Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet

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## Origins

Origins of the Super Hornets were to replace the United States Navy’s aging F-14 Fleet, The F-14’s were getting old and the Classic Hornets were made to replace earlier models of the F-14.

### Testing and Production

The testing and production went well for Boeing, the F/A-18’s were slowly phasing out the older F-14B’s, and from 2006 until the 2020’s the US Navy’s fleet was all Hornet variants until the F-35C Lightning II was introduced into the Navy.

## Other Users

All users of the Super Hornets are;

United States - Operating 512 airframes of the Super Hornet and 155 Growlers, all for the United States Navy

Australia - Operating 24 F/A-18F Super Hornets based at No.1 Squadron - Royal Australian Air Force, and 12 E/A-18G Growlers based at No.6 Squadron - Royal Australian Airforce, all are being operated by the Royal Australian Air force, Based at RAAF Base Amberley

Kuwait - 28 F/A-18E/F Super Hornets on order, for the Kuwait Air Force

## Armament

The Armament of the Super Hornets Includes;

- **Guns:** 1× 20 mm (0.787 in) M61A2 Vulcan, 412 rounds
- **Hardpoints:** 11 (2× wingtips, 6× under-wing, and 3× under-fuselage) with a capacity of Max payload: 17,750 lb (8,050 kg). Carrier bringback payload: F/A-18E: 9,900 lb (4,491 kg), F/A-18F: 9,000 lb (4,082 kg), with provisions to carry combinations of:
    - **Missiles:**
        - Air-to-air missiles
            - 4× AIM-7 Sparrow
            - 6× AIM-9 Sidewinder
            - 12× AIM-120 AMRAAM
            - 12× AIM-260 JATM (to be integrated)
        - Air-to-surface missiles
            - 6× AGM-65E/F Maverick
            - 4× AGM-84H/K SLAM-ER
            - 6× AGM-88 HARM
            - 4x AGM-158 JASSM
            - 4× AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) - glide bomb
        - Anti-ship missiles
            - 4× AGM-84 Harpoon
            - 4× AGM-158C LRASM
            - Joint Strike Missile (JSM) (to be integrated)
    - **Bombs:**
        - JDAM bombs (up to 10× GBU-32/35/38/54 or 4× GBU-31)
        - Paveway series of laser-guided bombs
        - Mk 80 series unguided bombs
        - CBU-78 Gator mine system<sup>[_citation needed_]</sup>
        - Mk 20 Rockeye II cluster bomb<sup>[_citation needed_]</sup>
        - Mk-62/63/65 Quick Strike Naval mine
    - **Other:**
        - SUU-42A/A Flares/infrared decoy dispenser pod and chaff pod
        - AN/ALE-50 towed decoy system pod
        - AN/ASQ-228 ATFLIR or AN/AAQ-28(V) Litening targeting pods
        - up to 4× 480 US gal (1,800 L; 400 imp gal) drop tanks and 1× A/A42R-1 Aerial Refueling Store pod for aerial refueling.
        - 12× ADM-141C TALD decoys
        - AWW-13 Advanced data link pod

## Full Page

Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet

## Infobox (aircraft begin)

- **name**: F/A-18E/F Super Hornet
- **image**: File:US Navy 071203-N-8923M-074 An F-A-18F Super Hornet, from the Red Rippers of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 11, makes a sharp turn above the flight deck aboard the Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman.jpg
- **caption**: U.S. Navy F/A-18F Super Hornet
- **alt**: Top view of gray jet fighter banks toward camera


## Infobox (aircraft type)

- **type**: Carrier-based aircraft, Carrier-based Multirole combat aircraft, multirole fighter
- **manufacturer**: McDonnell Douglas (1995–1997)
Boeing Defense, Space & Security (1997–present)
- **national origin**: United States
- **first flight**: 29 November 1995
- **introduced**: 1999
2001 (Initial operating capability, IOC)
- **number built**: ≥632 as of April 2020
- **status**: In service
- **primary user**: United States Navy
- **more users**: Royal Australian Air Force
Kuwait Air Force
- **produced**: 1995–present
- **program cost**: Total procurement: 48.09 billion (through FY2011)
- **unit cost**: US$66.0 million (2020 flyaway cost)
- **developed from**: McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet
- **variants with their own articles**: Boeing EA-18G Growler