![Header: fa-18.jpg](img/aircraft_headers/fa-18.jpg)
35 years of the Hornet
F/A-18 Hornet Marks 35 Years of Flight (Navy Live blog)
Feature videos
All Hands Update: F/A-18 Hornet celebrates 35 years of flight
U.S. Navy All Hand Update on the celebration of 35 years of flight for the F/A-18
F/A-18 Hornet 35 year anniversary
Naval aviation was changed forever 35 years ago when the F/A-18 Hornet completed its first flight Nov. 18, 1978. On Dec. 9, 2013, the Navy honored the F/A-18 and EA-18G for a job well done.
AIReel: Celebrating 35 years of Hornet excellence
Capt. Frank Morley, F/A-18 and EA-18G program manager, discusses the Legacy Hornet, Super Hornet and Growler.
F/A-18 and EA-18G: Taking today’s warfighter into tomorrow
Introduced in 1978 as a multi-mission aircraft, the F/A-18 Hornet was designed to be affordable in development and production, and even more importantly, affordable in lifecycle costs, where the key to success is improved reliability and maintainability. These goals have been achieved by this proven platform that will serve our nation well into the 21st century.
True Headings: 35 years of the Hornet, Vice Adm. David Dunaway
On the 35th anniversary of the Hornet's first flight, NAVAIR Commander Vice Adm. David Dunaway reflects on his time in the cockpit of the legacy aircraft.
Anniversary slick sheets
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Growler | Hornet | Super Hornet |
For more information on the Growler, visit the EA-18G page.
Anniversary infographic
F/A-18 A-D Hornet
![FA-18C landing.]( img/uploads/thumb_FA-18C landing 111.jpg)
The F/A-18 Hornet, an all-weather aircraft, is used as an attack aircraft as well as a fighter. In its fighter mode, the F/A-18 is used primarily as a fighter escort and for fleet air defense; in its attack mode, it is used for force projection, interdiction and close and deep air support.
More InformationF/A-18 E-F Super Hornet
![An F/A-18E Super Hornet assigned to the Dambusters of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 195 flies over the East China Sea during exercise Keen Sword 2013. Keen Sword is a biannual exercise held to enable the United States and Japan to train in coordination procedures and heighten interoperability needed to effectively defend Japan or respond to a crisis in the Asia-Pacific region. The U.S. Navy is constantly deployed to preserve peace, protect commerce, and deter aggression through forward presence. Join the conversation on social media using #warfighting. U.S. Navy photo by Lt. Colin Crawford (Released) 121114-N-ZZ999-480]( img/uploads/thumb_FA-18E fly 110.jpg)
Built on the nation’s first strike fighter, the F-18 Hornet, today’s F/A-18E/F Super Hornet is an attack aircraft as well as a fighter through selected use of external equipment and advanced networking capabilities to accomplish specific missions.
More Information
EA-18G Growler slick sheet (488 kb)
F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet slick sheet (587 kb)
F/A-18 A-D Hornet slick sheet (631 kb)