Military Factory
Military Pay Chart
Global Firepower
Military Industrial Complex
Second World War
Home
Military Pay Scale
Military Ranks
Small Arms
Aircraft
Land Systems
Navy
Education
Military Factory Facebook Logo
flag of United States

Boeing / McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet Multirole Carrierbased Strike Aircraft (1983)

Authored By Staff Writer | Last Updated: 5/31/2013

The F/A-18 Hornet series is now the first-line strike fighter of the USN carrierbased operations.

Find a School Near You
Follow Military Factory on Facebook:
Trending on Military Factory:
Recent Articles:
Little MF Logo
Little MF Logo
Little MF Logo
Little MF Logo
Little MF Logo
Little MF Logo
Little MF Logo
Little MF Logo
Little MF Logo
Little MF Logo
The F/A-18 Hornet is a twin-engine carrier-based attack fighter currently in frontline service with a variety of forces worldwide. Derived from the failed YF-17 Cobra attempt at a new USAF lightweight fighter (the F-17 lost out to the YF-16 which in turn became the F-16 Fighting Falcon), the F/A-18 Hornet can still be considered one of the most lethal strike fighters in service today.

The F/A-18 began life as two separate models encapsulating a pure interceptor and pure strike variant. Eventually the decision was made to combine the two services into one dynamic platform that could be switched on the fly if mission parameters required it. Early F/A-18 Hornets would be fitted with the General Electric base F404 turbofans which would later be augmented by the arrival of the enhanced F404-GE-402 series.

As a carrier-capable platform, the F/A-18 maintains a rugged airframe with folding wings making it suitable for storage in lower decks. The initial role saw the Hornet groups supplementing existing F-14 squadrons but with the retirement of the F-14 series in 2007, the F/A-18 has taken center stage.

First F/A-18 delivering began in the early 1980's with a dedicated night-capable variant arriving later in the decade. Enhancements to the radar, avionics and weapon systems have brought the F/A-18 series up to speed, making it one of the more deadly carrier-based aircraft around.

Utilized in several conflicts since its inception, the Hornets have maintained a good success ratio with only a few falling to enemy fire. The system, designed with the pilots survivability in mind, is capable of taking rough damage and still having a short turnaround time in terms of maintenance and repair - sometimes as little as 24 hours.

The F/A-18 "Super Hornet" arrived in 2002 and represented an aircraft that was 20 percent larger and more powerful than the base Hornets. The tandem-seat Super Hornet was designed to be ultra-capable in both strike and interceptor roles and squadrons are already operating on various USN carrier battle groups. The Super Hornet is built on the F414-GE-400 series of powerplants, which stands as a highly advanced modified version of the original F404 turbofans. As a whole, the Super Hornets, despite their advanced infrastructure, is compiled of less parts than the original Hornets making the Super Hornet that much easier to maintain. Additional hardpoints make the Super Hornet a viable replacement to the F-14 Tomcat and A-6 Intruders that once owned American flight decks.

A newer variant expected to see service around 2010 and based on the successful F/A-18 airframe is the EA-18 Growler, an electronic warfare variant that is set to replace the aging EA-Prowlers (based on the Vietnam-era A-6 Intruder airframe). In all, this latest addition will make the F/A-18 series one of the most robust and numbered in the United States inventory.

With modernization programs in place, the Hornet series as a whole is expected to survive well into 2019. With the arrival of the multi-faceted F-35 Lightning II (derived from the Joint Strike Fighter program), the Hornets and Super Hornets might have a shorter life than that should the F-35 come into its own sooner than expected. Text ©2003-2013 www.MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • No Reproduction Permitted
MilitaryFactory.com does NOT sell equipment/weaponry. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance or general operation. Please consult manufacturers for such information. Our disclaimer. Email corrections / Comments to MilitaryFactory at Gmail dot com.
Picture of Boeing / McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet
Pic of the Boeing / McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet
Image of the Boeing / McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet
View All Images (5)

Specifications for the
Boeing / McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet
Multirole Carrierbased Strike Aircraft


Country of Origin: United States
Manufacturer: McDonnell Douglas / Boeing / Northrop - USA
Initial Year of Service: 1983
Production: 1,480


Focus Model: Boeing / McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet
Crew: 1 or 2


Length: 60.70ft (18.5m)
Width: 44.88ft (13.68m)
Height: 15.98ft (4.87m)
Weight (Empty): 23,049lbs (10,455kg)
Weight (MTOW): 55,997lbs (25,400kg)


Powerplant: 2 x General Electric F404-GE-400 turbofan engines generating 16,000lbs of thrust each.


Maximum Speed: 1,190mph (1,915kmh; 1,034kts)
Maximum Range: 2,073miles (3,336km)
Service Ceiling: 50,033ft (15,250m; 9.5miles)
Rate-of-Climb: 45,000 feet per minute (13,716m/min)


Hardpoints: 11 (including wingtip mounts)
Armament Suite:
STANDARD:
1 x 20mm cannon

OPTIONAL:
Mission-specific ordnance can include any of the following:

AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles
AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles
AIM-7 Sparrow air-to-air missiles
GPS Laser-Guided Bombs
Dumb Bombs
Smart Bombs
AGM-65 Maverick air-to-surface missiles
AGM-88 HARM anti-radiation missiles
AGM-84 bombs


Variants:
YF-17 "Cobra" - Prototype developed by Northrop to go up against the YF-16 in the USAF Light-Weight Fighter Competition (LWF) to which the YF-17 prototype lost.

F/A-18 - Base Production Model Designation manufactured by McDonnell Douglas, merged now with Boeing Corporation.
F/A-18A - Initial Production Model; single-seat
F/A-18B - Two-Seat Production Model; originally designated as the TF/A-18A.
F/A-18C - Electronic and System improvements; replaced the F/A-18A model in production; enhanced weapons carrying capabilities; later models fitted with night attack capabilities.
F/A-18D - Two-seat Version of the F/A-18C production model; later models fitted with night attack capability.
F/A-18D (RC) - United States Marine Corps Reconnaissance Model of the F/A-18D.
F/A-18E "Super Hornet" - Single-seat improved Hornet model replacing the retired F-14 Tomcat series.
F/A-18F "Super Hornet" - Two-seat improved Hornet model replacing the retired F-14 Tomcat series.
EA-18F "Growler" - Electronic Warfare Model of the "Super Hornet" line to replace the EA-6B Prowler series.
TF-18A - Original Model Designation for the two-seat F/A-18B.


Operators:
Australia; Canada; Finland; Kuwait; Malaysia; Spain; Switzerland; United States

ALL AIRCRAFT CATEGORIES

BY DECADE:


• 1900 to 1909
• 1910 to 1919
• 1920 to 1929
• 1930 to 1939
• 1940 to 1949
• 1950 to 1959
• 1960 to 1969
• 1970 to 1979
• 1980 to 1989
• 1990 to 1999
• 2000 to 2009
• 2010 to 2019
• 2020 to 2029
• VIEW ALL


BY TYPE:


• Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW)
• Attack Helicopters
• Bomber Aircraft
• Medium Bombers
• Heavy Bombers
• Close-Air Support (CAS)
• Commercial Aircraft
• Dive Bombers
• Electronic Warfare Aircraft (EWA)
• Experimental / X-Planes
• Fighter Aircraft
• Floatplane Aircraft
• Flying Boat Aircraft
• Aerial Refueling Tankers
• Helicopters (ALL)
• Interceptor Aircraft
• Multi-Role Aircraft
• Navy Carrier Aircraft
• Night Fighters
• Reconnaissance / Scout
• Search & Rescue (SAR)
• Scout Helicopters
• Special Purpose
• Torpedo Bombers
• Trainer Aircraft
• Transport Aircraft
• Transport Helicopters
• Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)
• Unmanned Combat Air Vehicles (UCAVs)


COLLECTIONS:


• 4th Generation Fighter Aircraft
• 5th Generation Fighter Aircraft
• US X-Planes
• Classic US Warbirds
• French Military Helicopters
• Grumman "Cats"
• Howard Hughes Aircraft
• Indian Air Force
• Israeli Air Force
• Libyan Aircraft
• Modern Chinese Aircraft
• Modern Chinese Fighters
• Modern Military Aircraft
• Modern North Korean Aircraft
• Modern Trainer Aircraft
• Modern US Aircraft
• Mikoyan Aircraft
• Sukhoi Aircraft
• Syrian Aircraft
• Top 10 Fighter Aircraft of All Time


AIRCRAFT BY CONFLICT:


• Arab-Israeli War (1948)
• Cuban Missile Crisis (1959-1962)
• Falklands War (1982)
• Indo-Pak War (1965, 1971)
• Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988)
• Lebanon War (1982)
• Operation Allied Force (1999)
• Operation Desert Storm (1991)
• Six Day War (1967)
• Spanish Civil War (1936)
• Soviet-Afghan War (1979-1989)
• Yom Kippur War (1973)


MISCELLANEOUS:


• Aircraft Cockpit Pictures
• Aircraft Comparison Tool
• Aircraft Manufacturers
• Aircraft Production Totals
• Aircraft Timeline

WORLD WAR 2:


• 1939 Aircraft
• 1940 Aircraft
• 1941 Aircraft
• 1942 Aircraft
• 1943 Aircraft
• 1944 Aircraft
• 1945 Aircraft
• 1946 Aircraft
• Australian Aircraft
• Battle of Britain Aircraft
• Bombers
• Four-Engine Bombers
• British Aircraft
• British Bombers
• British Transports
• Dive Bombers
• Canadian Aircraft
• Fighters
• Chinese Aircraft
• French Aircraft
• German Aircraft
• German Fighters
• German Flying Boats
• German Jets
• Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe
• Italian Aircraft
• Imperial Japanese Aircraft
• Imperial Japanese Fighters
• Mitsubishi Bombers
• Navy Aircraft
• Pearl Harbor
• Polish Aircraft
• Romanian Aircraft
• US Aircraft
• US Bombers
• US Navy Aircraft
• Soviet Aircraft
• Torpedo Bombers
• Trainer Aircraft
• Transport Aircraft
• Tuskegee Airmen Aircraft
• W.A.S.P. Aircraft
• WW2 Aircraft Ranked by Speed
• VIEW ALL


WORLD WAR 1:


• 1914 Aircraft
• 1915 Aircraft
• 1916 Aircraft
• 1917 Aircraft
• 1918 Aircraft
• Aircraft Timeline
• Austro-Hungarian Aircraft
• Bomber Aircraft
• British Aircraft
• Fighters
• Flying Boats
• French Aircraft
• Imperial German Aircraft
• Italian Aircraft
• Scout Aircraft
• Russian Empire Aircraft
• US Aircraft
• WW1 Aircraft Ranked by Speed
• VIEW ALL


KOREAN WAR:


• Australian Aircraft
• Korean War Aces
• Korean War Jets
• North Korean Aircraft
• US Military Aircraft
• VIEW ALL


VIETNAM WAR:


• Helicopters (ALL)
• Transport Helicopters
• North Vietnam Air Force
• US Airpower
• VIEW ALL


COLD WAR:


• 1950s French Aircraft
• British V-Bombers
• Cold War Bombers
• Soviet Aircraft
• Soviet Bombers
• Soviet Interceptors
• Soviet Helicopters
• Strategic Air Command
• US Aircraft
• US Bombers
• US Interceptors
• VIEW ALL
Site Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Site Map | MF Origins


©2013 www.MilitaryFactory.com • Content ©2003-2013 MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • Site Contact Email: militaryfactory at gmail dot com. The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® trademarks and protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws.


Top MF Stuff: 2013 Military Pay Scale | Military Ranks | WW2 Weapons | Sniper Rifles | Kts to Mph | WW1 Aircraft | Automatic Rifles | Aircraft Cockpits | Vietnam War Weapons | Main Battle Tanks | Submachine Guns | Shotguns | French Military Victories


Most photographic images appearing on this site are courtesy of the United States Department of Defense and are approved for public use. Other images acquired through the public domain. Digital art work courtesy of Dan Alex. Business Consulting by Kyle Williams. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance or general operation. Please consult manufacturers for such information.


eXTReMe Tracker