F/A-18 Super Hornet

The U.S. Navy’s carrier-borne multirole workhorse — a twin-engine, supersonic strike fighter that succeeded the F-14 Tomcat and A-6 Intruder, with an extensive combat record and ongoing Block III upgrades.

Overview

The F/A-18E (single-seat) and F/A-18F (two-seat) Super Hornet is a 4.5-generation carrier-capable multirole strike fighter that forms the backbone of the U.S. Navy’s carrier air wings. Introduced at the turn of the century as a larger, more survivable evolution of the original F/A-18A–D Hornet, the Super Hornet combines a large weapons payload with an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar and a proven combat record stretching from Iraq to Red Sea air-defense operations. New U.S. production ended in 2025, but the fleet continues to be upgraded to the Block III standard, while Australia and Kuwait also operate the type.

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