The F/A-18 Hornet strike fighter, flown by the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps and seven other nations, was the first tactical aircraft designed to perform both air-to-air and air-to-ground missions. The F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, the nation’s newest fighter and attack aircraft, offers longer range, more payload-carrying ability and more powerful engines, as well as many systems upgrades. The Super Hornet is in low-rate initial production, with delivery of the first production aircraft in December 1998.

Boeing was awarded one of two $660 million contracts in 1996 from the Department of Defense to build and flight test two concept demonstrator variants of the Joint Strike Fighter. As currently structured, selection of a single contractor to build as many as 3,000 of the multi-service fighters will take place early in the next century.

Boeing and Lockheed Martin are developing the U.S. Air Force’s next-generation air dominance fighter. The F-22 program is in the engineering and manufacturing development phase, calling for the production of nine flight-test and two ground-test aircraft. First f light took place on September 7, 1997, and flight testing is under way.

The backbone of the U.S. Air Force fleet, the F-15E Eagle is the world’s premier fighter-bomber. The versatile dual-role aircraft carries a variety of air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons. It can operate round the clock and in any weather. Since entering operational service in 1974, the F-15 has attained a perfect air combat record of 96.5 victories and zero losses. Three other nations fly F-15s.

The newest upgraded variant of the AV-8 Harrier family, the Harrier II Plus, adds the APG-65 radar system to the aircraft’s proven vertical and short fixed-wing takeoff and landing capabilities. A Boeing, British Aerospace, and Rolls-Royce team produces the AV-8B, and the Harrier II Plus was developed through a three-nation agreement among the United States, Spain and Italy.

The T-45 Goshawk aircraft is the key component of the T-45 Training System, the first totally integrated training system developed for and used by the U.S. Navy. The system also includes advanced f light simulators, a computer-assisted instructional program, a computerized training integration system and a contractor logistics support package.

The C-17 Globemaster III is the most advanced, versatile airlifter ever made, capable of flying long distances, carrying more than 170,000 pounds of payload and landing on short, austere runways close to front lines. Since entering service in 1995, the C-17 has become the U.S. Air Force’s premier airlifter, supporting U.S. contingency, peacekeeping and humanitarian relief efforts around the world.

In partnership with Bell Helicopter Textron, Boeing is developing the V-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft. Low-rate initial production and flight testing have begun. Initial deliveries of 360 aircraft to the U.S. Marine Corps begin in 1999. U.S. Special Operations Command has 50 CV-22s on order.

The CH-47D Chinook is a twin-turbine, tandem-rotor, heavy-lift transport helicopter. Its high speed and large payload give the CH-47D the lowest transport cost per mile of any U.S. Army helicopter. A CH-47SD variant is in production. Military customers in 15 nations fly the CH-47 Chinook.