McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet – Fotos & Vídeo

O McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet é um jato de combate multifuncional supersônico bimotor e capaz de transportar todos os climas, projetado como uma aeronave de combate e de ataque (daí a designação F / A). Projetado por McDonnell Douglas (agora Boeing) e Northrop, o F/A-18 foi derivado do YF-17 deste último na década de 1970 para uso pela Marinha e Corpo de Fuzileiros Navais dos Estados Unidos. O Hornet também é usado pelas forças aéreas de várias outras nações e, desde 1986, pelo Esquadrão de Demonstração de Voo da Marinha dos EUA, os Blue Angels.

Fonte: McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet na Wikipédia

O McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet is a twin-engine, supersonic, all-weather, carrier-capable, multirole combat jet, designed as both a fighter and attack aircraft (hence the F/A designation). Developed by McDonnell Douglas and Northrop, the F/A-18 was derived from the latter’s YF-17 in the 1970s for use by the United States Navy and Marine Corps. The Hornet is also used by the air forces of several other nations and, since 1986, by the U.S. Navy’s Flight Demonstration Squadron, the Blue Angels.
The F/A-18 has a top speed of Mach 1.8 (1,190 mph or 1,915 km/h at 40,000 ft or 12,200 m). It can carry a wide variety of bombs and missiles, including air-to-air and air-to-ground, supplemented by the 20 mm M61 Vulcan cannon. It is powered by two General Electric F404 turbofan engines, which give the aircraft a high thrust-to-weight ratio. The F/A-18 has excellent aerodynamic characteristics, primarily attributed to its leading edge extensions (LEX). The fighter’s primary missions are fighter escort, fleet air defense, suppression of enemy air defenses (SEAD), air interdiction, close air support and aerial reconnaissance. Its versatility and reliability have proven it to be a valuable carrier asset, though it has been criticized for its lack of range and payload compared to its earlier contemporaries, such as the Grumman F-14 Tomcat in the fighter and strike fighter role, and the Grumman A-6 Intruder and LTV A-7 Corsair II in the attack role.