Battle Stations III
McDonnell
Douglas F/A-18 Hornet
Super
Hornet E and F
Wingspan 13.68m (44.9ft)
Engines 2 x F414-GE-400 turbofans
Armament 1 x M61A1/A2 Vulcan 20mm cannon plus external
payload of AIM 9 Sidewinders, AIM-9X (projected), AIM 7 Sparrows, AIM-120
AMRAAM, Harpoon, Harm, SLAM, SLAM-ER (projected), Maverick missiles;
joint stand-off weapon (JSOW); joint direct attack munitions (JDAM);
data link pod; Paveway laser-guided bomb; various general purpose bombs,
mines and rockets
Maximum speed Mach 1.8 plus
Ceiling 15,240m (50,000ft) plus
Range 1,275 nautical miles (combat): clean plus
2 x AIM-9s
Crew E 1, F 2
From 1978, when the first of 11 test Hornets underwent trials, it was clear that the F-18 carrier- and land-based aircraft (usually designated F/A-18 by the US Navy) functioned equally well as a fighter and an attack aircraft.
This combination of roles came at a price imposed by a lengthy and problematic development process, but the result was a superbly engineered aircraft – arguably the best of any combat type – which was also easy to maintain and immensely reliable.
Force multiplier
The Hornet is not a large aircraft, with dimensions lying between those of the European Tornado and the American F-4 Phantom, which it replaced in its fighter role. The Hornet combines the Tornado's advantage of small afterburning engines and large internal fuel capacity with avionics and weapons configured from the outset for both fighter and attack roles.
In the low-level attack role, the Hornet cannot match the Tornado, as its large wide-span fixed wing is not responsive to wind gusts and it lacks terrain-following radar. However, in a typical Navy/Marine scenario – flying missions principally over the sea with a dive over the target – these shortcomings are not overly disadvantageous.
All F/A-18s can be configured quickly to perform in either the fighter or attack roles, through selected use of external equipment to fulfil specific tasks. This 'force multiplier' capability ensures that operational commanders have maximum flexibility in a combat scenario. The fighter missions are primarily fighter escort and fleet air defence; the attack missions are force projection, interdiction and close and deep air support.
Shattered records
In 1991, in Operation Desert Storm, F/A-18s demonstrated their versatility, shooting down enemy fighters and subsequently bombing enemy targets on the same mission. The Hornet also shattered all records for tactical aircraft in availability, reliability and maintainability – Hornets that took direct hits from surface-to-air missiles were often back in action within 24 hours.
The newest models, the F/A-18E and F Super Hornets, flew for the first time in November 1995. About 25% larger than their predecessors, they have approximately 40% fewer structural parts. The single- and two-seater versions have greater range, increased payloads of up to 8050kg (17,750lb) of external ordnance, more powerful engines and even greater survivability. This comes at a unit price of some $57 million per aircraft.
Super Hornets
In January 1997, the Super Hornet conducted its initial sea trials on board the US Navy's newest aircraft carrier, USS John C Stennis. In November 2002, it made its combat debut, striking at air defence sites in southern Iraq with joint direct attack munitions (JDAM). Super Hornets were also deployed in Operation Iraqi Freedom in March 2003. The US carrier Nimitz has two Super Hornet squadrons, VFA 14 and VFA 41.
