McDonnell-Douglas / Northrop F / A-18 Hornet is an airborne fighter and attack aircraft capable of operating in all weather conditions. The roots of the F / A-18 go back to 1974 and the F-17 prototype, which the US Navy Command was interested in this year. The contract for serial construction of the aircraft was concluded in 1976. To speed up the work, the Northrop concern entered into cooperation with the McDonnell-Douglas concern. As a result, a test flight of the prototype took place on November 18, 1978, and a year later successful landings on the aircraft carrier. Since 1982, the aircraft has been supplied to linear installations with General Electric F404-GE-402 engines as a power plant. The plane is produced in several modifications. The first were F-18A (fighter) and F-18B (training). Foreign orders from Spain, Canada and Australia quickly appeared. In 1987, a version of the F-18C adapted to use AMRAAM missiles was created. A year later, the F/A-18D, a two-seat variant of the F-18, entered service in all weather conditions and could be used as an attack aircraft. On its basis, a reconnaissance version of the R / F-18D was created. The latest versions (called Super Hornet) -F / A-18E and F / A-18F are highly modified versions of the F / A-18D. They are characterized by increased fuselage length, wing span and their surface. They also feature new General Electric F414 engines and significantly expanded and upgraded avionics. They were first presented in 1995. The EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft was also created on the basis of the F-18. All versions of the F / A-18 met the favor of pilots, they are characterized by a low failure rate, ease of use and very good flight parameters. Hornets participated in the operation against Libya in 1986 and in the operation "Desert Storm" in 1991. Technical data (F / A-18 C version): Maximum speed: 1915 km / h, rate of climb: 254 m / s, practical ceiling 15,240 m, maximum range - 3340 km, range - 280-740 km, weapons : stationary – a single 20-mm six-barreled gun M61A-1, suspended – up to 7700 kg of cargo.
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