The F/A-18 Super Hornet is a twin-engine, supersonic, all weather multirole fighter jet that is capable of landing and taking off from an aircraft carrier. Every Super Hornet has been delivered on cost and on schedule. Boeing offers a suite of upgrades to the F/A-18 Super Hornet, including conformal fuel tanks, an enclosed weapons pod, an enhanced engine and a reduced radar signature. These capabilities, along with other advanced technologies, offer U.S. and international customers a menu of next-generation capabilities to outpace future threats affordably. Super Hornet Quick Facts Every Super Hornet has been delivered on cost and on schedule. The Super Hornet is the most cost-effective aircraft in the U.S. tactical aviation fleet, costing less per flight hour than any other tactical aircraft in U.S. forces inventory. The Commonwealth of Australia operates 24 Super Hornets. Boeing completed delivery, ahead of schedule, in Oct. 2011. In August 2013, Boeing and Northrop Grumman conducted flight tests with a prototype of an Advanced Super Hornet with conformal fuel tanks, an enclosed weapons pod and signature enhancements. The successful flights proved the Super Hornet can outpace threats in a 2030+ threat environment. The first successful flight of the Infrared Search and Track sensor system was in Feb. 2014, and the U.S. Navy approved IRST for low-rate initial production in Jan. 2015. Super Hornet Technical Specifications Empty Weight F/A-18E: 32,100 lb (14,552 kg) Max Takeoff Weight 66,000 lb (29,937 kg) Thrust Each engine up to 17,000 lbs Carrier Bringback Payload F/A-18E: 9,900 lb (4,491 kg) F/A-18F: 9,000 lb (4,082 kg) Field Landing Weight Field Landing Weight Speed Mach 1.8