US Navy races to keep aging F/A-18 Hornets flying longer

The Navy is in a race against the clock to keep enough fighter jets in the air to support deployments and train troops at home, forcing expensive and time-consuming maintenance that will continue into 2016.
With F/A-18C Hornets staying online years past their originally planned sundown, and F/A-18E-F Super Hornets rapidly approaching their 6,000 flight-hour limits, aviation leadership is working to keep the aging airframes in service while it waits for reinforcements in the form of the F-35C Lightning II.
navytimes