F/A-18 Super Hornet 

Interactive Cockpit Manual 

 
 

   

 
 

Table Of Contents 
 
Table Of Contents 1 

Practical Information 3 
Settings & Keybinds 3 
Without CBA 3 
With CBA 4 
ITC Air Integration 5 
ACE Integration 5 

Cockpit Overview 6 
Cockpit Front Overview 6 
Heads Up Display 6 
Left & Right DDIs 6 
MPCD 6 
EFD 6 
RWR 6 
Cockpit Panels Overview 7 
Left & Right Upper Consoles 8 
Left & Right Main Consoles 9 
Left Main Console 9 
Right Main Console 10 
Cockpit Interaction 10 

Advanced Startup 11 

Technical implementation 11 
Startup summary 11 

Digital Display Indicators 12 

DDI Pages 12 
General DDI Information 12 
TAC Menu 12 
Sensor of Interest 12 
HUD Page 13 
RDR Page 14 
Page Designs 14 
ITC Air FCR as SOI 15 
TGP Page 16 
Maverick Display 19 
Laser Maverick Display 20 
EW Page 21 
RWR Main Page 21 
Programming Subpage 21 
STOR/SMS Page 22 
ITC Air DSMS Integration 23 
Numeric Option Example 24 
Non Numeric Option Example 24 

F/A-18E Super Hornet Manual 1 

 

HSI Page 25 

HSI Map Display 26 

Heads Up Display 27 

Navigation Symbology 27 
CCRP Symbology 28 
Laser Maverick Symbology 29 

Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System(JHMCS) 30 

JHMCS AIM-9 Cueing 31 

Up Front Controller 32 

Overview 32 
ACRE Vehicle Rack control 33 
DDI Pages 34 
DDI Base page(TAC) 34 
FLIR Page(FLR) 34 
Radar(ATK) 35 
EW Page 35 
HUD Page 36 
SMS Page 36 
The page currently offers no interaction. 36 

Additional Features 37 

Require ATFLIR for TGP 37 
Chaff/Flare Selection 37 
Canopy Loss 37 
 
   

F/A-18E Super Hornet Manual 2 

 

Practical Information 
Settings & Keybinds 
Without CBA 
To enable the complex start-up on an aircraft, open it in the editor, and check the complex 
startup process box. 

 
Cockpit interaction is done with custom user action 20, which can be found in the keybinds > 
custom category. 
Enable complex start through script 
To enable complex start through script, set the variable j​ s_jc_fa18_complexStartup​ on the aircraft 
you want it enabled on to true. 

   

F/A-18E Super Hornet Manual 3 

 

With CBA 
When CBA is active, the above complex start procedure still functions. Additionally, the CBA 
options menu can be used to always enable complex start, and enable any other current and 
future optional features. 
 

 
 
When CBA is active, cockpit interaction is not done with custom action 20, but instead you can 
choose a keybind in the CBA keybinds menu. 

F/A-18E Super Hornet Manual 4 

 

ITC Air Integration 

The F/A-18E has provides optional in-depth integration with ITC Air, much functionality in this 
document requires ITC Air, or is enhanced by it. 
The ITC Air integration is done automatically, no additional setup is required. 
 
ACE Integration 
The F/A-18E provides optional ACE integration, currently only in the form of allowing users to 
configure their aircraft’s laser code. 
The ACE integration is done automatically, no additional setup is required.   

F/A-18E Super Hornet Manual 5 

 

Cockpit Overview 
Cockpit Front Overview 

Heads Up Display 
Used for navigation and employment of weapons. 

Left & Right DDIs 

Used to manipulate your sensors, navigate, and set up weapons release profiles. 

MPCD 
Displays only map and a simplified HSI page, has no interactivity due to technical limitations. 
More in-depth HSI page is available on the Left DDI. 

EFD 
Displays engine and fuel status. 

RWR 
Displays radar threats until 8km out.   

F/A-18E Super Hornet Manual 6 

 

Cockpit Panels Overview 

   

F/A-18E Super Hornet Manual 7 

 

Left & Right Upper Consoles 

The upper consoles are used when taking off and landing, with controls for landing gear, 
tailhook, flaps and wing folding. 

 
 

   

F/A-18E Super Hornet Manual 8 

 

Left & Right Main Consoles 

The main consoles are used mainly during the startup procedure. 

Left Main Console 

F/A-18E Super Hornet Manual 9 

 

Right Main Console 

 
Cockpit Interaction 
The hotkey for cockpit interaction changes based on CBA. 
No CBA 
Cockpit Interaction works through userAction 20. 
 
CBA Present 
When CBA is available, userAction 20 does not work, and instead cockpit interaction is set up 
through CBA keybinds.   

F/A-18E Super Hornet Manual 10 

 

Advanced Startup 
The advanced startup is optional, and is not enabled by default. For information on how to 
enable the advanced start, read the ​settings & keybinds section​. 
 
Technical implementation 
The advanced start works by removing the aircraft’s fuel as the player gets in, and re-adding it 
once advanced start procedure is finished, from there the aircraft functions as normal. 
 
Startup summary 
1. Right Main Console:​ Enable battery power. 
2. Left Main Console: E ​ nable APU, wait 10 seconds for light to turn green. 
3. Right Main Console:​ Enable Left & Right Generators. 
4. Left Main Console:​ Enable Engine Crank. Look at EFD and wait for power to reach 20%. 
5. Left Main Console:​ Move Throttle to idle, done through cockpit interaction at the base of 
the throttle. 
6. Turn on engine as on a normal jet. 
7. Above left DDI:​ Turn off master caution. 
8. Below UFC:​ Use knob to turn on HUD. 
9. Right side of right DDI:​ Use knob to turn on JHMCS. 
10. Right Main Console:​ Radar On 
11. Left side of left DDI:​ Switch Master Arm to enable weapons.   

F/A-18E Super Hornet Manual 11 

 

Digital Display Indicators 

DDI Pages 
Because of a technical limitation in arma that puts a restriction on the amount of custom MFD 
elements that can be displayed, some DDI pages are only available on the left DDI. 
Shared 
● HUD(Heads Up Display) 
● RDR(Radar) 
● TGP(ATFLIR Targeting Pod) 
● EW(Electronic Warfare) 
● MAV(Maverick Targeting) 
● LMAV(Laser Maverick Targeting) 
Left Only 
● STOR/SMS(Storage Management System) 
● HSI(Horizontal Situation Indicator) 
 
Pages marked blue require ITC Air. 
 
General DDI Information 
TAC Menu 
All pages in the F/A-18 are currently available through the TAC menu, while on the real plane the 
pages are divided in to the TAC and SUP menus, the current F/A-18 in arma does not have 
enough options to justify an extra layer of division. 
The TAC menu can be accessed from any page by pressing bottom row center button. 
 

Sensor of Interest 
DDI SOI Status is indicated by a small diamond in the top right corner of the DDI Page. 
Note that SOI is currently not automatically cycled when pages are changed, so if your TGP is SOI 
and you change to the MAV page, your TGP will remain SOI untill you switch again. 

   

F/A-18E Super Hornet Manual 12 

 

HUD Page 
The HUD page shows basic HUD symbology, it currently does not yet match waypoint or weapon 
symbology. 
NFLR:​ Pressing the NFLR button will enable the HUD NAVFLIR night vision overlay.   

F/A-18E Super Hornet Manual 13 

 

RDR Page 
The radar page has two modes, A-A an A-G, the mode will automatically switch based on your 
selected type of weapon. When your radar is turned off the screen will be black and it will say 
RADAR OFF. The page goes from 0 to 16km. 

Page Designs 
A-G Mode 

 
A-A Mode 

F/A-18E Super Hornet Manual 14 

 

ITC Air FCR as SOI 

When using ITC Air, the FCR can be set to SOI. It differs from the default ITC Air FCR, and only 
allows slewing, and TMS up to lock or ground stabilise on a contact. 
 
Locking 
When SOI, the locking bracket can be moved over a radar contact. When TMS up is used, the FCR 
will lock on to the target, it will keep the brackets over the target, and continually points the TGP 
at the target as long as the target is within 60 degrees of the aircraft’s nose. 

 
Left: symbology, Right: locked symbology 
 
Breaking Lock 
The FCR breaks lock when FCR is no longer SOI, the FCR is slewed, or the user presses TMS down. 

F/A-18E Super Hornet Manual 15 

 

TGP Page 
The TGP page allows users to view a feed from their targeting pod, and see their laser status. 
By default, the only functional interaction is the TRIG option, which, when pressed, will select the 
laser target designator as current weapon. 
Ground Stabilised 

 
When ground stabilised, the top right corner will say GRND STAB.   

F/A-18E Super Hornet Manual 16 

 

 
Point Tracking 
 
When point tracking, the large 
cross is replaced with a box, 
centered on the object being 
tracked. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Laser Status 
Above the cross, the laser status is 
displayed.  
When turned off, LTD is shown 
with a cross through it, when on, 
LTD/R is on and flashing. 
When point tracking a​ nd​ laser 
designating, the tracked object will 
have a diamond over it. 
 
 
   

F/A-18E Super Hornet Manual 17 

 

ITC Air Integration: 

When using ITC Air, the TGP Page can be set to SOI to control the TGP as on any other aircraft, 
and allows the player to change zoom level, view mode, and enable the Laser Spot Tracking 
function. 
 
Laser Spot Tracking 
Laser Spot Tracking is enabled by pressing the LST button on the bottom row. When enabled, the 
LST option will be boxed. When searching the LTD text will be replaced with LST SEARCH 

When tracking laser energy, the LST SEARCH text gets replaced by TRACK, and the TGP will be 
using point track symbology. 
 
UFC Laser Code Config 
When the UFC Option is pressed, the LTD and LST laser codes can be changed on the UFC. 
 
DCDE 
Is the designator laser code setting. 
SCDE 
Is the search/track laser code setting. 
 
 
 
   

F/A-18E Super Hornet Manual 18 

 

Maverick Display 
The maverick display requires ITC Air to work, and functions the same as it does on ITC Air. 
When ground stabilised, the range caret on the left will start moving, and when locked the cross 
will close in on the target. DDI Buttons can be used to change slew rate and FOV. 

Left: Ground stabilised. Right: Locked. 

Currently, the range caret will malfunction when locked on to a target.   

F/A-18E Super Hornet Manual 19 

 

Laser Maverick Display 

The Laser Maverick display page functions similarly to how it does on ITC Air, in the top it shows 
your AGM-65Es laser code, and it requires the laser maverick to be selected to function. 

Laser Code Changing 

When pressing the UFC option, the UFC will gain the 
MCDE option, MCDE can be used to change the laser 
maverick’s laser code. This applies to all laser mavericks 
on the aircraft. 
   

F/A-18E Super Hornet Manual 20 

 

EW Page 
The EW page offers a larger Radar Warning Receiver display, along with countermeasure 
configuration. 
 

RWR Main Page 

 
1. Current countermeasure count 
2. Release mode - Auto for automatic 
release on missile launch, MAN for manual 
3. To programming subpage 
4. Radar Warning Receiver returns 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Programming Subpage 
This page lets you set up the flare/chaff 
release programme, run every time you 
dispense countermeasures. 
 
To configure the programme, select a setting 
on the left, and cycle through its options on 
the right using the arrows. 
 
FLAR 
Flare count. 
CHAF 
Chaff count. 
RPT 
Repeat setting sets releases per pulse. 
INT 
Interval defines delay between pulses in 
seconds.   

F/A-18E Super Hornet Manual 21 

 

STOR/SMS Page 
The Stores Management System displays the current status of your pylons. Munitions names are 
converted to display what they would look like on the F/A-18 SMS, for example the GBU-12 will 
be displayed as an 82LG(Mk-82 based Laser Guided). 
 
Interaction 
STEP cycles through selected weapons. 
GUN selects your gun. 
Along the top of the screen, your A-G weapons are listed, and can be selected by pressing the 
buttons above them. 
 

 
   

F/A-18E Super Hornet Manual 22 

 

ITC Air DSMS Integration 

When using ITC Air, the SMS allows you to set up bomb release profiles as close as possible to 
the F/A-18 while staying within the restrictions of ITC Air’s DSMS system. 
 

 
 
Your current profile options are displayed below the pylon status. Numeric profile options can be 
changed by pressing the UFC option, non-numeric options can be changed with the buttons on 
the left side of the screen. Some notes: 
MFUZ: S ​ elects your bomb’s tail or nose fuze. It does not display what fuzes are installed, a chart 
will be provided in the future. 
EFUZ:​ This will program the selected setting in any available programmable fuze setup. It will not 
change the MFUZ option to a non-programmable fuze of the selected type. 
   

F/A-18E Super Hornet Manual 23 

 

Numeric Option Example 

 
Currently, numeric options are limited to ripple quantity, ripple interval, 
impact angle, and laser code. 
 
Ripple options will be available for every bomb. 
Impact angle and laser code will only be available for select bombs that 
allow these settings to be configured in flight. 
 
Laser Code 
 
Note that as in default ITC Air, the laser code can only be changed in-flight 
on laser guided munitions that have this ability in real life. This is 
currently limited in ITC Air to the Laser JDAM and Laser Maverick. 
 
UFC Persistence 
When changing weapons, the UFC buttons do not go away or change, and 
the weapon these options apply to does not change, this means that 
when selecting UFC on bomb type A, switching your selected weapon to 
type B, and then entering the UFC options, they will be applied to type A. 
 

Non Numeric Option Example 

To set a non-numeric option, select the option on the left, the left size button texts are then 
replaced by the possible values for the option you want to set, press a value and it will be 
updated on the current profile settings. 

F/A-18E Super Hornet Manual 24 

 

HSI Page 
The HSI page is your main navigational aid, giving you a compass, a reference point for your TGP 
tracking position, and when using ITC Air, waypoint control.

 
Symbology & buttons​(marked red) 
1. TGP Track Position 
2. Ownship Heading 
3. HSI/Map Scale - number is kilometers from center to screen edge, click to cycle zoom 
4. Toggle map 
ITC Air Symbology & buttons​(marked blue) 
1. Current waypoint position 
2. Heading to waypoint 
3. Heading from waypoint 
4. Waypoint Bearing / Distance & TOF 
5. Current waypoint index 
6. Next waypoint 
7. Previous waypoint 
8. Waypoint mode(Mission / Mark / Flight plan 
9. Designate - Cues your TGP to your current waypoint. 

   
F/A-18E Super Hornet Manual 25 
 

HSI Map Display 

The map zoom level on the center MPCD is determined by the HSI map on the left DDI. None of 
the symbology of the left DDI carries over to the center MPCD. 

   

F/A-18E Super Hornet Manual 26 

 

Heads Up Display 
Navigation Symbology 

 
Symbology​(marked red) 
1. Speed - Knots 
2. Altitude MSL - Feet 
3. TGP Stabilised point 
4. Climb Rate(m/s) 
5. Radar Altitude - Feet 
Symbology ITC Air​(marked blue) 
1. Waypoint index, name and TOF 
2. Heading to waypoint   

F/A-18E Super Hornet Manual 27 

 

CCRP Symbology 
CCRP is only available when using ITC Air. 

 
 
Symbology 
1. Bomb fall line 
2. Release Cue 
3. Total Velocity Vector 
4. Release Mode 
5. Bomb type and count 
6. Bomb time of flight(will not count down after release) 
7. LTD/R indicator - flashes on when laser target designator is active 
 
Usage 
To use CCRP mode, fly towards the target so that the the fall line(1) is vertical and intersects with 
the TVV(3), and hold down the bomb release key, when the target nears within 3000m, the 
release cue(2) line will start moving down, when the release cue hits the TVV, bombs will 
automatically be released, and your release cue will start moving up as you leave the release 
envelope. 
 
   

F/A-18E Super Hornet Manual 28 

 

Laser Maverick Symbology 

Laser Maverick Symbology is available when an AGM-65E is selected. 

 
When searching for a target, an X can be seen moving left to right across the HUD. 

 
When a lock is acquired, the X is replaced by an open square, seen in the image overlayed on the 
TGP triangle. The text LKD will also show on the right side of the HUD.   

F/A-18E Super Hornet Manual 29 

 

Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System(JHMCS) 

 
 
Symbology 
1. FOV Pitch relative to plane 
2. FOV Heading 
3. HMCS Centerpoint 
4. Direction to TGP - points up and left when TGP is > 180 degrees from FOV 
5. TGP Point 
 
SOI Indication 
When JHMCS is SOI, the HUD will have a diamond in the top right corner. 
JHMCS as SOI functions the same as ITC Air’s Scorpion, but can’t ground stabilise. 

   

F/A-18E Super Hornet Manual 30 

 

JHMCS AIM-9 Cueing 

JHMCS Can be used to visually target AIM-9 missiles. 
 
Usage: 
1. Turn on the JHMCS(HMD Knob next to right DDI) 
2. Select AIM-9 as your current weapon 
3. Your JHMCS Center cross will be replaced with a circle, and you will hear a low locking 
noise. 
a. When looking more than 45 degrees off airplane axis, you won’t be able to lock, 
and the circle will have an X in it. 
4. Look at a plane, and the circle will unlock form the center, and instead move over the 
target. 
5. Fire your AIM-9 like you normally would. 

Top Left: 
JHMCS on and AIM-9 is seeking. 
 
Top Right: 
JHMCS is outside FOV limits. 
 
Bottom Left: 
Target acquired, ready to fire. 
 
   

F/A-18E Super Hornet Manual 31 

 

Up Front Controller 
Overview 

 
The UFC is located between the DDIs, the UFC is a touchscreen display used for data entry, and 
the configuration of aircraft systems. 
The UFC provides data input for various DDI pages, which can be seen in the relevant DDI page 
documentation. 
 
The UFC also features a DDI mode, in which it can display various DDI pages. From the base page 
you can directly open the EW and FLIR page, a page menu can also be opened by pressing the 
DDI button. 
   

F/A-18E Super Hornet Manual 32 

 

ACRE Vehicle Rack control 

When ACRE is active, the UFC can be used to change the channel and volume on the aircraft’s 
radio racks. 
 
When the radio racks are in use, the top left of the channel displays will have a green box in it. In 
the image, rack 1 is in use and rack 2 is off. 
 
To use any of the volume or channel spinners, look at the spinner, and hold down the cockpit 
interaction key, while holding the key down, drag the view away from the spinner, dragging up 
will increase and dragging down will decrease. 
   

F/A-18E Super Hornet Manual 33 

 

DDI Pages 
DDI Base page(TAC) 

 
The page currently offers no interaction. 

FLIR Page(FLR) 

 
The FLIR page offers the same full interaction as the DDI version. 

F/A-18E Super Hornet Manual 34 

 

Radar(ATK) 

 
The radar page offers the same full interaction as the DDI version. 

EW Page 

 
The EW page offers the same full interaction as the DDI version. 

F/A-18E Super Hornet Manual 35 

 

HUD Page 

 
The page currently offers no interaction. 

SMS Page 

The page currently offers no interaction.   

F/A-18E Super Hornet Manual 36 

 

Additional Features 
Require ATFLIR for TGP 
This feature is optional, and can be enabled through CBA settings, and requires ITC Air. 
 
When enabled, the plane’s TGP will only be enabled when the plane has an ATFLIR Targeting Pod 
mounted. 
 
Chaff/Flare Selection 
Chaff & Flares have been separated in two different magazines, they can be set up using the 
default pylon loadout menu. Allowing players to, if desired, carry only flares or only chaff. 

 
 
Canopy Loss 
This feature is optional, and can be enabled through CBA settings. 
 
When enabled, moving at high speed with the canopy open, will cause the canopy to detach. 
Currently it can not be re-attached when this has happened. 
 
Canopy loss carries no penalty besides eternal shame. 

F/A-18E Super Hornet Manual 37