F-18 Hornet

F/A-18 Hornet
A U.S. Marine Corps F/A-18C in October 2003, flying over the South China Sea
Role	Multirole fighter
National origin	United States
Manufacturer	McDonnell Douglas / Boeing Northrop
First flight	18 November 1978
Introduction	November 1983 (USN) 7 January 1984 (USMC)
Status	In service
Primary users	United States Navy United States Marine Corps Royal Australian Air Force Spanish Air Force
Number built	F/A-18A/B/C/D: 1,480
Unit cost	US$29 million (F-18C/D) (2006)
Developed from	Northrop YF-17
Variants	McDonnell Douglas CF-18 Hornet High Alpha Research Vehicle
Developed into	Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet Boeing X-53 Active Aeroelastic Wing

The McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet is a twin-engine supersonic, all-weather carrier-capable multirole combat jet, designed as both a fighter and attack aircraft (hence the F/A designation). Designed by McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) and Northrop, the F/A-18 was derived from the latter's YF-17 in the 1970s for use by the United States Navy and Marine Corps. The Hornet is also used by the air forces of several other nations and, since 1986, by the U.S. Navy's Flight Demonstration Squadron, the Blue Angels.

The F/A-18 has a top speed of Mach 1.8 (1,034 knots, 1,190 mph or 1,915 km/h at 40,000 ft or 12,200 m). It can carry a wide variety of bombs and missiles, including air-to-air and air-to-ground, supplemented by the 20-mm M61 Vulcan cannon. It is powered by two General Electric F404 turbofan engines, which give the aircraft a high thrust-to-weight ratio. The F/A-18 has excellent aerodynamic characteristics, primarily attributed to its leading edge extensions. The fighter's primary missions are fighter escort, fleet air defense, Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD), air interdiction, close air support, and aerial reconnaissance. Its versatility and reliability have proven it to be a valuable carrier asset, though it has been criticized for its lack of range and payload compared to its earlier contemporaries, such as the Grumman F-14 Tomcat in the fighter and strike fighter role, and the Grumman A-6 Intruder and LTV A-7 Corsair II in the attack role.