Super Hornets in historic flypast

A rare flypast of 24 Australian F/A-18F Super Hornets has marked the delivery of the final four aircraft from the United States.

Two squadrons of Super Hornets wowed southeast Queensland with a 20 aircraft flying formation before landing back at RAAF Base Amberley.

The flypast marked the arrival of the final four of 24 Super Hornets delivered to Australia. The flypast was followed by a spectacular precision flying display above Amberley by a single Super Hornet from 1 Squadron piloted by Flight Lieutenant Ben ‘BJ’ Johnson and Weapons System Officer Squardron Leader Cameron ‘Biggles’ Cornell.

Commanding Officer 1 Squadron, Wing Commander Murray Jones flew one of the Super Hornets in from Townsville after the long haul from the US.

“We met the guys up in the northern airspace after they flew past the Gold Coast and then down the Sunshine Coast and came on in,” he said.

Minister for Defence Materiel Jason Clare, said, “The Super Hornets give us the firepower that we need to protect Australian skies until the arrival of the Joint Strike Fighter towards the end of this decade.”

“Today we know that until that day comes we are in good hands.”

Chief of Air Force Air Marshal Geoff Brown, had the opportunity to fly the new aircraft. He paid tribute the capability and thanked the many groups involved in the project.

Member for Blair Shayne Neumann said, “RAAF Amberley is a very important part of our community and we’re very proud to be the home of the Super Hornet.”

The four new fighter jets now join 20 others, at Amberley delivered over the past two years under budget and ahead of schedule and replaced the F-111s that were retired last year.