|
Contractor |
Boeing [McDonnell Douglas
Aerospace] and
Northrop Grumman (Airframe),
General
Electric (Engines), and
Hughes (Radar)
|
|
| F/A-18C/D
Hornet
| F/A-18E/F
Super Hornet
|
| Power Plant
|
Two F404-GE-402 afterburning engines, each in the
18,000 pound thrust class, which results in a
combat thrust-to-weight ratio greater than
1-to-1. Depending on the mission and loading,
combat radius is greater than 500 nautical miles.
|
Twin F414-GE-400 engines, each in the 22,000
pound thrust class. On an interdiction mission,
the E/F will fly up to 40 % further than the C/D.
|
| Accommodations |
The F/A-18C and
F/A-18E are single seat aircraft.
The D and F models
are flown by two crew members.
The aft seat in the D
and F may be configured with a stick and throttle
for the training environment (or without when
crewed with a Weapons System Officer).
|
| Performance |
F/A-18C maximum speed
at level flight in altitudes of 36,089 ft.
Mach
1.7
|
F/A-18E maximum speed
at level flight in altitudes of 36,089 ft.
Mach
1.6
|
| Armament |
F/A-18C/D can carry
up to 13,700 pounds of external ordnance.
Weapon stations
include: two wingtip stations for Sidewinders;
two outboard wing stations for air-to-air or
air-to-ground weapons; two inboard wing stations
for fuel tanks, air-to-air, or air-to-ground
weapons; two nacelle fuselage stations for
AMRAAMs, Sparrows, or sensor pods; and one
centerline station for fuel or air-to-ground
weapons.
M61 Vulcan 6-barrel rotary cannon with 520 rounds of 20mm ammunition is internally mounted in the nose
AIM-9 Sidewinder
AIM-7F Sparrow
AIM-120 AMRAAM
AGM-65E Maverick
AGM-84 Harpoon
AGM-88A HARM
MK82
10 CBU-87
10 CBU-89
GBU-12
GBU-24
JDAM
B-57 or B-61 Nuclear bomb
|
F/A-18E/F can carry
up to 17,750 pounds of external ordnance; two
additional wing store stations have been added.
|
| Mission and
Capabilities |
The F/A-18 Hornet can
perform both air-to-air and air-to-ground
missions.
Cockpit displays and
mission avionics are thoroughly integrated to
enhance crew situational awareness and mission
capability in high threat, adverse weather/night
environments.
Cockpits are night
vision goggle compatible.
Multi-Sensor
Integration and advanced data link capabilities
further enhance situational awareness.
|
The E/F model will be
able to perform a strike tanker mission while
carrying a self-protection air-to-air missile
loadout.
The E/F model will
also have greater payload flexibility, increased
mission radius, survivability, payload bring
back, and a substantial avionics growth
potential.
|
Unit cost $FY98
[Total Program] | $39.5 million.
| $60 million
|
| Program Summary |
F/A-18A/B first entered
operational service with the USN and USMC in 1982.
Since 1982, more than
1,458 F/A-18s have been procured for the USN and USMC and
for the armed services in Canada, Australia, Spain,
Kuwait, Switzerland, Finland, and Malaysia.
In 1987, the upgraded C/D
model (with enhanced mission avionics) was introduced and
upgraded with a night/adverse weather mission capability,
On Board Oxygen Generating System, APG-73 Radar Upgrade,
enhanced performance F404-GE-402 engines, and upgraded
mission computers.
|
The first flight of the
F/A-18E/F occurred in December 1995; operational
deliveries are scheduled for late 1999.
|
| User Countries | Kuwait |
