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The F/A-18 Hornet, a carrier-based multirole aircraft, has been a significant player in U.S. naval aviation since its introduction in 1983. Known for its versatility, the Hornet can perform both air-to-air and air-to-ground missions, reaching speeds of Mach 1.7 and carrying a variety of weapons, including AIM-9 Sidewinders and smart bombs.
The end of production of the F/A-18 won't actually mean an end to the program. The Super Hornet, an upgraded, enlarged, and improved version of the F/A-18 Hornet, first entered service in 1999. It has remained the workhorse for the U.S. Navy for a quarter century, and those final Super Hornets will likely be flying for decades to come as well.
From new stealth fighters like the F/A-XX and the F-35c to drones, we could see some amazingness in the sky if Top Gun 3 goes hit the big screen.
The program was called the Lightweight Fighter Competition, or LWF, and the end result was not one, but two living legends in the world of fourth-generation fighter jets: the F-16 Fighting Falcon, known to her pilots and crew chiefs as “The Viper,” and the F-18 Hornet.
The F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet, which is now manufactured by Boeing following its merger with McDonnell Douglas in 1997, has been produced in two distinct versions including the single-seat F/A-18/E and the dual-seat F/A-18/F. The advanced aircraft entered fleet service in 1999, as the replacement for the F-14 Tomcat.