McDONNELL DOUGLAS F/A-18 HORNET

HORNET SERVICE

AF/A-18A Hornet of the RAAF, s/n: A21-12.
Christchurch Intl. Airport, New Zealand, 2010.

HORNET VARIANTS

HORNET PRODUCTION

F/A-18A / F/A-18B
Twin-engined, carrier-borne fighter / attack
aircraft for the US Navy and USMC. First 11
airframes were service test variants designated
as YF-18A (9) and TF-18A (2).
F/A-18A designation was F-18A to 1984.
F/A-18B designation was TF-18A to 1984,
then TF/A-18A to 1987.
379 F/A-18A - single seat fighters.
42 F/A-18B - 2-seater trainers.
Produced 1977 - 1987
McDonnell Douglas St Louis, Missouri (MC)

F-18L - 1982, land-based export version from Northrop Corp., cancelled.

AF/A-18B
As F/A-18B, export version for Australia.
Produced 1984
McDonnell Douglas St Louis, Missouri (MC)

CF-18A
As F/A-18A, export version for Canada.
CAF designation: CF-188A.
Produced 1982 - 1988
McDonnell Douglas St Louis, Missouri (MC)

CF-18B
As F/A-18B, export version for Canada.
CAF designation: CF-188B.
Produced 1982 - 1988
McDonnell Douglas St Louis, Missouri (MC)

EF-18A
As F/A-18A, export version for Spain.
"E" for Espana (Spain), Spanish designation: C.15.
Produced 1985 - 1990 
McDonnell Douglas St Louis, Missouri (MC)

EF-18B
As F/A-18B, export version for Spain.
"E" for Espana (Spain), Spanish designation: CE.15.
Produced 1986 - 1987
McDonnell Douglas St Louis, Missouri (MC)

F/A-18C / F/A-18D
As F/A-18A/B, avionics and weapons
upgrade, later with engine upgrade.
Also built in Night Attack version.
US supplied components for Finland
and Switzerland assembly.
549 F/A-18C - single seat fighters.
184 F/A-18D - 2-seater trainers / fighters.
Produced 1987 - 2000
McDonnell Douglas St. Louis, Missouri (MC)

Foreign assembled - Finland:
Valmet Aircraft Industry Co.,
Kuorevesi, Finland

Foreign assembled - Switzerland:
Schweizer Flugzeuge und System AG,
Emmen, The Netherlands

Boeing St. Louis, Missouri (MC)

KAF-18C
As F/A-18C, export version for Kuwait.
Produced 1991 - 1993
McDonnell Douglas St. Louis, Missouri (MC)

KAF-18D
As F/A-18D, export version for Kuwait.
Produced 1991 - 1992
McDonnell Douglas St. Louis, Missouri (MC)

F/A-18E / F/A-18F Super Hornet
As F/A-18C/D, larger fuselage, avionics /
weapons / engine upgrade. First 7 were
service test airframes.
93+ F/A-18E - single seat fighers.
99+ F/A-18F - 2-seater trainers / fighters.
Produced 1994 - present
McDonnell Douglas St. Louis, Missouri (MC)

Boeing St. Louis, Missouri (MC)

EA-18G Growler
As F/A-18F, ECM version.
Produced 2005 - present
Boeing St. Louis, Missouri (MC)

Australian RAAF single-seater AF/A-18A, s/n: A21-35.
Christchurch Intl. Airport, New Zealand, 2010.

Underbelly detail on AF/A-18A, s/n: A21-12.
Christchurch Intl. Airport, New Zealand, 2010.

Foreign built - Australia:
AF/A-18A
As F/A-18A, version for Australia. Upgraded
with F/A-18C avionics during production.
Produced 1984 - 1990
Government Aircraft Factory (GAF),
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
(In 1987, became ASTA: Aerospace
Technologies of Australia).

AF/A-18B
As F/A-18B, version for Australia. Upgraded
with F/A-18D avionics during production.
Produced 1984 - 1988
Government Aircraft Factory (GAF),
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
(In 1987, became ASTA: Aerospace
Technologies of Australia).

One of 16 RAAF 2-seater AF/A-18B Hornets, s/n: A21-107.
Christchurch Intl. Airport, New Zealand, 2010.

HORNET CONVERSIONS

US Navy / USMC

FOREIGN MILITARY / CIVILIAN SERVICE
 - Hornet's in military service with Australia, Canada, Finland, Kuwait,
   Malaysia, Spain and Switzerland.
 - Several Hornet's in service with NASA as test aircraft including one
   as the Hornet HARV, High Angle-of-attack Research Vehicle.

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