Navy honors F/A-18 for 35 years of distinction
Published: Tue December 10th, 2013 via: US Navy.
NAVAL AIR STATION PATUXENT RIVER, Md. — The F/A-18 Hornet community celebrated the 35th anniversary of the aircraft’s first flight during a ceremony today in the Rear Adm. William A. Moffett building atrium at NAS Pax River.
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Sponsored by the F/A-18 and EA-18G Program Office (PMA-265), the celebration highlighted the accomplishments and continued impact of the U.S. Navy’s longest running tactical aircraft program.
“The F/A-18 and EA-18G program continues to thrive; it is by far the predominant tactical force for naval aviation,” said Capt. Frank Morley, PMA-265 program manager, “and it will continue to be for many years to come.”
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Originally designed to replace the F-4 Phantom and the A-7 Corsair II, the F/A-18 Hornet took its first flight Nov. 18, 1978. Today, the F/A-18 platform, including the Hornet, Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler, operate in 44 Navy and 11 Marine Corps Strike Fighter and Electronic Attack Squadrons worldwide.
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Since its maiden voyage 35 years ago, the F/A-18 family of aircraft has flown 8,692,167 flight hours averaging nearly 250,000 flights hours per year since the historic journey.
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“The success of this program rests on the shoulders of many that have come before us, and many that have spent a lifetime supporting this program,” Morley said during the ceremony.
The ceremony’s keynote speaker, retired Vice Adm. Jeffrey A. Wieringa, shared a number of “sea” stories based on his experience as a past program manager (April 2000 to May 2003).
“I became a naval aviator in 1977 – just one year before the Hornet entered into service,” said Wieringa. “So, you could say that both the F/A-18 and I earned our wings right about the same time.”
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Rear Adm. Donald (B.D.) Gaddis, Program Executive Officer for Tactical Aircraft Programs (PEO(T)), also shared thoughts about his time as PMA-265’s program manager and what he believes has made the F/A-18 and EA-18G program so successful.
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“We have always had very, very good leadership inside the Hornet industry team, PMA-265 and in the competencies,” said Gaddis. “That successful culture is going to keep us flying as a team until probably 2030 or 2035.”
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The ceremony was followed by a luncheon and tours of Hangar 201, home of Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 23. Four static aircraft displays were on exhibition, each representing an iteration of the F/A-18. Boeing also provided guests the opportunity to “fly” the F/A-18 Super Hornet via its mobile simulator.