The F-18C Hornet is an American multirole fighter jet that was adapted for the Finnish Air Force. After the Cold War ended, the country decided to replace its aging MiG-21s and J35 Drakens. In 1992, it issued a competition. The competition included the F-16 Fighting Falcon, the Mirage 2000-5, the JAS 39A Gripen, the MiG-29, and the F/A-18C/D Hornet. The F-18C won the contract, as the United States offered a favorable price and extensive modernization capabilities.

From 1995 to 2000, Finland received 57 single-seat F-18Cs and seven two-seat F-18Ds. Initially, the aircraft were only armed with air-to-air missiles (AIM-9 Sidewinders and AIM-120 AMRAAMs) for air defense. Between 2006 and 2016, however, the aircraft underwent modernization and were redesignated as F/As, gaining the capability to strike ground targets.

The Finnish F-18C was introduced in Update 2.45 "Hornet's Sting", as part of the Swedish aviation research tree. It is a fighter variant designed exclusively for air-to-air combat. Unlike other Hornets, it lacks air-to-ground suspended armament. Otherwise, it is identical to them. It has access to ten AIM-120 AMRAAM ARH missiles and boasts good maneuverability. However, it suffers from mediocre speed.