Northrop Grumman delivers final F/A-18E/F Super Hornet production parts for the US Navy.

Northrop Grumman has completed the final center fuselage, aft fuselage, and vertical tail shipsets for the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, formally ending new structural production for the U.S. Navy's main fighter jet.

On January 27, 2026, during its fourth-quarter 2025 earnings call, Northrop Grumman confirmed the completion of its final production lot of structural components for newly built F/A-18E/F Super Hornet airframes. The delivery closes Northrop Grumman’s manufacturing role in the program, with Boeing scheduled to complete final assembly and deliver the last newly built aircraft by 2027, after which the U.S. Navy will rely on sustainment and Block III modernization to maintain hundreds of aircraft already in service.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link

The F/A-18E/F is approximately 20 percent larger than the F/A-18 Hornet, with a fuselage stretched by 34 inches (86 cm) compared to the F/A-18C/D, and its wing area was increased by about 25 percent to accommodate more fuel and heavier payloads. (Picture source: U.S. Navy)

Northrop Grumman's Chief Financial Officer (CFO), John Greene, confirmed that the company had completed its final production lot of F/A-18E/F Super Hornet structural components, which consist of center and aft fuselage sections and vertical tails. This last delivery places the Super Hornet program in its final industrial phase, with Boeing planning to complete assembly and hand over the last newly built F/A-18E/F Super Hornet multirole fighter jet by 2027. The production of the EA-18G Growler, derived from the same airframe, had already concluded earlier after fulfilling U.S. Navy and Royal Australian Air Force requirements. Despite the end of manufacturing, the Super Hornet is expected to remain widely deployed within the U.S. Navy's carrier air wings, as the manufacturer shifts from production toward sustainment and modernization.

This industrial step confirms that one of the U.S. Navy’s principal carrier-based fighters is moving out of production after nearly three decades. Northrop Grumman’s role as a subcontractor covered the manufacture of the center fuselage, aft fuselage, and vertical tails, while Boeing retained responsibility for final assembly and integration. The completion of the last structural sets effectively closes the supply chain for new aircraft. Hundreds of F/A-18E and F/A-18F fighters remain in service and continue to operate from aircraft carriers and land bases. Modernization work, including Block III upgrades, is planned to extend their service life well into the 2030s. This occurs while decisions on the future F/A-XX replacement aircraft remain unresolved.

The F/A-18E/F Super Hornet originated from U.S. Navy requirements in the early 1990s to replace several carrier-based aircraft types with a single multirole fighter. Although it retained the F/A-18 designation, the Super Hornet was developed as a substantially new aircraft derived from the earlier F/A-18C/D, with significant changes to size, structure, and systems. The E/F variant aimed to improve combat radius, payload, bring-back weight, and growth margin while limiting development risk and cost. The aircraft conducted its first flight on November 29, 1995, and entered fleet service in 1999. It progressively replaced aircraft such as the F-14 Tomcat and A-6 Intruder. By the mid-2000s, it had become the main strike fighter aboard U.S. aircraft carriers.

The production of the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet began with a low-rate initial production in March 1997 and moved to a full-rate production by September 1997. At its peak, the production line was anticipated to build up to about 40 aircraft per year, though actual annual deliveries varied widely over time due to changes in U.S. Navy orders and budget cycles. Recent delivery figures show that Boeing delivered roughly 14 Super Hornets in 2022, 22 in 2023, 11 in 2024, and nine by mid-2025, illustrating a declining build rate as the line winds down. The U.S. Navy’s final planned contract covers 17 new aircraft under production lots 46 and 47, with delivery scheduled to conclude by 2027. More than 600 Super Hornets were built for the United States and export customers, including Australia and Kuwait. Final deliveries are now scheduled to conclude by 2027.

The F/A-18E/F is approximately 20 percent larger than the F/A-18 Hornet, with a fuselage stretched by 34 inches (86 cm) compared to the F/A-18C/D, and its wing area was increased by about 25 percent to accommodate more fuel and heavier payloads. In terms of size, the Super Hornet reaches a length of about 18.31 m (60 ft 1 in), with a wingspan of about 13.62 m (44 ft 8 in) and a wing area of about 46.5 m² (500 sq ft). The aircraft thus carries 33 percent more fuel for its two General Electric F414 engines, each providing up to 22,000 pounds of thrust in afterburner, which directly contributes to greater range and endurance. Aerodynamic changes include enlarged leading-edge extensions, redesigned rectangular engine inlets, and outward-canted pylons. These features improve handling at high angles of attack and support heavier external loads, allowing the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet to recover aboard carriers with more than 9,000 lb (4,491 kg) of unused fuel and munitions.

Operationally, the Super Hornet has formed the backbone of U.S. Navy carrier air wings since the early 2000s. It has been employed in sustained combat operations over Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, and the Red Sea region, conducting air-to-air, strike, close air support, suppression of enemy air defenses, and aerial refueling missions. The aircraft can be configured with an external refueling store to support other carrier-based aircraft, partially replacing retired dedicated tanker types. The Royal Australian Air Force has operated the F-A-18F in combat missions in the Middle East, while Kuwait fields the aircraft for national air defense and strike roles. High sortie rates and extended deployments underline its continued operational relevance. Losses and attrition have also highlighted the importance of fleet sustainment.

The Super Hornet family includes the single-seat F-A-18E and the two-seat F-A-18F, which share the same airframe, engines, and mission systems. The additional crew member in the F variant supports mission management, training, and forward air control roles. The EA-18G Growler electronic attack variant is based on the F model and optimized for electronic warfare, with its production having ended earlier. The fleet has evolved through Block I, Block II, and Block III configurations, with Block III introducing a large-area cockpit display, improved networking, extended service life to 10,000 flight hours, and integration of infrared search and track capability. Block III upgrades are planned for a large portion of the existing fleet.

In terms of performance, the F/A-18E/F could maintain tight turns for dogfights, at about 18 degrees per second at sea level and about 11.6 degrees per second at 15,000 feet, corresponding to a full 360-degree turn in roughly 20 seconds. However, flight control systems on the Super Hornet are designed with G-load protections that generally limit pilot inputs to about 7.5 g in routine operations to protect both the airframe and the pilot's life. The F/A-18E/F is also equipped with a 20 mm M61A2 Vulcan gun and 11 external hardpoints that can carry up to 17,750 lb (8,050 kg) of ordnance, allowing combinations of air-to-air missiles, air-to-surface weapons, and precision guided bombs. With a maximum takeoff weight of about 66,000 lb (29,937 kg), the Super Hornet’s combat range can exceed 720 km (390 nautical miles) on strike missions at Mach 1.6 to Mach 1.8 speeds, depending on altitude and configuration, with a service ceiling above 50,000 feet (15,240 m).

Written by Jérôme Brahy

Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.