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USS Essex

USS Essex (CV/CVA/CVS-9) was an aircraft carrier, the lead ship of the 24-ship Essex class built for the United States Navy during World War II. She was the fourth US Navy ship to bear the name. Commissioned in December 1942, Essex participated in several campaigns in the Pacific Theater of Operations, earning the Presidential Unit Citation and 13 battle stars. Decommissioned shortly after the end of the war, she was modernized and recommissioned in the early 1950s as an attack carrier (CVA), and then eventually became an antisubmarine aircraft carrier (CVS). In her second career she served mainly in the Atlantic, playing a role in the Cuban missile crisis. She also participated in the Korean War, earning four battle stars and the Navy Unit Commendation. She was the primary recovery carrier for the Apollo 7 space mission. She was decommissioned for the last time in 1969 and sold for scrap in 1975.

USS Essex in December 1961
Career (United States)
Name:	USS Essex
Ordered:	3 July 1940
Builder:	Newport News Shipbuilding
Laid down:	28 April 1941
Launched:	31 July 1942
Commissioned:	31 December 1942
Decommissioned:	9 January 1947
Recommissioned:	15 January 1951
Decommissioned:	30 June 1969
Reclassified:	CV to CVA 1 October 1952 CVA to CVS 8 March 1960 see SCB-27 and SCB-125 for conversion information
Struck:	1 June 1973
Honors and awards:	Presidential Unit Citation (United States) Navy Unit Commendation Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation
Fate:	Sold for scrap
General characteristics
Class & type:	Essex-class aircraft carrier
Displacement:	As built: 27,100 tons standard 36,380 tons full load
Length:	As built: 820 feet (250 m) waterline 872 feet (266 m) overall
Beam:	As built: 93 feet (28 m) waterline 147 feet 6 inches (45 m) overall
Draft:	As built: 28 feet 5 inches (8.66 m) light 34 feet 2 inches (10.41 m) full load
Propulsion:	As designed: 8 × boilers 565 psi (3,900 kPa) 850 °F (450 °C) 4 × Westinghouse geared steam turbines 4 × shafts 150,000 shp (110 MW)
Speed:	33 knots (61 km/h)
Range:	20,000 nautical miles (37,000 km) at 15 knots (28 km/h)
Complement:	As built: 2,600 officers and enlisted
Armament:	As built: 4 × twin 5 inch (127 mm) 38 caliber guns 4 × single 5 inch (127 mm) 38 caliber guns 8 × quadruple 40 mm 56 caliber guns 46 × single 20 mm 78 caliber guns
Armor:	As built: 2.5 to 4 inch (60 to 100 mm) belt 1.5 inch (40 mm) hangar and protectice decks 4 inch (100 mm) bulkheads 1.5 inch (40 mm) STS top and sides of pilot house 2.5 inch (60 mm) top of steering gear
Aircraft carried:	As built: 90–100 aircraft 1 × deck-edge elevator 2 × centerline elevators

Construction and Commissioning

Essex was laid down on 28 April 1941 by Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co. After the Pearl Harbor attack her building contract (along with the same for CV-10 and CV-12) was reworked. After an accelerated construction, she was launched on 31 July 1942, sponsored by Mrs. Artemus L. Gates, the wife of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Air. She was commissioned on 31 December 1942 with Captain Donald B. Duncan commanding.

Service history

World War II

Pilots briefed before raid on Formosa

Following her builders trials and shakedown cruise (both also accelerated), Essex steamed to the Pacific in May 1943 to begin a succession of victories which would bring her to Tokyo Bay. Departing from Pearl Harbor, she participated with Task Force 16 (TF 16) in carrier operations against Marcus Island (31 August 1943); was designated the flagship of TF 14 and struck Wake Island (5–6 October); participated in carrier operations during the Rabaul strike (11 November 1943), along with Bunker Hill and Princeton; launched an attack with Task Group 50.3 (TG 50.3) against the Gilbert Islands where she also took part in her first amphibious assault, the landing on Tarawa Atoll (18–23 November). Refueling at sea, she cruised as flagship of TG 50.3 to attack Kwajalein (4 December). Her second amphibious assault delivered in company with TG 58.2 was against the Marshall Islands (29 January–2 February 1944).
Essex — in TG 58.2 – now joined with TG 58.1 and TG 58.3 to constitute Task Force 58 (the "Fast Carrier Task Force"), to launch an attack against Truk (17–18 February) during which eight Japanese ships were sunk. En route to the Mariana Islands to sever Japanese supply lines, the carrier force was detected and received a prolonged aerial attack which it repelled in a businesslike manner and then continued with the scheduled attack upon Saipan, Tinian and Guam (23 February).
After this operation, Essex proceeded to San Francisco for her single wartime overhaul. Following her overhaul, Essex became the carrier for Air Group 15, the "Fabled Fifteen," commanded by the U.S. Navy's top ace of the war, David McCampbell. She then joined carriers Wasp and San Jacinto in TG 12.1 to strike Marcus Island (19–20 May) and Wake (23 May). She deployed with TF 58 to support the occupation of the Marianas (12 June – 10 August); sortied with TG 38.3 to lead an attack against the Palau Islands (6–8 September), and Mindanao (9–10 September) with enemy shipping as the main target, and remained in the area to support landings on Peleliu. On 2 October, she weathered a typhoon and four days later departed with Task Force 38 (TF 38) for the Ryukyus. (TF 38 was actually the same formation as TF 58, the nomenclature being changed to reflect the rotation of command staffs employed by the Navy for efficiency in executing multiple operations; this rotation allowed constant front-line deployment of the ships and their crews while providing operational planning time at better-equipped, rear-area base facilities for the command structure not currently afloat).
For the remainder of 1944, she continued her frontline action, participating in strikes against Okinawa (10 October), and Formosa (12–14 October), covering the Leyte landings, taking part in the Battle for Leyte Gulf (24–25 October), and continuing the search for enemy fleet units until 30 October, when she returned to Ulithi, Caroline Islands, for replenishment. She resumed the offensive and delivered attacks on Manila and the northern Philippine Islands during November. On 25 November, for the first time in her far-ranging operations and destruction to the enemy, Essex received damage. A kamikaze hit the port edge of her flight deck landing among planes gassed for takeoff, causing extensive damage, killing 15, and wounding 44.

Lieutenant Yamaguchi's Yokosuka D4Y3 (Type 33) Suisei diving at Essex, 25 November 1944. The dive brakes are extended and the non-self-sealing port wing tank is trailing fuel vapor and/or smoke.

A Japanese kamikaze aircraft explodes after crashing into Essex’s flight deck amidships. 25 November 1944

Following quick repairs, she operated with the task force off Leyte supporting the occupation of Mindoro (14–16 December). She rode out the typhoon of 18 December and made special search for survivors afterwards. With TG 38.3, she participated in the Lingayen Gulf operations, launched strikes against Formosa, Sakishima, Okinawa, and Luzon. Entering the South China Sea in search of enemy surface forces, the task force pounded shipping and conducted strikes on Formosa, the China coast, Hainan, and Hong Kong. Essex withstood the onslaught of the third typhoon in four months (20–21 January 1945) before striking again at Formosa, Miyako-jima and Okinawa (26 – 27 January).
For the remainder of the war, she operated with TF 58, conducting attacks against the Tokyo area (16–17, and 25 February) both to neutralize the enemy's air power before the landings on Iwo Jima and to cripple the aircraft manufacturing industry. She sent support missions against Iwo Jima and neighboring islands, but from 23 March – 28 May was employed primarily to support the conquest of Okinawa.

Essex being modernized, 1949.

In the closing days of the war, Essex took part in the final telling raids against the Japanese home islands (10 July – 15 August). Following the surrender, she continued defensive combat air patrols until 3 September, when she was ordered to Bremerton, Washington for inactivation. On 9 January 1947, she was placed out of commission in reserve. Modernization endowed Essex with a new flight deck, and a streamlined island superstructure on 16 January 1951, when she was recommissioned, with Captain A. W. Wheelock commanding.

Korean War

Essex after her SCB-27A modernization.

After a brief cruise in Hawaiian waters, she began the first of three tours in Far Eastern waters during the Korean War. She served as flagship for Carrier Division 1 (CarDiv 1) and Task Force 77. She was the first carrier to launch F2H Banshees on combat missions; on 16 September 1951, one of these planes, damaged in combat, crashed into aircraft parked on the forward flight deck causing an explosion and fire which killed seven. After repairs at Yokosuka, she returned to frontline action on 3 October to launch strikes up to the Yalu River and provide close air support for U.N. troops. Her two deployments in the Korean War were from August 1951 – March 1952 and July 1952 – January 1953.
On 1 December 1953, she started her final tour of the war, sailing in the East China Sea with what official U.S. Navy records describe as the "Peace Patrol". From November 1954 – June 1955, she engaged in training exercises, operated for three months with the United States Seventh Fleet, assisted in the Tachen Islands evacuation, and engaged in air operations and fleet maneuvers off Okinawa.

Pacific Fleet

In July 1955, Essex entered Puget Sound Naval Shipyard for repairs and extensive alterations. The SCB-125 modernization program included installation of an angled flight deck and an enclosed hurricane bow, as well as relocation of the aft elevator to the starboard deck edge. Modernization completed, she rejoined the Pacific Fleet in March 1956. For the next 14 months, the carrier operated off the West Coast, except for a six-month cruise with the 7th Fleet in the Far East. Ordered to join the Atlantic Fleet for the first time in her long career, she sailed from San Diego on 21 June 1957, rounded Cape Horn, and arrived in Mayport, Florida on 1 August.

Atlantic and Mediterranean

F4D-1 Skyray approaches Essex during her last cruise as an attack carrier 1959–60.

In the fall of 1957, Essex participated as an anti-submarine carrier in the NATO exercise Strikeback and in February 1958, deployed with the 6th Fleet until May, when she shifted to the eastern Mediterranean. Alerted to the Middle East crisis on 14 July 1958, she sped to support the U.S. Peace Force landing in Beirut, Lebanon, launching reconnaissance and patrol missions until 20 August. Once again, she was ordered to proceed to Asian waters, and transited the Suez Canal to arrive in the Taiwan operational area, where she joined TF 77 in conducting flight operations before rounding the Horn and proceeding back to Mayport.
Essex joined with the 2nd Fleet and British ships in Atlantic exercises and with NATO forces in the eastern Mediterranean during the fall of 1959. In December she aided victims of a disastrous flood at Fréjus, France.
In the spring of 1960, she was converted into an ASW Support Carrier and was thereafter homeported at Quonset Point, Rhode Island. Since that time she operated as the flagship of CarDiv 18 and Antisubmarine Carrier Group Three. She conducted rescue and salvage operations off the New Jersey coast for a downed blimp; cruised with midshipmen, and was deployed on NATO and CENTO exercises that took her through the Suez Canal into the Indian Ocean. Ports of call included Karachi and the British Crown Colony of Aden. In November she joined the French navy in Operation "Jet Stream".

Bay of Pigs and Cuban Missile Crisis

Essex underway, 1960.

In April 1961, Essex steamed out of Naval Station Mayport, Florida on a two-week "routine training" cruise, purportedly to support the carrier qualification of a squadron of Navy pilots. Twelve A4D-2 Skyhawks had been loaded aboard, the aircraft, pilots and support crews all from attack squadron VA-34, the Blue Blasters. The A4D-2Ns were armed with 20 mm cannon, and after several days at sea all their identifying markings were crudely obscured with flat gray paint. They began flying mysterious missions day and night with at least one returning bearing battle damage. Not generally known to Essex crew was that they had been tasked to provide air support to CIA-sponsored bombers during the ill-fated Bay of Pigs Invasion. The naval aviation part of the mission was aborted by President Kennedy at the last moment and the Essex crew sworn to secrecy.^[1]
Later in 1961, Essex completed a "People to People" cruise to Northern Europe with ports of call in Rotterdam, Hamburg, and Greenock, Scotland. During the Hamburg visit over one million visitors toured Essex. During her departure, Essex almost ran aground in the shallow Elbe River. On her return voyage to CONUS, she ran into a severe North Atlantic storm (January 1962) and suffered major structural damage. In early 1962, she went into drydock in the Brooklyn Navy Yard for a major overhaul.
Essex had just finished her six-month long overhaul and was at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base for sea trials when President John F. Kennedy placed a naval "quarantine" on Cuba in October 1962, in response to the discovered presence of Soviet missiles in that country (see Cuban Missile Crisis). (The word quarantine was used rather than blockade for reasons of international law—Kennedy reasoned that a blockade would be an act of war, and war had not been declared between the U.S. and Cuba.)^[2] Essex spent over a month in the Caribbean as one of the US Navy ships enforcing this "quarantine", returning home just before Thanksgiving.

Nautilus incident

While conducting replenishment exercises with NATO forces in November 1966, Essex collided with the submerged submarine USS Nautilus (SSN-571). The Nautilus sustained extensive sail damage, returning to port unassisted. Aboard Essex, the hull was opened and the ship's speed indicator equipment was destroyed, but the carrier was still able to make port unassisted. Essex subsequently reported to the Boston Naval Shipyard for extensive overhaul and hull repairs.

Apollo missions

The Apollo 7 crew is welcomed aboard the USS Essex.

Essex was scheduled to be the prime recovery carrier for the ill fated Apollo 1 space mission. It was to pick up Apollo 1 astronauts north of Puerto Rico on 7 March 1967 after a 14-day spaceflight. However, the mission did not take place because on 27 January 1967, the Apollo 1's crew was killed by a flash fire in their spacecraft on LC-34 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.
Essex was the prime recovery carrier for the Apollo 7 mission. She recovered the Apollo 7's crew on 22 October 1968 after a splashdown north of Puerto Rico.
Essex was the main vessel on which future Apollo 11 astronaut Neil Armstrong served during the Korean War.

Decommissioning and Disposal

Essex was decommissioned on 30 June 1969 and was moored at the Boston Navy Yard. She was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 1 June 1973, and sold by the Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service (DRMS) for scrapping on 1 June 1975.

Awards

• Presidential Unit Citation
• Navy Unit Commendation
• Meritorious Unit Citation
• Navy Expeditionary Medal (two awards)
• Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with 13 battle stars
• World War II Victory Medal
• Navy Occupation Medal with "ASIA" clasp
• China Service Medal
• National Defense Service Medal with star (two awards)
• Korean Service Medal with four battle stars
• Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with two stars (three awards)
• Philippine Presidential Unit Citation
• Philippine Liberation Medal
• United Nations Service Medal

Notes

1. Wyden (1979), pp.125–127, 130, 214, 240–241.
2. Kennedy, Robert F. (1969)

References

• Kennedy, Robert F. Thirteen Days: A Memoir of the Cuban Missile Crisis. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., 1969. ISBN 978-0-333-10312-8.
• Wyden, Peter. Bay of Pigs: The Untold Story. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1979. ISBN 0-671-24006-4, ISBN 0-224-01754-3, ISBN 978-0-671-24006-6.
• Hansen, James R. First Man: The Life of Neil Armstrong. New York: Simon and Schuster, 2005. ISBN 978-0-7432-5631-5 (hardback), ISBN 978-0-7434-9232-4 (Pocket Books, 2006)

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.

F-14 Tomcat

The Grumman F-14 Tomcat is a fourth-generation, supersonic, twinjet, two-seat, variable-sweep wing fighter aircraft. The Tomcat was developed for the United States Navy's Naval Fighter Experimental (VFX) program following the collapse of the F-111B project. The F-14 was the first of the American teen-series fighters which were designed incorporating the experience of air combat against MiG fighters during the Vietnam War.
The F-14 first flew in December 1970 and made its first deployment in 1974 with the U.S. Navy aboard USS Enterprise (CVN-65), replacing the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II. The F-14 served as the U.S. Navy's primary maritime air superiority fighter, fleet defense interceptor and tactical reconnaissance platform. In the 1990s, it added the Low Altitude Navigation and Targeting Infrared for Night (LANTIRN) pod system and began performing precision ground-attack missions.^[1]

The Tomcat was retired from the U.S. Navy's active fleet on 22 September 2006, having been supplanted by the Boeing F/A-18E and F Super Hornets.^[2] As of 2014, the F-14 was in service with only the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force, having been exported to Iran in 1976, when the U.S. had amicable diplomatic relations with Iran.

F-14 Tomcat
A U.S. Navy F-14D conducts a mission over the Persian Gulf-region in 2005.
Role	Interceptor, air superiority and multirole combat aircraft
National origin	United States of America
Manufacturer	Grumman Aerospace Corporation
First flight	21 December 1970
Introduction	22 September 1974
Retired	22 September 2006 (United States Navy)
Status	In service with the Iranian Air Force
Primary users	United States Navy (historical) Imperial Iranian Air Force (historical) Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force
Produced	1969–1991
Number built	712
Unit cost	US$38 million (1998)

Development

Background

Beginning in the late 1950s, the U.S. Navy sought a long-range, high-endurance interceptor to defend its carrier battle groups against long-range anti-ship missiles launched from the jet bombers and submarines of the Soviet Union. The U.S. Navy needed a Fleet Air Defense (FAD) aircraft with a more powerful radar, and longer range missiles than the F-4 Phantom II to intercept both enemy bombers and missiles.^[3] The Navy was directed to participate in the Tactical Fighter Experimental (TFX) program with the U.S. Air Force by Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara. McNamara wanted "joint" solutions to service aircraft needs to reduce development costs, and had already directed the Air Force to buy the F-4 Phantom II, which was developed for the Navy and Marine Corps.^[4] The Navy strenuously opposed the TFX as it feared compromises necessary for the Air Force's need for a low-level attack aircraft would adversely impact the aircraft's performance as a fighter .

The F-111B was designed to fulfil the carrier-based interceptor role, but was found to have serious problems concerning both weight and performance. Additionally, it was not suited to the types of aerial combat then becoming apparent in Vietnam.

However, weight and performance issues plagued the U.S. Navy F-111B variant for TFX and would not be resolved to the Navy's satisfaction. The F-111 manufacturer General Dynamics partnered with Grumman on the Navy F-111B. With the F-111B program in distress, Grumman began studying improvements and alternatives. In 1966, the Navy awarded Grumman a contract to begin studying advanced fighter designs. Grumman narrowed down these designs to its 303 design.^[5] Vice Admiral Thomas F. Connolly, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Air Warfare, took the developmental F-111A variant for a flight and discovered that it had difficulty going supersonic and had poor carrier landing characteristics. He later testified to Congress about his concerns against the official Department of the Navy position and, in May 1968, Congress stopped funding for the F-111B, allowing the Navy to pursue an answer tailored to its requirements. The name "Tomcat" was partially chosen to pay tribute to Admiral Connolly, as the nickname "Tom's Cat" had already been widely used by the manufacturer, although the name also followed the Grumman tradition of naming its fighter aircraft after felines.^[6]

VFX

The F-111B had been designed for the long-range Fleet Air Defense (FAD) interceptor role, but not for new requirements for air combat based on experience of American aircraft against agile MiG fighters over Vietnam. The Navy studied the need for VFAX, an additional fighter that was more agile than the F-4 Phantom for air-combat and ground-attack roles.^[7] Grumman continued work on its 303 design and offered it to the Navy in 1967, which led to fighter studies by the Navy. The company continued to refine the design into 1968.^[5]
In July 1968, the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) issued a request for proposals (RFP) for the Naval Fighter Experimental (VFX) program. VFX called for a tandem two-seat, twin-engined air-to-air fighter with a maximum speed of Mach 2.2. It would also have a built-in M61 Vulcan cannon and a secondary close air support role.^[8] The VFX's air-to-air missiles would be either six AIM-54 Phoenix or a combination of six AIM-7 Sparrow and four AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles. Bids were received from General Dynamics, Grumman, Ling-Temco-Vought, McDonnell Douglas and North American Rockwell;^[9] four bids incorporated variable-geometry wings.^{[8][N 1]}

Grumman's VFX entry was designed around the TF30 engines, AWG-9 radar and AIM-54 missile intended for the F-111B; this eventually became the F-14A

McDonnell Douglas and Grumman were selected as finalists in December 1968. Grumman was selected for the contract award in January 1969.^[10] Grumman's design reused the TF30 engines from the F-111B, though the Navy planned on replacing them with the Pratt & Whitney F401-400 engines under development for the Navy, along with the related Pratt & Whitney F100 for the USAF.^[11] Though lighter than the F-111B, it was still the largest and heaviest U.S. fighter to fly from an aircraft carrier, a consequence of the requirement to carry the large AWG-9 radar and AIM-54 Phoenix missiles (from the F-111B) and an internal fuel load of 16,000 lb (7,300 kg).^[12]
Upon winning the contract for the F-14, Grumman greatly expanded its Calverton, Long Island, New York facility for evaluating the aircraft. Much of the testing, including the first of many compressor stalls and multiple ejections, took place over Long Island Sound. In order to save time and forestall interference from Secretary McNamara, the Navy skipped the prototype phase and jumped directly to full-scale development; the Air Force took a similar approach with its F-15.^[13] The F-14 first flew on 21 December 1970, just 22 months after Grumman was awarded the contract, and reached initial operational capability (IOC) in 1973. The United States Marine Corps was initially interested in the F-14 as an F-4 Phantom II replacement; going so far as to send officers to Fighter Squadron One Twenty-Four (VF-124) to train as instructors. The marine corps pulled out of any procurement when development of the stores management system for ground attack munitions was not pursued. An air-to-ground capability was not developed until the 1990s.^[13]
Firing trials involved launches against simulated targets of various types, from cruise missiles to high-flying bombers. AIM-54 Phoenix missile testing from the F-14 began in April 1972. The longest single Phoenix launch was successful against a target at a range of 110 nmi (200 km) in April 1973. Another unusual test was made on 22 November 1973, when six missiles were fired within 38 seconds at Mach 0.78 and 24,800 ft (7,600 m); four scored direct hits.^[14]

Improvements and changes

With time, the early versions of all the missiles were replaced by more advanced versions, especially with the move to full solid-state electronics that allowed better reliability, better ECCM and more space for the rocket engine. So the early arrangement of the AIM-54A Phoenix active-radar air-to-air missile, the AIM-7E-2 Sparrow Semi-active radar homing air-to-air missile, and the AIM-9J Sidewinder heat-seeking air-to-air missile was replaced in the 1980s with the B (1983) and C (1986) version of the Phoenix, the F (1977), M (1982), P (1987 or later) for Sparrows, and with the Sidewinder, L (1979) and M (1982). Within these versions there are several improved batches (for example, Phoenix AIM-54C++).^[15]
The Tactical Airborne Reconnaissance Pod System (TARPS) was developed in the late 1970s for the F-14. Approximately 65 F-14As and all F-14Ds were modified to carry the pod.^[16] TARPS was primarily controlled by the Radar Intercept Officer (RIO), who had a specialized display to observe reconnaissance data. The TARPS was upgraded with digital camera in 1996 with the "TARPS Digital (TARPS-DI)". The digital camera was further updated beginning in 1998 with the "TARPS Completely Digital (TARPS-CD)" configuration that provided real-time transmission of imagery.^[17]
Some of the F-14A aircraft underwent engine upgrades to the GE F110-400 in 1987. These upgraded Tomcats were redesignated F-14A+, which was later changed to F-14B in 1991.^[18] The F-14D variant was developed at the same time; it included the GE F110-400 engines with newer digital avionics systems such as a glass cockpit, and compatibility with the Link 16 secure datalink.^[19] The Digital Flight Control System (DFCS) notably improved the F-14's handling qualities when flying at a high angle of attack or in air combat maneuvering.^[20]

Adding ground attack capability

An F-14D launching an AIM-7 Sparrow; a GBU-24 Paveway III is also being carried.

In the 1990s, with the pending retirement of the A-6 Intruder, the F-14 air-to-ground program was resurrected. Trials with live bombs had been carried out in the 1980s; the F-14 was cleared to use basic iron bombs in 1992. In Operation Desert Storm, most air-to-ground missions were left to A-7, A-6 Intruder and F/A-18 Hornet squadrons, the F-14 focused on air defense operations. Following Desert Storm, F-14As and F-14Bs underwent upgrades to avionics and cockpit displays to enable the use of precision munitions, enhance defensive systems, and apply structural improvements. The new avionics were comparable with the F-14D; upgraded aircraft were designated F-14A (Upgrade) and F-14B (Upgrade) respectively.^[16]
By 1994, Grumman and the Navy were proposing ambitious plans for Tomcat upgrades to plug the gap between the retirement of the A-6 and the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet entering service. However, the upgrades would have taken too long to implement to meet the gap, and were priced in the billions; Congress considered this too expensive for an interim solution.^[16] A quick, inexpensive upgrade using the Low Altitude Navigation and Targeting Infrared for Night (LANTIRN) targeting pod was devised. The LANTIRN pod provided the F-14 with a forward-looking infrared (FLIR) camera for night operations and a laser target designator to direct laser-guided bombs (LGB).^[21] Although LANTIRN is traditionally a two-pod system, an AN/AAQ-13 navigation pod with terrain-following radar and a wide-angle FLIR, along with an AN/AAQ-14 targeting pod with a steerable FLIR and a laser target designator, the decision was made to only use the targeting pod. The Tomcat's LANTIRN pod was altered and improved over the baseline configuration, such as a Global Positioning System / Inertial Navigation System (GPS-INS) capability to allow an F-14 to accurately locate itself. The pod was carried on the right wing glove pylon.^[21]

An F-14D(R) from VF-213 flying over Iraq on last Tomcat deployment with LANTIRN pod on starboard wing glove station and LGB underneath fuselage.

The LANTIRN pod did not require changes to the F-14's own system software, but the pod was designed to operate on a MIL-STD-1553B bus not present on the F-14A or B. Consequently, Martin Marietta specially developed an interface card for LANTIRN. The Radar Intercept Officer (RIO) would receive pod imagery on a 10-inch Programmable Tactical Information Display (PTID) or another Multi-Function Display in the F-14^[22][23] rear cockpit and guided LGBs using a new hand controller installed on the right side console. Initially, the hand controller replaced the RIO's TARPS control panel, meaning a Tomcat configured for LANTIRN could not carry TARPS and the reverse, but eventually a workaround was later developed to allow a Tomcat to carry LANTIRN or TARPS as needed.^[21]
An upgraded LANTIRN named "LANTIRN 40K" for operations up to 40,000 ft (12,000 m) was introduced in 2001, followed by Tomcat Tactical Targeting (T3) and Fast Tactical Imagery (FTI), to provide precise target coordinate determination and ability to transmit images in-flight.^[24] Tomcats also added the ability to carry the GBU-38 Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) in 2003, giving it the option of a variety of LGB and GPS-guided weapons.^[25] Some F-14Ds were upgraded in 2005 with a ROVER III Full Motion Video (FMV) downlink, a system that transmits real-time images from the aircraft's sensors to the laptop of Forward Air Controller (FAC) on the ground.^[26]

Design

Overview

Play media

F-14 Tomcat flight demonstration video

The F-14 Tomcat was designed as both an air superiority fighter and a long-range naval interceptor.^[27][28][29] The F-14 has a two-seat cockpit with a bubble canopy that affords all-round visibility. It features variable geometry wings that swing automatically during flight. For high-speed intercept, they are swept back and they swing forward for lower speed flight.^[15] It was designed to improve on the F-4 Phantom's air combat performance in most respects.^[27]
The F-14's fuselage and wings allow it to climb faster than the F-4, while the twin-tail arrangement offers better stability. The F-14 is equipped with an internal 20 mm M61 Vulcan Gatling cannon mounted on the left side, and can carry AIM-54 Phoenix, AIM-7 Sparrow, and AIM-9 Sidewinder anti-aircraft missiles. The twin engines are housed in nacelles, spaced apart by 1 to 3 ft (0.30 to 0.91 m). The flat area of the fuselage between the nacelles is used to contain fuel and avionics systems such as the wing-sweep mechanism and flight controls, and the underside used to carry the F-14's complement of Phoenix or Sparrow missiles, or assorted bombs.^[15] By itself, the fuselage provides approximately 40 to 60 percent of the F-14's aerodynamic lifting surface depending on the wing sweep position.^[30]

Variable-geometry wings

The F-14's wing sweep can be varied between 20° and 68° in flight,^[31] and can be automatically controlled by the Central Air Data Computer, which maintains wing sweep at the optimum lift-to-drag ratio as the Mach number varies; pilots can manually override the system if desired.^[15] When parked, the wings can be "overswept" to 75° to overlap the horizontal stabilizers to save deck space aboard carriers. In an emergency, the F-14 can land with the wings fully swept to 68°,^[15] although this presents a significant safety hazard due to greatly increased airspeed. Thus an aircraft would typically be diverted from an aircraft carrier to a land base if an incident did occur. The F-14 has flown and landed safely with an asymmetrical wing-sweep on an aircraft carrier during testing; this capability could be used in emergencies.^[32]

Rearview of the F-14 showing the area between the engine nacelles

The wings have a two-spar structure with integral fuel tanks. Much of the structure, including the wing box, wing pivots and upper and lower wing skins is made of titanium,^[15] a light, rigid and strong material, but also difficult and costly to weld. Ailerons are not fitted, with roll control being provided by wing-mounted spoilers at low speed (which are disabled if the sweep angle exceeds 57°), and by differential operation of the all-moving tailerons at high speed.^[15] Full-span slats and flaps are used to increase lift both for landing and combat, with slats being set at 17° for landing and 7° for combat, while flaps are set at 35° for landing and 10° for combat.^[15] The twin tail layout helps in maneuvers at high AoA (angle of attack) while reducing the height of the aircraft to fit within the limited roof clearance of hangars aboard aircraft carriers. Two under-engine nacelle mount points are provided for external fuel tanks carrying an additional 4,000 lb (1,800 kg) of fuel.
Two triangular shaped retractable surfaces, called glove vanes, were originally mounted in the forward part of the wing glove, and could be automatically extended by the flight control system at high Mach numbers. They were used to generate additional lift ahead of the aircraft's center of gravity, thus helping to compensate for the nose-down pitching tendencies at supersonic speeds. Automatically deployed at above Mach 1.4, they allowed the F-14 to pull 7.5 g at Mach 2 and could be manually extended with wings swept full aft. They were later disabled, however, owing to their additional weight and complexity.^[15] The air brakes consist of top-and-bottom extendable surfaces at the rearmost portion of the fuselage, between the engine nacelles. The bottom surface is split into left and right halves, the arrestor hook hangs between the two halves, an arrangement sometimes called the "castor tail".^[33]

Engines and landing gear

The F-14 was initially equipped with two Pratt & Whitney TF30 (or JT10A) turbofan engines, providing a total thrust of 20,900 lb (93 kN) and giving the aircraft an official maximum speed of Mach 2.34.^[34] However, the F-14 would normally fly at a cruising speed for reduced fuel consumption, which was important for conducting lengthy patrol missions.^[35] Both of the engine's rectangular air intakes were equipped with movable ramps and bleed doors to meet the airflow requirements of the engine but prevent dangerous shockwaves from entering. Variable nozzles were also fitted to the engine's exhaust.

An F-14D prepares to refuel with probe extended

The performance of the TF30 engine became an object of criticism. John Lehman, Secretary of the Navy in the 1980s, told the U.S. Congress that the TF30/F-14 combination was "probably the worst engine/airframe mismatch we have had in years" and that the TF30 was "a terrible engine";^[31][33] 28% of all F-14 accidents were attributed to the engine. A high frequency of turbine blade failures led to the reinforcement of the entire engine bay to limit damage from such failures. The engines also had proved to be extremely prone to compressor stalls, which could easily result in loss of control, severe yaw oscillations, and could lead to an unrecoverable flat spin. At specific altitudes, exhaust produced by missile launches could cause an engine compressor stall; leading to the development of a bleed system to temporarily reduce engine power and block the frontal intake during missile launch. With the TF30, the F-14's overall thrust-to-weight ratio at maximum takeoff weight is around 0.56, considerably less than the F-15A's ratio of 0.85; when fitted with the General Electric F110 engine, an improved thrust-to-weight ratio of 0.73 at maximum weight and 0.88 at normal takeoff weight was achieved.^[34]
The landing gear is very robust, in order to withstand the harsh takeoffs and landings necessary for carrier operation. It comprises a double nosewheel and widely spaced single main wheels. There are no hardpoints on the sweeping parts of the wings, and so all the armament is fitted on the belly between the air intakes and on pylons under the wing gloves. Internal fuel capacity is 2,400 US gal (9,100 l): 290 US gal (1,100 l) in each wing, 690 US gal (2,600 l) in a series of tanks aft of the cockpit, and a further 457 US gal (1,730 l) in two feeder tanks. It can carry two 267 US gal (1,010 l) external drop tanks under the engine intakes.^[15] There is also an air-to-air refueling probe, which folds into the starboard nose.^[36]

Avionics and flight controls

The cockpit has two seats, arranged in tandem, outfitted with Martin-Baker GRU-7A rocket-propelled ejection seats, rated from zero altitude and zero airspeed up to 450 knots.^[37] The canopy is spacious, and fitted with four mirrors to provide effectively all-round visibility. Only the pilot has flight controls; the flight instruments themselves are of a hybrid analog-digital nature.^[15] The cockpit also features a head-up display (HUD) to show primarily navigational information; several other avionics systems such as communications and direction-finders are integrated into the AWG-9 radar's display. A significant feature of the F-14 was its Central Air Data Computer (CADC), designed by Garrett AiResearch, that formed the onboard integrated flight control system. It used a MOS-based LSI chipset, the MP944, making it possibly the first microprocessor in history.^[38]

F-14 with landing gear deployed

The nose of the aircraft is large because it contains a two-person crew and several bulky avionics systems. The main element is the Hughes AWG-9 X-band radar; the antenna is a 36 in (91 cm)-wide planar array, and has integrated IFF antennas. The AWG-9 has several search and tracking modes, such as Track-While-Scan (TWS), Range-While-Search (RWS), Pulse-Doppler Single-Target Track (PDSTT), and Jam Angle Track (JAT); a maximum of 24 targets can be tracked simultaneously, and six can be engaged in TWS mode up to around 60 mi (97 km). Cruise missiles are also possible targets with the AWG-9, which can lock onto and track small objects even at low altitude when in Pulse-Doppler mode.^[15] For the F-14D, the AWG-9 was replaced by the upgraded APG-71 radar. The Joint Tactical Information Display System (JTIDS)/Link 16 for data communications was added later on.^[39]
The F-14 also features electronic countermeasures (ECM) and radar warning (RWR) systems, chaff/flare dispensers, fighter-to-fighter data link, and a precise inertial navigation system.^[15] The early navigation system was inertial-based, point-of-origin coordinates were programmed into a navigation computer and gyroscopes would track the aircraft's every motion to calculate distance and direction from that starting point. GPS later was integrated to provide more precise navigation and redundancy in case either system failed. The chaff/flare dispensers were located on the underside of the fuselage and on the tail. The RWR system consisted of several antennas on the aircraft's fuselage, which could roughly calculate both direction and distance of enemy radar users; it could also differentiate between search radar, tracking radar, and missile-homing radar.^[40]
Featured in the sensor suite was the AN/ALR-23, an infrared sensor using indium antimonide detectors, mounted under the nose; however this was replaced by an optical system, Northrop's AAX-1, also designated TCS (TV Camera Set). The AAX-1 helped pilots visually identify and track aircraft, up to a range of 60 miles (97 km) for large aircraft. The radar and the AAX-1 were linked, allowing the one detector to follow the direction of the other. A dual infrared/optical detection system was adopted on the later F-14D.^{[citation needed]}

Armament

The F-14 was designed to combat highly maneuverable aircraft as well as the Soviet cruise missile and bomber threats.^[29] The Tomcat was to be a platform for the AIM-54 Phoenix, but unlike the canceled F-111B, it could also engage medium- and short-range threats with other weapons.^[27][29] The F-14 was an air superiority fighter, not just a long-range interceptor.^[29] Over 6,700 kg (14,800 lb) of stores could be carried for combat missions on several hardpoints under the fuselage and under the wings. Commonly, this meant a maximum of two–four Phoenixes or Sparrows on the belly stations, two Phoenixes/Sparrows on the wing hardpoints, and two Sidewinders on the wing hardpoints.^{[citation needed]} The F-14 was also fitted with an internal 20 mm M61 Vulcan Gatling-type cannon.
Operationally, the capability to hold up to six Phoenix missiles was never used, although early testing was conducted; there was never a threat requirement to engage six hostile targets simultaneously and the load was too heavy to safely recover aboard an aircraft carrier in the event that the missiles were not fired. During the height of Cold War operations in the late 1970s and 1980s, the typical weapon loadout on carrier-deployed F-14s was usually only one AIM-54 Phoenix, augmented by two AIM-9 Sidewinders, two AIM-7 Sparrow IIIs, a full loadout of 20 mm ammunition and two drop tanks.^{[citation needed]} The Phoenix missile was used twice in combat by the U.S. Navy, both over Iraq in 1999,^[41][42][43] but the missiles did not score any kills.

Iran made use of the Phoenix system, claiming several kills with it during the 1980-1988 War with Iraq. Iran tried to use other missiles on the Tomcat. It attempted to integrate the Russian R-27R "Alamo" BVR missile, but was apparently unsuccessful. The R-73E "Archer" short-range missile was announced operational on IRIAF F-14s, with the first modernized sample delivered to the 82nd TFS in April 2012.^{[citation needed]}

Operational history

Main article: F-14 Tomcat operational history

United States Navy

An F-14A of VF-84 Jolly Rogers, in a 1970s color scheme

The F-14 began replacing the F-4 Phantom II in U.S. Navy service starting in September 1974 with squadrons VF-1 "Wolfpack" and VF-2 "Bounty Hunters" aboard USS Enterprise (CVN-65) and participated in the American withdrawal from Saigon. The F-14 had its first kills in U.S. Navy service on 19 August 1981 over the Gulf of Sidra in what is known as the Gulf of Sidra incident. In that engagement two F-14s from VF-41 Black Aces were engaged by two Libyan Su-22 "Fitters". The F-14s evaded the short range heat seeking AA-2 "Atoll" missile and returned fire, downing both Libyan aircraft. U.S. Navy F-14s once again were pitted against Libyan aircraft on 4 January 1989, when two F-14s from VF-32 shot down two Libyan MiG-23 "Floggers" over the Gulf of Sidra in a second Gulf of Sidra incident.
Its first sustained combat use was as a photo reconnaissance platform. The Tomcat was selected to inherit the reconnaissance mission upon departure of the dedicated RA-5C Vigilante and RF-8G Crusaders from the fleet. A large pod called the Tactical Airborne Reconnaissance Pod System (TARPS) was developed and fielded on the Tomcat in 1981. With the retirement of the last RF-8G Crusaders in 1982, TARPS F-14s became the U.S. Navy's primary tactical reconnaissance system.^[44] One of two Tomcat squadrons per airwing was designated as a TARPS unit and received 3 TARPS capable aircraft and training for 4 TARPS aircrews.

An F-14A from VF-114 intercepting a Soviet Tu-95RT "Bear-D" maritime reconnaissance aircraft.

While the Tomcat was being used by Iran in combat against Iraq in its intended air superiority mission in the early 1980s, the U.S. Navy found itself flying regular daily combat missions over Lebanon to photograph activity in the Bekaa Valley. At the time, the Tomcat had been thought too large and vulnerable to be used over land, but the need for imagery was so great that Tomcat aircrews developed high speed medium altitude tactics to deal with considerable AAA and SA-7 SAM threat in the Bekaa area. The first exposure of a Navy Tomcat to a SA-2 missile was over Somalia in April 1983 when a local battery was unaware of two Tomcats scheduled for a TARPS mission in prelude to an upcoming international exercise in vicinity of Berbera. An SA-2 was fired at the second Tomcat while conducting 10,000-ft mapping profile at max conserve setting. The Tomcat aircrews spotted the missile launch and dove for the deck thereby evading it without damage. The unexpected demand for combat TARPS laid the way for high altitude sensors such as the KA-93 36 in (910 mm) Long Range Optics (LOROP) to be rapidly procured for the Tomcat as well as an Expanded Chaff Adapter (ECA) to be incorporated in an AIM-54 Phoenix Rail. Commercial "Fuzz buster" type radar detectors were also procured and mounted in pairs in the forward cockpit as a stop gap solution to detect SAM radars such as the SA-6. The ultimate solution was an upgrade to the ALR-67 then being developed, but it would not be ready until the advent of the F-14A+ later in 1980s.^{[citation needed]}

An F-14A of VF-32 during Operation Desert Storm with a KC-135 Stratotanker and two EA-6B Prowlers in the background

The participation of the F-14 in the 1991 Operation Desert Storm consisted of Combat Air Patrol (CAP) over the Red Sea and Persian Gulf and overland missions consisting of strike escort and reconnaissance. Until the waning days of Desert Storm, in-country air superiority was tasked to USAF F-15 Eagles due to the way the Air Tasking Orders (ATO) delegated primary overland CAP stations to the F-15 Eagle. The governing Rules of Engagement (ROE) also dictated a strict Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) requirement when employing Beyond Visual Range weapons such as the AIM-7 Sparrow and particularly the AIM-54 Phoenix. This hampered the Tomcat from using its most powerful weapon. Furthermore, the powerful emissions from the AWG-9 radar are detectable at great range with a radar warning receiver. Iraqi fighters routinely retreated as soon as the Tomcats "lit them up" with the AWG-9.^[45][46] The U.S. Navy suffered its only F-14 loss from enemy action on 21 January 1991 when BuNo 161430, an F-14A upgraded to an F-14A+, from VF-103 was shot down by an SA-2 surface-to-air missile while on an escort mission near Al Asad airbase in Iraq. Both crew survived ejection with the pilot being rescued by USAF Special Forces and the RIO being captured by Iraqi troops as a POW until the end of the war.^[47] The F-14 also achieved its final kill, an Mi-8 "Hip" helicopter, with an AIM-9 Sidewinder.
In 1995, F-14s from VF-14 and VF-41 participated in Operation Deliberate Force as well as Operation Allied Force in 1999, and in 1998, VF-32 and VF-213 participated in Operation Desert Fox. On 15 February 2001 the Joint Direct Attack Munition or JDAM was added to the Tomcat's arsenal. On 7 October 2001, F-14s would lead some of the first strikes into Afghanistan marking the start of Operation Enduring Freedom and the first F-14 drop of a JDAM occurred on 11 March 2002. F-14s from VF-2, VF-31, VF-32, VF-154, and VF-213 would also participate in Operation Iraqi Freedom. The F-14Ds of VF-2, VF-31, and VF-213 obtained JDAM capability in March 2003.^[25] On 10 December 2005, the F-14Ds of VF-31 and VF-213 were upgraded with a ROVER III downlink for transmitting images to a ground Forward Air Controller (FAC).^[26]

The last F-14 take-off from a carrier, USS Theodore Roosevelt on 28 July 2006

While the F-14 had been developed as a lightweight alternative to the 80,000 lb (36,000 kg) F-111B, the F-14 was still the largest and most expensive fighter of its time. VFAX was revived in the 1970s as a lower cost solution to replacing the Navy and Marine Corps's fleets of F-4s, and A-7s. VFAX was directed to review the fighters in the USAF Light Weight Fighter competition, which led to the development of the F/A-18 Hornet as roughly a midsize fighter and attack aircraft. In 1994, Congress would reject Grumman proposals to the Navy to upgrade the Tomcat beyond the D model (such as the Super Tomcat 21, the cheaper QuickStrike version, and the more advanced Attack Super Tomcat 21).^[48] Instead, the Navy elected to retire the F-14 and chose the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet to fill the roles of fleet defense and strike formerly filled by the F-14. The last two F-14 squadrons, the VF-31 Tomcatters and the VF-213 Black Lions conducted their last fly-in at Naval Air Station Oceana on 10 March 2006.^[49]
The last American F-14 combat mission was completed on 8 February 2006, when a pair of Tomcats landed aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) after one dropped a bomb over Iraq. During their final deployment with the USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71), VF-31 and VF-213 collectively completed 1,163 combat sorties totaling 6,876 flight hours, and dropped 9,500 lb (4,300 kg) of ordnance during reconnaissance, surveillance, and close air support missions in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.^[50] The USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) launched an F-14D, of VF-31, for the last time on 28 July 2006; piloted by Lt. Blake Coleman and Lt. Cmdr Dave Lauderbaugh as RIO.^[51]
The official final flight retirement ceremony was on 22 September 2006 at Naval Air Station Oceana, and was flown by Lt. Cmdr. Chris Richard and Lt. Mike Petronis as RIO in a backup F-14 after the primary aircraft experienced mechanical problems.^[52][53] The actual last flight of an F-14 in U.S. service took place 4 October 2006, when an F-14D of VF-31 was ferried from NAS Oceana to Republic Airport on Long Island, New York.^[53] The remaining intact F-14 aircraft in the U.S. were flown to and stored at the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group "Boneyard", at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona; as of 2007 the aircraft were to be shredded to prevent any components from being acquired by Iran.^[54] In August 2009, the 309th AMARG announced that the last of the F-14's planned for scrapping were taking to HVF West, Tucson, Arizona for shredding. At that time only 11 F-14's remained in desert storage.^[55]

Iran

F-14A of the Iranian Air Force, 2009

The sole foreign customer for the Tomcat was the Imperial Iranian Air Force, during the reign of the last Shah (King) of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. In the early 1970s, the Imperial Iranian Air Force (IIAF) was searching for an advanced fighter, specifically one capable of intercepting Soviet MiG-25 reconnaissance flights. After a visit of U.S. President Richard Nixon to Iran in 1972, during which Iran was offered the latest in American military technology, the IIAF narrowed its choice between the F-14 Tomcat or the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle. Grumman Corporation arranged a competitive demonstration of the Eagle against the Tomcat before the Shah, and in January 1974, Iran ordered 30 F-14s and 424 AIM-54 Phoenix missiles, initiating Project Persian King, worth US$300 million. A few months later, this order was increased to a total of 80 Tomcats and 714 Phoenix missiles as well as spare parts and replacement engines for 10 years, complete armament package, and support infrastructure (including construction of the Khatami Air Base near Esfahan).
The first F-14 arrived in January 1976, modified only by the removal of classified avionics components, but fitted with the TF-30-414 engines. The following year 12 more were delivered. Meanwhile, training of the first groups of Iranian crews by the U.S. Navy, was underway in the USA; and one of these conducted a successful shoot-down with a Phoenix missile of a target drone flying at 50,000 ft (15 km).
Following the overthrow of the Shah in 1979, the air force was renamed the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF) and the post-revolution interim government of Iran canceled most Western arms orders. In 1980 an Iranian F-14 shot down an Iraqi Mil Mi-25 helicopter for its first air-to-air kill during the Iran-Iraq conflict.^[56]

Flight formation of Iranian Tomcats, 2008

According to research by Tom Cooper, within the first six months of the war Iranian F-14s scored over 50 air-to-air victories, mainly against Iraqi MiG-21s and MiG-23s, but some also against Su-20/22s. In exchange, one F-14A was lost to a MiG-21.^[56]
Between 1982 and 1986 Iranian Tomcats were to see use in a series of slowly developing campaigns: mainly tasked with patrolling the skies over objects vital for the survival of Iranian regime and economy, like Tehran or Kharg Island. Most of these patrols were supported by Boeing 707-3J9C tankers, and some lasted as long as 10 hours with up to four in-flight refuelings. Time and again, they were involved in new air battles, and performed well but their main role was intimidating the Iraqi Air Force. Cognizant of previous heavy losses in battles against Iranian F-14s, the Iraqis avoided any engagement with them, so that the sole presence of a Tomcat over the target area was enough to force Iraqi formations to abort their attacks. Because of this, and because of the precision and effectiveness of the Tomcat's AWG-9 weapons system and AIM-54A Phoenix long-range air-to-air missiles, the F-14 maintained air control over a lengthy period of time.^{[citation needed]}

Iranian ace Jalil Zandi is credited by Tom Cooper with shooting down 11 Iraqi aircraft during the Iran–Iraq War, making him the highest scoring F-14 pilot.^[57]

By 1987, the Iraqis had suffered such heavy losses to Iranian Tomcats that they were forced to find a solution with which they could engage them under equal circumstances. In early 1988 France delivered Mirage F.1EQ-6 fighters, equipped with Super 530D and Magic Mk.2 missiles, to Iraq.^{[citation needed]}
Overall, Tom Cooper claims that Iranian F-14s shot down at least 160 Iraqi aircraft during the Iran-Iraq War, which include 58 MiG-23s, 23 MiG-21s, nine MiG-25s, 33 Dassault Mirage F1s, 23 Su-17s, one Mil Mi-24, five Tu-22s, two MiG-27s, one Dassault Mirage 5, one B-6D, one Aérospatiale Super Frelon, and two unknown aircraft. Despite the circumstances under which the F-14s and their crews had to operate in Iran during the eight-year long war against Iraq, it is still the premier fighter in the Iranian Air Force. The aircraft continued to operate without any support from AWACS or AEW aircraft, without even a proper support from the Ground Control Intercept(GCI). It faced an enemy that was repeatedly introducing new and more capable fighters, radars, weapons and ECM systems in combat and was supported by no less than three "superpowers" (France, the USA, and the USSR). Their crews were also permanently under heavy pressure from the regime in Tehran. That it proved as successful in combat is a result of strenuous efforts of IRIAF personnel and immense investment of the Iranian economy.^[56]
On 31 August 1986, an Iranian F-14A armed with at least one AIM-54A missile defected to Iraq. In addition, one or more of Iran's F-14A was delivered to the Soviet Union in exchange for technical assistance; at least one of its crew defected to the Soviet Union.^[58]
Iran had an estimated 44 F-14s in 2009;^[59] It has 19 F-14s in operation in January 2013, according to estimate by Aviation Week.^[60]
In January 2007, the U.S. Department of Defense announced that sales of spare F-14 parts would be suspended over concerns of the parts ending up in Iran.^[61] In July 2007, the remaining American F-14s were shredded to ensure that any parts could not be acquired.^[54] In summer of 2010, Iran requested that the United States deliver the 80th F-14 it had purchased in 1974, but delivery was denied after the Islamic Revolution.^[62][63] In October 2010, an Iranian Air Force commander claimed that the country overhauls and optimizes different types of military aircraft, mentioning that Air Force has even installed Iran-made radar systems on the F-14.^[64]
On 26 January 2012, an Iranian F-14 crashed three minutes after takeoff. Both crew members were killed.^[65]

Variants

A total of 712 F-14s were built^[66] from 1969 to 1991.^[67] F-14 assembly and test flights were performed at Grumman's plant in Calverton on Long Island, NY. Grumman facility at nearby Bethpage, NY was directly involved in F-14 manufacturing and was home to its engineers. The airframes were partially assembled in Bethpage and then shipped to Calverton for final assembly. Various tests were also performed at the Bethpage Plant. Over 160 of the U.S. aircraft were destroyed in accidents.^[68]

Close-up view of the distinctive afterburner petals of the GE F110 engine

F-14A

The F-14A was the initial two-seat all-weather interceptor fighter variant for the U.S. Navy. It first flew on 21 December 1970. The first 12 F-14As were prototype versions^[69] (sometimes called YF-14As). Modifications late in its service life added precision strike munitions to its armament. The U.S. Navy received 478 F-14A aircraft and 79 were received by Iran.^[66] The final 102 F-14As were delivered with improved TF30-P-414A engines.^[70] Additionally, an 80th F-14A was manufactured for Iran, but was delivered to the U.S. Navy.^[66]

F-14B

The F-14 received its first of many major upgrades in March 1987 with the F-14A Plus (or F-14A+). The F-14A's P&W TF30 engine was replaced with the improved GE F110-GE400 engine. The F-14A+ also received the state-of-the-art ALR-67 Radar Homing and Warning (RHAW) system. Much of the avionics as well as the AWG-9 radar were retained. The F-14A+ was later redesignated F-14B on 1 May 1991. A total of 38 new aircraft were manufactured and 48 F-14A were upgraded into B variants.^[18]
The TF30 had been plagued from the start with susceptibility to compressor stalls at high AoA and during rapid throttle transients or above 30,000 ft (9,100 m). The F110-GE400 engine provided a significant increase in thrust, producing 30,200 lbf (134 kN) with afterburner at sea level. The increased thrust gave the Tomcat a better than 1:1 thrust-to-weight ratio at low fuel quantities. The basic engine thrust without afterburner was powerful enough for carrier launches, further increasing safety. Another benefit was allowing the Tomcat to cruise comfortably above 30,000 ft (9,100 m), which increased its range and survivability. The F-14B arrived in time to participate in Desert Storm.
In the late 1990s, 67 F-14Bs were upgraded to extend airframe life and improve offensive and defensive avionics systems. The modified aircraft became known as F-14B Upgrade or as "Bombcat".^[70]

F-14D

The final variant of the F-14 was the F-14D Super Tomcat. The F-14D variant was first delivered in 1991. The original TF-30 engines were replaced with GE F110-400 engines, similar to the F-14B. The F-14D also included newer digital avionics systems including a glass cockpit and replaced the AWG-9 with the newer AN/APG-71 radar. Other systems included the Airborne Self Protection Jammer (ASPJ), Joint Tactical Information Distribution System (JTIDS), SJU-17(V) Naval Aircrew Common Ejection Seats (NACES) and Infra-red search and track (IRST).^[71]

An upgraded F-14D(R) Tomcat with the ROVER transmit antenna circled with USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) in the background

Although the F-14D was to be the definitive version of the Tomcat, not all fleet units received the D variant. In 1989, Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney refused to approve the purchase of any more F-14D model aircraft for $50 million each and pushed for a $25 million modernization of the F-14 fleet instead. Congress decided not to shut production down and funded 55 aircraft as part of a compromise. A total of 37 new aircraft were completed, and 18 F-14A models were upgraded to D-models, designated F-14D(R) for rebuild.^[18] An upgrade to the F-14D's computer software to allow AIM-120 AMRAAM missile capability was planned but was later terminated.^[16]
While upgrades had kept the F-14 competitive with modern fighter aircraft technology, Cheney called the F-14 1960s technology. Despite an appeal from the Secretary of the Navy for at least 132 F-14Ds and some aggressive proposals from Grumman for a replacement,^[72] Cheney planned to replace the F-14 with a fighter that was not manufactured by Grumman. Cheney called the F-14 a "jobs program", and when the F-14 was canceled, an estimated 80,000 jobs of Grumman employees, subcontractors, or support personnel were affected.^[73] Starting in 2005, some F-14Ds received the ROVER III upgrade.

Projected variants

The first F-14B was to be an improved version of the F-14A with more powerful "Advanced Technology Engine" F401 turbofans. The F-14C was a projected variant of this initial F-14B with advanced multi-mission avionics.^[74] Grumman also offered an interceptor version of the F-14B in response to the U.S. Air Force's Improved Manned Interceptor Program to replace the Convair F-106 Delta Dart as an Aerospace Defense Command interceptor in the 1970s. The F-14B program was terminated in April 1974.^[75]

Grumman's proposed F-14 Interceptor for USAF Aerospace Defense Command in 1972 with the simulated "Buzz Code" and Aerospace Defense Command livery and emblem on the tail

Grumman proposed a few improved Super Tomcat versions. The first was the Quickstrike, which was an F-14D with navigational and targeting pods, additional attach points for weapons, and added ground attack capabilities to its radar. The Quickstrike was to fill the role of the A-6 Intruder after it was retired. This was not considered enough of an improvement by Congress, so the company shifted to the Super Tomcat 21 proposed design. The Super Tomcat 21 was a proposed lower cost alternative to the Navy Advanced Tactical Fighter (NATF). The Grumman design would have the same shape and body as the Tomcat, and an upgraded AN/APG-71 radar. New GE F110-129 engines were to provide a supercruise speed of Mach 1.3 and featured thrust vectoring nozzles. The version would have increased fuel capacity and modified control surfaces for improved takeoffs and lower landing approach speed. The Attack Super Tomcat 21 version was the last Super Tomcat proposed design. It added even more fuel capacity, more improvements to control surfaces, and possibly an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar from the canceled A-12 attack aircraft.^[76]
The last "Tomcat" variant was the ASF-14 (Advanced Strike Fighter-14), Grumman's replacement for the NATF concept. By all accounts, it would not be even remotely related to the previous Tomcats save in appearance, incorporating the new technology and design know-how from the Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) and Advanced Tactical Aircraft (ATA) programs. The ASF-14 would have been a new-build aircraft; however, its projected capabilities were not that much better than that of the (A)ST-21 variants.^[77] In the end the Attack Super Tomcat was considered to be too costly. The Navy decided to pursue the cheaper F/A-18E/F Super Hornet to fill the fighter-attack role.^[76]

Operators

F-14 Tomcat operators as of 2013 (former operators in red)

Two IRIAF F-14 Tomcats armed with AIM-54 Phoenixes, AIM-9 Sidewinders, AIM-7 Sparrows, and an Iranian-modified version of the surface-to-air Hawk missile.

F-14A Tomcat of VF-126 c1993

Front view of an F-14B at Yokota Air Base, Tokyo, Japan, 2003

F-14A BuNo 162689 at the USS Hornet Museum in Alameda, California, 2009

 Iran

• Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force
  • 72nd TFS: F-14A, 1976–1985
  • 73rd TFS: F-14A, 1977–1985
  • 81st TFS: F-14A, 1977–present
  • 82nd TFS: F-14A, 1978–present
  • 83rd Tomcat Flight School: F-14A, 1978–1979
  • 83rd TFS: F-14A, renamed former 62nd TFS^[78]

 United States

• United States Navy operated F-14 from 1974 to 2006
  • Navy Fighter Weapons School (TOPGUN) (Merged with Strike University (Strike U) to form Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center (NSAWC) 1996)
    • VF-126 Bandits (Disestablished 1 April 1994)
  • VF-1 Wolfpack (Disestablished 30 September 1993)
  • VF-2 Bounty Hunters (Pacific Fleet through 1996, Atlantic Fleet 1996-2003, Pacific Fleet 2003–present; redesignated VFA-2 with F/A-18F, 1 July 2003)
  • VF-11 Red Rippers (Redesignated to VFA-11 with F/A-18F, May 2005)
  • VF-14 Tophatters (Redesignated VFA-14 with F/A-18E, 1 December 2001, and transferred to Pacific Fleet, 2002)
  • VF-21 Freelancers (Disestablished 31 January 1996)
  • VF-24 Fighting Renegades (Disestablished 20 August 1996)
  • VF-31 Tomcatters (Redesignated VFA-31 with F/A-18E, October 2006)
  • VF-32 Swordsmen (Redesignated VFA-32 with F/A-18F, 1 October 2005)
  • VF-33 Starfighters (Disestablished 1 October 1993)
  • VF-41 Black Aces (Redesignated VFA-41 with F/A-18F, 1 December 2001)
  • VF-51 Screaming Eagles (Disestablished 31 March 1995)
  • VF-74 Bedevilers (Disestablished 30 April 1994)
  • VF-84 Jolly Rogers (Disestablished 1 October 1995; squadron heritage and nickname transferred to VF-103)
  • VF-102 Diamondbacks (Redesignated VFA-102 with F/A-18F, 1 May 2002, and transferred to Pacific Fleet)
  • VF-103 Sluggers/Jolly Rogers (Redesignated VFA-103 with F/A-18F, 1 May 2005)
  • VF-111 Sundowners (Disestablished 31 March 1995; reestablished as VFC-111 in Naval Air Force Reserve with Northrop F-5N and F-5F, 1 November 2006)
  • VF-114 Aardvarks (Disestablished 30 April 1993)
  • VF-142 Ghostriders (Disestablished 30 April 1995)
  • VF-143 Pukin' Dogs (Redesignated VFA-143 with F/A-18E, early 2005)
  • VF-154 Black Knights (Redesignated VFA-154 with F/A-18F, 1 October 2003)
  • VF-191 Satan's Kittens (Disestablished 30 April 1988)
  • VF-194 Red Lightnings (Disestablished 30 April 1988)
  • VF-211 Fighting Checkmates (Pacific Fleet through 1996, then transferred to Atlantic Fleet; redesignated VFA-211 with F/A-18F, 1 October 2004)
  • VF-213 Black Lions (Pacific Fleet through 1996, then transferred to Atlantic Fleet; redesignated VFA-213 with F/A-18F, May 2006)
• Naval Air Systems Command Test and Evaluation Squadrons
  • VX-4 Evaluators (Disestablished 30 September 1994 and merged into VX-5 to form VX-9)
  • VX-9 Vampires (Currently operates F/A-18C/D/E/F, EA-18G, EA-6B, AV-8B, AH-1 and UH-1)
  • VX-23 Salty Dogs (Currently operates F/A-18A+/B/C/D/E/F, EA-6B, EA-18G and T-45)
  • VX-30 Bloodhounds (Currently operates P-3, C-130, S-3)
• Fleet Replacement Squadrons
  • VF-101 Grim Reapers; Atlantic Fleet, then sole single-site, F-14 FRS (Disestablished 15 September 2005; reestablished as VFA-101, sole single-site F-35C Fleet Replacement Squadron in May 2012)^[79]
  • VF-124 Gunfighters; Pacific Fleet F-14 FRS
    • (Disestablished 30 September 1994)
• Naval Air Force Reserve Squadrons
  • VF-201 Hunters (Redesignated VFA-201 and reequipped with F/A-18A+ on 1 January 1999; disestablished 30 June 2007)
  • VF-202 Superheats (Disestablished 31 December 1994)
  • VF-301 Devil's Disciples (Disestablished 11 September 1994)
  • VF-302 Stallions (Disestablished 11 September 1994)
• Naval Air Force Reserve Squadron Augmentation Units (SAUs)
  • VF-1285 Fighting Fubijars (Disestablished September 1994);^[80] augmented VF-301 and VF-302
  • VF-1485 Americans (Disestablished September 1994);^[81] augmented VF-124
  • VF-1486 Fighting Hobos (Disestablished September 2005);^[82] augmented VF-101

Aircraft on display

An F-14A on display at Grumman Memorial Park in New York

F-14A BuNo 160661 on display at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center's Aviation Challenge facility in Huntsville, Alabama in August 2009

YF-14A at the Cradle of Aviation Museum

F-14D at the Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum

F-14A of VF-84 "Jolly Rogers" at the Museum of Flight

Notable F-14s preserved at museums and military installations include:

Bureau Number (BuNo) – Model – Location – Significance

F-14A

• 157982 - Cradle of Aviation Museum, Garden City, New York. Prototype #3 Nonstructural Demonstration Testbed.^[83]
• 157984 - National Naval Aviation Museum, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida. Fifth F-14 manufactured and one of the prototypes used in flight testing. Mounted on pedestal at entrance to museum.^[84]
• 157988 - NAS Oceana Air Park, Virginia.^[85]
• 157990 - March Field Air Museum, Riverside, California.^[86]
• 158623 - Naval Base Ventura County, NAS Point Mugu, California. Pedestal mount at Front Gate Airpark.^[87]
• 158978 - USS Midway Museum, San Diego, California.^[88]
• 158985 - Yanks Air Museum, Chino, California.^[89]
• 158998 - Air Victory Museum, Lumberton, New Jersey.^[90]
• 158999 - Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth (former Carswell AFB), Fort Worth, Texas.^[91]
• 159025 - Patriot's Point Naval and Maritime Museum, Charleston, South Carolina.^[92]
• 159445 - Naval Station Norfolk (former Naval Air Station Norfolk) East Gate Airpark, Virginia.^[93]
• 159448 - Naval Inventory Control Point, Pennsylvania.^[94]
• 159455 - NAS Patuxent River, Lexington Park, Maryland. Former VX-23 flight test squadron aircraft.^[95]
• 159600 - Fort Worth Aviation Museum, Fort Worth, Texas^[96]
• 159620 - NAF El Centro, California.^[97]
• 159626 - Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center, Naval Air Station Fallon, Nevada.^[98]
• 159631 - San Diego Aerospace Museum, San Diego, California.^[99]
• 159829 - Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum, former Lowry AFB, Denver, Colorado. From VF-211, later used for aircraft maintenance training by Naval Air Reserve Center Denver at Buckley AFB.^[100]
• 159830 - Western Museum of Flight, Hawthorne, California.^[101]
• 159848 - Tillamook Air Museum, Tillamook, Oregon.^[102]
• 159853 - Defense Supply Center Richmond, Richmond, Virginia.^[103]
• 159856 - Naval Air Facility El Centro, California.^[104]
• 160382 - Museum of Flight, Tukwila, Washington. VF-84 "Jolly Rogers" AJ202. Stationed on the USS Nimitz. This aircraft, as well as several other F-14As from the famous "Jolly Rogers" squadron, appear in the 1980 film The Final Countdown which was filmed on board the USS Nimitz. On loan from the National Museum of Naval Aviation at Pensacola, Florida.^[105]
• 160386 - Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Willow Grove, Pennsylvania.^[106]
• 160391 - Texas Air Museum, Lubbock, Texas.^[107]
• 160395 - Air Zoo, Kalamazoo, Michigan.^[108]
• 160401 - Fleet Area Control and Surveillance Facility Virginia Capes (FACSFAC VACAPES), Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia.^[109]
• 160403 - American Airpower Heritage Museum, Midland, Texas.^[110]
• 160411 - Empire State Aerosciences Museum, Glenville, New York.^[111]
• 160658 - NAES Lakehurst, New Jersey.^[112]
• 160661 - U.S. Space and Rocket Center's Aviation Challenge facility in Huntsville, Alabama.^[113]
• 160666 - Western Aerospace Museum, Oakland, California. Originally delivered to VF-111 in 1978, subsequently reassigned to NAVAIR test duties, permanently modified for development of follow-on avionics and weapons systems.^[114]
• 160684 - Pima Air and Space Museum, adjacent to Davis-Monthan AFB, Tucson, Arizona. Repainted in its original markings as "NL 211" of VF-111 aboard USS KITTY HAWK (CV-63), as this particular aircraft appeared in its initial operational squadron service, circa 1978-1981.^[115]
• 160694 - USS Lexington Museum, Corpus Christi, Texas. - Painted with Hi-Vis markings of VF-103 "Jolly Rogers". Aircraft is on loan from the National Museum of Naval Aviation at NAS Pensacola, Florida.^[116]
• 160889 - Pacific Coast Air Museum at Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Airport, Santa Rosa, California.^[117]
• 160898 - Palm Springs Air Museum, Palm Springs, California.^[118]
• 160902 - Riverhead, New York.^[119]
• 160903 - Mid-America Air Museum, Liberal Mid-America Regional Airport, Liberal, Kansas.^[120]
• 160909 - Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Atlanta, Georgia.^[121]
• 160914 - Willmar Municipal Airport, Wilmar, Minnesota^[122]
• 161134 - Valiant Air Command Warbird Museum, Space Coast Regional Airport, Titusville, Florida.^[123]
• 161163 - Prairie Aviation Museum, Bloomington, Illinois. Depot Level Conversion performed September 1991. Retired as MODEX 205 of Fighter Squadron 213 (VF-213), Black Lions.^[124]
• 162591 - Quonset Air Museum, Quonset State Airport (former Naval Air Station Quonset Point), North Kingstown, Rhode Island.^[125]
• 162592 - Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Library (Painted Buno 160403).
• 162608 - Southern Museum of Flight, Birmingham, Alabama.^[126]
• 162689 - USS Hornet (CV-12), USS Hornet Museum, former Naval Air Station Alameda, Alameda, California.^[127]
• 162694 - MAPS Air Museum, North Canton, Ohio.^[128]
• 162710 - National Naval Aviation Museum, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida.^[129]

F-14B

• 157986 - USS Intrepid (CV-11), Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum, Manhattan, New York. 7th Tomcat built, retained as research and development airframe.^[130]
• 161598 - Tulsa Air and Space Museum, Tulsa, Oklahoma. It has VF-41 "Black Aces" markings.^[131]
• 161605 - Wings of Eagles Discovery Center/National Warplane Museum, Horseheads, New York.^[132]
• 161615 - Combat Air Museum, Topeka, Kansas.^[133]
• 161620 - Selfridge Military Air Museum, Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Mount Clemens, Michigan.^[134]
• 161623 - Patuxent River Naval Air Museum, Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Lexington Park, Maryland. It is a former VX-23 flight test squadron aircraft.^[135]
• 162912 - Grissom Air Museum, Grissom Air Reserve Base (former Grissom AFB), Indiana.^[136]
• 162916 - Richard J. Goss Post #8896, East Berlin, Pennsylvania.^[137]
• 162926 - New England Air Museum, Windsor Locks, Connecticut.^[138]

F-14D(R)

• 159600 - OV-10 Bronco Museum, Fort Worth, Texas. On loan from the National Museum of Naval Aviation, NAS Pensacola, Florida. Nicknamed "Christine", it was the longest-serving F-14 Tomcat in U.S. Navy. Remanufactured from F-14A to F-14D(R) configuration, it was originally built in 1976 and made the final combat deployment/cruise of the F-14 in 2006.^[139]
• 159610 - Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum, Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, Chantilly, Virginia. This F-14 was one of those involved in the second Gulf of Sidra incident.^[140]
• 159619 - Florida Air Museum at Sun 'n Fun, Lakeland Linder Regional Airport, Lakeland, Florida.^[141]
• 161159 - National Naval Aviation Museum, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida. Completed the last combat flight and the last combat carrier arrested landing (trap) by a U.S. Navy F-14.^[84]
• 161166 - Carolinas Aviation Museum, Charlotte, North Carolina.^[142]
• 162595 - Naval Test Wing Atlantic, Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland.^[143]

F-14D

• 163893 - main gate, Arnold Engineering and Development Center, Arnold AFB, Tennessee.^[144]
• 163897 - Aerospace Museum of California, McClellan Airfield (former McClellan AFB and current Coast Guard Air Station Sacramento), Sacramento, California.^[145]
• 163902 - Hickory Aviation Museum at Charlotte Douglas International Airport, Hickory, North Carolina. VF-31 Tomcatters aircraft Modex number 107; flew the F-14 retirement ceremony with LCDR Chris Richard and LT Mike Petronis at the controls.^[146]
• 163904 - Pacific Aviation Museum, Ford Island, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii.^[147]
• 164342 - Wings Over Miami, Miami, Florida.^[148]
• 164343 - Evergreen Aviation Museum, McMinnville, Oregon.^[149]
• 164346 - Virginia Aviation Museum, Richmond, Virginia. On loan from National Museum of Naval Aviation, Pensacola, Florida. Last Tomcat to operationally trap aboard a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier.^[150]
• 164350 - Texas Aviation Hall of Fame, Galveston, Texas.^[151]
• 164601 - Castle Air Museum at former Castle AFB, Atwater, California.^[152]
• 164603 - Grumman Headquarters, Bethpage, New York. Felix 101 from VF-31 is the last Tomcat to fly in U.S. Navy service. Final flight was from NAS Oceana, Virginia to the American Airpower Museum at Republic Airport Long Island, New York on 4 October 2006 were it was displayed for a year and a half before being moved to Grumman Plant 25.^[153]
• 164604 - NAS Oceana Memorial Park, Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia. Last F-14 manufactured, assigned to VX-4, later VX-9, at Naval Air Station Point Mugu, California during its operational service and used the callsign "Vandy 1".^[154]

Specifications (F-14D)

F-14A, VF 111 "Sundowners" (USS Carl Vinson)

Data from U.S. Navy file,^[155] Spick,^[34] M.A.T.S.^[156]

General characteristics

• Crew: 2 (Pilot and Radar Intercept Officer)
• Length: 62 ft 9 in (19.1 m)
• Wingspan:
  
  • Spread: 64 ft (19.55 m)
  • Swept: 38 ft (11.58 m)
• Height: 16 ft (4.88 m)
• Wing area: 565 ft² (54.5 m²)
• Airfoil: NACA 64A209.65 mod root, 64A208.91 mod tip
• Empty weight: 43,735 lb (19,838 kg)
• Loaded weight: 61,000 lb (27,700 kg)
• Max. takeoff weight: 74,350 lb (33,720 kg)
• Powerplant: 2 × General Electric F110-GE-400 afterburning turbofans
  • Dry thrust: 13,810 lbf (61.4 kN) each
  • Thrust with afterburner: 27,800 lbf (123.7 kN) each
• Maximum fuel capacity: 16,200 lb internal; 20,000 lb with 2x 267 gallon external tanks^[34]

Performance

• Maximum speed: Mach 2.34 (1,544 mph, 2,485 km/h) at high altitude
• Combat radius: 500 nmi (575 mi, 926 km)
• Ferry range: 1,600 nmi (1,840 mi, 2,960 km)
• Service ceiling: 50,000+ ft (15,200 m)
• Rate of climb: >45,000 ft/min (229 m/s)
• Wing loading: 113.4 lb/ft² (553.9 kg/m²)
• Thrust/weight: 0.92

Armament

• Guns: 1× 20 mm (0.787 in) M61A1 Vulcan 6-barreled Gatling cannon, with 675 rounds
• Hardpoints: 10 total: 6× under-fuselage, 2× under nacelles and 2× on wing gloves^{[157][N 2]} with a capacity of 14,500 lb (6,600 kg) of ordnance and fuel tanks^[158]
• Missiles:
  
  • Air-to-air missiles: AIM-54 Phoenix, AIM-7 Sparrow, AIM-9 Sidewinder
• Loading configurations:
  • 2× AIM-9 + 6× AIM-54 (Rarely used due to weight stress on airframe)
  • 2× AIM-9 + 2× AIM-54 + 3× AIM-7 (Most common load during Cold War era)
  • 2× AIM-9 + 4× AIM-54 + 2× AIM-7
  • 2× AIM-9 + 6× AIM-7
  • 4× AIM-9 + 4× AIM-54
  • 4× AIM-9 + 4× AIM-7
• Bombs:
  
  • JDAM precision-guided munition (PGMs)
  • Paveway series of laser-guided bombs
  • Mk 80 series of unguided iron bombs
  • Mk 20 Rockeye II
• Others:
  • Tactical Airborne Reconnaissance Pod System (TARPS)
  • LANTIRN targeting pod
  • 2× 267 US gal (1,010 l; 222 imp gal) drop tanks for extended range/loitering time

Avionics

• Hughes AN/APG-71 radar
• AN/ASN-130 INS, IRST, TCS
• Remotely Operated Video Enhanced Receiver (ROVER) upgrade

Tomcat logo

Tomcat logo

The Tomcat logo design came when Grumman's Director of Presentation Services, Dick Milligan, and one of his artists, Grumman employee Jim Rodriguez, were asked for a logo by Grumman's Director of Business Development and former Blue Angels #5 pilot, Norm Gandia.^[159] Per Rodriguez, "He asked me to draw a lifelike Tomcat wearing boxing gloves and trunks sporting a six-shooter on his left side; where the guns are located on the F-14, along with two tails." The Cat was drawn up after a tabby cat was sourced and used for photographs, and named "Tom". The logo has gone through many variations, including one for the then-Imperial Iranian Air Force F-14, called "Ali-cat". The accompanying slogan "Anytime Baby!" was developed by Norm Gandia as a challenge to the U.S. Air Force's McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle.^[159][160]

Notable appearances in media

Main article: F-14 Tomcat in fiction

See also

	United States Navy portal
	Aviation portal

• 4th generation jet fighter
• Teen Series
• Grumman XF10F Jaguar

Related development

• General Dynamics/Grumman F-111B

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

• Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet
• McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle
• Mikoyan MiG-25
• Panavia Tornado ADV
• Sukhoi Su-33

Related lists

• Iranian aerial victories during the Iran-Iraq war
• List of military aircraft of the United States
• List of fighter aircraft

References

Notes

1. Note: Admiral Thomas F. Connolly wrote the chapter, "The TFX – One Fighter For All".^[8]
2. The hardpoints between nacelles include two on centerline plus four others next to nacelles. Points between nacelles can only carry a maximum of four missiles at one time. Each wing glove can carry one large pylon for larger missiles, with one rail on the outboard side of the pylon for a Sidewinder.

Citations

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