What goes on in an F/A 18-F Super Hornet

October 3, 2011 10:22 AM

Looking for info on the operation of an F/A 18-F (or similar tandem multirole fighter).

I'm writing a graphic novel, a brief section of which focuses on the crew of an F/A 18-F Super Hornet. Other than the name of the plane and its specs, I don't know much about how they're flown or what goes on in the cockpit. What do the two crewmembers do? Which one sits in front and which in back? What do they talk about? When flying airstrike missions (say, over Afghanistan), do they remain in contact with the carrier, or are they on their own? Basically I'm looking for any information about what actually goes on during a mission and how the crew actually operates while they're in the air. Any related fighter-pilot info. would be much appreciated as well!

posted by vraxoin to Grab Bag (6 answers total)

Best answer: I'm not a military pilot, just a student who's picked up some things researching military history. The pilot is in front. The copilot, in the back, is the Weapon Systems Officer (also serving as the Radar Intercept Officer in a conflict where the enemy has radar). Traditionally, the pilot just focuses on flying the plane, while the WSO helps shoot the missiles and drop the bombs, to put it very crudely. Nowadays, the roles can overlap as needed, but the pilot is still the one flying the plane in dangerous situations, and the WSO is still the one doing most of the targeting. The WSO is also the one who would be handling most of the communications between the fighter and other fighters or the carrier. The fighter and the carrier would normally be in constant contact not via radio, but by means of a communications system called Link 16.
posted by StrikeTheViol at 11:14 AM on October 3, 2011

I'd check out a flight sim ... here's one.

And if you don't want to find/purchase an old computer game, see if you can find its user manual...
posted by notyou at 11:15 AM on October 3, 2011

*ordinary radio
posted by StrikeTheViol at 11:17 AM on October 3, 2011

The guy in front is Maverick, the guy in back is Goose if that helps. That movie featured the F14 but it's the same idea, both are carrier-launchable aircraft.
posted by dabug at 11:22 AM on October 3, 2011

Best answer: Navy vet, but not in aviation.

Check out airwarriors.com. It's a forum for Naval Aviators that deals with everything from recruitment to flight school to operations.

The WSO's mentioned above are Naval Flight Officers. They are an an entirely different career path than pilots and spend there entire career backseating, without ever having direct flight control of the aircraft, but controlling most of actual fighting.

This thread talks about NFO school for the F-18/F and will give you an idea of what they are doing.

Flight of the Intruder, the book over the movie, will give you an idea of the relationship between the pilot and WSO. It is set in Vietnam in a different airframe with older technology, but the roles are the same.


When flying missions they are rarely completely on their own. Assuming regular Carrier Battle Group operations it could be the carrier, cruiser, destroyer, or an E-3 Hawkeye that is controlling the fighter. That control could just be voice instructions, but it could also be Link data. The controller directs and plots intercepts for the fighter, allowing the fighter to keep its radar turned off for most of the engagement.
I am not sure how strike operations over Afghanistan work exactly, but that control is probably ground or air based in country and not coming from the carrier except for landing and takeoff. Air Force controllers are embedded with ground troops and may control the direct attacks on target.
posted by Crashback at 11:35 AM on October 3, 2011

Tom Clancy's nonfiction book Carrier is a good source.
posted by leaper at 4:18 AM on October 4, 2011