F/A-18 (Page 2)

Latest in F/A-18

Lockheed Martin has received a new full-rate production contract, valued at $233 million, for Block II IRST21 infrared search and track sensors to go into pods for U.S. Navy and U.S. Air National Guard fighters.
F/A-18E/F

Troubled Infrared Pod For Navy Super Hornets Gets New Vote Of Confidence

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Oct 20, 2025

Two U.S. Air Force F-35A Lightning IIs, assigned to the F-35A Lightning II Demonstration Team, fly in formation prior to conducting air-to-air refueling over Utah, July 1, 2025. The F-35A Lightning II is the Air Force’s most advanced multirole fighter, capable of conducting both air-to-air and air-to-ground missions.
F/A-18

Time Is Running Out For Canada’s Fighter Decision

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Oct 8, 2025

F/A-18 from spain nearly crashed into sea during an air show performance.
F/A-18

Spanish F/A-18 Hornet Seen Nearly Crashing Into Surf During Beach Airshow (Updated)

By Tyler Rogoway

Updated on Jul 28, 2025

More details have emerged about the problems the U.S. Navy is facing with its ill-starred podded Infrared Search And Track System, or IRST, an important capability planned for its F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighters. The latest issues to be highlighted come after TWZ previously reported on delays caused by production quality issues with the system and a Pentagon assessment of “significant reliability problems during operational testing,” which emerged earlier this year.
F/A-18E/F

New Details On F/A-18 Super Hornet’s Troubled IRST Pod

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Jun 11, 2025

The U.S. Navy’s F/A-XX sixth-generation combat jet program looks to have hit another setback, with the Pentagon reportedly prioritizing the Air Force’s F-47 stealth fighter, amid concerns about how to run the two efforts simultaneously. Already, the F/A-XX was in limbo, with a U.S. official telling TWZ last month that the future of the program was being reviewed. This came after reports that a contract award for the Navy’s new combat jet could be delayed by as much as three years. Navy officials, meanwhile, continue to stress the importance of the F/A-XX to their future plans.
F/A-18E/F

Pentagon Wants To Shift Funds From Navy F/A-XX To USAF F-47: Report

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Jun 5, 2025

Hornet crashed aboard the USS Harry S Truman
F/A-18E/F

Super Hornet Crashes Landing On USS Truman, Its Second F/A-18 Loss In A Week

By Tyler Rogoway

Updated on May 7, 2025

Imagery has emerged of a very rarely seen EA-18G Growler loadout involving four examples of the AGM-88E Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile (AARGM), during ongoing operations against Houthi targets in Yemen. While we know very little about Houthi air defenses, and their associated radars and sensors, the imagery underscores the continued threat that these present.
EA-18G

EA-18G Bristles With Rare Four Anti-Radiation Missile Loadout On Yemen Mission

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Apr 21, 2025

The U.S. Navy expects its future F/A-XX sixth-generation stealth fighters to offer just a 25 percent increase in range over the existing tactical combat jets in its carrier air wings.
F/A-18

F/A-XX Will Have Just 25% More Range Than Existing Navy Fighters

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Apr 7, 2025

The future of the Navy NGAD crewed aircraft program remains in limbo.
F/A-18E/F

Navy F/A-XX Stealth Fighter Selection This Week: Report

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Mar 25, 2025

We may have just gotten our first evidence of the GBU-53/B StormBreaker glide bomb, also known as the Small Diameter Bomber II (SDB II), being used in combat. The first operational use of the StormBreaker by the service would be a big deal, with this weapon bringing some significant advances over its predecessor, the GBU-39/B SDB I, especially the ability to hit moving targets.
F/A-18E/F

F/A-18 Super Hornets Now Carrying Stormbreaker Glide Bombs On Combat Missions

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Mar 24, 2025

U.S. Air Force Gen. Gregory Guillot, the top American military officer overseeing operations in and around North America, has said he would welcome Canadian participation in expanding continental missile defense efforts, including in space.
F/A-18A-D

Canada Joining Iron Dome Missile Defense Plan Would Be Welcome: NORAD Boss

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Feb 14, 2025

U.S. Navy EA-18G Growler from Electronic Attack Squadron 135
EA-18G

EA-18G Growler Crashes Into San Diego Bay (Updated)

By Tyler Rogoway

Updated on Feb 12, 2025

An E/A-18G Growler. (U.S. Navy)
EA-18G

How The EA-18G Growler’s Next-Generation Jamming Pod Went To War On Its First Cruise

By Geoff Ziezulewicz

Updated on Feb 11, 2025

Three nozzle binding mishaps on KC-46 Pegasus aerial refueling tankers have cost the AIr Force nearly $23 million
EA-18G

Tankers Flood Airspace Off The California Coast For China-Focused Air Combat Exercise

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Feb 11, 2025

A U.S. Navy F/A-18F Super Hornet from the "Mighty Strikes" of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 94, flies over the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility while conducing a mission in support of Operation Inherent Resolve Oct. 2, 2020. VFA-94 is assigned to Carrier Air Wing 17, deployed aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68), the flagship of Nimitz Carrier Strike Group.
F/A-18E/F

F/A-18’s Infrared Search And Track System Has “Significant Reliability Problems”

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Feb 3, 2025

U.S. Navy officials have laid out several priorities they say are key to ensuring the service's carrier air wings will be able to succeed in future conflicts, especially a high-end fight in the Pacific.
EA-18G

Carrier Air Wing’s Key Priorities To Win In Future Pacific Fight Laid Out By Navy

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Jan 30, 2025

The U.S. Navy is now officially using "Murder Hornet" to refer to F/A-18E/F fighters armed with five AIM-120 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM) and four AIM-9X Sidewinder.
F/A-18E/F

Murder Hornet Nickname For F/A-18s Equipped With Nine Air-To-Air Missiles Now Official

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Jan 6, 2025

F/A-18F Was Shot Down By Friendly Fire As Jets Were About To Land On The Carrier
F/A-18E/F

F/A-18F Was Shot Down By Friendly Fire As Jets Were About To Land On The Carrier

By Joseph Trevithick, Howard Altman, Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Dec 24, 2024

A U.S. Navy F/A-18F Super Hornet was conducting a refueling mission over the Red Sea when it was downed in a friendly fire incident this past weekend.
F/A-18E/F

F/A-18F Shot Down By Friendly Cruiser Was In The Middle Of A Refueling Mission

By Joseph Trevithick, Geoff Ziezulewicz, Howard Altman

Posted on Dec 23, 2024

A Spanish Air Force Eurofighter Typhoon participating in NATO exercise Ramstein Flag 24 flies over the west coast of Greece, Oct. 4, 2024. Over 130 fighter and enabler aircraft from Greece, Canada, France, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom and United States are training side by side to improve tactics and foster more robust integration, demonstrating NATO’s resolve, commitment and ability to deter potential adversaries and defend the Alliance.
F/A-18A-D

Spanish Typhoon Buy Signals Upward Trend For Eurofighter

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Dec 20, 2024

A U.S. Navy F/A-18F and F-35, both assigned to Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 9, fly over the Point Mugu Sea Range in Southern California with a U.S. Air Force F-15 during Gray Flag 2024 on Sept. 24, 2024. Gray Flag is an annual large-force test event that brings the joint force together to test and evaluate multi-domain systems in a maritime environment, ensuring our nation’s warfighters are equipped with effective, interoperable systems that will help them deter aggression, protect our nation’s prosperity and security, and return home safely to their families. (U.S. Navy photo by Lt. Cmdr. Kory Hughs)
F/A-18E/F

Navy Posts Its First AIM-174 Missile-Armed F/A-18F Super Hornet ‘Glamour Shots’

By Howard Altman

Updated on Nov 6, 2024

The U.S. Navy is asking for new ideas about how to increase the unrefueled range of its F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighters and EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft.
EA-18G

New Ways To Stretch F/A-18 Super Hornet’s Range Sought By Navy

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Oct 23, 2024

Popping China's Anti-access bubble with the AIM-174
F/A-18E/F

18:41

How The Navy’s New Very Long-Range AIM-174 Missile Could Pierce China’s Anti-Access Bubble

By Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Oct 3, 2024

Collins Aerospace has put forward a vision for what a high-end air combat engagement between the U.S. and Chinese armed forces, with the American side employing crewed fighters and Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) drone wingmen, could look like in the future.
F/A-18E/F

What American Fighters And Their Drone Wingmen Fighting Chinese Jets Might Look Like

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Sep 20, 2024

Future offensive electronic warfare
F/A-18

How EA-18G Growler’s Next Generation Jammer Actually Works And The Future Of Offensive Electronic Warfare

By Howard Altman

Updated on Sep 20, 2024

The U.S. Marine Corps legacy F/A-18C/D Hornets are getting a major boost in stand-off strike capability in the form of AGM-158 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM) cruise missiles
F/A-18A-D

Marine Legacy F/A-18 Hornets Getting Major Firepower Boost With JASSM Cruise Missiles

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Sep 12, 2024

A series of photos have emerged showing a U.S. Navy F/A-18F Super Hornet with a remarkable and hitherto unseen air-to-air load-out, including four of the very long-range AIM-174B air-to-air missiles.
F/A-18E/F

F/A-18 Super Hornet Appears With Unprecedented Heavy Air-To-Air Missile Load

By Thomas Newdick, Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Sep 11, 2024

US Navy F/A-18E Super Hornets brandishing full loads of nine air-to-air missiles have touched down at a base in Jordan ahead of expected Iranian attacks against Israel.
F/A-18E/F

F/A-18E Super Hornets Fully Loaded With Air-To-Air Missiles Arrive In Jordan

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Aug 9, 2024

The U.S. Navy supercarrier USS Abraham Lincoln is heading toward the Middle East with an air wing that includes EA-18G Growlers equipped with new AN/ALQ-249(V)1 Next Generation Jammer-Mid Band (NGJ-MB) electronic warfare pods.
EA-18G

EA-18G Growlers With New Jamming Pods Onboard Carrier Heading To Middle East

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Aug 6, 2024

A look at an AIM-174 air-launched version of the SM-6 missile with previously unseen markings under the wing of a Super Hornet aboard the USS Carl Vinson has emerged.
F/A-18E/F

AIM-174 Missile Seen On Super Hornet About To Launch From A Carrier For First Time

By Tyler Rogoway, Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Jul 23, 2024

U.S. Navy Super Hornets and U.S. Air Force RC-135 Rivet Joint spy planes are flying near Venezuela.
F/A-18E/F

F/A-18F Super Hornet Pilot Is First U.S. Female Aviator To Shoot Down An Enemy Aerial Threat

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Jul 17, 2024

An EA-18G Growler scored the types first ever air-to-air kill during a recently concluded deployment.
EA-18G

EA-18G Growler Scored Its First Air-To-Air Kill

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Jul 16, 2024

The air-launched version of the hugely versatile SM-6 missile, also known as the RIM-174, has appeared on U.S. Navy F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighters at the biennial Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise, the world’s largest international maritime exercise. We now also know the missiles are designated AIM-74B, indicating an air-to-air missile, although, as we have discussed in the past, the weapon also has the potential to strike high-priority ground targets, such as air defense sites, and warships, acting as a quasi-ballistic missile.
F/A-18E/F

AIM-174 Super Hornet-Launched Variant Of SM-6 Missile Breaks Cover In Hawaii (Updated)

By Thomas Newdick, Tyler Rogoway

Updated on Jul 3, 2024

Royal Australian Air Force F/A-18F Super Hornets will be used to launch prototypes of the US Air Force's Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile.
F/A-18E/F

Australian F/A-18F Super Hornets To Test Launch U.S. Air Force’s Hypersonic Cruise Missiles

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Jun 18, 2024

A USN EA-18G took out an Mi-24 with an AARGM.
EA-18G

EA-18G Growler Killed A Houthi Mi-24 Hind With An AGM-88E Anti-Radiation Missile

By Howard Altman, Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Jun 6, 2024

Photos have emerged showing a U.S. Navy F/A-18E/F Super Hornet carrying what appears to be an air-launched version of the RIM-174 SM-6 missile, a weapon that can counter aerial threats at long ranges, as well as ground and surface targets.
F/A-18E/F

Super Hornet Armed With SM-6 Missile Spotted Over California

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Jun 4, 2024

A Navy Growler electronic attack jet now sports a Hind helicopter "kill mark"
EA-18G

Navy EA-18G Growler Sports Puzzling Mi-24 Hind Kill Mark Overseas

By Howard Altman, Joseph Trevithick, Tyler Rogoway

Posted on May 16, 2024

Super hornets now carrying nine air-to-air missiles
F/A-18E/F

Super Hornets Now Flying With Nine Air-To-Air Missiles To Counter Houthi Drones

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on May 7, 2024

161013-N-OI810-093 WATERS SURROUNDING THE KOREAN PENINSULA (Oct. 13, 2016) Petty Officer 1st Class (AW/SW) John Diwa, from Dededo, Guam, installs inboard and outboard bearings on a main tire mount of an F/A-18F Super Hornet, assigned to the "Diamondbacks" of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 102, in the hangar bay of the Navy's only forward-deployed aircraft carrier, USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), during Exercise Invincible Spirit. Invincible Spirit is a bilateral exercise conducted with the Republic of Korea Navy in the waters near the Korean Peninsula, consisting of routine carrier strike group (CSG) operations in support of maritime counter-special operating forces and integrated maritime operations. USS Ronald Reagan is on patrol with CSG 5 supporting security and stability in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class (SW/AW) Nathan Burke/Released)
F/A-18E/F

Navy Pays $100K To Replace Each F/A-18 Tire, 3D Printed Repairs Cuts Cost To $300

By Eric Tegler

Posted on May 7, 2024

New AIM-9X configuration for the super hornet and growler.
EA-18G

F/A-18 Super Hornets Now Flying With Four AIM-9Xs From USS Eisenhower To Counter Drones

By Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Apr 11, 2024

The US Navy has cleared its EA-18G Growlers to carry AIM-9X Sidewinder missiles, and increased how many its F/A-18E/F Super Hornet can carry, decisions driven by Houthi drone things in and around the Red Sea.
EA-18G

Navy EA-18G Growlers Get AIM-9X, Super Hornets Can Now Carry More Sidewinders

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Apr 9, 2024

The Navy and Lockheed Martin recently conducted a "historic" test in which four AGM-158C Long Range Anti-Ship Missiles were in flight simultaneously.
F/A-18E/F

Four Stealthy AGM-158C Long-Range Anti-Ship Missiles Flew Together In “Historic” Test

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Apr 4, 2024

Drone kill marks on F/A-18E Super Hornet from the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower
F/A-18E/F

Navy Super Hornets Are Now Wearing Houthi Drone Kill Marks

By Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Mar 19, 2024

Super Hornets from the aircraft carrier Dwight David Eisenhower struck Houthi missile installations today.
F/A-18E/F

Red Sea Ship Attacks Continue After Super Hornets Strike Missiles

By Howard Altman

Updated on Jan 19, 2024

Super Hornets from the aircraft carrier Dwight David Eisenhower struck Houthi missile installations today.
F/A-18E/F

Super Hornets Score Aerial Kills Over Red Sea

By Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Dec 26, 2023

The Rock F/A-18 Alcatraz
F/A-18

Blue Angels Maneuver Filmed From Alcatraz Looks Straight Out Of ‘The Rock’

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Oct 6, 2023

Line abreast loop blue angels formation cockpit footage
F/A-18

Gorgeous Cockpit Video Of Blue Angels Flying Synchronized Loop

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Sep 25, 2023

A-10 Warthog F/A-18E/F Super Hornet
F/A-18

A-10 Pilot’s Compelling Case For Replacing Warthogs With Super Hornets

By Patrick “BURT” Brown

Posted on Sep 20, 2023

CF-18 False canopy
F/A-18

False Canopies On Fighters Work, One Almost Killed Me

By Dan McWilliams

Posted on Aug 28, 2023

MARINE F/A-18 HORNET
F/A-18A-D

F/A-18 Hornet Pilot Pronounced Dead In Crash At MCAS Miramar

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Aug 25, 2023

Hornet decoy flares
F/A-18A-D

The Instant Flares Are Released From An F/A-18 Hornet Seen In Incredible Photo

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Jun 17, 2023

Ukraine F/A-18
F/A-18

Ukraine Studying Condition Of Australian F/A-18 Hornets

By Howard Altman, Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Jun 15, 2023

F/A-18F IRST POD
F/A-18

F/A-18’s Infrared Search And Track System Plagued By Delays

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Jun 9, 2023

EF18 Crash Spain Hornet
F/A-18

Spanish EF-18 Hornet Crashes During Airshow Practice Flight

By Stetson Payne

Updated on May 20, 2023

Australia F/A-18 Ukraine
F/A-18A-D

Australia’s Mothballed F/A-18 Hornets Should Be Given To Ukraine

By Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Apr 19, 2023

EA-18G CC-150 tanker
EA-18G

EA-18G Growler Pilot Talks You Through His Aerial Refueling Frustrations

By Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Mar 29, 2023

Boeing To End F/A-18 Super Hornet Production In Two Years
F/A-18

Boeing To End F/A-18 Super Hornet Production In Two Years

By Joseph Trevithick, Oliver Parken

Posted on Feb 24, 2023

Vandy-1-main copy
F/A-18

F/A-18 Super Hornet In Retro Gloss Black Paint Scheme Emerges

By Jamie Hunter

Updated on Feb 22, 2023

F/A-18 Super Hornet toilet
F/A-18

Here’s Why A Toilet Is Hanging On A Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet’s Wing

By Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Sep 18, 2022

SUPER HORNET LITENING POD
F/A-18

LITENING Targeting Pod Tested On F/A-18 Super Hornet For First Time

By Emma Helfrich

Posted on Sep 8, 2022

Navy Super Hornet That Blew Off Carrier’s Deck Back In U.S. Hands
F/A-18E/F

Navy Super Hornet That Blew Off Carrier’s Deck Back In U.S. Hands

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Aug 8, 2022

Watch F/A-18 Super Hornets Complete Ski-Jump Tests For Indian Navy (Updated)
F/A-18

Watch F/A-18 Super Hornets Complete Ski-Jump Tests For Indian Navy (Updated)

By Emma Helfrich

Posted on Jul 20, 2022

Amanda "Stalin" Lee
F/A-18

Meet Lt. Amanda “Stalin” Lee, First Woman Blue Angels Jet Demo Pilot

By Howard Altman

Posted on Jul 18, 2022

Blue Angels
F/A-18

First Woman Blue Angels Jet Demonstration Pilot Selected (Updated)

By Howard Altman

Posted on Jul 18, 2022