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A few places to begin, from the aircraft’s story to the people who fly it.
Meet the aircraft
Boeing dates the Super Hornet’s first flight to November 1995 and distinguishes the single-seat E from the two-seat F. The manufacturer describes it as a larger development of the original Hornet, with increased range and payload.
Aircraft background
Boeing · Read more ↗Into the cockpit
YouTube Boeing
A Boeing Super Hornet's first flight
Boeing follows a test pilot taking a new Super Hornet on its first flight.
Real F/A-18 Super Hornet; manufacturer test flight
Watch on YouTube ↗Preview images are served by AirframeDB. Videos open on YouTube only when you choose to watch.
Meet Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet
Boeing dates the Super Hornet’s first flight to November 1995 and distinguishes the single-seat E from the two-seat F. The manufacturer describes it as a larger development of the original Hornet, with increased range and payload.
History & design
The larger Hornet generation
The F/A-18E/F first flew in November 1995. Although it retained the Hornet name, Boeing describes an aircraft roughly a quarter larger than the earlier design, with more powerful engines and greater range and payload. The E is a single-seater; the F accommodates two crew.
Boeing records the first combat missions in 2002 and delivery of the first Block II aircraft in April 2005. The latter introduced an active electronically scanned radar. The related EA-18G Growler carries an electronic-attack mission, rather than being simply another seating option. Early Hornet, Super Hornet and Growler specifications therefore belong to distinct configurations.
Boeing · Select products in Boeing history ↗Systems & details
One airframe, several carrier roles
NAVAIR describes fighter escort, interdiction, fleet air defence and close air support among the E/F's missions. Forward air control and aerial refuelling expand that role further. It dates initial operational capability with VFA-115 to September 2001, a different milestone from the earlier production and delivery dates. Mission stores and tanks also change the configuration represented by a simulator flight.
Naval Air Systems Command · F/A-18E/F Super Hornet ↗In your simulator
No released simulator product is listed for this aircraft in the developers reviewed. Announced products are excluded.
Manuals & resources
Read the original documentation from the people who created it. Manuals open on their publisher’s website.
Aircraft background
Boeing historical products: F/A-18 Hornet and Super HornetBoeing · Aircraft background; checked 2026-09-14Aircraft history
Select products in Boeing historyBoeing · Boeing historical products, F/A-18 chapter, p. 100; E/F scopeAircraft documentation
F/A-18E/F Super HornetNaval Air Systems Command · E/F specifications and roles, separate from the A-D Hornet.Built-in force-feedback profiles
Read the documentary basis, editable starting settings and remaining questions for the aircraft you fly. Each explanation refers to the exact profile revision shown.
Catalogue programme-20261022-v1 · 1 profile choice
Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet
Free and Pro · Revision 2 · Partial review
Aircraft reference · Manual starting point
Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet: The configured electronic-control feel is a reference starting point; no installed-product stick-force acceptance is implied.
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