Photo: Defence Connect

The Australian Department of Defence has confirmed the sale is still valid for 46 former Royal Australian Air Force Hornets to the former Air USA, now RAVN Aerospace company.

The Australian government had initially announced intentions to sell up to 46 McDonnell Douglas F/A-18A/B Hornets to the now rebranded American defence contractor in March 2020.

The initial delivery of aircraft was slated over three or four years from that date.

“Department of Defence is in contract with Air USA for the sale of up to 46 former Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) McDonnell Douglas F/A-18A/B Hornets,” a defence spokesperson said.

“The contract between the Department of Defence and Air USA was initially executed in February 2020 and is still valid.”

The Australian Defence Force withdrew the legacy Hornets and their support equipment from January 2019 to December 2021. They were then replaced with Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter aircraft.

One retired Hornet has been allocated as a training aid to the Defence Explosive Ordnance Training School in NSW, eight are allocated for heritage purposes, and six aircraft will continue to be owned by the RAAF heritage and history units.
Twenty Hornets were previously sold to the Royal Canada Air Force and arrived there in February 2019.
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