The McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) F/A-18 Hornet is a supersonic twin engine all-weather
night fighter and attack aircraft. The F/A-18s first flew in November 1978 and the first
production flight on April 12, 1980. The first 380 aircraft were F/A-18As and in September
1987 production switched to the F/A-18C. Variants A and C are single-seat aircraft while B
and D are tandem-seats. The Hornet can operate from either aircraft carriers or land bases
with the capability of in flight refueling. A total of 1,480 A-D variants were built.

The Swiss Air Force received the first of 34 F/A-18 Hornets on January 23, 1997. The Swiss
have 3 F/A-18 squadrons (Fliegerstaffel), 11, 17 and 18 with Fliegerstaffel 17 receiving the
first aircraft followed by Fliegerstaffel 18 “Panthers” in 1998. Since the dimensions of the F/A-
18 are larger than the Mirage III it was replacing the caverns in the mountains where the
aircraft are kept had to be enlarged. Fliegerstaffel 18’s J-5018 c/n 1366/SFC018 is the only
aircraft that wears their squadron badge.

Specifications for the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18C/D Hornet

Role - supersonic twin engine all-weather night fighter and attack aircraft

Crew – 1 x F/A-18C, 2 x F/A-18D (Pilot and Weapons Systems Officer – WSO)
Dimensions
Length – 56 ft   (17.1 m)
Wingspan
With AAMs – 40 ft 5 in   (12.31 m)
Folded – 27 ft 6 in   (8.38 m)
Height – 15 ft 4 in   (4.7 m)

Weights
Empty – 23,000 lb   (10,400 kg)
Loaded – 36,970 lb   (16,770 kg)
Maximum Take off – 51,900 lb   (23,500 kg)

Performance
Powerplants – 2 x General Electric F404-GE-402 turbofan
Dry Thrust – 11,000 lbf   (48.9 kN) per engine
After Burner Thrust – 17,750 lbf   (79.2 kN) per engine
Maximum Speed – Mack 1.8   (1,190 mph)   (1,915 km/h) @ 40,000 ft   (12,190 m)
Range – 1,089 nmi   (1,250 miles)   (2,000 km) with 2 x AIM-9s
Combat Radius – 400 nmi   (460 miles)   (740 km) air-to-air missions
Ferry Range – 1,800 nmi   (2,070 miles)   (3,330 km)
Service Ceiling – 50,000 ft   (15,240 m)
Rate of Climb – 50,000 ft/min   (254 m/s)

Armament
1 x 20 mm M61 Vulcan cannon mounted in nose with 578 rounds
9 x Hardpoints - a capacity of 13,700 lb   (6,215 kg) with external fuel tanks and ordnance
2 x wingtip missile launch rails
4 x under-wing
3 x under-fuselage
Rockets
2.75 inch   (70 mm) Hydra 70 rockets
5 inch (127 mm) Zuni rockets

Missiles
Air-To-Air
4 x AIM-9 Sidewinders
or
4 x AIM-132 ASRAAM
or
4 x IRIS-T or 4 x AIM-120 AMRAAM and 2 x AIM-7 Sparrow
or
Additional - 2 x AIM-120 AMRAAM

Air-To-Surface
AGM-65 Maverick
Standoff Land Attack Missiles (SLAM-ER)
AGM-88 HARM Anti-radiation Missile (ARM)
AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW)
Taurus Missile (Cruise Missile)

Anti-ship
AGM-84 Harpoon

Bombs
JDAM Precision-Guided Munition (PGM)
Paveway series of Laser-guided bombs
Mk. 80 series of unguided iron bombs
CBU-87 cluster bombs
CBU-89 gator mine
CBU-97
Mk. 20 Rockeye II
B61/Mk. 57 nuclear bombs

Others
SUU-42A Flares/Infrared decoys dispenser pod and chaff pod
Or
Electronic countermeasures (ECM) pod
Or
AN/AAS-38 Nite Hawk targeting pod (USN only) to be replaced by AN/ASQ-228 ATFLIR
Or
LITENING targeting pod (only used by USMC, Royal Australian Air Force, Spanish Air Force
and Finnish Air Force)
Or
Up to 3 x 330 US gallons   (270 imp gallons / 1,200 liters) Sargent Fletcher drop tanks for
ferry flight Or Extended range/loitering time

Avionics
Hughes APG-73 radar
ROVER (Remotely Operated Video Enhanced Receiver) antenna for use by USN F/A-18C
strike fighter squadrons
Inertial Navigation System (INS)
GPS
2 x mission computers
HUD (Head Up Display) cockpit display
Very High Frequency (VHF) omni-directional landing system
Multiple-functioning Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) display

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