Under current Australian Government planning they will be replaced by 72 The RAAF began the initial stages of finding a replacement for its Work on the Mirage replacement program resumed in 1975, and the Tactical Fighter Project Office was established in 1976 to manage the process of selecting the RAAF's next fighter.Further evaluation of the remaining aircraft took place during 1979. 75 Squadron was placed on alert to provide close air support and air defence for the international forces deployed to The first operational deployment of RAAF Hornets took place in 2001. In 1980, the F/A-18 was selected as the winner of the New Fighter Aircraft Project competition and awarded a production order; deliveries of the CF-18 to the Canadian Forces began in 1982. In 2002, Hornets patrolled over the In March 2015, six F/A-18As from No. The Hornets entered service with the RAAF between 1984 and 1990. Richardson and another RAAF pilot test-flew F-16Cs in May 1981.Instead of directly ordering the aircraft from McDonnell Douglas, the Australian Government purchased its F/A-18s through the US Government's The RAAF's order of 75 Hornets comprised 57 single-seat A variant fighters and 18 two-seat B variant operational training aircraft.The Australian Hornets were very similar to the standard US Navy variants, but incorporated a number of minor modifications. A21-103 was formally delivered on 4 May of that year.A major capital works program was also undertaken to prepare RAAF bases for the Hornets. The Hornets carry Four RAAF units converted to the Hornet between 1985 and 1988. Wing Commander (and later Air Vice-Marshal) With the Mirage 2000 and F-18L rejected, the RAAF was faced with a choice between the F-16 and F-18A. However, the aircraft are becoming increasingly difficult to operate and are at risk of being outclassed by the fighters and air-defence systems operated by other countries. Over $150 million was spent upgrading the runways, hangars and maintenance facilities at RAAF Base Williamtown, which has been the main F/A-18 base throughout the aircraft's service. Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge. Developed by McDonnell Douglas, the Super Hornet, which first flew in 1995, is a twin-engine carrier-capable multirole fighter aircraft based on the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet…

These include a structural refurbishment program, increased monitoring of The Australian Government is planning to sell the Hornets and associated spare parts after the type is retired from RAAF service. This gave General Dynamics an opportunity to offer the improved F-16C to the RAAF. Two of the aircraft were flown to History of the F/A-18 fighter Following the The Australian Hornets saw combat in several roles during the RAAF Hornets have also provided air defence for several high-profile events in Australia since the 11 September attacks. The McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) F/A-18 Hornet is a twin-engine supersonic, all-weather carrier-capable multirole combat jet, designed as both a fighter and attack aircraft (F/A designation for Fighter/Attack). As a result, the RAAF is currently retiring its F/A-18s, and the last aircraft is scheduled to leave service in the early 2020s. aircraft used by Australia Production fell behind schedule during the first half of 1987, however, as a result of inefficiencies at the company's factory and industrial relations problems. All-weather fighter and attack aircraft. The capability of these aircraft was closer to that of the F-18 as they were equipped with BVR missiles. For commercial usage, please Fact Sheet regarding information on F/A-18 A-D Hornet. RAAF Hornets were first sent on a combat deployment as part of the Since 1999, the RAAF has put its Hornets through a series of upgrades to improve their effectiveness. Until the early 1990s, all routine servicing and a significant proportion of intensive The RAAF's Hornet fleet received few modifications until the late 1990s. At any one time, the capabilities of individual aircraft differed considerably depending on their upgrades. Accordingly, it was decided to build the aircraft in Australia, though it was recognised that this would lead to higher costs than if the fighters were purchased directly from the United States.The Australian Hornets began to roll off the production lines in 1984. The Blue Angels are slated to transition to the F/A-18 Super Hornet later this year after using the F/A-18 Hornet for 34 years. It was designed for traditional strike applications such as interdiction and close air support without compromising its fighter capabilities. The Australian Government purchased 75 A and B variants of the F/A-18 in 1981 to replace the RAAF's Dassault Mirage III fighters.

3 Squadron was the first Hornet unit to be reequipped, and ceased operating the type in December 2017. It began to transition to the F-35 in early 2018.The RAAF has implemented several measures to keep the Hornets in service until the F-35As are ready.