The 12 million flight hours milestone cements the F/A-18 and EA-18G fleet’s standing as one of the enduring households of plane in fashionable naval aviation.
The U.S. Navy has introduced on Aug. 1, 2025, that the F/A-18 and EA-18G plane fleet has surpassed 12 million flight hours for the reason that introduction within the Eighties. This necessary achievement now cements much more the fleet’s standing as one of the enduring households of plane in fashionable naval aviation, which have served because the spine of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps aerial branches for many years.
The Navy right now has round 550 F/A-18E/F Tremendous Hornets and 150 EA-18G Growlers in service, along with 180 F/A-18A/C/D “Legacy” Hornets utilized by the U.S. Marine Corps. The final flight of the Legacy Hornet by the Navy was carried out in 2019, and the service is now presently receiving the newer Tremendous Hornet Block III.
“If you name the roar of those plane ‘the sound of freedom,’ it holds actual weight,” stated Capt. Michael Burks, program supervisor for the F/A-18 and EA-18G program workplace (PMA-265). “All through their service, the F/A-18 and EA-18G household has supported almost each main U.S. navy battle of the previous 40 years and continues to adapt to quickly altering risk environments. From the preliminary deployment of the Hornet to the superior capabilities of the Tremendous Hornet and Growler, these plane have delivered ahead presence, tactical airpower and significant digital warfare capabilities across the globe.”
To present a greater concept of this spectacular milestone, the service famous that 12 million flight hours are the equal of a whopping 500,000 days, or almost 1,370 years, of nonstop flight. The milestone is the results of the potential, reliability and availability of those plane, says the Navy, which in flip is the results of the work of 1000’s of people that work day-after-day to maintain, fly and hold bettering the jet.
“This milestone is a major achievement and a mirrored image of the generations of Sailors, Marines and civilians who maintain, fly and innovate these platforms day-after-day,” stated Burks. “Twelve million flight hours demonstrates our dedication to delivering world-class functionality, enabling our warfighters to execute their missions with an uneven benefit and return house safely.”
The service additionally highlights that the 12 million flight hours milestone comes at a notable time, as this yr the Navy celebrates the thirtieth anniversary of the Tremendous Hornet’s first flight, which occurred on Nov. 29, 1995. Additionally, each the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps put together to have fun 250 years of service to the nation this yr, as they have been established on Oct. 13, 1775, and Nov. 10, 1775, respectively.
The F/A-18 household
The F/A-18 Hornet and Tremendous Hornet household has lengthy fashioned the spine of U.S. Navy carrier-based strike and fighter aviation. Initially launched within the Eighties with the F/A-18A/B, the platform developed into the extra succesful F/A-18C/D, and later into the extensively redesigned F/A-18E/F Tremendous Hornet, which right now stays the Navy’s main multirole fighter, complemented by the F-35C Lightning II.
The F/A-18A Hornet accomplished its first flight in 1978 and entered operational service with the Marine Corps in 1983, adopted by the U.S. Navy in 1984, and changed the F-4 Phantom II and the A-7 Corsair II. The F/A-18C flew for the primary time a decade later, in 1987, with the deliveries beginning shortly thereafter.
The F/A-18E/F Tremendous Hornet, distinguished by its bigger measurement, better vary, improved survivability, and elevated payload, flew for the primary time one other decade later, in 1995, and entered service in 1999. The most recent member of the Hornet household is the specialised EA-18G Growler, which flew for the primary time in 2006 and was launched in service in 2009.
The Navy retired the Legacy Hornet in 2019, retaining solely the newer Tremendous Hornets and Growlers. The service acquired in 2020 the final of 322 single-seat F/A-18E and 286 two-seat F/A-18F jets within the Block II configuration delivered since 2005, which can now be adopted by 95 new plane within the Block III configuration.
The Block III improve, that includes a renewed cockpit, new computing structure and community infrastructure, in addition to the chance so as to add conformal gas tanks, has been developed to increase the fleet’s service life and relevance. The Navy is presently receiving new-build Block III jets whereas additionally upgrading choose Block II plane.
The Block III upgrades will likely be utilized as a part of the Service Life Modernization program, which can add 4,000 flight hours to the service lifetime of the already delivered Tremendous Hornets. The primary section of the SLM program has already been in movement for some years, extending the service lifetime of the Tremendous Hornet from 6,000 to 7,500 flight hours, whereas the second section, began in 2023, is seeking to lengthen the service life to 10,000 flight hours and carry out the modifications required for the Block III upgrades.
Parallel to the strike fighter drive, the EA-18G Growler serves because the Navy’s main airborne digital assault platform. Primarily based on the two-seat F/A-18F airframe, the Growler replaces the growing older EA-6B Prowler. It carries a collection of superior jamming techniques such because the ALQ-99 and the Subsequent Technology Jammer, digital surveillance sensors, and AGM-88 HARM missiles to suppress enemy air defenses and disrupt communications.
The Growler fleet includes about 150 and stays a singular asset amongst NATO forces, with Australia being the one international operator. The U.S. Navy is planning mid-life upgrades additionally for the EA-18G beneath the Block II Growler program, which can improve survivability, digital warfare capabilities, and situational consciousness.
