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The aircraft the US Navy chooses to deploy for a given mission are influenced by factors like having the right tool for the right job and availability. There are times when the Navy prefers to use its Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornets over its Lockheed Martin F-35C Lightning II fighter jets. There is not one reason for this, with deciding factors often coming down to availability, mission type, coordination with other service branches, or even just using them in tandem with each other.
The F/A-18 Super Hornet is part of the larger legacy Hornet family and is one of the most successful 4th-generation fighter jets. It is “the” fighter jet of the US Navy’s aircraft carriers and is an extremely versatile design that’s “good enough” in a large number of missions. Critically, the jet is comparatively affordable to procure and maintain and is a mature platform.
F-35Cs Partially Replacing Super Hornets
The F-35C is only intended to be a partial replacement for the Super Hornet, meaning that the two aircraft are intended to operate complementary roles. In the longer term, the Navy plans to start acquiring the 6th-generation F/A-XX in 2035. These are intended to replace the Super Hornet and complement the F-35Cs, although it will take a long time to fully phase the Super Hornet out.
The Navy is still acquiring Super Hornets, with the final examples expected to be delivered in 2027, after which the production line is to be shut down. As of May 2026, the Super Hornet remains the backbone of the Navy’s carrier-based fighter jet fleet. It has around 550 or so F/A-18 Super Hornets in service, complemented by around 150 EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft based on the Super Hornet. The F-35C fleet is in the ballpark of 100.
The F-35 is not so much designed to be a replacement for 4th-generation fighter jets as it is intended to be a partial replacement and an enabler for remaining fleets. The USAF pairs the F-35 with F-15E/EXs and F-16s, the RAF pairs them with Eurofighter Typhoons, as do other air forces in Europe and Asia. To maintain their stealth profile, the F-35 is limited to carrying munitions internally. It makes up for this by leveraging 4th-gen fighters by providing a “god’s eye view” of the battlespace, EW, and other capabilities.
Not All Carriers Are F-35C Certified
2025 and 2026 saw the record-breaking combat deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) aircraft carrier. She is the lead ship of the Ford class and is the newest carrier in US Navy service, having undertaken her first deployment in 2023. However, she was laid down in 2009 before the requirements for the F-35C were finalized.
Consequently, she was delivered to the Navy without the upgrades needed to operate the F-35C, including having a deck able to tolerate the F-35C’s hot exhaust. The next carrier, the USS John F. Kennedy (CVN-79), is scheduled to be delivered in 2027 and will come certified to operate F-35s. The Navy remains in the process of retrofitting its existing carriers to operate F-35s, except the USS Nimitz, as she is in the process of decommissioning.
Carriers now certified to operate the F-35 include the USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70), USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72), USS George Washington (CVN-73), USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71), and USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77). This means that most, but not all, of the Navy’s carriers are certified to operate F-35Cs. A parallel retrofit program is being carried out to certify the Navy’s amphibious assault ships to carry the Marine Corps’ F-35Bs.
Will Lockheed Martin Catch Up F-35 Delays In Time For The 2030 US Marine Hornet Replacement?
It seems that the Marines will be able to more or less transition to the F-35B and F-35C by 2030.
Another factor is that the US Navy is not the only operator of the F-35C. The US Marines currently operate over 250 F-35s, made up of around 200 STOVL F-35Bs and over 50 F-35Cs. The Marine Corps F-35Bs primarily operate from the Navy’s amphibious assault ships, while the F-35Cs are typically operated on the Navy’s aircraft carriers. This increases the number of F-35Cs currently deployable on US carriers by around 50%.
In 2024, the F-35C was reported to have carried out the first operational strikes, making it the final F-35 variant to see combat. These initial strikes were carried out by the Marine Corps from US Navy carriers. The Marines’ current program of record, as listed by F-35.com, calls for a total of 420 F-35s composed of 353 F-35Bs and 67 F-35Cs. However, this is now out of date.
The Marines are now planning to double the number of F-35Cs to 140 examples and trim the F-35B buy to 280, while leaving the total at 420. The Marines are set to phase out the last of their AV-8B Harrier IIs in 2026 and then phase out the legacy Hornets as F-35s are delivered and ships recertified. This will eventually give the Marines an all-F-35 fighter fleet. The Navy plans to purchase 273 F-35Cs, take delivery of the final Super Hornets, and then sustain the Super Hornets in the 2050s as the F/A-XX replaces them.
There are various other reasons why the US Navy may choose to operate Super Hornets in certain contexts besides the fact that F-35Cs may not be available. One factor is that the Super Hornet can carry heavy external loads (up to 17,700 lb (8,028 kg) across 11 hardpoints), while the F-35C is restricted to internal carriage [~5,700 lb (2,585 kg) in stealth configuration]. That said, the F-35C is able to carry more in its non-stealthy “beast mode” [~18,000 lb (8,164 kg)].
As a fully mature aircraft, the Super Hornet supports a high tempo of operations. It is also considered more rugged, less delicate, and requires less maintenance between sorties. Economics is another factor, as the Super Hornets are cheaper to acquire and operate. Even though they are less capable than the F-35C, they are sufficient for many missions, with the F-35C seeming overkill. In one niche mission, the Super Hornet disabled an Iranian tanker ship with machine gun fire in 2026. The F-35C’s stealth is redundant for such a mission; besides, the F-35C’s autocannon has to be mounted as an external pod.
|
US Navy tactical jets (per US Navy, etc.) |
Quantity (approx.) |
US Marine Corps tactical jets |
Quantity (approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|
|
F-35C Lightning II |
100 |
F-35B/C Lightning II |
250 |
|
F/A-18 Super Hornet |
550 |
F/A-18 Hornet (legacy) |
190 (phasing down) |
|
EA-18G Growler |
150+ |
AV-8B Harrier II |
80+ (retiring) |
As stated, for many missions, the dynamic is not the Super Hornet or F-35C, but Super Hornet and F-35C. The F-35C is a stealth penetrator able to “kick in the door” by suppressing and destroying enemy air defenses and clearing a pathway for the Super Hornet to exploit. It also provides the Super Hornet with a “god’s eye view” thanks to its superior sensor fusion, stealth, and data sharing.
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Missions The F-35C Excels In
There are many missions where the US Navy will prioritize the F-35C over the Super Hornet. One of the most notable is penetrating contested airspace. The F-35C is expected to be the first fighter jet to clear the way for 4th-generation fighter jets, as was seen during the 2026 air campaign over Iran.
The F-35C has a longer unrefueled combat radius [approximately 600–670+ nautical miles (1,111–1,240+ km)] than the Super Hornet [390–500 (722-926 km) nautical miles depending on load out]. This is important as the Navy may prioritize the safety of its carriers and move them further out to sea. This opens up a larger combat radius that the Super Hornet can start to struggle with. Range is one of the primary reasons why the Navy wants to replace the Super Hornet with the F/A-XX, which is reported to have a combat radius of 800+ nautical miles (1,481+ km).
The Super Hornet may now struggle in air-to-air combat against opponents like China’s stealthy J-20 and possibly the new J-35. Reflecting China’s increasing capabilities, the Navy may prioritize the deployment of F-35Cs to its East Asia bases in Japan as a deterrent. Should a conflict break out, it would almost certainly deploy as many F-35Cs to the theater as possible.
Super Hornet’s Recent Usage
The F-35C excels in stealthy penetration, sensor fusion, ISR, and first-day strikes in contested airspace. The Super Hornet is an excellent platform for missions where stealth isn’t critical. There are some missions, like patrols, where part of the purpose is to be seen. For example, in December 2025, the US Navy flew two Super Hornets with their transponders deep into the Gulf of Venezuela. The Super Hornets remained in international airspace, and it is possible they were being shadowed by stealthy F-35s providing cover should a threat materialize.
The patrol was part of the run-up to the operation to capture Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro. The Super Hornet is noted as a versatile “ammunition truck” or bomb truck, even if it is not able to carry as heavy loads as the Air Force’s F-15E/EX. It is a valuable asset for follow-on strikes after stealth is no longer critical.
During the 2026 air campaign over Iran, the US’s initial strikes were spearheaded by its stealth F-35 family and B-2 Spirit bombers. As Iranian air defenses were degraded, more of the campaign emphasis pivoted to non-stealthy platforms like F-15Es, F/A-18 Super Hornets, B-1 Lancers, B-52 Superfortresses, and even A-10 Warthogs to some degree. Among the Super Hornet’s missions were anti-naval operations against the Iranian Navy.
