F/A-18 Hornet 3 Squadron "Operta Aperta" Unisex Hoodie

The F/A-18 Hornet served as one of the Royal Australian Air Force’s primary multirole fighter aircraft for more than three decades. No. 3 Squadron RAAF became the first operational RAAF fighter squadron to receive the Hornet in 1986, introducing Australia’s new generation multirole fighter into frontline service. Operating the aircraft from RAAF Base Williamtown until 2017, the squadron employed the Hornet in both air-to-air and air-to-ground roles across a wide range of operational and training environments. Combining advanced radar systems, beyond-visual-range missile capability, precision strike weapons, and excellent manoeuvrability, the Hornet formed a central part of Australia’s air combat capability throughout the late Cold War and post-Cold War eras. No. 3 Squadron operated the “Classic Hornet” extensively throughout the Indo-Pacific region, regularly participating in major multinational exercises including Pitch Black, Red Flag, and Talisman Sabre. The squadron also deployed operationally to the Middle East in support of Operations Falconer and Okra, conducting combat air patrol, escort, and precision strike missions over Iraq and Syria. After more than 31 years of Hornet operations, No. 3 Squadron retired the type in Dec 2017 and transitioned to the Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II, once again becoming the first operational RAAF squadron to introduce a new frontline fighter into Australian service. The squadron’s motto, Operta aperta (“Secrets Revealed”), dates back to its origins in the Australian Flying Corps during the First World War, when No. 3 Squadron flew corps reconnaissance missions to locate enemy forces and expose their movements. Designed by former RAAF aircrew. PRINTED AND SHIPPED FROM AUSTRALIA.