Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet

The Boeing F/A‑18 Super Hornet, originally conceived by McDonnell Douglas in the early 1990s, is a carrier‑based, twin‑engine multirole fighter that has become the cornerstone of United States Navy aviation. Development began after the success of the legacy F/A‑18 Hornet; the company sought a larger, more capable airframe with increased payload, range, and survivability. First flight occurred on 29 November 1995 and the aircraft entered operational service in 1999, shortly after Boeing’s merger with McDonnell Douglas. The Super Hornet is produced in two variants: the single‑seat F/A‑18E and the two‑seat F/A‑18F, both featuring a 23‑foot‑8‑inch wing, 18,500‑pound maximum take‑off weight, and the ability to carry up to 17,750 pounds of weapons on 11 hardpoints. Advanced avionics include the APG‑79 AESA radar, digital fly‑by‑wire controls, and integrated electronic warfare suites, while structural enhancements such as the “wet wing” fuel capacity provide a combat radius exceeding 1,300 nautical miles. Its versatility allows it to perform air‑to‑air combat, precision ground strike, reconnaissance, and aerial refueling missions. The Super Hornet has proved decisive in operations from the Balkans to the Middle East, solidifying its role as a modern, adaptable workhorse that shapes carrier strike capabilities for decades to come.

McDonnell Douglas

Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet

Classification

Production & History

Design & Classification

External References