<Tr> <Th> Developed into </Th> <Td> Boeing F / A-18E / F Super Hornet Boeing X-53 Active Aeroelastic Wing </Td> </Tr> <P> The McDonnell Douglas F / A-18 Hornet is a twin - engine supersonic, all - weather carrier - capable multirole combat jet, designed as both a fighter and attack aircraft (hence the F / A designation). Designed by McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) and Northrop, the F / A-18 was derived from the latter's YF - 17 in the 1970s for use by the United States Navy and Marine Corps . The Hornet is also used by the air forces of several other nations and, since 1986, by the U.S. Navy's Flight Demonstration Squadron, the Blue Angels . </P> <P> The F / A-18 has a top speed of Mach 1.8 (1,034 knots, 1,190 mph or 1,915 km / h at 40,000 ft or 12,200 m). It can carry a wide variety of bombs and missiles, including air - to - air and air - to - ground, supplemented by the 20 - mm M61 Vulcan cannon . It is powered by two General Electric F404 turbofan engines, which give the aircraft a high thrust - to - weight ratio . The F / A-18 has excellent aerodynamic characteristics, primarily attributed to its leading - edge extensions . The fighter's primary missions are fighter escort, fleet air defense, Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD), air interdiction, close air support, and aerial reconnaissance . Its versatility and reliability have proven it to be a valuable carrier asset, though it has been criticized for its lack of range and payload compared to its earlier contemporaries, such as the Grumman F - 14 Tomcat in the fighter and strike fighter role, and the Grumman A-6 Intruder and LTV A-7 Corsair II in the attack role . </P> <P> The Hornet first saw combat action during the 1986 United States bombing of Libya and subsequently participated in the 1991 Gulf War and 2003 Iraq War . The F / A-18 Hornet provided the baseline design for the Boeing F / A-18E / F Super Hornet, its larger, evolutionary redesign . </P>

Top speed of an f 18 super hornet