McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet

The third stage of the Hornet Upgrade Program sought to rectify airframe damage.

HUG Phase 3.1 involved minor structural work to all aircraft as they passed through other phases of the program.

The centre fuselages of the ten Hornets assessed as suffering the greatest amount of structural damage were replaced in HUG Phase 3.2.

It was originally intended that all the RAAF's Hornets would receive new centre fuselages, but the scope of this phase of the program was reduced after it was found that the number of man-hours needed to upgrade each aircraft was much greater than originally estimated.

The ten aircraft were upgraded at an L-3 Communications facility in Canada, and all were returned to service by June 2010.

The long-running HUG process has complicated the RAAF's management of its fleet of F/A-18s. At any one time, the capabilities of individual aircraft have differed considerably depending on their upgrades.

Accordingly, the long-standing arrangement where aircraft were almost permanently assigned to each squadron was replaced by a system where they are pooled. Attempts to allocate Hornets with similar levels of modifications from the common pool to each squadron have not been successful.

Armament

The RAAF's Hornets have been fitted with several different types of air-to-air weapons.

The aircraft are equipped with an internal M61A1 cannon for use against air and ground targets; 578 rounds can be carried for this weapon.

During the initial years of the Hornet's service, the aircraft were equipped with AIM-9M Sidewinder short range air-to-air missiles and AIM-7M Sparrow medium-range air-to-air missiles.

The Sparrows were replaced by the AIM-120 AMRAAM in 2002, and in 2004 the Sidewinders were replaced by ASRAAMs.

The older missiles are occasionally used in training exercises, however.

A variety of unguided and guided weapons can also be used against ground targets.

The Hornets carry Mark 82, Mark 83 and Mark 84 bombs, as well as GBU-10 and GBU-12 Paveway II laser-guided bombs.

In addition, the aircraft have operated bombs fitted with JDAM guidance kits since 2008.

During exercises the Hornets carry BDU-33 and BDU-57 LGTR training bombs.

Since November 2011, the RAAF's Hornets have also been equipped with AGM-158 JASSM cruise missiles.

The F/A-18s main weapon in the maritime strike role is the Harpoon anti-ship missile; the RAAF initially operated the Block IC variant of this missile, but purchased Block II variants in 2003.[48] In addition to these weapons, the Hornets can also be fitted with 330-US-gallon (1,200 L) drop tanks to extend their range.

Operational history RAAF

Introduction into service

Four RAAF units converted to the Hornet between 1985 and 1988.

The first 14 Hornets were allocated to No. 2 Operational Conversion Unit (2OCU) at RAAF Base Williamtown, and were used to train the pilots and instructors needed to convert the RAAF's three fighter squadrons to the aircraft. 2OCU's first Hornet operational conversion course began on 19 August 1985.

In addition to the unit's training activities, 2OCU aircraft travelled widely around Australia and South East Asia during 1985 and 1986 to showcase the new aircraft.

No. 3 Squadron was the first fighter unit to convert from the Mirage III, and became operational with the Hornet in August 1986.

It was followed by No. 77 Squadron in June 1987 and No. 75 Squadron in May 1988.

No. 81 Wing, whose headquarters is located at Williamtown, has commanded these four units since they converted to the F/A-18.

As of 2012, 2OCU, No. 3 and No. 77 Squadrons are stationed at Williamtown and No. 75 Squadron is located at Tindal.

In addition, two Hornets are allocated to the Aircraft Research and Development Unit at RAAF Base Edinburgh in South Australia.

The RAAF's Mirage III pilots generally found the process of converting to the Hornet to be straightforward.

While the F/A-18 was considered to be easier to fly, its more sophisticated avionics and weapons systems required improved cockpit workload management skills.

The Hornets have also proven to be mechanically reliable and easy to maintain, though shortages of spare parts reduced availability rates during the early years of their service with the RAAF.

The updates installed as part of the HUG process have further simplified maintenance procedures. In recent years, however, the aging aircraft have required much more servicing than was the case in the past.

To extend the Hornet's range, four of the RAAF's six Boeing 707 transport aircraft were converted to tankers in the early 1990s; the first Boeing 707 tanker entered service in 1990.

The tankers were operated by No. 33 Squadron and supported the Hornet units until the 707s were retired in 2008.

These aircraft are to be replaced with KC-30A tanker-transports.

However, the KC-30A program has run well behind its original schedule, forcing the RAAF to lease tankers from Omega Aerial Refueling Services and the USAF to support training exercises and deployments.

The RAAF has at times suffered from shortfalls of Hornet-qualified pilots.

The service began to experience shortages of F/A-18 and F-111 fast-jet pilots in the mid-1980s due to competition from commercial airlines and relatively low recruitment rates.

By June 1999 the three operational Hornet-equipped squadrons had only 40 pilots, which was less than the number of aircraft allocated to these units.

The RAAF claimed that the squadrons were able to meet their readiness targets, however.

To overcome this shortfall, the RAAF gave its fast jet units a higher priority for aircrew, implemented measures to reduce separation rates, and recruited pilots from other countries.

These reforms coincided with reduced demand for civil pilots following the September 11 attacks, and by late 2003 the RAAF's fast-jet units were at near full strength.

A 2010 article in the magazine Australian Aviation stated that No. 3 Squadron typically had "about 18 pilots on strength" at any point in time.

At this time the total strength of the squadron, including air and ground crew, was around 300 personnel.

Training

As the Hornets are multi-role fighters, their pilots practice a wide range of tasks during peacetime training.

Each year the three Hornet squadrons rotate between four-month training "blocks" focused on air-to-air combat, air-to-ground tactics and Australian Defence Force support tasks.

The units undertake the air-to-air and air-to-ground "blocks" before assuming responsibility for Australian Defence Force support (which involves operating with the Australian Army and Royal Australian Navy).

No. 81 Wing's headquarters oversees this training program and monitors adherence to common standards and procedures.

Training sorties may include such tasks as defending air bases, infrastructure and shipping from enemy aircraft, attacking naval and ground targets, and practicing in-flight refueling.

More unusual tasks such as dropping naval mines have also been practiced at times.

Major exercises often involve other RAAF units and aircraft, as well as units from the Army and Navy and contingents from other countries.

As part of their regular training activities, F/A-18 Hornets operate in different parts of Australia and the Asia-Pacific region. Regular deployments are made to Singapore and RMAF Butterworth in Malaysia as part of Integrated Air Defence System exercises.

In addition, RAAF F/A-18s have participated in exercises in the Philippines, Thailand and the United States.

These deployments have seen Australian fighter squadrons range as far afield as Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska, where they took part in Red Flag – Alaska exercises in 2008 and 2011.

Four of the RAAF's Hornets were destroyed in flying accidents during the late 1980s and early 1990s.

A21-104 was the first aircraft to be lost when it crashed at Great Palm Island in Queensland on 18 November 1987; its pilot was killed.

The next loss occurred on 2 August 1990 when two No. 75 Squadron Hornets (A21-21 and A21-42) collided. A21-42 crashed, killing the unit's commanding officer; the other aircraft was damaged but managed to return to base.

On 5 June 1990 A21-41 crashed 100 kilometres (62 mi) north-east of Weipa, Queensland, killing its pilot. A21-106 was the fourth aircraft to be lost when it crashed inland from Shoalwater Bay in Queensland on 19 May 1992 – its pilot and a passenger from the Defence Science and Technology Organisation died.

As of February 2012, all of the remaining 71 F/A-18s were still in service.

Deployments

During late 1999, No. 75 Squadron was placed on alert to provide close air support and air defence for the international forces deployed to East Timor as part of INTERFET.

While Indonesian forces posed a potential threat to this force, no fighting eventuated and the Hornets were not required.

The first operational deployment of RAAF Hornets took place in 2001. Following the September 11 terrorist attacks, the Australian Government agreed to deploy F/A-18s to protect the major USAF air base on the Indian Ocean island of Diego Garcia, which was being used to mount operations in Afghanistan.

Four No. 77 Squadron Hornets and 70 personnel departed for the island on 9 November. No. 3 Squadron pilots and ground crew relieved the No. 77 Squadron personnel in early February 2002.

While the Hornets were occasionally scrambled in response to reports of aircraft near the base, no threat developed.

The detachment returned to Australia on 21 May 2002.

No. 75 Squadron formed part of the Australian contribution to the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

The squadron began initial planning for this deployment in December 2002, and intensive training was undertaken from January 2003.

To improve the unit's readiness, air and ground crew as well as aircraft were also posted to No. 75 Squadron from other units.

The Australian Government announced on 1 February that it would begin deploying RAAF aircraft, including a squadron of F/A-18s, to the Middle East. No. 75 Squadron departed from Tindal on 13 February, and arrived at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar on the 16th of the month.

The 14 F/A-18A Hornets selected for this deployment had received the HUG 2.1 package of upgrades and recently completed major servicing.

In addition to No. 75 Squadron, several experienced Hornet pilots were also posted to the USAF Combined Air and Space Operations Center in the Middle East to provide advice on how to make the best use of the squadron.

The Australian Hornets saw combat in several roles during the Iraq War.

Following the outbreak of war on 20 March, No. 75 Squadron was initially used to escort high-value Coalition aircraft, such as tankers and airborne early warning and control aircraft.

As it rapidly became clear that the Iraqi Air Force posed no threat, from 21 March No. 75 Squadron also began to also conduct air interdiction sorties against Iraqi forces.

These sorties were initially flown in support of the United States Army's V Corps, but the squadron was rarely assigned any targets to attack.

As a result, the Australian commanders in the Middle East had No. 75 Squadron reassigned to support the United States Marine Corps' I Marine Expeditionary Force.

At this time the squadron also began flying close air support sorties.

During the first two weeks of the war the squadron typically flew 12 sorties per day.

To avoid pilot fatigue, additional aircrew were posted to the Middle East from Australia.

The number of sorties dropped to between six and ten per day from 5 April onwards as the American forces closed on Baghdad and few targets remained in southern Iraq.

On 12 April, No. 75 Squadron supported elements of the Special Air Service Regiment and 4th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, which occupied Al Asad Airbase.

During the last weeks of the war the squadron continued to fly sorties across western, central and southern Iraq to support British and American forces.

In several of the squadron's operations in the final week of the war, the Hornets made low altitude and high speed passes over Iraqi positions to encourage their defenders to surrender. No. 75 Squadron conducted its final combat sorties on 27 April.

During the war the squadron flew 350 combat missions (including 670 individual sorties) and dropped 122 laser-guided bombs. No. 75 Squadron did not suffer any casualties, and all 14 Hornets returned to Tindal on 14 May 2003.

RAAF Hornets have also provided air defence for several high-profile events in Australia since the September 11 attacks.

In 2002, Hornets patrolled over the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) at Coolum Beach, Queensland; this was the first time RAAF aircraft had flown air defence sorties over Australia since World War II.

On 22 and 23 October that year a detachment of Hornets patrolled over Canberra during US President George W. Bush's visit to the city.

A detachment of aircraft from No. 77 Squadron was deployed to RAAF Base East Sale in March 2006 to protect the Commonwealth Games, which were being held in Melbourne.

In September 2007, Hornets patrolled over Sydney during the APEC leaders meeting there.

Eight Hornets were also deployed from Williamstown to RAAF Base Pearce in October 2011 to protect the CHOGM meeting in nearby Perth.

On 16 and 17 November that year, Hornets operated over Canberra and Darwin while President Barack Obama was present.