Two US Navy carrier-based fighter jets that bring their own strengths to the table form a supremely lethal duo when combined.

The F-35C Lightning II has stealth, while the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet packs a punch.

The Lightning II can fly ahead undetected, with its peerless stealth technology, and obtain precise intelligence on targets, which it then passes on to the heavily armed Super Hornets.

Super Hornets have impressive ordnance, including air-to-air missiles, such as the AIM-9 Sidewinder, AIM-7 Sparrow and AIM-120 AMRAAM (Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile).

Equipped with an M61A1/A2 Vulcan 20mm cannon, it can also carry the AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW), AGM-84H/K SLAM-ER (Standoff Land Attack Missile-Expanded Response), Paveway laser guided bombs and other munitions for ground attack.

Worse yet for the foe, they can carry GBU-31 "bunker buster" bombs.

Thus, the two fighters have the best of both worlds. The Lightning II need not engage the foe, preserving its stealth profile. The Super Hornet can strike quickly and efficiently if it obtains intelligence beforehand, minimizing its exposure to enemy fire.

Growing stealth for the Super Hornet

Meanwhile, the hard-hitting Super Hornet is growing stealthier, making it a more survivable partner for the more elusive Lightning.

Boeing delivered the first Block II Super Hornet to the US Navy in April 2005. It followed up with the first Block III Super Hornet in August 2021.

Heartened by the beneficial interaction of the Lightning II and the Super Hornet, the US Navy is seeking further production of Block III Super Hornets.

The Block III planes include an optional enclosed weapon pod and enhanced engines, all in the interest of greater stealth.

The Block III Super Hornet has been reported to have a coat of radar absorbing material, significantly reducing its radar cross-section and making it more difficult for enemy missiles to lock on.

Another synergistic payoff for the two planes comes from their "buddy" refueling partnership.

The partnership, in which the F/A-18 refuels the F-35C with probe-drogue technology in mid-air, extends the F-35C's range.

In 2021, the US Navy demonstrated this capability when a US Super Hornet refuelled a British Lightning II over the Indo-Pacific region.