Aircraft & UAVs

F/A-18 Hornet (Tactical)

The F/A-18 Hornet (Tactical) is the National Naval Aviation Museum's label for the original McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 A-D Hornet family, a twin-engine carrier-capable strike fighter that entered Marine Corps service in 1983 and U.S. Navy service in 1984. NAVAIR describes the Hornet as the nation's first all-weather fighter and attack aircraft; its documented combat record spans Libya, Desert Storm, Kosovo, Afghanistan, Iraq, and later coalition campaigns.

F/A-18 Hornet (Tactical), Carrier-capable multirole strike fighter, Aircraft & UAVs
Image source: F/A-18C Hornet carrier launch photo

Role in Conflicts

Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
United States
Type
Carrier-capable multirole strike fighter
Service note
1978-present
Designer
McDonnell Douglas and Northrop
Designed
1970s
Unit cost
$29 million
Produced
1978-2000

Specifications

Primary function
Multi-role attack and fighter aircraft
Contractor
Prime: McDonnell Douglas; major subcontractor: Northrop
Date deployed
First flight in 1978; operational service from 1983
Propulsion
Two F404-GE-402 enhanced performance turbofan engines; 17,700 pounds static thrust per engine
Length
56 feet (16.8 meters)
Height
15 feet 4 inches (4.6 meters)
Wingspan
40 feet 5 inches (13.5 meters)
Weight
Maximum takeoff gross weight is 51,900 pounds (23,537 kg)
Airspeed
Mach 1.7+
Ceiling
50,000+ feet
Range
Combat: 1,089 nautical miles; ferry: 1,546 nautical miles
Crew
One in A/C models; two in B/D models
Armament
One M61A1/A2 Vulcan 20mm cannon; AIM-9 Sidewinder, AIM-7 Sparrow, AIM-120 AMRAAM, Harpoon, HARM, SLAM, SLAM-ER, Maverick missiles, JSOW, JDAM, bombs, mines and rockets
Variants

The A-D rows cover the original Legacy Hornet family. A and C models are single-seat aircraft, while B and D models are two-seat aircraft; the larger F/A-18E/F Super Hornet is treated as a separate successor family.

VariantConfigurationDesignation notes
F/A-18A HornetSingle-seat A/B-generation Hornet

NAVAIR identifies the F/A-18A as a single-seat aircraft and lists A/B models as operational from October 1983.

Sources: F/A-18 A-D Hornet

F/A-18B HornetTwo-seat trainer

NAVAIR identifies the F/A-18B as a two-seat model primarily used for training and lists A/B models as operational from October 1983.

Sources: F/A-18 A-D Hornet

F/A-18C HornetSingle-seat C/D-generation Hornet

NAVAIR identifies the F/A-18C as single-seat and groups A+ and C/D aircraft in attack, tactical air control, forward air control, and reconnaissance missions.

Sources: F/A-18 A-D Hornet

F/A-18D HornetTwo-seat C/D-generation Hornet

NAVAIR identifies the F/A-18D as two-seat, lists C/D models as operational from September 1987, and says C/D production ended in 2000 with the final F/A-18D delivered to the Marine Corps that summer.

Sources: F/A-18 A-D Hornet

Carried Munitions

NAVAIR lists air-to-air missiles, anti-ship and anti-radiation missiles, guided standoff weapons, Maverick missiles, and conventional strike stores among the Hornet's armament.

Carried itemItem typeCarriage evidence
AIM-9 Sidewinder missile, Short-range air-to-air missile family, MunitionsAIM-9 Sidewinder missileShort-range air-to-air missile

NAVAIR lists AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles in the F/A-18 A-D Hornet armament set.

Sources: F/A-18 A-D Hornet

AIM-7 Sparrow missile, Air-to-air missile, MunitionsAIM-7 Sparrow missileAir-to-air missile

NAVAIR lists AIM-7 Sparrow missiles among the F/A-18 A-D Hornet's air-to-air armament.

Sources: F/A-18 A-D Hornet

AIM-120 AMRAAM, Beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile, MunitionsAIM-120 AMRAAMBeyond-visual-range air-to-air missile

NAVAIR lists AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles among the F/A-18 A-D Hornet's air-to-air armament.

Sources: F/A-18 A-D Hornet

AGM-65 Maverick, Air-to-surface guided missile, MunitionsAGM-65 MaverickAir-to-surface guided missile

NAVAIR lists Maverick missiles among the Hornet's armament, confirming that the F/A-18 A-D Hornet can carry the AGM-65 family.

Sources: F/A-18 A-D Hornet

Harpoon, Anti-ship cruise missile family, MunitionsHarpoonAnti-ship cruise missile

NAVAIR lists Harpoon among the Hornet's armament.

Sources: F/A-18 A-D Hornet

AGM-88 HARM, Air-to-surface anti-radiation missile, MunitionsAGM-88 HARMAnti-radiation missile

NAVAIR lists HARM among the F/A-18 A-D Hornet's armament; a separate NAVAIR account documents a VMFA-323 F/A-18A firing AGM-88 HARM missiles during the 1986 Libya strike.

Sources: F/A-18 A-D Hornet, First combat Hornet returned to service

AGM-154 JSOW, Air-launched guided glide bomb, MunitionsAGM-154 JSOWStandoff glide weapon

NAVAIR lists the Joint Stand-Off Weapon among the F/A-18 A-D Hornet's armament.

Sources: F/A-18 A-D Hornet

GBU-31(V)1 Joint Direct Attack Munition, 2,000-pound JDAM bomb, MunitionsGBU-31(V)1 Joint Direct Attack Munition2,000-pound JDAM

The Air Force historical study identifies the Navy's F/A-18 Hornet among aircraft that used the GBU-31 JDAM family.

Sources: Three New Weapons

Internal Armament

The Hornet also carries an internal 20 mm gun installation as part of its fixed armament.

Compatible itemItem typeCompatibility evidence
M61A1 Vulcan cannon, 20mm aircraft cannon, Aircraft & UAVsM61A1 Vulcan cannonInternal 20 mm aircraft cannon

NAVAIR lists one M61A1/A2 Vulcan 20 mm cannon as F/A-18 A-D Hornet armament.

Sources: F/A-18 A-D Hornet

Timeline

F/A-18 Hornet (Tactical) Key Events

  1. First flight

    DCMA marks November 18, 1978 as the 40th anniversary date of the F/A-18 Hornet's first flight.

    Sources: F/A-18 Hornet targets 40 years of flight

  2. A/B models enter operational service

    NAVAIR lists October 1983 as the operational date for the A/B models.

    Sources: F/A-18 A-D Hornet

  3. First combat use

    NAVAIR says the Hornet went to battle for the first time in 1986 from USS Coral Sea during Libya operations.

    Sources: F/A-18 Program Surpasses 5,000,000 flight hours

  4. C/D models enter operational service

    NAVAIR lists September 1987 as the operational date for the C/D models.

    Sources: F/A-18 A-D Hornet

  5. Desert Storm combat scale

    NAVAIR says more than 210 U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Canadian F/A-18 Hornets were engaged in Operation Desert Storm.

    Sources: F/A-18 Program Surpasses 5,000,000 flight hours

  6. Legacy Hornet production closes out

    DCMA says 1,503 F/A-18A/B/C/D Legacy Hornets were built and that the last F/A-18C and F/A-18D deliveries occurred in August 2000.

    Sources: F/A-18 Hornet targets 40 years of flight

  7. U.S. Navy combat-role retirement announced

    NAVAIR says the U.S. Navy announced retirement of the F/A-18C from combat roles in April 2018.

    Sources: F/A-18 A-D Hornet

  8. Planned Marine Corps sundown

    NAVAIR says the Hornet is planned to serve as the Marine Corps' bridge to the F-35 until its 2030 sundown.

    Sources: F/A-18 A-D Hornet

Media

F/A-18 Hornet (Tactical) Videos

F/A-18 Hornet (Tactical) Images

F/A-18 Hornet (Tactical), Carrier-capable multirole strike fighter, Aircraft & UAVs - view 1
Source: F/A-18C Hornet transonic flight photo
Related Weapon Systems
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Sources

F/A-18 Hornet (Tactical)Publisher: Naval History and Heritage Command | Note: Supports the tactical Hornet museum exhibit title and general background for the F/A-18 A-D family. | Accessed: 2026-06-23F/A-18 A-D HornetPublisher: U.S. Navy | Note: Supports the Hornet A-D background, contractor attribution, service history, variant split, retirement/sundown context, and technical specifications. | Accessed: 2026-07-01F/A-18 Program Surpasses 5,000,000 flight hoursPublisher: U.S. Navy | Note: Supports direct F/A-18 Hornet combat-use context in the 1990 Gulf War, the 1999 Kosovo War / Operation Allied Force, and the 2001 War in Afghanistan. | Accessed: 2026-07-01First combat Hornet returned to servicePublisher: U.S. Navy | Note: Supports the VMFA-323 F/A-18A sortie from USS Coral Sea and AGM-88 HARM launches against Libyan air-defense radar sites during the 1981 U.S.-Libya Confrontations. | Accessed: 2026-07-01F/A-18 Hornet, February 2002Publisher: Naval History and Heritage Command | Note: Supports F/A-18 Hornets used by USS John C. Stennis and Carrier Air Wing Nine on missions in support of Operation Enduring Freedom during the 2001 War in Afghanistan. | Accessed: 2026-07-01F/A-18C Hornet Carl Vinson strikePublisher: Defense Visual Information Distribution Service | Note: Supports a U.S. Navy F/A-18C Hornet prepared on USS Carl Vinson for an October 7, 2001 strike against al-Qaeda training camps and Taliban military installations in Afghanistan during the 2001 War in Afghanistan. | Accessed: 2026-07-05VFA-87 Command HistoryPublisher: U.S. Navy | Note: Supports F/A-18Cs used by U.S. Navy VFA-87 during the 1999 Kosovo War / Operation Allied Force, including combat-mission count and ordnance release. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Celebrating 45 years of the Navy's first multirole aircraftPublisher: U.S. Navy | Note: Supports F/A-18 Hornets used in the 1990 Gulf War and Legacy Hornets used for close-air-support and pre-strike missions during the 2003 Iraq War, plus A-D Hornet role and design background. | Accessed: 2026-07-01F/A-18C Hornet over IraqPublisher: DVIDS | Note: Supports F/A-18C aircraft used by Carrier Air Wing 3 for close-air-support and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions over Iraq during the 2003 Iraq War. | Accessed: 2026-07-01The Role of Canada's CF-18 Fighter FleetPublisher: Government of Canada | Note: Supports Canadian CF-18 combat use in Libya during Operation MOBILE, including mission count and strike context. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Operation MOBILEPublisher: Government of Canada | Note: Supports CF-188 Hornets fielded by Canada in Operation MOBILE during the 2011 First Libyan Civil War and connects that use to NATO Operation Unified Protector. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Operation MOBILE Mission MetricsPublisher: Government of Canada | Note: Supports CF-188 Hornet sortie, flying-hour, NATO strike-sortie share, and ordnance-expended metrics during the 2011 First Libyan Civil War. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Death Rattlers strike ISISPublisher: U.S. Marine Corps | Note: Supports 2014 War Against the Islamic State direct conflict use under Operation Inherent Resolve: Supports F/A-18 Hornets fielded by VMFA-323 during the 2014 Operation Inherent Resolve combat deployment and used for airstrikes against ISIS forces. | Accessed: 2026-07-01F/A-18C Hornet carrier launch photoPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance for the primary F/A-18C Hornet photo. | Accessed: 2026-06-23F/A-18C Hornet transonic flight photoPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance for the gallery photo showing an F/A-18C Hornet in flight. | Accessed: 2026-06-23Three New WeaponsPublisher: Department of the Air Force History and Museums Program | Note: Supports F/A-18 Hornet use of the GBU-31 JDAM family. | Accessed: 2026-06-28F/A-18 Hornet targets 40 years of flightPublisher: Defense Contract Management Agency | Note: Supports first-flight date, Legacy Hornet production count and final deliveries, continued allied and Marine Corps service, and the Super Hornet family boundary. | Accessed: 2026-07-01