page_title: Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet
section_title: Specifications (F/A-18E/F)
hierarchical_section_title: Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet / Specifications (F/A-18E/F)
caption_attribution_description: Français&#160;: F/A 18 F super hornet different color scheme
context_page_description: The Boeing F/A-18E and F/A-18F Super Hornet are twin-engine, carrier-capable, multirole fighter aircraft variants based on the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet. The F/A-18E single-seat and F/A-18F tandem-seat variants are larger and more advanced derivatives of the F/A-18C and D Hornet.
  The Super Hornet has an internal 20 mm M61 rotary cannon and can carry air-to-air missiles and air-to-surface weapons. Additional fuel can be carried in up to five external fuel tanks and the aircraft can be configured as an airborne tanker by adding an external air refueling system.
  Designed and initially produced by McDonnell Douglas, the Super Hornet first flew in 1995. Low-rate production began in early 1997 with full-rate production starting in September 1997, after the merger of McDonnell Douglas and Boeing the previous month. The Super Hornet entered fleet service with the United States Navy in 1999, replacing the Grumman F-14 Tomcat, which was retired in 2006; the Super Hornet serves alongside the original Hornet. The Royal Australian Air Force, which has operated the F/A-18A as its main fighter since 1984, ordered the F/A-18F in 2007 to replace its aging General Dynamics F-111C fleet.
context_section_description: Data from U.S. Navy fact file, others
  General characteristics
  Crew: F/A-18E: 1 (pilot), F/A-18F: 2 (pilot and weapon systems officer)
  Length: 60 ft 1.25 in (18.31 m)
  Wingspan: 44 ft 8.5 in (13.62 m)
  Height: 16 ft 0 in (4.88 m)
  Wing area: 500 sq ft (46.5 m²)
  Empty weight: 32,081 lb (14,552 kg)
  Gross weight: 47,000 lb (21,320 kg) (equipped as fighter)
  Max takeoff weight: 66,000 lb (29,937 kg)
  Internal fuel capacity: F/A-18E: 14,700 lb (6,667 kg), F/A-18F: 13,760 lb (6,241 kg)
  External fuel capacity:Up to 4 × 480 gal tanks, totaling 13,040 lb (5,914 kg)
  Powerplant: 2 × General Electric F414-GE-400 turbofans, 13,000 lbf (58 kN) thrust each dry, 22,000 lbf (98 kN) with afterburner
  Performance
  Maximum speed: 1,030 kn (1,190 mph, 1,915 km/h) at 40,000 ft (12,190 m)
  Maximum speed: Mach 1.6
  Range: 1,275 nmi (1,458 mi, 2,346 km) with armament of two AIM-9s
  Combat range: 390 nmi (449 mi, 722 km) for interdiction
  Ferry range: 1,800 nmi (2,070 mi, 3,330 km)
  Service ceiling: 50,000 ft (15,000 m) at least
  Rate of climb: 44,882 ft/min (228 m/s)
  Wing loading: 94.0 lb/sq ft (459 kg/m²)
  Thrust/weight: 0.93
  Design load factor: 7.6 g
  Armament
  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: 
  4× AIM-9 Sidewinder
  12× AIM-120 AMRAAM
  4× AIM-7 Sparrow
  6× AGM-65 E/F Maverick
  4× AGM-84H/K Standoff Land Attack Missile Expanded Response (SLAM-ER)
  6× AGM-88 HARM Anti-radiation missile (ARM)
  4× AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW)
  AGM-158 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile
  2× AGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship missile
  AGM-158C Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM), in the future
  Bombs: 
  JDAM (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
  Mk 20 Rockeye II cluster bomb
  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 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
  Avionics
  Hughes APG-73 or Raytheon APG-79 Radar
  Northrop Grumman/ITT ALQ-165 self-protection jammer system or BAE Systems AN/ALE-214 integrated defensive electronic countermeasures system
  Raytheon AN/ALE-50 or BAE Systems AN/ALE-55 towed decoy
  Raytheon AN/ALR-67(V)3 radar warning receiver
  MIDS LVT or MIDS JTRS datalink transceiver
caption: Three different color schemes for the F/A-18F
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