@ Lancaster, CA
March 2017
A F/A-18E Super Hornet of the VFA-14 “Tophatters”, based at NAS Lemoore, gets cleaned up after a dirty pass during the 2017 Los Angeles County Airshow. Designed and initially produced by McDonnell Douglas, the Super Hornet first flew in 1995. Compared to the C/D version of the Hornet, this aircraft’s wing is 25% bigger, carries 33% more fuel, has 41% better mission range, 35% more thrust, and 50% more endurance. 600 Super Hornets have been delivered to the U.S. Navy and Royal Australian Air Force. In February 2023, Boeing announced plans to end Super Hornet production in 2025. The Navy will have acquired a total of 698 Super Hornets over a 30 year span.
