McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet in Australian service

The Royal Australian Air Force has operated McDonnell Douglas FA-18 Hornet fighter aircraft since 1984. The Hornets entered service with the RAAF between 1984 and 1990, and will be retired in the early 2020s. Four Hornets were destroyed in flying accidents during the late 1980s and early 1990s, several have been transferred to Canada and a number of others retired. RAAF Hornets were first sent on a combat deployment as part of the Australian contribution to the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

About McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet in Australian service in brief

The Royal Australian Air Force has operated McDonnell Douglas FA-18 Hornet fighter aircraft since 1984. The Hornets entered service with the RAAF between 1984 and 1990, and will be retired in the early 2020s. Four Hornets were destroyed in flying accidents during the late 1980s and early 1990s, several have been transferred to Canada and a number of others retired. RAAF Hornets were first sent on a combat deployment as part of the Australian contribution to the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Between 2015 and 2017 a detachment of Hornets was deployed to the Middle East and struck ISIL targets. Under current Australian Government planning they will be replaced by 72 Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II fighters. The Australian Government has offered the Hornets for sale and finalised a deal to sell 25 to Canada in early 2019. The RAAF began the initial stages of finding a replacement for its Dassault Mirage III fighters in 1968. In 1973, a team of RAAF personnel inspected the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle, Northrop YF-17, Saab 37 Viggen and D assault Mirage F1 programs, but recommended that any decisions about a suitable replacement be delayed so that several new fighters that were expected to soon become available could be considered. By March 1977, the Australian Government had chosen to focus on the F- 15 Eagle, General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon, Dassault Mirages 2000 and Panavia Tornado. The Grumman F-14 Tomcat was also considered by the project office, but was regarded as unsuitable and never placed on the official shortlist.

The Tornado was excluded as it was principally a strike aircraft and had limited air-to-air capability. At about the same time, the US Government rejected an offer of F14 Tomcats that had been originally ordered by the Iranian Government as a result of the revolution. The F-18L was a carrier-based fighter developed from the U.S. Navy, and was a land-based variant of this design. In 1979, the remaining aircraft were test-flew by Wing Commander Bob Richardson, who was impressed by its aerodynamic, avionics, fuel system, radar and weapons capability. He reported that the aircraft had excellent aerodynamic characteristics, and reported that its fuel system and weapons were inferior to those of the US. The aircraft were retired in April 1979 while the aircraft were being used as a demonstrator for a F-17L that was being delivered to a customer in Iran. At the time, it was believed that the air force did not need a fighter with such advanced capabilities and that introducing it into service could destabilise Australia’s region. In November 1978, the F15 and Tornado were removed from the list of aircraft being considered. In April 1979, a test of the aircraft took place in April that year, and the aircraft was delivered to the Australian air base at Diego Garcia. It is believed that this was the first time that the Australian government had ordered an F18L. At that time, no aircraft had been ordered at this time and RAAF did not want to take on the risk of being the lead customer for the design.

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