F/A-18A/B Hornet (F-18A/B)

The F/A-18A/B Hornet marked a major shift in U.S. naval aviation by combining fighter and attack roles in one carrier-capable aircraft. The Navy fact file treats the Hornet and later Super Hornet as strike fighter families, reflecting the importance of multirole flexibility in carrier air wings. The A/B models established that model for later C/D and E/F aircraft.

F/A-18A/B capability came from being useful across several missions without requiring separate fighter and attack types. It had the handling, weapons fit and carrier suitability to support fleet defense and ground attack. That flexibility simplified air wing planning and helped make the Hornet a central Navy and Marine Corps aircraft.

Although later Hornets surpassed the A/B models, the early aircraft defined how the U.S. Navy thought about multirole carrier strike fighters. Their use in training, fleet introduction and Marine operations gave the Hornet family institutional depth before the Super Hornet became the larger successor.