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 | View a short clip of a F/A 18 that misses the arresting wires. |  |
The F/A 18 is the first designed strike fighter. The operations extend from fighter escort and fleet air defense to force projection, interdiction and close and deep air support.
There are six versions of the F/A 18. Three versions are single-seat and the others are two-seat models. The two-seat models have the capability to configure the rear seat with a stick and throttle for the training environment.If the throttle and the stick are removed the second crew member is a Weapons System Officer.
Upgrades from the A/B models to the C/D models have been employing updated missiles and jamming devices against enemy ordnance. C and D models delivered since 1989 also include an improved night attack capability.
The newest models are the F/A 18 E/F Super Hornets. Some innovations are greater payload flexibility, increased mission radius, survivability, payload bring back, and a substantial avionics growth potential. More innovations can be read by clicking here.
1,458 Hornets have been produced since 1982. Many of them were produced for the U.S. NAVY and U.S. Marine Corps but some had been delivered to Australia, Canada, Finland, Kuwait, Malaysia, Spain and Switzerland. The Navy has planed to produce 548 units at a minimum of the Super Hornets.
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To end of pageBack to topTo end of page| F/A-18 C/D Hornet | F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet | |||||||||||||
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| Contractor | Boeing (McDonnell Douglas Aerospace), Northrop Grumman (Airframe), General Electric (Engines) and Hughes (Radar) | Boeing (McDonnell Douglas Aerospace), Northrop Grumman (Airframe), General Electric (Engines) and Hughes (Radar) | ||||||||||||
| Length | 56 feet 17.07 meters | 60.3 feet 18.31 meters | ||||||||||||
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| Height | 15.3 feet 4.66 meters | 16 feet 4.88 meters | ||||||||||||
| Wight (empty) | 23,832 pounds 10,810 kg | 30,567 pounds 13,865 kg | ||||||||||||
| Maximum Takeoff Weight | 51,900 pounds 23,541 kg | 66,000 pounds 29,932 kg | ||||||||||||
| Thrust static thrust per engine | 17,700 pounds 8,027 kg | 22,000 pounds 9,977 kg | ||||||||||||
| Speed | Mach 1.7+ | Mach 1.8+ | ||||||||||||
| Ceiling | 50,000+ feet approx. 15,250 meters | 50,000+ feet approx. 15,250 meters | ||||||||||||
| Propulsion | Two F404-GE-402 afterburning engines, each in the 18,000 pound thrust class, which results in a combat thrust-to-weight ratio greater than 1-to-1. Depending on the mission and loading, combat radius is greater than 500 nautical miles. | Twin F414-GE-400 engines, each in the 22,000 pound thrust class. On an interdiction mission, the E/F will fly up to 40 % further than the C/D. | ||||||||||||
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| Unit Cost FY98 ; total programm | $39.5 million | $60 million | ||||||||||||
| First Flight | November 1978 | December 1995 | ||||||||||||
| Operational |
| Scheduled for late 1999 | ||||||||||||
| Armament | One M61A1/A2 Vulcan 20mm cannon External payload: AIM 9 Sidewinder AIM 7 Sparrow AIM-120 AMRAAM Harpoon Harm Shrike Walleye Maverick missiles Joint Stand-Off Weapon (JSOW) Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) B-57 or B-61 nuclear bomb various general purpose bombs, mines and rockets View a photo of the ammunition of the F/A 18 C/D. | See extra page | ||||||||||||
| Maximum Fuel Weight (JP-5) |
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Back to topTo end of page| 90% Common F/A-18C/D Avionics: | Avionics and software have a 90 percent commonality with current F/A-18C/Ds. However, the F/A-18E/F cockpit features a touch-sensitive, upfront control display; a larger, liquid crystal multipurpose color display; and a new engine fuel display. View a photo of the new cockpit. |
| 34 in. Fuselage Extension: | The fuselage is slightly longer - the result of a 34-inch extension. |
| Two Additional Multi-Mission Weapons Stations: | Super Hornet has two additional weapons stations, bringing the total to 11. For aircraft carrier operations, about three times more payload can be brought back to the ship. |
| 25% Larger Wing: | A full 25 percent bigger than its predecessor, Super Hornet has nearly half as many parts. |
| 35% Higher Thrust Engines: | Increased engine power comes from the F414-GE-400, an advanced derivative of the Hornet's current F404 engine family. The F414 produces 35 percent more thrust and improves overall mission performance. Enlarged air inlets provide increased airflow to the engines. |
| 33% Additional Internal Fuel: | Structural changes to the airframe increase internal fuel capacity by 3,600 pounds, or about 33 percent. This extends the Hornet's mission radius by up to 40 percent. |
Back to topTo end of pageIn 1974 the Navy started a competition for a successor to the F-4 Phantom. Six US companies participated in the competition and the winners were General Dynamics with the YF-16 and Northrop with the YF-17.
In January 1975, the Air Force decided to take the YF-16 and the Navy took the YF-17. The YF-17 was then modified as multipurpose fighter plane and renamed F/A-18 "Hornet".
In 1976 the planning and building permission was given to McDonnell Douglas and not to Northrop. The prototype was finished on September 13, 1978, and the first flight took place on November 18, 1978.
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