Page 42 - Aviation News - September 2017

HORNET &

SUPER HORNET

US NAVY STRIKE

FIGHTER FAMILY
FIGHTER FAMILY

Tom Kaminski assesses the US Navy’s Hornets
and Super Hornets and compares their capabilities.

f ften referred to as the ‘Bug’ and ten referred to as the ‘Bug’ and 297 F/A-18Es and 273 F/A-18Fs. Additionally, programme that initially provided new
297 F/A-18Es and 273 F/A-18Fs. Additionally,
programme that initially provided new
‘Super Bug’, Boeing’s F/A-18 11 F/A-18As, two F/A-18Bs (originally F-18As computers, the AN/ALQ-165 airborne self-
Hornet and Super Hornet strike and TF-18As), ve F/A-18Es and two F/A- protection jammer (ASPJ) and provisions for
O ghters are the tactical workhorses 18Fs were delivered under developmental carrying the AIM-120, AGM-65 and AGM-84
of US naval aviation. programmes. missiles with more upgrades subsequently
They are assigned to 34 operational Developed by McDonnell Douglas added. The F/A-18C/D entered production
naval squadrons, and each carrier air wing and Northrop (now Boeing and Northrop in 1987 and a night attack capability was
typically deploys with around 40 of the strike Grumman), the Hornet was conceived in incorporated beginning with Lot 12 production
ghters. The single- and two-seat versions of response to a US Navy (USN) requirement for aircraft.
the ‘legacy’ or ‘classic’ Hornet are also own a multi-role ghter/attack aircraft (VFAX). The Unlike the USN, which limited its two-seat
by 11 operational US Marine Corps (USMC) prototype rst ew on November 18, 1978 and Hornets to the training role, the USMC put 96
squadrons. the F/A-18A entered service in February 1981, F/A-18Ds into operational service with six all-
Since 1978, 1,049 production Hornets and becoming operational in 1983 and rst seeing weather ghter attack squadrons. The aircraft
570 Super Hornets have been supplied to combat over Libya in 1986. were assigned to numerous roles, including
the navy and marines – 371 F/A-18As and 39 The single-seat F/A-18C and two-seat air interdiction (AI), suppression of enemy
F/A-18Bs, 476 F/A-18Cs and 163 F/A-18Ds, F/A-18D were the result of a block upgrade air defences (SEAD), close air support

A VFA-213 ‘Black Lions’ F/A-18F in the
process of being launched from the aircraft
carrier USS George H W Bush. US Navy/MC3
Matt Matlage

42 Aviation News incorporating Jets September 2017

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