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Key Points: The F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet remains a cornerstone of U.S. naval aviation, showcasing its agility, speed, and firepower in both real-world operations and pop culture hits like Top Gun: Maverick.

-Designed to replace the F-14 Tomcat, the Super Hornet excels in multi-role missions, including fleet defense and ground support.

-Recent upgrades, such as the Block III variant, enhance its range, radar, and lifespan. Deployed to the Middle East amid rising tensions with Iran, it continues to prove its relevance.

-Affordable compared to the F-35, this versatile “weapons truck” remains a key player in maintaining U.S. air dominance.

The U.S. Navy’s F/A-18 Super Hornet Is Still Dominant

That super-fast and agile fighter plane featured in Top Gun: Maverick and the recent Blue Angels documentary on Amazon Prime Video is the F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet.

The naval aviators in those productions push the Super Hornet to its limits and it’s totally breathtaking to see this fighter in action.

The airplane has boundless energy with the ability to conduct precision maneuvers in which the pilots take on maximum g-force. The Super Hornets are also being deployed to the Middle East in case of warfare between Israel and Iran.

Let’s take a closer look at the U.S. Navy’s most active fighter.

The F/A-18 Super Hornet Answers the Call

The early Hornet was developed to replace the F-14 Tomcat – itself an impressive war bird. By 1999, the F/A-18 E/F had entered service.

The Super Hornet displayed an impressive number of capabilities for its multiple requirements. It had to be carrier-borne at night and in bad weather. It needed to defend the fleet and be refuellable in air with better range than the F-14.

A wall of fire erupts behind a U.S. Navy F/A-18 Hornet aircraft with the Blue Angels, the U.S. Navy flight demonstration squadron, as part of a Marine Air-Ground Task Force demonstration during the 2012 Kaneohe Bay Airshow at Marine Corps Base Hawaii Sept. 28, 2012. (DoD photo by Cpl. Reece Lodder, U.S. Marine Corps/Released)

It had to be superior to existing enemy airplanes with better speed, maneuverability, and firepower. Yes, it is non-stealthy, and the naval version of the F-35 will ultimately replace it, but the Super Hornet has continually proven its value throughout the years.

Upgrades Made It Even Better

In 2001, the Navy introduced the F/A-18 E/F Block II upgrade, which made it ready to offer bombing and ground support missions during the war on terror in Iraq and Afghanistan. The new Block III upgrade featured better cockpit features, extended its life span and range, and improved radar. The Navy will have 78 Block III Super Hornets in the fleet later this year.

The Super Hornet can be flown with a front seat and back seat. It was the two-seater that allowed for such realistic flight footage in Top Gun: Maverick. The real pilot flew in front with the actor in back, so those maneuvers with high g-force made the Hollywood-types look like real aviators.

Much to Admire

The F/A-18 Super Hornet is much heavier than the earlier Hornet and takes ample amounts of fuel provided by aerial tankers to extend its range. The Super Hornet has Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar and other sensors to alert the pilot when friend or foe is approaching. It has a quicker targeting system for the enemy bandits. Each Super Hornet Block III has 10,000 hours of service life.

A (Feb. 5, 2021) An F/A-18E Super Hornet, from the

A (Feb. 5, 2021) An F/A-18E Super Hornet, from the “Kestrels” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 137, rests on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) during a strait transit. Nimitz is part of the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group and is deployed conducting maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Elliot Schaudt/Released)

A Lot to Like for the Price

Compared to the F-35, the F/A-18 Super Hornet is much more affordable – averaging $67 million per airplane. Two F414-GE-400 turbofan engines provide the power pushing out 22,000 pounds of static thrust per engine. This enables a speed of MACH 1.8. The ceiling is 50,000 feet. Its range is over 1,200 miles.

F/A-18: This Thing Is a Weapons Truck

As you would expect, the Super Hornet can carry nearly all missiles in the U.S. arsenal including Sidewinders, Sparrows, Harpoons, AMRAAMs, and many others. Plus, it can drop laser-guided bombs – both JDAMs and Paveways.

Combat Deployments 

The latest news on the Super Hornet regards its recent deployment to the Middle East in case the region blows up with Iran and Israel exchanging missile fire and drone attacks, which did indeed occur. There could also be more missile fire from the Yemeni Houthis and damage from strikes at U.S. bases in Iraq. The F/A-18 is always in the mix for action. 

Super Hornet Fighter

PHILIPPINE SEA (Sept. 29, 2021) An F/A-18E Super Hornet assigned to the “Golden Dragons” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 192 prepares to launch off the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), Sept. 29, 2021. The Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group is on a scheduled deployment in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations to enhance interoperability through alliances and partnerships while serving as a ready-response force in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Isaiah Williams).

Why the F/A-18 Rules

The F/A-18 Block III Super Hornet is one impressive warplane. You don’t have to be up to speed on the various film efforts from Hollywood to appreciate their prowess in the air, but take a peek at YouTube footage from the Blue Angels if you do not have Prime Video or visit an airshow in person to see their dominance. You won’t be disappointed.

About the Author: Dr. Brent M. Eastwood

Brent M. Eastwood, PhD, is the author of Don’t Turn Your Back On the World: a Conservative Foreign Policy and Humans, Machines, and Data: Future Trends in Warfare, plus two other books. Brent was the founder and CEO of a tech firm that predicted world events using artificial intelligence. He served as a legislative fellow for U.S. Senator Tim Scott and advised the senator on defense and foreign policy issues. He has taught at American University, George Washington University, and George Mason University. Brent is a former U.S. Army Infantry officer. He can be followed on X @BMEastwood.