Reading level:

Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet

Boeing · Fighter / Attack · USA · Modern (1992–2009)

Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet — Fighter / Attack
Open in interactive gallery →See aircraft like this on the live radar →

The F/A-18E/F Super Hornet is the backbone of United States Navy carrier aviation, the aircraft that rescued American sea-based air power from the capability gap left when the A-12 Avenger II programme was cancelled in 1991 and the F-14 Tomcat retired. Boeing's design traces its lineage to the original McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet but is an almost entirely new airframe: 25 percent larger in overall dimensions, carrying 33 percent more internal fuel, and optimised from the outset for the strike-fighter role that the Cold War U.S. Navy had divided between the A-6 Intruder bomber and F-14 interceptor. The single-seat E and two-seat F entered operational service with the U.S. Navy in 1999.

Twin General Electric F414-GE-400 turbofans each deliver 22,000 lbf (97.9 kN) with afterburner, pushing the aircraft to Mach 1.8 at altitude. The airframe incorporates radar cross-section reductions — enlarged leading-edge extensions, canted tail surfaces, and aligned edge angles — that make it harder to detect than the legacy Hornet, though it is not a stealth aircraft. Armament centres on an internal M61A1/A2 20mm cannon and the full inventory of U.S. tactical weapons: AIM-120 AMRAAMs, AIM-9 Sidewinders, AGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship missiles, JDAM precision bombs, and Standoff Land Attack Missiles (SLAM-ER). The AN/APG-79 active electronically-scanned array radar, fielded from 2006, tracks air and surface targets simultaneously across a wider field of regard than the mechanically-scanned sets it replaced.

The two-seat F airframe also serves as the basis for the Navy's airborne electronic attack platform, the EA-18G Growler. Replacing the EA-6B Prowler, the Growler carries the AN/ALQ-99 jamming pod suite and a crew of two — pilot and electronic warfare officer — and has proven indispensable in suppressing adversary integrated air defences from Libya in 2011 through ongoing Middle East operations. Super Hornets also handle organic carrier tanking duties via the AN/ARS-1 buddy-store pod, extending the reach of the air wing in a role once filled by dedicated S-3 Vikings.

Australia is the only export customer, ordering 24 F/A-18F Block II Super Hornets in 2007 as an interim capability pending the arrival of the F-35A Lightning II. The Royal Australian Air Force retired its Super Hornets ahead of schedule in 2023 once enough F-35As had reached the squadrons. The U.S. Navy fleet will fly the type into the 2030s alongside the F-35C, with the Block III upgrade introduced from 2021 bringing a new cockpit display, conformal fuel tanks, networking through the Distributed Targeting Processor–Networked system, and an infrared search-and-track sensor — keeping the Super Hornet relevant against evolving threats until the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) carrier fighter takes its place.

For Kids — a shorter, friendlier version

The F/A-18E/F Super Hornet is a powerful jet fighter used by the American Navy. It was built by Boeing and first joined the Navy in 1999. Pilots fly it from huge aircraft carriers at sea. There is a single-seat version called the E and a two-seat version called the F.

The Super Hornet is bigger than the older F/A-18 Hornet it replaced. It is about 25 percent larger overall and carries a third more fuel inside. That extra fuel lets it fly farther on each mission. It can do two jobs at once — attack targets on the ground and fight other aircraft in the sky.

Two powerful jet engines push the Super Hornet to nearly twice the speed of sound. That makes it faster than a rifle bullet fired straight ahead. The engines are made by General Electric and give the plane a huge burst of speed when the pilot needs it most.

The plane is also hard to spot on radar. Its designers shaped the edges and tail surfaces in a special way to reduce its radar signal. It is not fully invisible to radar, but it is much harder to detect than older jets. It also carries a cannon and many different missiles and bombs.

Fun Facts

  • The Super Hornet is about 25 percent larger than the original Hornet it replaced.
  • It carries 33 percent more fuel inside than the older Hornet, so it can fly farther.
  • Two powerful engines push it to nearly twice the speed of sound.
  • The Super Hornet can both attack ground targets and fight enemy aircraft in the same mission.
  • It first flew with the American Navy in 1999 and is still a top jet today.
  • The two-seat F model has room for a pilot and a second crew member behind them.
  • Special angled edges on the plane make it harder for enemy radar to find it.
  • The Super Hornet carries a built-in cannon plus many missiles and bombs on its wings.

Kids’ Questions

Who made the Super Hornet and when did it join the Navy?

Boeing built the Super Hornet. It joined the American Navy in 1999. Before that, McDonnell Douglas designed the original Hornet that inspired it.

How fast can the Super Hornet fly?

The Super Hornet can fly at nearly twice the speed of sound. That is faster than a rifle bullet traveling forward. Two General Electric jet engines give it that huge speed.

What is the difference between the E and F versions?

The E model has one seat for the pilot. The F model has two seats, so a second crew member can fly along. Both versions are used by the American Navy.

Why is the Super Hornet hard to spot on radar?

Its edges, tail surfaces, and angles were shaped in a special way. That shape bounces radar signals away instead of reflecting them back. It is not fully invisible, but it is much harder to detect than older jets.

Variants

F/A-18E (Block I)
Single-seat initial production variant. First carrier deployment with VFA-115 (USS Abraham Lincoln, 2002). AN/APG-73 radar.
F/A-18F (Block I)
Two-seat trainer and strike variant with the same combat capability as the E; the second seat is used by an instructor or weapons systems officer (WSO) on strike missions.
F/A-18E/F Block II
AN/APG-79 AESA radar (from 2006), Joint Helmet-Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS), upgraded electronic warfare suite, and revised avionics. Standard fit from Lot 26 onward.
EA-18G Growler
Dedicated carrier-based electronic attack variant replacing the EA-6B Prowler. Two-seat (pilot + ECMO); carries AN/ALQ-99/218 jamming pods while retaining AIM-120 self-defence capability. Over 160 delivered to the USN and Australia.
F/A-18E/F Block III
Current production standard: Distributed Targeting Processor–Networked (DTP-N), Advanced Cockpit System with a 10×19-inch touchscreen display, conformal fuel tanks (CFTs), and the IRST21 infrared search-and-track sensor. Retrofit programme underway for in-service jets.

Notable Operators

United States Navy
Primary operator with more than 550 E/F models in service, embarked across all 11 Nimitz- and Ford-class carriers. EA-18G Growlers fly with dedicated electronic attack squadrons (VAQ).
Royal Australian Air Force
Bought 24 F/A-18F Block II aircraft in 2007 as interim strike capacity, plus 12 EA-18G Growlers. The Super Hornets retired in 2023 as F-35As filled out the force; the Growlers remain in service.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between the F/A-18 Hornet and the Super Hornet?

Despite the shared name and lineage, the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet is essentially a new aircraft. It is 25 percent larger (longer fuselage, bigger wing), carries 33 percent more internal fuel, has a new engine (GE F414 in place of the GE F404), and was redesigned for a smaller radar cross-section. Its wing is rectangular rather than the legacy Hornet's compound-sweep planform. Only about 10 percent of parts are shared; the Super Hornet is a replacement, not an upgrade.

What is the Super Hornet's top speed?

The F/A-18E/F reaches Mach 1.8 (about 1,190 mph / 1,915 km/h) at altitude. That is below the Mach 2.0+ of the F-14 Tomcat it replaced, a trade accepted because supersonic dash speed is rarely tactically decisive in modern warfare while greater payload, range, and survivability deliver more operational value. Most missions are flown well below Mach 1, where fuel-efficient cruise speeds maximise range.

Why does the Navy use F/A-18s instead of a dedicated fighter or bomber?

Carrier air wings face strict limits on deck space, weight, and logistics that make separate single-role airframes inefficient. A unified F/A-18 airframe and avionics suite lets a carrier train pilots across fighter and strike missions, simplifies spare-parts inventories, and gives commanders the flexibility to task-allocate aircraft by mission rather than role. The Super Hornet also doubles as a tanker via the buddy-store pod, a function once requiring dedicated S-3 Vikings.

Is the F/A-18 Super Hornet a stealth aircraft?

No. The Super Hornet uses radar cross-section reductions — aligned fuselage angles, canted tail surfaces, blended edges — that make it harder to detect than its predecessor, but it is not a stealth platform in the class of the F-35C or F-22. Analysts put its frontal RCS at roughly one-tenth that of the legacy F/A-18C/D. The Block III Advanced Cockpit System and networked targeting tools let it act as a sensor node for fifth-generation aircraft operating deeper inside defended airspace.

What weapons does the Super Hornet carry?

The Super Hornet has 11 weapons stations — nine external hardpoints plus two wingtip rails — with a maximum payload of 17,750 lb (8,050 kg). A standard air-to-air loadout pairs AIM-120 AMRAAMs with AIM-9 Sidewinders. Air-to-ground stores include JDAM, SLAM-ER, Harpoon, AGM-65 Maverick, laser-guided bombs, and, on nuclear-assigned aircraft, the B61 gravity bomb. The 20mm M61 cannon is internal.

What is the EA-18G Growler?

The EA-18G Growler is the electronic attack variant of the F/A-18F, replacing the four-seat EA-6B Prowler. It keeps the Super Hornet airframe and wingtip AIM-120 self-defence missiles but swaps the two inner weapons stations for AN/ALQ-99 tactical jamming pods and adds an AN/ALQ-218(V)2 wideband receiver for signals intelligence. Its two-person crew — pilot and electronic countermeasures officer — suppresses and jams hostile air defence radars so strike packages can penetrate defended airspace.

Will the Super Hornet be replaced, and by what?

The U.S. Navy's Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) programme aims to field a sixth-generation carrier-based fighter in the early 2030s to complement the F-35C. Until then, the Block III-upgraded Super Hornet remains the primary strike-fighter aboard U.S. carriers. F/A-18E/F airframe service life has been extended to 10,000 flight hours, supporting continued service through the 2030s.

Sources

See Also