In addition to delivery capability for virtually every air-to-ground weapon in the Navy/Marine arsenal, the primary air-to-air weapons are the AIM-7 Sparrow semi-active radar-homing (SARH) missile, AIM-9 Sidewinder infrared-homing missile and AIM-120 AMRAAM (Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile).
%n%n
4.4.1 AIM-9
%n%n
The AIM-9, like the 20-mm M61 cannon, was retained from the YF-17. The "fire and forget" AMRAAM, however, which may have teamed with the F/A-18 as early as December 1987, was not cleared for use with the Hornet until after Desert Storm (officially September 1991). In active Fleet service since their Hornet debut aboard the USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN (CV-72) in late 1993, it has almost entirely superseded the Sparrow as the F/A-18's primary BVR weapon. It combines the BVR performance of the AIM-7 in an airframe not much larger than the AIM-9. Hornet-A/Bs, however, are incapable of using the AIM-120.
