The F/A-18 "Hornet" is a single- and two-seat, twin engine, multi-mission fighter/attack aircraft and can operate from either aircraft carriers or land bases. The F/A-18 fills a variety of roles: air superiority, fighter escort, suppression of enemy air defenses, reconnaissance, forward air control, close and deep air support, and day and night strike missions. The F/A-18 Hornet replaced the F-4 Phantom II fighter and A-7 Corsair II light-weight attack jet, and also replaced the A-6 Intruder as these aircraft were retired throughout the 1990s.The F/A-18 is in service with the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps and air forces of Canada, Australia, Spain, Kuwait, Finland, Switzerland, and Malaysia. As of may 1999 Hornet pilots had accumulated over 3.7 million flight hours and, in the process, are establishing new records daily in safety, reliability, maintainability and mission performance.
The Hornet was designed to be reliable and simply maintainable. These factors lead to considerably lower operating and maintenance costs for the F/A-18 compared to other U.S. Navy fighter and attack aircraft; and life cycle costs comparable to other modern multi-role aircraft. Survivability is another key feature of the Hornet. The F/A-18 uses a variety of systems and technologies to extend its probability of reaching a target undetected, of escaping unhurt if detected, and of returning its crew safely if it's hit.
