F-14 Tomcat

Categories: Carrier-based aircraft | Swing-wing aircraft | U.S. fighter aircraft 1970-1979

Image:Tomcat.f14.750pix.jpg
Sailors prepare an F-14 Tomcat for flight on the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (2003).

The Grumman F-14 Tomcat is a United States Navy supersonic, twin-engine, variable sweep wing, two-seat strike fighter. The Tomcat's primary missions are air superiority, fleet air defense, and precision strike against ground targets.

The sole foreign customer for the Tomcat was the Imperial Iranian Air Force (IIAF) during the reign of the Shah of Iran. A total of 80 aircraft were ordered, but only 79 were delivered, as the last unit was embargoed and turned over to the United States Navy. Some of the surviving Iranian F-14's are reportedly still operational today, but a lack of spares and parts is likely taking a toll on their combat readiness.

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Development

The F-14 was developed to take the place of the aborted General Dynamics F-111B, a navalized version of the U.S. Air Force tactical strike aircraft. Intended to provide fleet air defense, the F-111B proved unmaneuverable, overweight, and, in general, poorly suited to aircraft carrier operations, leading to its cancellation in 1968.

To facilitate early introduction of the F-14 into service the first version of the aircraft was planned using the engine and weapons system technology from the F-111B, and then, progressively introduce new engines and a new weapons system into the new F-14 airframe. Thus, the designation F-14A was assigned to the new aircraft equipped with updated TF-30 engines and the AN/AWG-9 weapons system from the F-111B. The original plan was to only build a few F-14As, as the TF30 was known to be a troublesome engine. In addition the engine was not designed for fighter type operations and only put out 74% of the thrust for which the F-14 was designed. A F-14B was planned to follow using the engine from the advanced technology engine competition. Then, the 'B' would be followed by the F-14C, with a new weapons system replacing the AN/AWG-9. However, the AN/AWG-9 replacement was delayed. When it arrived as the AN/APG-71, the designation assigned to the new aircraft was F-14D: the F-14C was never produced.

The Tomcat was intended as an uncompromising air superiority fighter and interceptor, charged with defending carrier battle groups against Soviet Navy aircraft armed with cruise missiles. It carried the Hughes AN/AWG-9 long-range radar originally developed for the F-111B, capable of detecting bomber-sized targets at ranges exceeding 160 km (100 miles), tracking 24 targets and engaging six simultaneously. Originally, the F-14's primary weapon was the AIM-54 Phoenix missile, capable of engaging a target at up to 200 km (120 miles), but this was removed from service on 30 September 2004. The F-14 was the only aircraft to carry this weapon, which was designed as an integral part of the Tomcat weapons system. Medium-range armament is provided by the AIM-7 Sparrow semi-active radar homing missile, backed by AIM-9 Sidewinder infrared missiles and a single M61 Vulcan 20 mm cannon for close-in use. The F-14 was designed with some air-to-ground capability, but this was not explored until late in its career; Tomcats have now been equipped to carry the LANTIRN targeting system for use by laser-guided bombs and other precision-guided weapons. Some F-14's are also equipped to carry the Tactical Air Reconnaissance Pod System (TARPS) pod, giving the Navy what was then its only manned tactical reconnaissance platform.

The F-14 was one of the most maneuverable and agile of its generation. The flat, pancake-like section between the engines acts as an airfoil to provide additional lift, giving the Tomcat an effective wing area about 40% greater than its actual wing dimensions. This results in relatively low effective wing loading. The Tomcat also has a Mach Sweep Programmer (MSP) that automatically adjusts the wing angle for optimum flight performance (the only VG aircraft so equipped — a similar system was tested but not used for the Panavia Tornado ADV), and movable glove vanes that offset the migration of the center of lift rearwards as airspeed increased. Pilots were also manually deploying them for extra assist in turns. However, the benefits were not considered worth the maintenace workload caused by the vanes and they were subsequently removed on later variants. Most variable-geometry aircraft are optimized for fast, low-altitude attack, emphasizing good gust response rather than maneuverability. Despite the Tomcat's considerable size, its agility compares well to many other fighters, although that created problems with the troublesome and unreliable TF30 turbofans, which are subject to compressor stalls in violent maneuvers or high alpha. Once the reliable F110 engines arrived, which also provided the F-14 with the thrust it was designed for, the full capability of the aircraft became apparent. The plane accelerates and decelerates very rapidly, and while it can't match it in roll, is said to be able to consistently fight F-16Cs to a draw close in while retaining its speed, endurance and avionics advantages. Although the F-14 is capable of M 2.4+, experience has shown that very little time is spent above M2. Given the limited number of F-14Bs and Ds the Navy was allowed to procure, the decision was made to reduce maintenance costs by deactivating the variable intake ramps on the Tomcats. This limited the aircraft to a maximum speed of M2, although renenabling the ramps would restore full speed.

The F-14 entered the fleet in 1973, replacing the F-4 Phantom II. VF-1 Wolfpack and VF-2 Bounty Hunters were the first Navy fighter squadrons to received the new aircraft. The F-14B, introduced in November 1987, incorporated new General Electric F110 engines. In 1995, an upgrade program was initiated to incorporate new digital avionics and weapon system improvements to strengthen its multi-mission competitive edge. The F-14D, delivered in 1990 in reduced numbers, was a major upgrade with F-110 engines, new AN/APG-71 radar system, Airborne Self Protection Jammer (ASPJ), Joint Tactical Information Distribution System (JTIDS) and Infrared Search and Track (IRST). Additionally, all F-14 variants were given precision strike capability using the LANTIRN targeting system, night vision compatibility, new defensive countermeasures systems and a new digital flight control system.

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An F-14A of VF-84 Jolly Rogers, in the old color scheme from the beginning of its service.

The F-14 is rapidly disappearing from U.S. Navy service. It originally was slated to remain in service through at least 2008, but all F-14A and F-14B airframes have already been retired, and only two squadrons, which fly the -D model, remain and will be disestablished by October 2006. It is being replaced by the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet.

The Tomcat is said to be named for the late Vice Admiral Thomas Connolly, whose testimony before the Senate was critical in the cancellation of the deeply-flawed TFX project. Connolly's call sign was "Tomcat," hence the popular name which also conformed with the Navy's tradition of giving feline names to Grumman fighters. In addition, "Tomcat" was first used for the F7F Tigercat in 1943, but was rejected by the navy as being inappropriately suggestive.

Early in development, the Tomcat was already shown to have advantages over the failing F-111B. It was smaller, lighter, and more fuel-efficient than the TFX. Ironically, much of the F-14's equipment was re-used from the TFX, including the radar, Phoenix missile, and the Pratt & Whitney TF30 engines.

The Tomcat had only one foreign export sale due to its cost, initial lack of ground attack capacity, and the fact that the US government generally would not allow the export of the aircraft, preferring to champion the F-15. Its one sale made for one of the more colorful events in its history. The United States in the late 1970s supplied F-14s to Iran, only to have them fall into the hands of the Islamic Republic of Iran after the 1979 revolution. The US subsequently cut off tech support for the Iranian Tomcats. For many years it was thought that from that point forward Iran used the fighter primarily as an airborne radar controller, escorted and protected by other fighters, but later information indicates this was incorrect. Given apparent asistance from the Soviet Union, cannibalization, back channel acquisition of certain parts, reverse engineering and virtually unlimited supplies of labor, the Iranians were able to keep a number of the aircraft operational. The aircraft was used extensively in the Iran-Iraq War where it reportedly achieved well over 100 kills. Although information received about that war is noticeably sketchy and some sources may be suspect, a phenomenon from the early part of Gulf War I tends to lend credibility to these claims. In Gulf War I, F-14s were used primarily for strike package escort and reconaissance due to the way the Air Tasking Orders were set up. The emissions from the AWG-9 are instantly recognizable, due to its very powerful transmitter (retained for the APG-71). When Iraqi fighters were detected inbound, as soon as the Tomcats "lighted up", the Iraqis would immediately abandon the attack while well out of range, indicating their familiarty with both the Tomcat and the AIM-54.

Some rumors suggest that a few of the AIM-54 Phoenix missiles supplied to Iran before the revolution were sold to the Soviet Union, where they may have strongly influenced the development of the similar Vympel AA-9 'Amos' long-range missile. In return, the Soviets may have assisted in returning the Phoenix to service in Iran. Iranian combat reports indicate a large number of their kills were with the limited number of AIM-54s they had, including at least two instances of mutliple of closely spaced aircraft being knocked down with by a single Phoenix missile. An attempt was made to adapt the MIM-23 HAWK surface-to-air defence missiles that were also a carry over from the pre-revolution period to be used as air-to-air missiles for the F-14, but this proved unsuccessful.

Grumman had submitted several 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) but the Super Hornet was chosen as the future Navy attack aircraft instead. Speculation was that Grumman felt they were the only serious option for the Navy to consider and quoted them an inflated estimate for building new F-14s (the airframes already in use were approaching the end of their lives). In an act of reprisal, then-Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney ordered Grumman to destroy the tooling and molds for the F-14. There is some debate whether the destruction was actually carried out in full. Grumman was acquired by Northrop in 1994 (the F-14 was probably the only program keeping them in business), sealing the fate of the F-14.

The original F-14 was intended to be a multi-role aircraft with a potent strike capability from the outset, but budget constraints, and the assigning of this role to the F/A-18 meant that this support was dropped before the F-14 was brought into service. This capability was resurrected later in its life, however, with the ability for later model F-14s to carry the LANTIRN pod. With this accessory the F-14 could deliver Laser-guided bombs or many other Navy air-to-ground munitions with a fair amount of accuracy over intermediate ranges. After the retirement of the A-6 attack aircraft, the F-14 was the longest range strike platform on U.S. supercarriers. It is debatable, and to many doubtful, whether the Super Hornet will be able to deliver the quantity of munitions that the F-14 can over similar ranges. Unfortunately, without the ability to re-manufacture or replace the F-14 fleet, the tired and high-maintenance airframes and engines fitted mostly with technology from the 1970s are on their way out, though by many standards it is still superior to the fighters of many airforces.

The last operational F-14s in the US inventory will be retired by the first quarter of 2006, with squadrons migrating to the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet.

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Operators

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USN squadrons

  • VF-1 Wolfpack (Disestablished September 30, 1993)
  • VF-2 Bounty Hunters (Redesignated VFA-2 with F/A-18F July 1, 2003)
  • VF-11 Red Rippers (Redesignated to VFA-11 with F/A-18F in May, 2005)
  • VF-14 Tophatters (Redesignated VFA-14 with F/A-18E December 1, 2001)
  • VF-21 Freelancers (Disestablished January 31, 1996)
  • VF-24 Fighting Renegades (Disestablished August 20, 1996)
  • VF-31 Tomcatters (Active; scheduled for redesignation to VFA-31 with F/A-18E in 2006)
  • VF-32 Swordsmen (To be redesignated VFA-32 with F/A-18F on October 1, 2005)
  • VF-33 Starfighters (Disestablished October 1, 1993)
  • VF-41 Black Aces (Redesignated VFA-41 with F/A-18F, December 1, 2001)
  • VF-51 Screaming Eagles (Disestablished March 31, 1995)
  • VF-74 Bedevilers (Disestablished April 30, 1994)
  • VF-84 Jolly Rogers (Disestblished October 1, 1995)
  • VF-101 Grim Reapers (Disestablished September 15, 2005)
  • VF-102 Diamondbacks (Redesignated VFA-102 with F/A-18F in May 1, 2002)
  • VF-103 Sluggers/Jolly Rogers (Redesignated VFA-103 with F/A-18F May 1, 2002)
  • VF-111 Sundowners (Disestablished March 31, 1995)
  • VF-114 Aardvarks (Disestablished April 30, 1993)
  • VF-124 Gunfighters (Disestablished September 30, 1994)
  • VF-142 Ghostriders (Disestablished April 30, 1995)
  • VF-143 Pukin' Dogs (Redesignated VFA-143 with F/A-18E in early 2005)
  • VF-154 Black Knights (Redesignated VFA-154 with F/A-18F October 1, 2003)
  • VF-191 Satan's Kittens (Disestablished April 30, 1988)
  • VF-194 Red Lightnings (Disestablished April 30, 1988)
  • VF-201 Hunters (Redesignated VFA-201 with F/A-18A January 1, 1999)
  • VF-202 Superheats (Disestablished December 31, 1999)
  • VF-211 Fighting Checkmates (Redesignated VFA-211 with F/A-18F October 1, 2004)
  • VF-213 Black Lions (Active; scheduled for redesignation to VFA-213 with F/A-18F in 2006)
  • VF-301 Devil's Disciples (Disestablished December 31, 1994)
  • VF-302 Stallions (Disestablished December 31, 1994)
  • VX-4 Evaluators (Disestablished September 30, 1994)
  • VX-9 Vampires (Currently operates F/A-18C/D/E/F, EA-6B, AV-8B, & AH-1)
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IRIAF squadrons

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Specifications (F-14 Tomcat)

Image:F14Missile.jpg
An F-14 launches an AIM-7 Sparrow
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General characteristics

  • Crew: 2 (Pilot and Radar Intercept Officer)
  • Length: 61 ft 9 in (18.6 m)
  • Wingspan: 64 ft (19 m) unswept, 38 ft (11.4 m) swept
  • Height: 16 ft (4.8 m)
  • Wing area: 565 ft² (54.5 m²)
  • Maximum takeoff: 72,900 lb (32,805 kg)
  • Powerplant:
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Performance

  • Maximum speed: 1,544 mph (2,485 km/h) Mach 2.34
  • Combat radius: 576 miles (927 km)
  • Service ceiling: 50,000+ ft (15,000+ m)
  • Rate of climb: F-14A: 30,000 ft/min (9,145 m/min); F-14B/D: 45,000+ ft/min (13715+ m/min)
  • Wing loading: 113.4 lb/ft² (553.9 kg/m²)
  • Thrust/weight: F-14A: 0.72 lbf/lb (7.1 N/kg)
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Armament

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F-14s in combat

Image:Gw-tomphoenix.jpg
An F-14 launches an AIM-54 Phoenix during training

F-14s of the U. S. Navy have shot down five enemy aircraft for no losses. One has been lost to a surface-to-air missile.

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F-14s in fiction

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External links

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Related content

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Related development: F-111B

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Designation Series F-10 - F-11 - YF-12 - F-14 - F-15 - F-16 - YF-17

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