McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 162826
The U.S. Navy began a program in the mid-1970s to develop a multirole aircraft to replace aging A-4 Skyhawks, the A-7 Corsairs, and F-4 Phantoms. General Dynamics proposed the YF-16 and Northrop the YF-17. The Navy didn’t care for the F-16 and asked McDonnell Douglas and Northrop to develop a new aircraft from the YF-17. In 1977 the Secretary of the Navy announced that the F-18 would be named "Hornet". Northrop partnered with McDonnell Douglas and agreed to split component manufacturing with McDonnell Douglas conducting final assembly. In 1980, the aircraft began to be referred to as the F/A-18A combining the attack and fighter missions.
The F/A-18 is a twin engine, mid-wing, multi-mission tactical aircraft. It is highly maneuverable, owing to its good thrust to weight ratio, digital fly-by-wire control system, and leading edge extensions (LEX). The LEX allow the Hornet to remain controllable at high angles of attack. Canted vertical stabilizers are another distinguishing design element. Following successful flight tests, the aircraft joined fleet units in the early 1980s.
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The F/A-18 is a twin engine, mid-wing, multi-mission tactical aircraft. It is highly maneuverable, owing to its good thrust to weight ratio, digital fly-by-wire control system, and leading edge extensions (LEX). The LEX allow the Hornet to remain controllable at high angles of attack. Canted vertical stabilizers are another distinguishing design element. Following successful flight tests, the aircraft joined fleet units in the early 1980s.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS AIRCRAFT