F/A-18 Hornet
by Staff EditorThe F/A-18 Hornet, an all-weather aircraft, is used as an attack aircraft as well as a fighter, the first such ‘strike fighter’ in U.S. inventory. In its fighter mode, the Hornet is used primarily as a fighter escort and for fleet air defense; in its attack mode, it is used for force projection, interdiction and close and deep air support. With its excellent fighter and self-defense capabilities, the F/A-18 at the same time increases strike mission survivability and supplements the F-14 Tomcat in fleet air defense. Hornets can be flown from land bases, or from the decks of aircraft carriers and are proudly flown by the U.S. Navy's Blue Angels Flight Demonstration Squadron.
F/A-18C Specifications
| Manufacturer: | McDonnell Douglas |
| First Flight: | 11/1978 |
| Wingspan: | 37.5 ft. (11.4 m) |
| Height: | 15.3 ft. (4.6 m) |
| Length: | 56 ft. (17.1 m) |
| Max Take-off Weight: | 51,900 lbs. (23.537 kg) |
| Thrust: | 17,700 lbs. (79 kN) x two engines |
| Top Speed at Altitude: | Mach 1.7+ |
| Ceiling: | 50,000+ ft. (15,240+ m) |
| Range: | 400 nm (km) fighter mission/575 nm (km) attack mission |
| Crew: | One |
