Total housed internal fuel is 1,487 gallons. This translates to 10,110 lbs (4,591 l) of standard USN fuel JP5 or 9,670 lbs (4,395 l) of standard USAF fuel JP4 (the difference is fuel density). The bulk of the aircraft's internal fuel is housed in its main fuel tanks (containing 426, 249, 200 and 530 gallons) in the swollen dorsal spine. These tanks are installed in a row (Tank 2 forward, Tank 3 aft) beginning just behind the cockpit and ending just forward of the engines (no fuel is stored between the engines). Tanks 2 and 3 feed the left and right engines respectively. The 96-gallon wing tanks, 1 and 4, are transfer tanks.
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The Hornets range limitations mean it almost never is flown without *at least* one external tank, diminishing the number of the aircraft's pylons devoted to bombloads. External tanks may be made of fiberglass or metal. Those of metal construction, however, are restricted on carriers and limited to land-based flights. All tanks and fuel lines are self-sealing, with reticular foam in the main tanks (to supress possible fire and/or explosion). The soft inner surface closes after projectile penetration, but is less effective against punctures any larger than relatively small-caliber rounds or shrapnel (like most SAM-induced damage).
