The McDonnell Douglas CF-18 Hornet (official military designation CF-188) is a Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) variant of the American McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet fighter aircraft.

The CF-188 Hornet, commonly called the CF-18, is a multi-role fighter aircraft. It is used for air defence, air superiority, ground attack, tactical support, training, aerobatic demonstration, and aerospace testing and evaluation. The Hornet is a fast, light and manoeuvrable aircraft.

Canada’s fighter force and the supersonic CF-18 Hornet play a significant role in NORAD to help protect and safeguard North American skies against airborne threats. The CF-18 Hornet replaced the CF-104 Starfighters and the CF-101 Voodoos starting in 1982.

For the 2025 air show season, the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) will field a small number of non-aerobatic CF-18 Hornet tactical demonstrations operated and supported by highly skilled and trained CF-18 pilots and technicians from Squadrons in Cold Lake and Bagotville.

The Royal Canadian Air Force has announced that the CF-18 Hornet Demonstration Team will not return to airshows in 2025. This comes after a year of celebrating the RCAF's 100th anniversary at shows across Canada, the US, and in the UK.

Jan 10, 2023 · In April 1980, the Canadian government selected the F/A-18 over the F-16, contracting for 138 aircraft (113 single-seat, 25 two-seat trainers). The planes, designated the CF-18, cost Canadians approximately $2.8 billion. This was the largest fighter procurement in Canadian history at the time.

Sep 6, 2016 · This allows F/A-18C/D Hornets to receive live video footage from unmanned aerial vehicles (i.e. drones) in the battlespace while on-mission. Otherwise, the avionics and onboard sensor suite of the CF-188 are very similar to that of an F/A-18 Legacy Hornet.

Jul 9, 2024 · The first six CF-18 Hornet fighters upgraded via the Hornet Extension Project (HEP) have been delivered to the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), marking the programme’s initial operational capability (IOC) milestone.

Jul 6, 2020 · The CF-18 / CF-188 "Hornet" is the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) equivalent of the American McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 "Hornet" single-seat, carrier-based 4th Generation Fighter. Like others, Canada elected to adopted the naval-minded Hornet as a land-based fighter and took deliveries of 138 of the modern aircraft between 1982 and 1988.

Apr 3, 2025 · RCAF generates expeditionary combat-ready CF-18 team during WSEP 25.3. ... "In a real-world combat scenario, we'll be operating alongside each other," said the 83rd Fighter Weapons Squadron’s F-18 program manager. "WSEP provides vital experience, allowing us to work out any kinks in a training environment, not on the battlefield." ...