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McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet facts for kids

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FA-18-NAVY-Blue-Diamond
A U.S. Navy F/A-18 Flying

The F/A-18 Hornet (CF-18, F-18) is a fighter jet that is made by Boeing, and was originally manufactured by the McDonnell-Douglas Company. It first flew in 1978 and was introduced in 1983. Its main user is the United States Navy. It can take off from aircraft carriers because of its special design. The F/A-18 can attack land and air targets. Any aircraft which can do this is called "multi-role". The Hornet is also flown by the Blue Angels.

Users

The F/A-18 is used by many countries, including the United States Navy.

United States

The hornet is currently used by the United States Marine Corps, which has 143 F/A-18 aircraft and plans to use them until the early 2030s.

The last operational deployment of the F/A-18C Hornet in U.S. Navy service was aboard the USS Carl Vinson and ended on 12 March 2018. The aircraft briefly went back to sea for routine carrier qualifications in October, but it was retired from active Navy service on 1 February 2019. The type continued to be used by reserve units, primarily for adversary training. The actual final Navy F/A-18C operational flight occurred on 2 October 2019.

Blue Angels

The Blue Angels are the aerobatic team of the USMC. They use the F/A-18. Before the F/A-18 existed, they used the A-4 Skyhawk.

Australia

The Royal Australian Air force (RAAF) bought 57 F/A-18A and 18 F/A-18B (the b was used for training) in 1981 to replace the old Mirage III. The difference between the RAAF hornet and the US hornet is that the RAAF removed the carrier Capabilities, because Australia doesn't have any aircraft carriers big enough to fit the plane.

Armament

The hornet can carry a lot of bombs, missiles, rockets and guns. It can also carry pods, pods give the aircraft more options, the Litening targeting pod,for example, lets the pilot see the ground and guide bombs to the target.

Bombs

B81 and B83 nuclear bombs

Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM)

Paveway laser guided bombs (the bombs are guided by the targeting pod)

Mk80 bombs general purpose

CBU100 cluster bomb

Rockets

2.75 in (70 mm) Hydra 70 rockets

5 in (127.0 mm) Zuni rockets

Missiles

Air to Air

Aim-120 AMRAAM

Aim-9 Sidewinder

Aim-132 ASRAAM

Iris-T

Aim-7 Sparrow

Air to Ground

AGM-65 Maverick

AGM-88 HARM

AGM-164 Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW)

Taurus Cruise Missile

Anti Ship

AGM-84 Harpoon

Related pages

Images for kids

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    The Northrop YF-17 Cobra was developed into the carrier-capable F/A-18.

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    First preproduction F-18A in October 1978

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    US Navy F/A-18C during Operation Enduring Freedom in 2002

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    F/A-18C Hornet performing a high-g pull-up. The high angle of attack causes powerful vortices to form at the leading edge extensions.

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    F/A-18C Hornet in transonic flight producing flow-induced vapor cone

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    Exhaust nozzles of an RAAF F/A-18

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    Blue Angels' No. 6 F/A-18A

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    NF101, an F/A-18A Hornet assigned to VFA-195 Dambusters aboard the USS Midway, CV-41 in the 1991 Gulf War.

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    Three RAAF F/A-18As in 2013

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    Finnish Air Force F/A-18 at Rissala Airport

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    An F/A-18 of the Kuwaiti Air Force

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    RMAF F/A-18D returning to base after a national day flypast

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    EF-18 A taking off and banking to the left on 2015

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    Hugo Wolf F/A-18C full-scale training simulator, X-5099

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    Swiss Air Force Hornet F/A-18C at RIAT 2019

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    An F/A-18B Hornet assigned to the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School

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    An US Marine Corps F/A-18C of VMFA-323, launches off the flight deck of the USS Nimitz.

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    Marines perform maintenance on an F/A-18D of VMFA-242

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    A VFA-11 F/A-18F Super Hornet performing evasive maneuvers during an air power demonstration above USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75)

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    X-53, NASA's modified F/A-18

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    F/A-18C of the Swiss Air Force taxis for takeoff

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    F/A-18 operators are in blue

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    Royal Malaysian Air Force Boeing F/A-18 Hornet during Cope Taufan 2012

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    U.S. Navy F/A-18C from VFA-131 launches from French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle off the Virginia Capes.

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    F/A-18A Hornets in various color schemes

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    F/A-18B Hornets in various color schemes

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    An F/A-18A Hornet on display at the Patuxent River Naval Air Museum.

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    F/A-18A on display at the Air Zoo

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    3-view drawing of the F/A-18 Hornet

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    VX-4 F/A-18 with ten AIM-120 AMRAAMs and two AIM-9 Sidewinders

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