Production switched to the night attack capable F/A-18D with BuNo 163986. All HornetC/Ds from Lot 12 (but not Hornet-Ds from Lots 10 and 11) are night attack models. The F/A-18 two-seat version carry flight controls in the front cockpit only and are intended as a tandem night attack aircraft, rather than a tandem trainer (such as the Hornet-B). Two controllers are added to the sides of the aft occupant. These deal with radar, sensor and ECM systems, with switches at the center of both associated with the HARM.
%n%n
However, if desired, night attack F/A-18s may be fitted to standard configuration, with the (re)installation of the throttle and control column. During the Gulf War, only one aircraft was so configured, deployed with VMFA(AW)-121. In practice, the similar aft cockpit reconfiguration from trainer to a night attack is extremely impractical and has probably never been done. Originally, it was seen as an eight-hour job. It involves removing the throttles, "fixing" the rudder pedals (no movement), removing the stick and installing the two side-console hand-controllers.
