National Security Journal on MSN

The YF-17 Cobra Lost to the F-16 Fighter (But Became the F/A-18 Hornet)

Northrop’s YF-17 “Cobra” lost the U.S. Air Force’s 1970s Lightweight Fighter competition to the YF-16, but it went on to shape American and allied air power for decades. -Designed as a maneuverable, ...
Morning Overview on MSN

YF-17 lost to F-16 but evolved into the F/A-18

The Northrop YF-17 is remembered as the fighter that lost the U.S. Air Force’s Lightweight Fighter competition to the YF-16, yet its design did not die with that decision. Instead, the compact ...
autoevolution

Teenage Dirtbags: Why There'll Never Be Another Group Like the Teen Series Jet Fighters

Even beyond the numerous portrayals in film and television, it's hard to imagine the circumstances that brought about the ...
The National Interest

The F/A-18 Hornet: Inside the Navy Plane that Almost Never Flew

The Air Force passed on the YF-17 prototype, preferring the more agile F-16. But Navy planners liked it—ultimately transforming it into the venerable F/A-18. The upcoming F/A-XX contract award will ...
The National Interest

The Navy’s F/A-18 Hornet Is Still Deadly After Nearly 50 Years

The F/A-18 was an advanced machine for the 1980s; the jet is still quite capable today. The enduring and admirable F/A-18 Hornet has been a staple of U.S. naval aviation since the 1980s. But the ...
SlashGear

Here's How Much An F-18 Super Hornet Jet Actually Costs To Build

In March 2024, the Navy secured a deal that would acquire 17 Block III F/A-18 Super Hornets from Boeing for a grand total $1.1 billion. This purchase will give the Navy 12 F/A-18F and five F/A-18E on ...
Defense One

Marines still targeting 2030 for Hornet replacement, despite F-35 delays

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, California—While Marines wait for new F-35s, officials say recent delivery delays haven't altered their goal to fully switch to the fifth-generation stealth fighter ...