Before the F-18, no attack aircraft could match a true dog fighter in the air. The birth of F/A-18 Hornet was an innovative advancement, being able to fight both ground and air targets on the same mission, one Hornet even engaging a MiG-21 “Fishbed” aircraft without dumping its Air-to-Ground (AG) ordnance, and succeeding. Before that, no fighter aircraft possessed capabilities that enabled it to carry out the ground attack mission role without an additional pilot. Even multi-role aircraft, which could perform either duty, often couldn’t carry enough weapons to destroy both air and ground targets in one single combat mission.

The Hornet first combat mission was during the 1986 when United States bombed Libya, then part of  1991 Gulf War, Operation Desert Storm and 2003 Iraq War. This jet showing its capabilities during those wars, shot down enemy fighters and bomb various ground targets within the same mission. Its survive ability showed when some Hornets took direct hits from Surface-to-Air-Missiles (SAM), managed to return to base, repaired quickly and fly again the very next day.

In the Operation Desert Storm, F/A-18 Hornet had regular sorties, flying from carriers to rendezvous points with KC-135 and KC-10 tankers to refuel and then heading on to their targets almost everyday. Only one F-18 lost to Iraqi MIG-25 Foxbat, and it was the only American aircraft lost in Operation Desert Storm. But it was able to quite capably defended itself and had destroyed many targets.

The F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet is the variant, next generation of the Hornet with larger and more powerful engines, square intakes, new and more weapons choices to carry for combat missions and a 25% increase in size over the original design. 

There is also E/A-18 Growler variant which is designated for electronic war and ground attack. Having the capability to penetrate enemy radar/electronic defense and destroy their main radars to put enemy lose their air defensive ability. Plus counter measure and jamming various signals to cripple any kind of electronic communication. Growler gradually replacing Grumman E/A-6 Prowlers.

In the pop culture world this jet also appears in some Hollywood box office movies. In Independence Day (1996) we can watch Will Smith fly F-18 against fierce aliens. Godzilla (1998) is another movie example of this jet fighting against the king of monster, Godzilla. Behind Enemy Lines (2001) starring Gene Hackman and Owen Wilson also featuring this plane at the beginning of the film. And the most recent is Top Gun : Maverick (Top Gun 2) (2020) where Tom Cruise flying this plane and its variant, Super Hornet.