With the F-22 still unfit for combat, and the F-35 probably years away from service, the brunt of U.S. air power falls to the aging F/A-18.
Having undergone extensive modifications and upgrades since its official introduction in the early 1980s, the F/A-18 comes in several variations — each of them designed to maintain America's air superiority — over any battlefield.
From the decks of aircraft carriers, to air shows with the Blue Angels, here's a look at the country's premier military aircraft coveted by countries around the globe.
The government ordered the F/A-18 Hornet in 1973 to replace the hugely popular F-14 Tomcat of 'Top Gun' Fame
The Hornet is nothing more than a modified version of this prototype YF-17 Cobra
The F/A-18 has a stronger airframe, better fuel capacity, as well as folding wings and catapult attachments
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