F/A-18 Hornet Mechanic

“You'll work on the F/A-18 Hornet — the Marine Corps' primary fighter-attack platform for decades and still flying in the Super Hornet configuration with the Navy. F/A-18 mechanics develop expertise on a tactical fighter that has been in continuous operational use since the 1980s, making the type experience valuable to a sustainment community that will be maintaining these aircraft for years to come.”

The F/A-18 is a proven combat aircraft with a maintenance demand that reflects its age and its operational history. You'll develop knowledge of the GE F404 and F414 engines' interface with the airframe, the fly-by-wire flight control systems, the hydraulic actuators, and all of the other systems that keep a supersonic jet functional. The fleet is transitioning as the Marine Corps moves to F-35, but F/A-18s are still flying and will continue to require maintenance. Boeing and their contractor network supporting F/A-18 lifecycle management specifically hire Marines with this type experience. Airlines hire structural mechanics from any jet maintenance background; the F/A-18 experience is a specific credential in the defense aviation space.