Jet fighter planes are not built for comfort but are incredible machines piloted by remarkably skilled pilots, says Defence Minister Richard Marles after a flight in a Super Hornet. The Super Hornet was an "incredible machine" and the skills of the pilots were incredible as well, he said. A two-hour flight was demanding but Australian fighter pilots doing combat missions in the Middle East a decade ago were doing up to 10-hour flights, the minister said. "The planes are built for performance and effect, they're not really built for comfort, they're built for safety." Mr Marles said in the decade he had been shadow defence minister then minister he had the opportunity to see Australia's soldiers, sailors and aviators operate skilfully across a variety of platforms.