You must be kidding. That POS is a compromise from tip to tail. For instance, every seen one with out at least one external fuel tank? Jack-of-all-trades, Master-of-NONE. In that config, it MIGHT have a hundred mile operation radius.. and that is with IFR. Which BTW, is about 400 miles inside any modern anti-carrier missile’s range. This thing can barely defend itself, much less a battle group. Good thing it is carrying 10 AMRAAMs though, since each Backfire/Blackjack/Bear will be carrying about 20 of said anti-carrier missiles. And at Mach 3, the Hornet might get off 3 AMRAAMs in the best of ATA geometries.