Next to these few warplanes, one can hardly find any examples that have had such a significant impact on the whole field of carrier-based air power as the F/A-18 Hornet and its bigger brother, the Super Hornet. With these planes, the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps not only chose a different way of fighting, operating, and flying, but they also changed the very nature of the seas. These are the stories behind the planes, which recount innovation, the overthrow of military dogma, and the results of political horse-trading to achieve a jet as groundbreaking and as practical as it was.
The Hornet’s development took place at a time when the military needed to shrink its fleet without sacrificing capability. Other planes were doing specialized jobs at the time—air-to-air battles were engaged in by dogfighters like the F-4 Phantom, and planes like the A-7 Corsair strafed ground targets. But more and more throughout the late 1970s, onboard computers and radar allowed more visions: why not do it all with one plane?
Initially, it was meant to create two separate models—a fighter (F-18) and an attacker (A-18). The Navy wanted one airframe that could play both roles; however, that meant creating something very different: the “F/A” designation.
That slash wasn’t figurative—it stood for an aircraft that could switch missions in mid-air, between bomber and dogfighter. Politically, it helped protect against trading two planes for one, easing the way ahead.
When the Hornet entered service with the Marine Corps in 1983 and the Navy in 1984, it wasn’t long before it was proven. Its first actual combat trial was during Operation Desert Storm, and that went go. Pilots could attack and destroy enemy aircraft and bomb objectives on the ground in one pass.
Even better, the plane proved its mettle—flying back in damaged condition, fixing itself under the cover of night, and ready to take off again the following day.
The Hornet came of age. It received yearly upgrades—enhanced radar, newer electronics, and better weapons. The single-seat F/A-18A and C, and the two-seat B and Ds filled a broad spectrum of missions from air defense to training and reconnaissance. Even with newer aircraft being added to the fleet, the Hornet was still a respected platform, filling its middle ground niche for generations to come of fighters.
The grandest stride was in 1999 with the introduction of the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. This was not an upgrade; this was a new beginning. Bigger, with 50% more range and better performance, the Super Hornet replaced the legendary F-14 Tomcat and raised the bar for naval aviation power. It flew better off carriers, was cheaper to maintain, and allowed room for expansion.
The Super Hornet Block II subsequently returned in 2001 with enhanced radar, new sensors, and more selective weapons systems. Next came Block III, the most highly advanced, which subsequently re-emerged. Designed to last 10,000 hours, it includes enhanced radar stealthiness, new cockpit displays, and state-of-the-art networking to join future combat missions with ease.
The popularity of Hornets extends beyond the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. Canada, Spain, Finland, Australia, Switzerland, Kuwait, Malaysia, and others have operated Hornets or Super Hornets as well. Their combat worthiness, versatility, and reliability have won them as a nation’s preference across the globe.
From its beginnings as a compromise plane to its life now as a workhorse of carrier air, the F/A-18 Hornet has been a test of versatility. While the Navy and Marine Corps are looking ahead over the horizon, the aircraft remains to prove that sometimes the greatest jets are the ones that can do it all—and continue to do so, mission upon mission.