Why the F/A-18 Super Hornet program must continue
By: Bill Mulholland  
Maintaining the capability of deployed forces is key to the joint force commanders as they support U.S. foreign policy. When the Navy deploys a carrier battle group, the joint commander expects the air wing to have its maximum capability. In the battle group, the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet is now the key strike element and also a critical part of any air defense operation. As the Navy F-35C enters the fleet, the F/A-18 will continue to be the majority aircraft in the air wing now and into the planned future.
Without new Super Hornets in the upcoming budget, the fleet may lose as many as three full squadrons it originally planned for, equipped with the most capable Block III F/A-18 now in production. That decision to curtail the Super Hornet program for the Navy will exacerbate the shortfall in its strike fighter inventory, limiting the Navy’s ability to project power across the world.
https://www.defensenews.com/opinion/commentary/2021/01/29/why-the-fa-18-super-hornet-program-must-continue/
