More significant structural changes would prepare the Hornet for the stresses and strains of a carrier career. Both the airframe and the undercarriage were strengthened (and thus made heavier). Wing-folding and a tailhook were also incorporated. Fuel capacity was increased to closer approach the Navy-specified combat mission radius requiring fighter escorts to reach 400 nautical miles (the Hornet actually attained 380 nautical miles).
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Combined, these advanced aerodynamic and flight control features form the core one of the most popular and capable airframes in military aviation history, guaranteeing the F/A-18 a prominent place in the history books of modern aerial warfare. Today, the C/D models continue their successful production run in the U.S., their service in the U.S. Navy/Marine Corps and introduction into foreign air forces from the arctic to the tropics.
