OCEAN CITY – The newest addition to the 2012 OC Air Show was announced this week, the U.S. Navy F-18 Hornet Demo Team.

Ocean City Air Show President Bryan Lilley provided an update on this summer’s OC Air Show, which is scheduled for June 9-10.

“I am pleased tonight to announce that the United States Navy will support the show this year with an F-18 Hornet demonstration,” Lilley said on Monday night.

The U.S. Navy F-18 Hornet Demo Team is a major addition to the growing line-up of military performers at the OC Air Show. The Boeing F/A18 Hornet is the primary fighter in the US Navy carrier fleet. It is designed to combine an effective aerial platform for both fleet defense and anti-ground target work. The F-18 is powered with twin General Electric turbofans and has a performance in excess of mach 1.8 and can operate at altitudes above 50,000 feet.

Lilley was also happy to announce that 10 host hotels have been secured to accommodate the OC Air Show. All the rooms provided are complimentary and house the show’s performers.

“I think that is significant for the public to realize … that our business community is buying into this and are supporting this event,” Mayor Rick Meehan said.

The OC Air Show has been working with Michael James, managing partner of the Carousel Hotel, and the newly formed North Ocean City Business Alliance and has agreed to expand the show’s range into north Ocean City this year.

“It will give the people staying up there something to see on the beach, so we are delighted to be able to do that,” Lilley said.

This summer will be the fifth anniversary edition of the OC Air Show. The event will be headlined by the US Air Force Thunderbirds, an elite aerial demonstration team, along with a full line-up of military and civilian performers including the Black Diamond Jet Team. This will be the first time the OC Air Show will feature two jet demonstration teams at the event. The Thunderbirds last appeared at the OC Air Show in 2010.

The Black Diamond Jet Team will be a new performance coming to Ocean City in 2012 as well as Mike Goulian, a former Red Bull air racer, and the aerobatic team Mike Wiskus and the Lucas Oil Pitts.

Returning this year will be the GEICO Skytypers, which is a flight squadron of six vintage WWII airplanes; the Navy Seals Leapfrogs, which consists of jumpers leaping out of an aircraft; and Rob Holland, who just won the 2011 Freestyle Aerobatic World Championship in Italy.