Documents
United States Legacy Boeing
F/A-18C Hornet
Single-seat carrier-capable multirole fighter that served as the US Navy and Marine Corps' primary strike fighter before the Super Hornet, and remains in front-line service with several export operators. Combines fighter and attack roles in one airframe.
In service since 1987 · 8 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
1,915
km/h
3,300
km range
15,200
m ceiling
7,700
kg payload
0.96
T/W
💲 ≈ $29,000,000, Historical unit flyaway cost
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
US ITAR-controlled
Export needs U.S. State Dept (DDTC) approval; end-use & re-transfer restrictions apply.
Channel: Foreign Military Sales (FMS) or Direct Commercial Sale
Fielded & proven
Established · 8 operators
In service since 1987. Status: legacy · ~1,480 built.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
$73M – $102M
Acquisition is only ~30% of lifecycle cost, operating & support dominate over ~30 yrs. Rough 2.5–3.5× the unit price. How we estimate this →
Interoperability
Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Compatible munitions & weapons
Publicly reported weapons the F/A-18C Hornet can carry. Linked items have a full spec page.
Powerplant
The F/A-18C Hornet's engine has its own full spec page.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
| Max speed Maximum level speed. For aircraft this is at optimal altitude; for ground vehicles, top road speed. Higher means faster response and better kinematic performance. | 1,915 km/h |
|---|---|
| Max speed (Mach) Maximum speed as a multiple of the speed of sound. Mach 2+ is typical for air-superiority fighters. | 1.8 Mach |
| Range Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence. | 3,300 km |
| Combat radius Distance an aircraft can fly, complete its mission and return without refueling. Roughly a third of ferry range. | 740 km |
| Service ceiling Maximum operating altitude. Higher gives energy advantage and sensor horizon. | 15,200 m |
| Thrust-to-weight Engine thrust divided by loaded weight. Above 1.0 the aircraft can accelerate going straight up. On a standalone engine record, this is the engine's own thrust divided by its dry weight, the standard figure of merit for jet engines. | 0.96 |
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
| Main armament Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type. | 20 mm M61A1 Vulcan rotary cannon |
|---|---|
| Hardpoints External stations for weapons and pods. More means bigger and more flexible loadouts. | 9 |
| Weapons payload Maximum ordnance weight the platform can carry. Higher means more strike capacity per sortie. | 7,700 kg |
Protection
Armor, countermeasures and survivability.
| Countermeasures Self-protection: chaff, flares, DIRCM, towed decoys, smoke dischargers, jammers. | ALQ-165 ASPJ / ALQ-126 EW system, chaff, flares |
|---|
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
| Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable. | 17.1 m |
|---|---|
| Wingspan Wingtip-to-wingtip span. | 11.4 m |
| Height Overall height. Lower profile is harder to spot and hit for ground vehicles. | 4.7 m |
| Empty weight Weight without fuel, ammunition or crew. | 10,800 kg |
| Combat weight Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor. | 16,650 kg |
| Crew Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity. | 1 |
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
| Engine Powerplant model and type. | 2x General Electric F404-GE-402 afterburning turbofans |
|---|---|
| Engines Number of engines. Twin-engine gives redundancy at higher cost. | 2 |
| Thrust Total engine thrust (with afterburner where applicable). | 79 kN |
| Fuel capacity Internal fuel volume. | 6,060 L |
| Propulsion type Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet… | Turbofan |
Sensors & avionics
Radar, sensor suite and datalinks.
| Radar Primary radar. AESA (active electronically scanned array) is the current state of the art. | AN/APG-73 mechanically scanned array |
|---|---|
| Sensors IRST, EO/IR turrets, laser designators, sniper pods, thermal sights. | ATFLIR targeting pod (optional) |
| Datalink Network connectivity: Link 16, MADL, national datalinks. Enables cooperative engagement. | Link 16 |
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
| Unit cost Approximate flyaway/unit cost where public. Defense pricing varies hugely by contract, offsets and configuration. Lower is cheaper. | $29,000,000 |
|---|---|
| Units built Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability. | 1,480 |
| Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem. | 8 |
Specifications compiled from public Boeing and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
Compare with rivals
See how it stacks up
Dassault Aviation Rafale F4 Frequently asked questions
What is the top speed of the Boeing F/A-18C Hornet? +
The Boeing F/A-18C Hornet has a maximum speed of 1,915 km/h.
What is the range of the Boeing F/A-18C Hornet? +
The Boeing F/A-18C Hornet has a maximum range of 3,300 km.
What is the weapons payload of the Boeing F/A-18C Hornet? +
The Boeing F/A-18C Hornet can carry up to 7,700 kg of weapons payload.
How much does the Boeing F/A-18C Hornet weigh? +
The Boeing F/A-18C Hornet has a combat weight of 16,650 kg.
How many crew does the Boeing F/A-18C Hornet require? +
The Boeing F/A-18C Hornet requires a crew of 1.
What is the main armament of the Boeing F/A-18C Hornet? +
The Boeing F/A-18C Hornet's primary weapon is the 20 mm M61A1 Vulcan rotary cannon.
What engine does the Boeing F/A-18C Hornet use? +
The Boeing F/A-18C Hornet is powered by the 2x General Electric F404-GE-402 afterburning turbofans.
What is the Boeing F/A-18C Hornet used for? +
The Boeing F/A-18C Hornet is a fighter aircraft typically used for multirole combat, air superiority, close air support.
How many countries operate the Boeing F/A-18C Hornet? +
The Boeing F/A-18C Hornet is operated by 8 countries.
How much does the Boeing F/A-18C Hornet cost? +
The Boeing F/A-18C Hornet has an approximate unit cost of 29,000,000 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration, treat this as directional.
Similar systems
Lockheed Martin
F-16C Block 52 Fighting Falcon
Boeing
F/A-18E/F Super Hornet
Lockheed Martin
F-35B Lightning II
Lockheed Martin