This Strike Fighter from the Late 1990s Is One of the Navy’s Most Iconic Jets

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24/7 Wall St. Insights:

• The F/A-18 Super Hornet is one of the most iconic aircraft in the U.S. Navy's arsenal with over 420 active aircraft at the Navy’s disposal
• This strike fighter is powered by two General Electric F414-GE-400 turbofan engines that generate a combined 44,000 pounds of thrust allowing for speeds up to Mach 1.6 (just under 1,200 mph).
• The Super Hornet has seen action in conflicts around the world ranging from Operation Iraqi Freedom to more recent operations in Syria and Afghanistan
• Also: Dividend legends to hold forever

The F/A-18 Super Hornet is one of the most iconic aircraft in the U.S. Navy's arsenal. It is the most widely-flown fighter jet in the Navy with over 420 active aircraft at the ready. As such, the Super Hornet performs a wide range of missions, anything from air superiority and strike operations to reconnaissance and close air support. All of this has made the F/A-18 indispensable for carrier-based warfare. ( The Super Hornet is the most heavily armed U.S. Navy aircraft. )

Introduced in 1999, this strike fighter is powered by two General Electric F414-GE-400 turbofan engines that can generate a combined 44,000 pounds of thrust. This configuration allows the Super Hornet to hit speeds up to Mach 1.6 (just under 1,200 mph).

Boeing designed these jets based on the original F/A-18 Hornet, but with advanced avionics and increased fuel capacity. The Super Hornet series is designed to carry an impressive array of weapons including Sidewinder missiles, AMRAAM missiles, Harpoon missiles, HARM missiles, Maverick missiles, and joint direct attack munitions. These also come standard with a 20mm M61A1 Vulcan automatic cannon.

The Super Hornet has seen action in conflicts around the world ranging from Operation Iraqi Freedom to more recent operations in Syria and Afghanistan. Typically, these missions involved long range strike operations or rapid deployment scenarios.

As the mainstay of the Navy’s carrier air wings, the F/A-18 Super Hornet has proven itself as one of the most iconic fighter jets in modern warfare. However, there are newer platforms in the works like the F-35C Lightning II that are currently being integrated to the Navy's overall force. There are a number of other combat aircraft currently at the disposal of the U.S. Navy and 24/7 Wall St. is taking a closer look at these aircraft. ( This is the newest and most advanced fighter jet to enter the U.S. Navy. )

To identify the combat aircraft flown by the U.S. Navy, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed data from the 2024 World Air Forces report from FlightGlobal, an aviation and aerospace industry website, and ranked the aircraft alphabetically. Additionally, we’ve included supplemental information on the type of aircraft, how many are in active service, and top speed. We have excluded all trainer aircraft.

Here is a look at every combat aircraft in the U.S. Navy: Why Are We Covering This?

Understanding the aircraft used by the U.S. Navy provides insight into joint military capabilities and defense strategies. Also knowing what the U.S. has in its arsenal further explains its military capabilities. This further gives context to the tactical flexibility and logistical reach the Navy brings in its operations. Lastly, the composition and technological level of the aircraft fleet highlight the Navy’s ability of maintaining dominance and its rapid response capabilities, both of these are key factors in its strategic defense planning.

• Type: Carrier-based electronic warfare aircraft
• Year introduced: 2009
• Active aircraft: 153
• Top speed: 1,181 mph
• Armament: Detection pods, high band jamming pods, low band jamming pods, AN/ASQ-228 ATFLIR, SHARP, Harm missiles, AMRAAM missiles, Joint stand-off weapons

The EA-18G Growler is a carrier-based electronic warfare aircraft that was introduced in 2009. Currently there are just over 150 of these aircraft in service. These jets can hit a top speed of 1,181 mph and can equip a wide array of weapons.

The Growler is not only equipped for combat but also for electronic warfare, some of this includes detection and jamming pods to disrupt enemy sensors and communications. It's worth noting that these jets are a specialized variant of the F/A-18F Super Hornet.

These jets play an important role in protecting strike aircraft by preemptively jamming enemy radar and intercepting communications, clearing the path for less stealthy fighters.

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