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The Marine
Corps F/A-18Ds have replaced 108 OA-4M, RF-4B, and
the A6-E aircraft. The F/A-18D functions not only
as a strike fighter, but also as a Forward Air
Controller (Airborne)/Tactical Air Controller
(Airborne) (FAC(A)/TAC(A)) and tactical
reconnaissance aircraft. In addition, the night
attack suite allows the F/A-18D to conduct
operations below weather at low altitude using
night vision goggles and Foward Looking Infrared
Radar (FLIR) systems. Using a variety of precision
guided weapons, the F/A-18D provides a precision
strike capability.
Operation
Desert Storm in 1991 was the operational proving
ground for the F/A-18D. Twelve F/A-18D aircraft
deployed to SWA to participate in combat
operations. Used solely in a Tactical Air
Coordinator (Airborne)/Forward Air Control
(Airborne) or "Fast FAC" role, the F/A-18D proved
to be a superior TAC(A)/FAC(A) platform. The
F/A-18D's flew into target areas, ahead of strike
aircraft, to locate and identify high value targets
for USMC, USAF, USN, and Kuwait Air Force TACAIR
missions. By providing target location and
identification, threat updates, and the overall
battlefield situation, the F/A-18D proved very
effective in controlling as many as 20 strike
fighters in a single 30-minute
period.
This page contains pictures of the F/A-18
Hornet only. One of the aircraft flown by
Squadron-235. Snapshots featuring people rather
than aircraft may be found on the Snapshots
Page.
Your contributions
would be greatly appreciated. You can
contribute photos for posting, and/or needed
comments that can be added to these pages. If you
have photos or images, you can send them via email
or (if you don't have a scanner) via snail-mail.
We'll do the scanning and send your pictures back
quickly. JPG format is preferred if you do your own
scanning. Save your jpg files at high compression
(low resolution) for ease of handling. "Low Res" is
just fine. Send us your photos and your E-Mail
comments. Please Email us for the snailmail
address.
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use this technique to download any of the graphics
on the site including the squadron patches. Use
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click
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