Mirage to Hornet

A lightweight to light-heavyweight fighter transition

Following-on from the Sabre to Mirage transition (AA, March 2017), after two decades of service, the RAAF replaced the Mirage IIIO with the F/A-18A Hornet. Unlike the preceding transition, the Hornet did not involve the vast broadening of capability conferred by changing from a day-fighter to an all-weather tactical fighter. The Hornet did, however, introduce a far deeper tactical fighter capability than was ever possible with the Mirage.

Much of the capability gain came not just from generational and technological developments, but from the size of the Hornet, which conferred immediate improvements in payload and sensors, especially radar aperture and power.