Boeing has announced plans to end production of its iconic F-18 fighter jets following the aircraft’s storied four decades in the skies.
The aerospace giant said Thursday it will end its signature military jet after its current contract with the US Navy ends at the end of 2025.
A classic military fighter jet, the F/A-18 Super Hornet served in the US Gulf Wars in 1991 and 2003, before most recently starring in Tom Cruise’s 2022 blockbuster Top Gun: Maverick.
Production of the jet first began in November 1983, generating more than 2,000 deliveries over 40 years. And while its iconic model is now winding down, the company insists it’s not the end of the road.
“We’re planning our future, and building fighter jets is in our DNA,” said Steve Norlund, a senior site executive for Boeing St. Louis.
Boeing has announced that it plans to end production of its iconic F/A-18 fighter jets.
The military plane stole the show during Tom Cruise’s 2022 blockbuster Top Gun: Maverick
Originally launched in the 1970s, Boeing made the F-18 a central cog in its military machine after it merged with McDonnall Douglas in 1997.
Following initial development by McDonall Douglass, the jet gained a fearsome reputation. It was the first fighter jet to have carbon fiber wings and was able to easily take off and land from the decks of the US Navy’s titanic aircraft carriers.
It was inducted into active duty in 1983, before being sent to the front lines three years later on the USS Coral Sea.
After the US entered the 1991 Persian Gulf War, the US military relied on fighters to play a key role in the conflict, before using them again in Afghanistan a decade later.
Most recently, the aircraft wowed audiences around the world when it flew in Tom Cruise’s hit sequel Top Gun: Maverick.
The film, which became one of the most successful movies of all time when it surpassed the $1 billion mark last summer, prominently featured the eye-opening firepower of the planes throughout its runtime. of 2 hours.
F-18 fighter jets were heavily used during the two Gulf Wars in 1991 and 2003.
As the first fighter jet to have carbon fiber wings, the F-18 became one of the most capable combat aircraft when it was introduced to battlefields more than three decades ago.
However, his time in the force was threatened when rival Lockheed Martin launched its sleek F-35 fighters in 2008, causing Boeing to see demand for the plane dwindle in recent years.
For two years in a row, the US Navy reportedly omitted the F-18 from its budget, but Congress insisted that the fighter jet kept its place in the military’s arsenal.
Lawmakers placed another order for a dozen Super Hornets in 2022, prompting Boeing to maintain its current order stream until 2025, when it will cease production.
It comes after the militaries of other nations, including Germany and Canada, also began opting for Lockheed Martin’s rival jet over the F-18 following its 2008 development, aerospace consultant Richard Aboulafia said. Fortune.
The decision to end production of the fighter jet comes as Boeing insists it is focusing on its next generation of aircraft, opening up its supply chains for more military programs.
Boeing reportedly plans to expand its St Louis, Missouri, hub in the coming years, where it plans to establish three new facilities for new advanced aircraft projects.
Military aircraft to be expanded include the T-7A Red Hawk training craft and MQ-25 Stingray refueling drones.
Around 1,500 engineers and staff currently working on the plane will be relocated, and the company said they planned to transition to a new “future” with their decision.
“These are highly skilled workers,” Boeing spokeswoman Deborah VanNierop said. ‘Their skills transfer easily to our other programs.’
The F-18’s death comes after another classic Boeing aircraft, the 747 jumbo jet, was officially retired earlier this month.
Boeing said that while its latest production line of the fighter jet will end as soon as its delivery to the US Navy is complete by the end of 2025, it could be extended if the Indian Navy decides to order more aircraft.
