Since the 1960s, the U.S. Navy has needed a reliable carrier-based strike fighter, and the F-18 and its different iterations have answered the call.
To this day, the fighter jet is considered “the most advanced multi-role strike fighter available” to the U.S. Armed Forces, according to the U.S. Navy.
Also known as the “backbone of U.S. naval aviation strike warfare,” the F-18 Hornet — the single-seat E model and the two-seat F model — is capable of performing “virtually every mission in the tactical spectrum,” the U.S. Navy reported.
Today, Northrop Grumman plays a principal role in the aircraft’s design and production. The F/A-18E/F Super Hornet Block II, which can reach speeds of 1,360 mph and altitudes up to 50,000 feet, boasts a combat range of 1,275 nautical miles, according to the Navy.
• Douglas Ernst can be reached at dernst@washingtontimes.com.
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