McDonnell Douglas F/A-18A/B Hornet
| GENERAL DATA | |||
| Type |
Carrier-borne Multirole Fighter (A-Model), Trainer (B-Model)
|
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| Manufacturer(s) | McDonnell Douglas
(1974–1997) with Northrop (1974–1994) Boeing (1997–present) |
||
| Prototype first flight | 18 November 1978 |
Introduction | 1 July 1984 (USN), 7 January 1984
(USMC) |
| Produced | 1978-present (F/A-18A/B/C/D) |
Number built | 1480 (F/A-18A/B/C/D) |
| Status | In service * |
Crew | 1 (A-Model), 2 (B-Model) |
(*) US Navy withdrawal date: October 2, 2019
| Variants | |||
| F/A-18A | Single-seat variant. The A-model is used primarily for combat. | ||
| F/A-18B | Two-seat variant. The space for the two-seat cockpit is provided by a relocation of avionics equipment and a 6% reduction in internal fuel; two-seat Hornets are otherwise fully combat-capable. The B-model is used primarily for training. | ||
| F-18(R) | This was a proposed reconnaissance version of the F/A-18A. It included a sensor package that replaced the 20 mm cannon. The first of two prototypes flew in August 1984. Small numbers were produced. | ||
| TF-18A | Two-seat training version of the F/A-18A fighter, later redesignated F/A-18B. | ||
| F-18 HARV | Single-seat High Alpha Research Vehicle for NASA. High angles of attack using thrust vectoring, modifications to the flight controls, and forebody strakes | ||
| X-53 Active Aeroelastic Wing | A NASA F/A-18 has been modified to demonstrate the Active Aeroelastic Wing technology, and was designated X-53 in December 2006. | ||
| DIMENSIONS | |||
| Length | 17.1 m |
Empty Weight | 10660 kg |
| Wingspan | 12.3 m*, 9.94 m** |
Loaded Weight | 16769 kg (?) |
| Height | 4.7 m |
Max takeoff weight | 20412 kg |
| Wing area | 38 m² |
Wing loading | 450 kg/m² |
(*) with AIM-9 Sidewinders on wingtip LAU-7 launchers, (**) wing folded
| ARMAMENT | |||
| Guns | 1× 20 mm (0.787 in) M61A1
Vulcan nose mounted 6-barrel rotary cannon |
Ammunition Carried |
578 |
| Hardpoints | 9 total: 2× wingtips missile
launch rail, 4× under-wing, and 3× under-fuselage with
a capacity of
6200 kg external fuel and ordnance,with provisions to carry combinations of: |
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| Missiles | Air-to-air missiles |
2× AIM-9 Sidewinder on wingtips and 8×
AIM-9 Sidewinder (with double-racks) or 4× AIM-132 ASRAAM or 4× IRIS-T or 8× |
|
Air-to-surface missiles |
AGM-84H/K Standoff Land Attack Missile Expanded Range (SLAM-ER), AGM-88 HARM Anti-radiation missile (ARM), 4x AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW), AGM-158 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM), Taurus Cruise missile |
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Anti-ship missile |
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| Air-to-ground mission loadout | B83 nuclear bomb, B61 nuclear bomb
, Joint Direct Attack Munition JDAM precision-guided munition (PGMs), Paveway series of laser-guided bombs, Mk 80 series of unguided iron bombs, CBU-78 Gator, CBU-87 Combined Effects Munition, CBU-97 Sensor Fuzed Weapon, Mk 20 Rockeye II, MK-77 Incendiary Bomb |
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| Other | ADM-141 TALD, SUU-42A/A Flares/Infrared decoys dispenser
pod and chaff pod or Electronic countermeasures (ECM) pod or AN/AAS-38 Nite Hawk Targeting pods (US Navy only), now being replaced by AN/ASQ-228 ATFLIR or LITENING targeting pod (USMC, Royal Australian Air Force, Spanish Air Force, and Finnish Air Force only) or up to 3× 330 US gallons (1,200 l; 270 imp gal) Sargent Fletcher FPU-8/A drop tanks for ferry flight or extended range/loitering time. |
||
! Barred models only present from
the FA-18C/D !
| POWERPLANT | |||
| Engine | 2 ×
General Electric F404-GE-402 afterburning turbofan engines
|
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| Dry thrust | 4990 kgp (49 kN) each |
Thrust with afterburner | 8029 kgp (79 kN) each |
| Thrust/weight | 0.96,
1.13 with loaded weight at 50% internal fuel |
Fuel Capacity | 4930
kg internally* |
(*) 6% less for the B-Model
| PERFORMANCES | |||
| Maximum Speed | 1915 km/h
(Mach 1.8) at 12000 m |
Cruise Speed | 1060 km/h |
| Rate of Climb | 250 m/s |
Service ceiling | 15240 m |
| Range | 2017 km |
Ferry Range | 3300 km |
| Sources | |||
| Wikipédia | militaryfactory.com | ||
Drawings |
