The F/A-18 Hornet is a development of the YF-17 that lost to the F-16 as the Air Force's Lightweight Fighter in the late 70's. The Navy was looking for an aircraft to replace the A-6, A-7 and F-4 Phantoms that were in the Fleet at the time. The Navy took a serious look at the YF-17 but some things had to be done to it. The changes were enough that it was pratically a new aircraft.
The F/A-18 was one of the first aircraft that used what was called a glass cockpit. This meant that the analog gages were replaced with screens. The F/A-18 is also designated as a Fighter/Attack Aircraft. It can be used either as an air supremacy fighter or ground attack aircraft. In fact, during the first Gulf War, an F/A-18 was on a ground attack mission and switched over to air to air mode fairly easily.
This particular one is in the Jolly Rogers regalia.
The Super Hornet came about as a result to some improvements to the Hornet. It's not quite a new aircraft, so it doesn't have a new designation. In time, it will be replaced by the Navy's version of the F-35.
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