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Rhino II – The U.S. Navy’s F/A-18E/F Super Hornet

A U.S. Navy Naval Aviation Warfare Development Command Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet and a camouflaged F/A-18C Legacy Hornet maneuver while dispensing flares over the Nevada desert. Although the Super Hornet is 20-25% larger than the legacy, the easiest way to externally tell them apart is by the square intakes on the Super versus the radius-shaped intakes on the Legacy. Other clues include the Rhino’s larger leading edge extension and the leading edge of the wing. Unlike the Legacy, the Rhino has a step where the wing folds.

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In the past, when someone within the aviation world heard the nickname “Rhino,” it meant you were discussing the robust, stalwart, and tenacious F-4 Phantom II. With the demise of the tired and old-technology, third-generation Phantoms that sunsetted years ago, the Mach 1.6-capable 7.5-G-rated F/A-18E/F Super Hornet has since adopted the unofficial “Rhino” nickname. The older F/A-18A-D Hornets (which first flew in 1978) are now called “Legacy Hornets.” They have older technology, less range, and...

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