Northwest Aerospace News August | September 2020 | Page 21

The first F/A-18 was designed for
the U.S. Marine Corps and Navy as a
tactical military aircraft for air-to-air
and air-to-ground missions. The original
F/A-18 “Hornet” entered active
duty in 1983 with photoreconnaissance
and electronic countermeasure
capabilities. It was also the first aircraft
to feature carbon fiber wings and use
digital fly-by-wire flight controls.
First generation F/A-18s were critical
to successful missions in the 1991
Persian Gulf War and the 2001 war in
Afghanistan. They truly provided the
force projection throughout the world
to reach our enemies from sea while
our carriers were protected at distance.
The Navy significantly upgraded the
aircraft in 1995 with new day-andnight
strike capabilities and precision-guided
weapons. It also increased
maneuverability for pilots, range,
payload, and engine power. In 2005,
the third generation Block II Super
Hornet was released with the world’s
first tactical multimode electronically
scanned array radar, making it the most
advanced multi-function strike fighter
against foreign adversaries. It can identify
and track targets for longer durations
of time and its advanced cockpit
system employs the latest technology
to national defense, making the F/A-18
essential to American air superiority.
In 2020, Boeing has already delivered
the newest generation of Super Hornets
to the Navy. The Block III Super
Hornet will almost double the aircraft’s
lifespan with an airframe designed to
operate approximately 10,000 flight
hours, allowing it to be an effective
and reliable aircraft into the 2040s. It
also flies farther and with more speed
thanks to its upgraded conformal fuel
tanks, allowing pilots to stay on their
mission longer with less refueling.
Photo Credit: The Boeing Company
Importantly, the F/A-18 has surpassed the goal of 80 percent mission capability
rate, a term that refers to the percentage of aircraft able to perform its mission
at any given time. This achievement is the first of its kind for any strike fighter
across the U.S. inventory, making the Super Hornet one of the most effective
and available defense aircraft in the U.S. arsenal. Its proven record of mission
success, its strong supply chain, and complementary functions within a diverse
fighter fleet make the F/A-18 a critical piece of America’s overall national
defense strategy.
AUGUST | SEPTEMBER 2020 ISSUE NO. 16 21