Summary Australia retired its F/A-18 Hornets as it transitioned to F-35As, with all 75 jets gone by 2023. Old jets intended for Ukraine were not sent, some sold to Canada, some kept for displays, and rest unclear. Remaining F/A-18 Hornets possibly stored or scrapped, sitting on Guam's US Anderson Air Force Base.
As the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) transitioned to its (eventual fleet) of 72 F-35As, it has retired its aging F/A-18 Hornets (although it still has 24 Super Hornets and 12 EA Growlers). Australia started retiring the Hornets in 2017, and the first Australian F-35A was accepted into service in 2018. In 2023, Ukraine asked for the old Aussie jets, but now that debate has ended with Ukraine instead getting F-16s and Mirage 2000-5s (and possibly Saab Gripens down the road) .
But what happened to the old Australian Hornets? Australia's fleet of F/A-18s F/A-18s were the backbone of the Australian combat wing for many years. However, while the Super Hornets will continue to serve for some time, that role is now being passed to fifth-generation F-35As. Australia purchased a total of 75 F/A-18A/Bs over the years, and now they are all gone from the RAAF and an ending inventory of 71 Hornets.
"Beginning in 1981, Australia ordered a total of 57 single-seat F/A-18As and 18 two-seater F/A-18Bs from American aviation company McDonnell Douglas, which later merged with Boeing. Four of these jets were subsequently lost in crashes over the years." - The War Zone So what happened .