Description of the F-18 Hornet
The F/A-18 is a multi-mission aircraft designed to replace the F-4 Phantom. It is also the first American strike fighter to be constructed and currently being used in the Navy's Blue Angel squadron. It is used in the Navy and the Marine Corps. The F/A-18 can serve as a traditional fighter or attack and close air support missions through the changing of external pods that attach to the aircraft. Because of this ability to accomplish several different mission roles commanders have increased flexibility in positioning the aircraft for rapidly changing scenarios.
One of the later models the F/A-18/D is not only used as a strike fighter but also a Tactical Air Controller and for reconnaissance missions while the F/A-18/B is used mostly for training missions. There are currently 37 squadrons of F-18 Hornets and F-18s are operating from 10 different carriers.
Development History
The F-18 Hornet started its development when the P-530 Cobra was being developed in 1966. Other predecessors of the F-18 were the YF-17 prototypes. The YF-17 was Northrop's entry for a contract to build a new airplane for the U.S. Government. Northrop was competing with several other major airplane companies like General Dynamix which won the contract on January 13,1975 with the F-16. The F-16 beat the YF-17 mainly because the F-16 was faster and the F100 engine that the F-16 used was used in other aircraft in service.
During the 1970s a few US Navy officers were searching for a lower cost alternative to the Grumman F-14 Tomcat. The new plane was to be cheaper then the F-14 and A-6 but also have increased capability, maintainability and reliability. The program that was created to find this alternative was named VFAX.
The VFAX alternative was planned to be a multi-role aircraft that could replace the F-4 Phantom, A-4 Skyhawk, and the A-7 Corsair II in the United States Navy and Marine Corps. A version of the F-14 Tomcat was suggested to fill this role. This F-14 would be called the F-14X and have some of the more expensive equipment removed. This suggestion was rejected by the House Armed Services Committee and the Deputy of Defense Secretary. The VFAX aircraft was to be a completely new aircraft.
In August 1974 Congress ordered the Navy to cancel the VFAX project because of budget problems. Congress took the money that would have went to VFAX and put it into a new project called the Navy Air Combat Fighter or NACF. Congress instructed the Navy to look to the United States Air Force's LWF/ACF opposition as designs that would fit the NACF's requirements. The formal requirements were issued in September of 1974.
Northrop thought that the YF-17 that lost a contract previously against the F-16 would meet the NACF requirements well because of the added reliability of the two engine design also the YF-17 had the potential for becoming a multirole aircraft. Northrop's main problem was their lack of experience with carrier-based aircraft that were needed by the Navy. Because of this they accepted an offer from McDonnell Douglas to cooperate in the production of the NACF aircraft.
According to the agreement reached between the two companies McDonnell Douglas would sell the actual plane to the Navy while almost all the materials and equipment would be bought from Northrop. Northrop was also given the rights to market any land based versions of the design to foreign air forces.
General Dynamics also had no experience with carrier-based airplanes. To solve this problem they announced that they would cooperate with Ling-Temco-Vought to build their entry for the NACF. Their design was based on the F-16 Falcon. The naval version of the F-16 would have Beyond Visual Range radar which was not a part of the design in the United States Air Force's F-16 design. The agreement reached between the two companies said that if the Navy chose the naval version of the F-16 then Ling-Temco-Vought would become the prime contractor to the Navy while General Dynamix became the prime contractor for the Air Force.
The Northrop/McDonnell Douglas proposal was chosen by the Navy on May 2, 1975. The Navy preferred the added reliability of the twin engines compared to the F-16's one engine. Also the Navy thought that the YF-17 had more promise for becoming a multi-mission aircraft. Originally the Northrop/McCDonnell Douglas YF-17 was planned to be split into three different plans. One plane for each type of mission it would fly. The F-18 would be used to replace the F-4 Phantom in the fighter role. A separate plane designated the A-18 that had a very similar design to the F-18 just some different hardware and equipment would replace the A-7 Corsair II in the attack role. Last another separate plane also very similar to the F-18 the TF-18A would hold two pilots and serve as a combat trainer.
Through careful redesigning Northrop and McCDonnell were able to combine the fighter and attack versions into a single aircraft. In 1984 the airplane was officially designated the F/A-18A. There was also a land based version planned named the F-18L. Because the F-18L did not have to carry the equipment necessary for carrier operations it was suspected to be better performing then the carrier based versions of the F-18.
It was decided that the construction of the basic F-18 design would be split 60% for McDonnell Douglas and 40% built by Northrop. If construction of the F-18L was started then the proportions would be reversed between the two companies. Northrop would build the center and aft fuselage sections and the vertical fins in the rear. These parts would then be shipped to the McDonnell Douglas plant in St. Louis, Missouri and be joined with McDonnel Douglas's portions of the plane which include the wings, horizontal tail, cockpit and the forward portion of the fuselage.
The F-18 maiden flight occurred on November 18, 1978 only slightly behind schedule. The first training squadrons created in February 1981 and later entered official service in January 1983 with U.S. Marine Squadron VMFA-314. The F-18 most likely first saw combat in April 1986 with the USS Coral Sea when it shot down two Mig-21 and attacked some Libyan coastal targets. The F-18 was later updated in the C and D models which were upgraded around 1987. The new models used improved missiles and jamming devices. They also included improved night attack equipment.
Statistics for the F-18
Main Function: Multible role attack/fighter aircraft Manufacturer: McDonnell Douglas; Major Subcontractor: Northrop Crew:
A,C, and E Models:
B,D, and F Models:
One
TwoPrice:
C and D Models:
E and F Models
24 million dollars
35 million dollarsBraches of the military that use the F-18
United States Navy and Marine CorpsEngines:
C and D Models:
E and F Models:
Two F404-GE-402 with 17,700 pounds of thrust per engine (8,027 kg)
Two F414-GE-400 with 22,000 pounds of thrust per engine (9,977 kg) Length:
C and D Models:
E and F Models:
56 feet (16.8 meters)
60.3 feet (18.5 meters)Height:
C and D Models:
E and F Models:
15 feet 4 inches (4.6 meters)
16 feet (4.87 meters)Max Takeoff weight
C and D Models:
E and F Models:
51,900 pounds (23,537 kg)
66,000 pounds (29,932 kg)Wingspan
C and D Models:
E and F Models:
40 feet 4 inches (13.5 meters)
45 feet (13.7 meters)Range: (with external fuel tanks)
C,D,E and F Models:Fighter role:
Attack role:
1,379 nautical miles (1585.9 miles or 2,537 km)
1,333 nautical miles (1532.9 miles or 2,453 km)Max ceiling altitude
C,D,E and F Models:
50,000++ feetSpeed
C and D Models:
E and F Models:
Over Mach 1.7
Over Mach 1.8Armament:
One internally mounted 20mm MK-61A1 Vulcan cannon plus
AIM-9 Sidewinder, AIM-7 Sparrow, AIM-120 AMRAAM, AGM-84 Harpoon, AGM-88 Harm, Shrike, SLAM, SLAM-ER, Walleye, Maverick, or some general purpose bombs. Operational deployment date:
C and D Models:
E and F Models:
February, 1981
Operation Desert Storm
Choose different fighter.
The F/A-18 is a multi-mission aircraft designed to replace the F-4 Phantom. It is also the first American strike fighter to be constructed and currently being used in the Navy's Blue Angel squadron. It is used in the Navy and the Marine Corps. The F/A-18 can serve as a traditional fighter or attack and close air support missions through the changing of external pods that attach to the aircraft. Because of this ability to accomplish several different mission roles commanders have increased flexibility in positioning the aircraft for rapidly changing scenarios.The F-18 Hornet started its development when the P-530 Cobra was being developed in 1966. Other predecessors of the F-18 were the YF-17 prototypes. The YF-17 was Northrop's entry for a contract to build a new airplane for the U.S. Government. Northrop was competing with several other major airplane companies like General Dynamix which won the contract on January 13,1975 with the F-16. The F-16 beat the YF-17 mainly because the F-16 was faster and the F100 engine that the F-16 used was used in other aircraft in service. During the 1970s a few US Navy officers were searching for a lower cost alternative to the Grumman F-14 Tomcat. The new plane was to be cheaper then the F-14 and A-6 but also have increased capability, maintainability and reliability. The program that was created to find this alternative was named VFAX. The VFAX alternative was planned to be a multi-role aircraft that could replace the F-4 Phantom, A-4 Skyhawk, and the A-7 Corsair II in the United States Navy and Marine Corps. A version of the F-14 Tomcat was suggested to fill this role. This F-14 would be called the F-14X and have some of the more expensive equipment removed. This suggestion was rejected by the House Armed Services Committee and the Deputy of Defense Secretary. The VFAX aircraft was to be a completely new aircraft.In August 1974 Congress ordered the Navy to cancel the VFAX project because of budget problems. Congress took the money that would have went to VFAX and put it into a new project called the Navy Air Combat Fighter or NACF. Congress instructed the Navy to look to the United States Air Force's LWF/ACF opposition as designs that would fit the NACF's requirements. The formal requirements were issued in September of 1974.Northrop thought that the YF-17 that lost a contract previously against the F-16 would meet the NACF requirements well because of the added reliability of the two engine design also the YF-17 had the potential for becoming a multirole aircraft. Northrop's main problem was their lack of experience with carrier-based aircraft that were needed by the Navy. Because of this they accepted an offer from McDonnell Douglas to cooperate in the production of the NACF aircraft.
According to the agreement reached between the two companies McDonnell Douglas would sell the actual plane to the Navy while almost all the materials and equipment would be bought from Northrop. Northrop was also given the rights to market any land based versions of the design to foreign air forces.General Dynamics also had no experience with carrier-based airplanes. To solve this problem they announced that they would cooperate with Ling-Temco-Vought to build their entry for the NACF. Their design was based on the F-16 Falcon. The naval version of the F-16 would have Beyond Visual Range radar which was not a part of the design in the United States Air Force's F-16 design. The agreement reached between the two companies said that if the Navy chose the naval version of the F-16 then Ling-Temco-Vought would become the prime contractor to the Navy while General Dynamix became the prime contractor for the Air Force.The Northrop/McDonnell Douglas proposal was chosen by the Navy on May 2, 1975. The Navy preferred the added reliability of the twin engines compared to the F-16's one engine. Also the Navy thought that the YF-17 had more promise for becoming a multi-mission aircraft. Originally the Northrop/McCDonnell Douglas YF-17 was planned to be split into three different plans. One plane for each type of mission it would fly. The F-18 would be used to replace the F-4 Phantom in the fighter role. A separate plane designated the A-18 that had a very similar design to the F-18 just some different hardware and equipment would replace the A-7 Corsair II in the attack role. Last another separate plane also very similar to the F-18 the TF-18A would hold two pilots and serve as a combat trainer.Through careful redesigning Northrop and McCDonnell were able to combine the fighter and attack versions into a single aircraft. In 1984 the airplane was officially designated the F/A-18A. There was also a land based version planned named the F-18L. Because the F-18L did not have to carry the equipment necessary for carrier operations it was suspected to be better performing then the carrier based versions of the F-18.It was decided that the construction of the basic F-18 design would be split 60% for McDonnell Douglas and 40% built by Northrop. If construction of the F-18L was started then the proportions would be reversed between the two companies. Northrop would build the center and aft fuselage sections and the vertical fins in the rear. These parts would then be shipped to the McDonnell Douglas plant in St. Louis, Missouri and be joined with McDonnel Douglas's portions of the plane which include the wings, horizontal tail, cockpit and the forward portion of the fuselage.The F-18 maiden flight occurred on November 18, 1978 only slightly behind schedule. The first training squadrons created in February 1981 and later entered official service in January 1983 with U.S. Marine Squadron VMFA-314. The F-18 most likely first saw combat in April 1986 with the USS Coral Sea when it shot down two Mig-21 and attacked some Libyan coastal targets. The F-18 was later updated in the C and D models which were upgraded around 1987. The new models used improved missiles and jamming devices. They also included improved night attack equipment.Statistics for the F-18
B,D, and F Models:
One
Two
E and F Models
24 million dollars
35 million dollars
United States Navy and Marine Corps
E and F Models:
Two F404-GE-402 with 17,700 pounds of thrust per engine (8,027 kg)
Two F414-GE-400 with 22,000 pounds of thrust per engine (9,977 kg)
E and F Models:
56 feet (16.8 meters)
60.3 feet (18.5 meters)
E and F Models:
15 feet 4 inches (4.6 meters)
16 feet (4.87 meters)
E and F Models:
51,900 pounds (23,537 kg)
66,000 pounds (29,932 kg)
E and F Models:
40 feet 4 inches (13.5 meters)
45 feet (13.7 meters)
C,D,E and F Models:
Attack role:
1,379 nautical miles (1585.9 miles or 2,537 km)
1,333 nautical miles (1532.9 miles or 2,453 km)
50,000++ feet
E and F Models:
Over Mach 1.7
Over Mach 1.8
AIM-9 Sidewinder, AIM-7 Sparrow, AIM-120 AMRAAM, AGM-84 Harpoon, AGM-88 Harm, Shrike, SLAM, SLAM-ER, Walleye, Maverick, or some general purpose bombs.
E and F Models:
February, 1981
Operation Desert Storm