The Australian Government agreed to purchase 24 F/A-18F Super Hornets in May 2007. The aircraft were ordered as an interim measure to replace the ageing F-111 until the full introduction into service of the F-35 Lightning II. The first aircraft was completed in July 2009 at the Boeing factory in St Louis, Missouri and remained in the US for software development until it was delivered to 1 Squadron in December 2010. The first 5 Super Hornets were delivered to 1 Squadron in March 2010 with 6 more arriving in July 2010 and 4 in December 2010. The remaining 12 aircraft were fitted with wiring to enable them to be upgraded to EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft and were delivered to 6 Squadron between December 2010 and October 2011.

General characteristics

Crew:                                                       2
Length:                                                    60 ft 1¼ in (18.31 m)
Wingspan:                                               44 ft 8½ in (13.62 m)
Height:                                                     16 ft (4.88 m)
Wing area:                                               500 ft² (46.5 m²)
Empty weight:                                         32,081 lb (14,552 kg)
Loaded weight:                                        47,000 lb (21,320 kg) (in fighter configuration)
Max takeoff weight:                               66,000 lb (29,937 kg)
Powerplant:                                             2 × General Electric F414-GE-400 turbofans
Dry thrust:                                               13,000 lbf (62.3 kN) each
Thrust with afterburner:                         22,000 lbf (97.9 kN) each
Internal fuel capacity:                             13,550 lb (6,354 kg)
External fuel capacity:                             5 × 480 gal tanks, totaling 16,380 lb (7,381 kg)

Performance

Maximum speed:                                      Mach 1.8+ (1,190 mph, 1,900 km/h) at 40,000 ft (12,190 m)
Range:                                                       1,275 nm (2,346 km) clean plus two AIM-9s
Combat radius:                                         390 nm (722 km) for interdiction mission
Ferry range:                                              1,800 nm (3,330 km)
Service ceiling:                                          50,000+ ft (15,000+ m)
Rate of climb:                                            44,882 ft/min (228 m/s)
Wing loading:                                            94.0 lb/ft² (459 kg/m²)
Thrust/weight:                                           0.93
Design load factor:                                     7.6 g

Armament

Guns:                                                         1× 20 mm (0.787 in) M61 Vulcan nose mounted gatling gun, 578 rounds
Hardpoints:                                               11 total 17,750 lb (8,050 kg) external fuel and ordnance
Missiles:
Air-to-air missiles:
                                                                   4× AIM-9 Sidewinder or 4× AIM-120 AMRAAM, and
                                                                   2× AIM-7 Sparrow or additional 2× AIM-120 AMRAAM
Anti-ship missile:
                                                                   AGM-84 Harpoon
Bombs:
                                                                    JDAM Precision-guided munition
                                                                    Paveway series of Laser guided bombs
                                                                   Mk 80 series of unguided iron bombs