The F/A-18 "Hornet" is a single- and two-seat, twin engine, multi-mission fighter/attack aircraft that can operate from either aircraft carriers or land bases. The F/A-18 fills a variety of roles: air superiority, fighter escort, suppression of enemy air defenses, reconnaissance, forward air control, close and deep air support, and day and night strike missions. The F/A-18 Hornet replaced the F-4 Phantom II fighter and A-7 Corsair II light attack jet, and also replaced the A-6 Intruder as these aircraft were retired during the 1990s.

The multi-mission F/A-18E/F "Super Hornet" strike fighter is an upgrade of the combat-proven night strike F/A-18C/D. The Super Hornet aircraft are 4.2 feet longer than earlier Hornets, have a 25% larger wing area, and carry 33% more internal fuel which effectively increases mission range by 41% and endurance by 50%. The Super Hornet also incorporates two additional weapon stations. This allows for increased payload flexibility by mixing and matching air-to-air and/or air-to-ground ordnance. The aircraft can also carry the complete complement of "smart" weapons, including the newest joint weapons such as JDAM and JSOW. The F/A-18 Super Hornet has begun to and will eventually replace the F-14 Tomcat in future program years.

VFA-2, the Bounty Hunters, is the Carrier Air Wing 2's air superiority and interceptor squadron based at NAS Oceana in Virginia Beach, VA. The unit was re-established on 1 July 2003, as VFA-2, from VF-2 to reflect its transition training to the F/A-18F Super Hornet. Prior to that, the unit flew the F-14D "Super Tomcat". On 6 October 2003, VFA-2 took delivery of its first F/A-18F, wearing the traditional Langley Stripe. All in all, the transition took only four and a half months, the shortest time ever for a Tomcat-to-Super Hornet transition. With the USS CONSTELLATION (CV-64) being decommissioned, VFA-2 was reassigned to USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN (CVN-72).