F/A-18 Hornet (Legacy): History, Performance & Discussion

Cf18 is more likely for Britain to fill the naval gap

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So Germany’s not getting anything since F-16AJ was an exception that’ll later likely be delisted.

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Always get a swiss f/a18 if needed

Is not getting a top tier aircraft for several major patches really that bad? To the point where we are now adding in paper planes? Italy had to endure that.

I wasn’t asking for a Uk F14 as their is no need for it but UK will have a gap in its naval line and will lack a high performance AMRAAM platform unless they give a early EFT or likely a CF18 with AMRAAMS

And considering how they want to put off anything with the Eurofighter for as long as possible and the fact the CF-18(that would come) is effectively a visual change.

But that depends on whether Gaijin thinks the Gripen is enough to starve Britain for the next 6 months+.

I hope not as I want the CF-18 and there are only two trees it would be an obtainable vehicle.
The UK is possible right now.
Canadian/Commonwealth(sorta) but that’s unlikely for 3 years at least.

F/A-18A/B+ and F/A-18C/D carry up 10 AMRAAMs + 2 AIM-9, compared to 6+2, 4+4, or 8+0 of other early AMRAAM carriers.
I’d guess they’d come with like Typhoon Tranche 2 (with IRIS-T/ASRAAM) a couple updates after the Tranche 1s (without IRIS-T/ASRAAM, alongside F-15C, J-11A, Su-27SM, etc)

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Doesn’t the SAAF Gripen forfill that niche?

If they dont give it AMRAAMS IT wont
I doubt they would give it AMRAAMS as it fills a gap we have now so if it gets AMRAAMS it will cause a gap

I don’t think it will be removed
It will still be viable filler after the eventual introduction of F-2

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It is Block II, because there is no distinguishable cap on the radome.

And it further reduces top speed and acceleration on an already sluggish aircraft, which barely flies supersonic in sea level.

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On the topic of this: do you think if it were added, Gaijin could essentially allow you to have it as either an F/A-18D RC OR standard F/A-18D (via a researchable mod or something in the loadouts selector)?

Depends on how ATARS is implemented. If it is just decoration, removing a gun and installing ATARS is worth nothing, so more likely to be fixed as reconnaissance configuration.

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I think I got a bit confused, and thought ATARS was not just for recon, but also to help with ground attack

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ATARS is only for reconnaissance mission, since it does not involved in weapon delivery. That’s why I said it could be implemented as decoration.

But considering the LANA FLIR pod is already implemented as a targeting pod without laser designator (it is only for navigation IRL), same thing may happen to ATARS. It’s totally up to developers.

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Appreciate the answer!
Much as I hate to say it, I could see Gaijin adding the non-ATARS USMC-spec Hornet-D to cap off the strike line, sorta like what Gaijin did with the Barak II.
Then the Hornet A and C can be Navy line, maybe even with an early Hornet B as an event vehicle lol

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The more I think about it and after seeing how Mirage 2000CS-4 was introduced now, the more this is starting to make sense actually

18C in the Tomcat line, 18D after AV-8B Plus (Yes, I still think Harrier should be before it) and 18A or 18B as an event vehicle without access to AMRAAMs
Just my two cents on the matter.

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18A is likely to be TT as well, just as sort-of an introduction to the Legacy Hornet. I couldn’t see it going any higher than 12.3 tops, especially with just 4x Sparrows and 2x Sidewinders (or 6x Sidewinders and 2x Sparrows), as well as being limited to pre A+ equipment and weapons.

That way, the F/A-18C can come in later down the line with its full compliment of AMRAAMs (as well as more and better PGMs) at probably 12.7 minimum. F/A-18D will be in a similar boat to it there, just with possibly better Targeting systems and so-forth (I need to look further into it though).

The F/A-18B is kind of a freebie, in that I wouldn’t expect it any time within 2024, seeing as we probably wouldn’t even have the F/A-18C yet. Main reason I’d say it could come is because it was a fully combat capable trainer (albeit rarely ever used in combat), and Gaijin seems to like the idea of combat-capable trainers of certain aircraft being used for events.

Big thing is that you could also justify the evaluated F/A-18B for Germany then, as well.

More importantly, it’d get some really neat GE/Market skins (namely TOPGUN/Aggressor camos :>)

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I guess F/A-18B might be event vehicle, not surpriced gaijin add F/A-18A (1988) under F-14B but before Grumman F-14D & F/A-18C (1995)

I expect gaijin could add AV-8B Night Attack & AV-8B+ (2004). but F/A-18D place to strike aircraft line ?

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Yeeeeah… I’d rather have Swiss Hornet

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