14 of RAAF’s retired classic Hornets are suitable to be donated to Ukraine

Australia, in collaboration with the United States, is currently engaged in discussions regarding the potential donation of 41 Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) F/A-18 Hornets to Ukraine, diverting them from their originally planned fate of being scrapped. The move comes in response to Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky’s request for fighter jets to strengthen the country’s defense capabilities. Recent reports from the Australia Financial Review shed light on the ongoing negotiations surrounding this significant military endeavor.

U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Brett Clashman / Public domain

The retired F/A-18 Hornets, currently stored at the Williamtown RAAF base near Newcastle, face the options of either being scrapped or sold to RAVN Aerospace, a U.S. private sector aviation company, for training purposes, if the negotiations with Ukraine do not succeed. However, RAVN has recently identified 14 of the F/A-18 jets that are in the best condition and could potentially be sold to the Ukrainians as part of a “revitalization and training” program.

According to RAVN’s condition report, viewed by the Financial Review, these 14 aircraft fall well short of the 6,000-hour limit of Estimated Life Expectancy for each airframe. The report reveals that these particular aircraft have the most recent flights and collectively offer over 3,000 flight hours, with three of them being two-seaters. RAVN also believes that through regular inspections, the planes could continue to fly even longer, extending their total flight hours significantly.

“As these aircraft approach their Estimated Life Expectancy, a periodic inspection will be conducted, resulting in an additional 8,400 flight hours across all 14 aircraft,” states the report. By combining the current available flight hours with the hours available after the first periodic inspection, these 14 F/A-18s would have approximately 12,000 flight hours at their disposal. Moreover, continued inspection and analysis could potentially extend the life of an individual aircraft to 10,000 flight hours.

The F/A-18 Hornets were initially procured by the RAAF in 1981 as replacements for the aging Mirage III fighters, which had served since 1963. While the initial two aircraft were manufactured in the United States, the remaining Hornets were assembled in Australia at Government Aircraft Factories between 1984 and 1990. However, the fleet size was reduced due to unfortunate flying accidents in the late 1980s and early 1990s, resulting in the loss of four Hornets.

Negotiations for the donation of the F/A-18 Hornets to Ukraine are still ongoing, and a finalized deal has not yet been reached, according to Robert Potter, an Australian security expert advising the Ukrainian government. When approached for comment, Defence Minister Richard Marles refrained from providing specific details but reaffirmed Australia’s commitment to supporting Ukraine and contributing to the war effort.

The potential transfer of 41 F/A-18 Hornets from Australia to Ukraine represents a significant development in bolstering Ukraine’s defense capabilities. With RAVN’s identification of 14 aircraft in excellent condition and the possibility of extending their flight hours through regular inspections, the Ukrainians may soon acquire a formidable fleet of fighter jets. The negotiations between the involved parties continue, underscoring the strategic importance of this collaboration and the potential positive impact on Ukraine’s security landscape.

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