA-305 1990–1994 (Naval Air Reserve Force; disestablished)
** VX-4
VX-4, Air Test and Evaluation Squadron Four, (''AIRTEVRON FOUR''), commonly referred to by its nickname, ''The Evaluators'', was a United States Navy air test and evaluation squadron based at Naval Air Station Point Mugu, California. Their tail co ...
1982-1994 (merged with VX-5 in 1994 to form VX-9)
** VX-5 1983-1994 (merged with VX-4 in 1994 to form VX-9)
** VX-9
Air Test and Evaluation Squadron Nine (''AIRTEVRON NINE'', VX-9, nicknamed ''The Vampires'') is a United States Navy air test and evaluation squadron based at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, California. Using the tail code ''XE'', the squad ...
1994–2020 (legacy hornets phased out in 2020; currently operate F/A-18E/F and E/A-18G aircraft)
** VX-23
** VX-31
Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 31 (VX-31 or AIRTEVRON THREE ONE, commonly referred to by its nickname, "The Dust Devils" ) is a United States Navy air test and evaluation squadron based at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake
Naval Air Weapo ...
** Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center
The Naval Aviation Warfighting Development Center (NAWDC, pronounced NAW-DIK) was formerly known as the Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center (NSAWC, pronounced "EN-SOCK") at Naval Air Station Fallon located in the city of Fallon in western Neva ...
/ Naval Aviation Warfighting Development Center
* United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through c ...
Aviation
Aviation includes the activities surrounding mechanical flight and the aircraft industry. ''Aircraft'' includes airplane, fixed-wing and helicopter, rotary-wing types, morphable wings, wing-less lifting bodies, as well as aerostat, lighter- ...
273 F/A-18A/B/C/D Hornets in operation as of 2015
** VMFA-112 1992–present (Marine Air Reserve)
** VMFA-115 1985–present
** VMFA-122 1986–2017 (converted to F-35B)
** VMFA-134 1989–2007 (Marine Corps Reserve; placed in cadre status)
** VMFA-142
Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 142 (VMFA-142) was an aviation unit of the United States Marine Corps Reserve that was active from 1942 to 2008. At the time of its inactivation, the squadron was based at Naval Air Station Atlanta, Georgia and fell ...
1990–2008 (Marine Corps Reserve; placed in cadre status)
** VMFA-212 1988–2008
** VMFA-232 1989–present
** VMFA-235
Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 235 (VMFA-235) was a United States Marine Corps squadron that most recently flew F/A-18 Hornets. Known as the "Death Angels", the squadron participated in action during World War II, the Vietnam War, Operation Deser ...
1989–1996 (disestablished)
** VMFA-251 1987–2020
** VMFA-312 1987–present
** VMFA-314 1982–2019 (converted to F-35C)
** VMFA-321 1991–2004 (Marine Corps Reserve; disestablished)
** VMFA-323 1982–present
** VMFA-333 1987–1992 (disestablished)
** VMFA-451
Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501 (VMFAT-501) is a training squadron in the United States Marine Corps, consisting of 28 F-35B Lightning II aircraft and serves as the Fleet Replacement Squadron. Known as the "Warlords," the squadron is ...
1987-1997 (re-designated to VMFAT-501 April 2010, converted to F-35)
** VMFA-531
Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 531 (VMFA-531) was a United States Marine Corps fighter squadron consisting of F/A-18 Hornets. Known as the "Grey Ghosts”, the squadron participated in action during World War II and the Vietnam War. They were d ...
1984–1992 (disestablished)
** VMFA(AW)-121 1989–2012 (converted to F-35B)
** VMFA(AW)-224
Marine All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 224 (VMFA(AW)-224) is a United States Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornet squadron. Also known as the "Fighting Bengals", the squadron is based at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina and falls under ...
1993–present
** VMFA(AW)-225
The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, or VMFA, is an art museum in Richmond, Virginia, United States, which opened in 1936. The museum is owned and operated by the Commonwealth of Virginia. Private donations, endowments, and funds are used for the ...
1991–2020 (to convert to F-35B)
** VMFA(AW)-242
The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, or VMFA, is an art museum in Richmond, Virginia, United States, which opened in 1936. The museum is owned and operated by the Commonwealth of Virginia. Private donations, endowments, and funds are used for the su ...
1991-2020 (to convert to F-35B)
** VMFA(AW)-332
VMFA(AW)-332 Marine All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 332 was a United States Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornet squadron. Also known as the "Moonlighters", the squadron was based at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina as part of Marine Ai ...
1993–2007 (disestablished)
** VMFA(AW)-533 1992–present
** VMFAT-101 1987–present (fleet replacement squadron for USMC and USN; operates F/A-18A/A+/B/C/D)
** MAWTS-1 1990–present
* NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research.
NASA was established in 1958, succeedin ...
's Armstrong Flight Research Center
The NASA Neil A. Armstrong Flight Research Center (AFRC) is an aeronautical research center operated by NASA. Its primary campus is located inside Edwards Air Force Base in California and is considered NASA's premier site for aeronautical res ...
(formerly Dryden Flight Research Center
The NASA Neil A. Armstrong Flight Research Center (AFRC) is an aeronautical research center operated by NASA. Its primary campus is located inside Edwards Air Force Base in California and is considered NASA's premier site for aeronautical rese ...
) - 4 F/A-18s in use
Aircraft on display
;YF-18A
* 160775 – U.S. Naval Museum of Armament & Technology, NAWS China Lake
Naval Air Weapons Station (NAWS) China Lake is a large military installation in California that supports the research, testing and evaluation programs of the United States Navy. It is part of Navy Region Southwest under Commander, Navy Installa ...
, California
California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
. This is the first F/A-18A built in 1978. Aircraft was recently restored in the same livery after being built. Aircraft was moved off base for better public viewing.
* 160780 – Virginia Air and Space Center
The Virginia Air and Space Science Center is a museum and educational facility in Hampton, Virginia that also serves as the visitors center for NASA's Langley Research Center and Langley Air Force Base. The museum also features an IMAX digit ...
, Hampton, Virginia
Hampton () is an independent city (United States), independent city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the population was 137,148. It is the List ...
.
;F/A-18A
* 161353 – Patuxent River Naval Air Museum
The Patuxent River Naval Air Museum is a museum at Lexington Park, Maryland, first opened in 1978, which preserves and interprets the Naval Air Station Patuxent River history and heritage of advancing US naval aviation technology with artifacts, ...
, NAS Patuxent River, Lexington Park, Maryland
Lexington Park is a census-designated place (CDP) in St. Mary's County, Maryland, United States, and the principal community of the Lexington Park, Maryland Micropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 11,626 at th2010 census
History
Nati ...
.
* 161366 – Naval Air Station Lemoore, California, main gate.
* 161367 – Naval Air Systems Command Headquarters Building, NAS Patuxent River, Lexington Park, Maryland
Lexington Park is a census-designated place (CDP) in St. Mary's County, Maryland, United States, and the principal community of the Lexington Park, Maryland Micropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 11,626 at th2010 census
History
Nati ...
.
* 161712 – Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth
Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth (abbreviated NAS JRB Fort Worth) includes Carswell Field, a military airbase located west of the central business district of Fort Worth, in Tarrant County, Texas, United States. This military a ...
, Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the List of cities in Texas by population, fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Texas and the List of United States cities by population, 13th-largest city in the United States. It is the county seat of Tarrant County, Texas, T ...
, in VMFA-112 markings.
* 161725 – California Science Center museum, Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world ...
, California
California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
.
* 161726 – In Blue Angels markings, main gate, NAS JRB New Orleans, .
* 161749 – Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum, MCAS Miramar, California
California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
.["F/A-18 Hornet/161749."](_blank)
''Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum.'' Retrieved: 1 July 2015.
* 161941 – In Blue Angels #1 markings, main gate, NAS Jacksonville
Naval Air Station Jacksonville (NAS Jacksonville) is a large naval air station located approximately eight miles (13 km) south of the central business district of Jacksonville, Florida, United States., effective 2007-10-25
Location
NAS Jack ...
Heritage Park, Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is a city located on the Atlantic coast of northeast Florida, the most populous city proper in the state and is the largest city by area in the contiguous United States as of 2020. It is the seat of Duval County, with which th ...
.
* 161942 – In Blue Angels #1 markings, USS Lexington Museum, Corpus Christi, Texas
Corpus Christi (; Ecclesiastical Latin: "''Body of Christ"'') is a coastal city in the South Texas region of the U.S. state of Texas and the county seat and largest city of Nueces County, it also extends into Aransas, Kleberg, and San Patricio ...
. On loan from the National Naval Aviation Museum
The National Naval Aviation Museum, formerly known as the National Museum of Naval Aviation and the Naval Aviation Museum, is a military and aerospace museum located at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida.
Founded in 1962 and moved to its cur ...
at NAS Pensacola
Naval Air Station Pensacola or NAS Pensacola (formerly NAS/KNAS until changed circa 1970 to allow Nassau International Airport, now Lynden Pindling International Airport, to have IATA code NAS), "The Cradle of Naval Aviation", is a United State ...
, Florida
Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
.
* 161957 – Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division
The Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division (NAWCTSD) is an Echelon IV command of the United States Navy, reporting to the Commander, Naval Air Warfare Center - Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland. NAWCTSD is lo ...
(NAWCTSD), Naval Support Activity Orlando, Florida. This aircraft was relocated from NAS Atlanta, Georgia, following that installation's BRAC-directed closure.
* 161961 – Naval Air Station Pensacola
Naval Air Station Pensacola or NAS Pensacola (formerly NAS/KNAS until changed circa 1970 to allow Nassau International Airport, now Lynden Pindling International Airport, to have IATA code NAS), "The Cradle of Naval Aviation", is a United State ...
, Florida, main gate in Blue Angels #1 markings.
* 161982 – Navy Inventory Control Point Philadelphia (NAVINCP-P), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
.
* 161983 – In Blue Angels #5 markings, Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium
Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium is an open-air stadium located off the campus of the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. Opened in 1959, it serves as the home stadium of the Navy Midshipmen college football and lacrosse team ...
, Annapolis, Maryland
Annapolis ( ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Maryland and the county seat of, and only incorporated city in, Anne Arundel County. Situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east o ...
.
* 162430 – Palm Springs Air Museum
The Palm Springs Air Museum (PSAM), is a non-profit educational institution in Palm Springs, Riverside County, California. The Museum's mission is to exhibit, educate and eternalize the role of the World War II combat aircraft and the role the pi ...
, Palm Springs, California
Palm Springs (Cahuilla: ''Séc-he'') is a desert resort city in Riverside County, California, United States, within the Colorado Desert's Coachella Valley. The city covers approximately , making it the largest city in Riverside County by land a ...
.
* 162435 – Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum
Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum is located in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, at the mouth of the Cooper River on the Charleston Harbor, across from Charleston.
Museum ships and exhibits
Patriots Point is home to two museum ships:
* , ...
, Mount Pleasant, South Carolina
Mount Pleasant is a large suburban town in Charleston County, South Carolina, United States. In the Low Country, it is the fourth largest municipality and largest town in South Carolina, and for several years was one of the state's fastest-growin ...
.
* 162437 – Texas Air Museum
The Texas Air Museum currently has two locations:
* Stinson Municipal Airport ( San Antonio)
* City of Slaton/Larry T. Neal Memorial Airport
Slaton Location Gallery
File:Tirpitz Hardware.jpg, German Battleship Tirpitz hardware recovered from it ...
, Slaton, Texas
Slaton is a city in Lubbock County, Texas, United States founded by German immigrants. Slaton was the westernmost German settlement in Texas. The population was 6,121 at the 2010 census. Slaton is part of the Lubbock Metropolitan Statisti ...
in VMFA-531
Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 531 (VMFA-531) was a United States Marine Corps fighter squadron consisting of F/A-18 Hornets. Known as the "Grey Ghosts”, the squadron participated in action during World War II and the Vietnam War. They were d ...
markings
* 162448 – Naval Air Facility El Centro
Naval Air Facility El Centro or NAF El Centro is a United States Navy Naval Air Facility located approximately six miles (10 km) northwest of El Centro, in Imperial County, California. NAF El Centro is under the jurisdiction of Navy Regi ...
, California, main gate.
* 162454 – NAS Oceana Air Park, Naval Air Station Oceana
Naval Air Station (NAS) Oceana or NAS Oceana is a United States Navy Naval Air Station located in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
Nowadays, the station is located on 23.9 km2. It has total of 250 aircraft deployed and buildings valued at $800 mil ...
, Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
.
* 162826 – In Blue Angels #3 markings, Fort Worth Aviation Museum, Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the List of cities in Texas by population, fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Texas and the List of United States cities by population, 13th-largest city in the United States. It is the county seat of Tarrant County, Texas, T ...
.
* 162901 – USS Midway (CV-41)
USS ''Midway'' (CVB/CVA/CV-41) is an aircraft carrier, formerly of the United States Navy, the lead ship of her class. Commissioned 8 days after the end of World War II, ''Midway'' was the largest ship in the world until 1955, as well as the ...
, San Diego Aircraft Carrier Museum
The USS ''Midway'' Museum is a historical naval aircraft carrier museum located in downtown San Diego, California at Navy Pier. The museum consists of the aircraft carrier . The ship houses an extensive collection of aircraft, many of which we ...
, San Diego, California
San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the eighth most populous city in the United States ...
.
* 163093 – In Blue Angels #6 markings, Pima Air and Space Museum
The Pima Air & Space Museum, located in Tucson, Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, is one of the world's largest non-government funded aerospace museums. The museum features a display of nearly 300 aircraft spread out over 80 acres (320,000 m² ...
, Tucson
, "(at the) base of the black ill
, nicknames = "The Old Pueblo", "Optics Valley", "America's biggest small town"
, image_map =
, mapsize = 260px
, map_caption = Interactive map ...
, Arizona
Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...
* 163119 – Defense Supply Center Richmond, Richmond, Virginia
(Thus do we reach the stars)
, image_map =
, mapsize = 250 px
, map_caption = Location within Virginia
, pushpin_map = Virginia#USA
, pushpin_label = Richmond
, pushpin_m ...
.
* 163152 – Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum, MCAS Miramar, California
California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
.
* 163157 – MCAS Beaufort
Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort or MCAS Beaufort is a United States Marine Corps (USMC) air base located northwest of the central business district of Beaufort, a city in Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States. About 4,700 personnel s ...
, South Carolina
)''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no)
, anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind"
, Former = Province of South Carolina
, seat = Columbia
, LargestCity = Charleston
, LargestMetro = ...
.
* Unknown – The Hangar
The Hangar, also known for commercial reasons as The NEC Hangar, is the training facility and headquarters of Australian rules football club the Essendon Bombers. It is located in the north-west Melbourne suburb of Melbourne Airport and was ope ...
(Lancaster JetHawks
The Lancaster JetHawks were a baseball team located in Lancaster, California. They were named for the city's association with the aerospace industry and played their home games at The Hangar. From 1996 to 2020, they were members of Minor League ...
stadium), Lancaster, California
Lancaster is a charter city in northern Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles County, in the Antelope Valley of the western Mojave Desert in Southern California. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the population was 173,51 ...
. Painted as NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research.
NASA was established in 1958, succeedin ...
No. 842.
* 162436 – on display at the Wings of Freedom Aviation Museum, Horsham, Pennsylvania.
* 161521 – In Blue Angels #3 markings. Third Hornet received by Blue Angels (1987). Under restoration and display a
Moffett Historical Museum
Moffett Federal Airfield, California.
*162411 – In Blue Angel #5 markings with the names Lt. Cmdr. Dick Oliver and Lt. Cmdr. Stuart Powrie. Oliver died when flying a F-11A in 1966 for the Blues and Powrie passed away in an A-4 Skyhawk. Located at then Hickory Aviation Museum
Hickory Aviation Museum is an aviation museum at the Hickory Regional Airport in Hickory, North Carolina. It features a museum located in the former airport terminal with artifacts, a hangar with aircraft and outdoor exhibits of aircraft on the ...
, Hickory, North Carolina
Hickory is a city located primarily in Catawba County, with formal boundaries extending into Burke and Caldwell counties. The city lies in the U.S. state of North Carolina. At the time of the 2020 census, Hickory's population was 43,490. Hickor ...
.
;F/A-18B
* 161746 – In Blue Angels #7 markings at Saint Louis Science Center
The Saint Louis Science Center, founded as a planetarium in 1963, is a collection of buildings including a science museum and planetarium in St. Louis, Missouri, on the southeastern corner of Forest Park. With over 750 exhibits in a complex of o ...
, Saint Louis, Missouri
St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which ...
.
* 161943 – In Blue Angels #7 markings at Yanks Air Museum
The Yanks Air Museum is a non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization and museum dedicated to exhibiting, preserving and restoring American aircraft and artifacts in order to show the evolution of American aviation, located at Chino Airport in Chino, Cal ...
, Chino, California
Chino ( ; Spanish for "Curly") is a city in the western end of San Bernardino County, California, United States, with Los Angeles County to its west and Orange County to its south in the Southern California region. Chino is adjacent to Chino ...
.
;F/A-18C
* 163106 – In Blue Angels #2 markings, Museum of Flight
The Museum of Flight is a private non-profit air and space museum in the Seattle metropolitan area. It is located at the southern end of King County International Airport (Boeing Field) in the city of Tukwila, immediately south of Seattle.< ...
, Seattle, Washington
Seattle ( ) is a port, seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the county seat, seat of King County, Washington, King County, Washington (state), Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in bo ...
.
* 163437 – In front of Headquarters, Naval Air Force Atlantic
Commander, Naval Air Force Atlantic (a. k. a. COMNAVAIRLANT, AIRLANT, and CNAL) is the aviation Type Commander (TYCOM) for the United States Naval aviation units operating primarily in the Atlantic under United States Fleet Forces Command. Type Co ...
, Naval Station Norfolk
Naval Station Norfolk is a United States Navy base in Norfolk, Virginia, that is the headquarters and home port of the U.S. Navy's Fleet Forces Command. The installation occupies about of waterfront space and of pier and wharf space of the Hamp ...
, Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk ( ) is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Incorporated in 1705, it had a population of 238,005 at the 2020 census, making it the third-most populous city in Virginia after neighboring Virginia Be ...
.
*163439 – In Blue Angel #1 markings at the Smithsonian Air And Space Museum
The National Air and Space Museum of the Smithsonian Institution, also called the Air and Space Museum, is a museum in Washington, D.C., in the United States.
Established in 1946 as the National Air Museum, it opened its main building on the Na ...
, Washington, DC
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan ...
*163498 – Lee Victory Recreation Park, Smyrna, Tennessee
Smyrna is a town in Rutherford County, Tennessee. Smyrna's population was 53,070 at the 2020 census. In 2007, '' U.S. News & World Report'' listed Smyrna as one of the best places in the United States to retire. Smyrna is part of the Nashville ...
.
;F/A-18D
* 163486 – MCAS Beaufort
Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort or MCAS Beaufort is a United States Marine Corps (USMC) air base located northwest of the central business district of Beaufort, a city in Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States. About 4,700 personnel s ...
(East Side), Beaufort, South Carolina
Beaufort ( , a different pronunciation from that used by the city with the same name in North Carolina) is a city in and the county seat of Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States. Chartered in 1711, it is the second-oldest city in South ...
. Painted as VMFA(AW)-533 CO bird, aircraft 01 at the officers' club.
Notable accidents
* On 8 December 2008, an F/A-18D crashed in a populated area of San Diego
San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the List of United States cities by population, eigh ...
, while on approach to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar
Marine Corps Air Station Miramar (MCAS Miramar) , formerly Naval Auxiliary Air Station (NAAS) Miramar and Naval Air Station (NAS) Miramar, is a United States Marine Corps installation that is home to the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, which is the av ...
, killing four people on the ground.[Liewer, Steve, Sharon A. Heilbrunn and Angelica Martinez]
"Rubble, despair all that remain: Man returns to site where jet crash killed his family."
''San Diego Union-Tribune
''The San Diego Union-Tribune'' is a metropolitan daily newspaper published in San Diego, California, that has run since 1868.
Its name derives from a 1992 merger between the two major daily newspapers at the time, ''The San Diego Union'' and ...
'', 10 December 2008. Retrieved: 11 December 2008. The pilot ejected safely; there was no weapon systems officer
A Weapon Systems Officer (WSO), nicknamed "Wizzo", is an air flight officer directly involved in all air operations and weapon systems of a military aircraft.
Historically, aircrew duties in military aircraft were highly specialised and rigi ...
(WSO) on board the aircraft.
* On 6 April 2012, a USN F/A-18D from VFA-106
Strike Fighter Squadron 106 (VFA-106), also known as the "Gladiators", is a United States Navy F/A-18 Hornet and F/A-18E/F Super Hornet Fleet Replacement Squadron stationed at Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia.
Mission
As the East Coast Flee ...
crashed into apartment buildings in Virginia Beach, Virginia
Virginia Beach is an independent city located on the southeastern coast of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. The population was 459,470 at the 2020 census. Although mostly suburban in character, it is the most populous city ...
. Both crew members ejected. Seven people were injured including the two pilots, who were taken to the hospital; all survived. The crew performed a last-second fuel dump
Fuel dumping (or a fuel jettison) is a procedure used by aircraft in certain emergency situations before a return to the airport shortly after takeoff, or before landing short of the intended destination (emergency landing) to reduce the aircra ...
, and thus may have prevented a large explosion and fire after the crash.
*On 2 June 2016, United States Marine Corps Captain Jeff Kuss fatally crashed due to weather and fatigue, during a training exercise to prepare for the Great Tennessee Air Show. Capt. Kuss's jet (Blue Angels No. 6) crashed about two miles from the runway after an attempted "Split S" maneuver.
Specifications (F/A-18C/D)
See also
References
Citations
Sources
; Books
* Donald, David. ''Carrier Aviation Air Power Directory''. London: AIRtime Publishing Inc., 2001. .
* Drendel, Lou. ''F/A-18 Hornet in action'' (Aircraft Number 136). Carrollton, Texas: Squadron/Signal Publications, 1993. .
* Elward, Brad. ''Boeing F/A-18 Hornet'' (WarbirdTech, Vol. 31). Specialty Press, 2001. .
* Gunston, Bill. ''F/A-18 Hornet'' (Modern Combat Aircraft 22). St. Paul, Minnesota: Motorbooks International, 1985. .
* Jenkins, Dennis R. ''F/A-18 Hornet: A Navy Success Story''. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2000. .
* Miller, Jay. ''McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet'' (Aerofax Minigraph 25). Arlington, Texas: Aerofax Inc., 1988. .
* Peacock, Lindsay. ''F/A-18 Hornet'' (Osprey Combat Aircraft Series). London: Osprey Publishing, 1986. .
* Senior, Tim. "F/A-18 Hornet, The AirForces Monthly book". ''AirForces Monthly'', 2003. .
* Spick, Mike. ''McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet'' (Classic Warplanes). London: Salamander Books, 1991. .
* Spick, Mike, ed. "F/A-18 Hornet". ''The Great Book of Modern Warplanes''. St. Paul, Minnesota: MBI, 2000. .
* Vann, Frank. ''McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet'' (How They Work: Jet Fighter). New York: Exeter Books, 1988. .
* Wilson, Stewart. ''Phantom, Hornet and Skyhawk in Australian Service''. Weston Creek, ACT, Australia: Aerospace Publications, 1993. .
; Journal articles
* Holmes, Tony. "RAAF Hornets at War". ''Australian Aviation''. Canberra: Phantom Media, January/February 2006/No. 224. ISSN 0813-0876.
* Yañez, Roberto and Alex Rodriguez. "Spanish Hornets: Providing a Potent Sting". ''Air International
''AIR International'' is a British aviation magazine covering current defence aerospace and civil aviation topics. It has been in publication since 1971 and is currently published by Key Publishing Ltd.
History and profile
The magazine was fir ...
'', Volume 75, Number 2, August 2008, pp. 22–25.
External links
F/A-18 Hornet U.S. Navy fact file
an
an
List of all USN/USMC Hornets by Lot/Bureau Number (BuNo) and their known disposition
RAAF F/A-18A Hornet fact file
{{DEFAULTSORT:McDonnell Douglas F A-18 Hornet
F-18 Hornet
The McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet is an all-weather, twin-engine, supersonic, carrier-capable, multirole combat aircraft, designed as both a fighter and attack aircraft (hence the F/A designation). Designed by McDonnell Douglas (now part ...
Carrier-based aircraft
F-018 Hornet
1970s United States attack aircraft
1970s United States fighter aircraft
Twinjets
Articles containing video clips
Mid-wing aircraft
Aircraft first flown in 1978
Fourth-generation jet fighter