F-14A Tomcat

The cat that fights dogs, and wins, if ever there was a modern dog fighting aircraft it is/was the Tomcat. Developed by (Northrop-)Grumman for carrier based air interdiction and combat operations, it is large, heavy and fast. The most recognizable aspect of the craft is the air-frame shape, its image synonymous with a jet fighter, achieving movie stardom as the jet of choice in Top Gun.

The fighter boasts a twin engine design with twin tails and a variable swing wing aiding in short take-offs and landings and maneuverability in combat scenarios. Its long nose houses its radar, which is the defining feature that gives it its advantage in combat with the ability to track and execute multiple targets simultaneously.

The cockpit houses its two crew member and is located behind the radar nose assembly and well head and above the 2 widely spaced engines. The fuselage that sits behind the cockpit is quite large and adds to the aerodynamic lifting surface. This large fuselage provides a sizable undercarriage to which a quantity of missile can be carried.

The stand out feature of the aircraft are its swing wings, which sit at the shoulder of the craft, above the inward oriented intakes. Said wings are controlled automatically and adjusted in flight to provide sweep during flight. Maximum sweep is reserved to save space during storage on carriers below deck. Point to note that when fully swept the arrangement resembles a delta wing.

Viewing the craft head on the intakes are clearly visible and distinct, with them being rectangular and angled toward the fuselage axis, with the rear landing gear on the out side of the intakes and the front gear located along the fuselage axis. On the opposite side of the intakes is the exhaust, which is mechanically variable, allowing them to behave like nozzles, converging or diverging across the exhaust opening.

As an air combat aircraft it was designed to carry and operate with air to air weaponry. Having been designed around the Phoenix AIM-54 weapons platform, it can accommodate Sparrow AIM-7 and Sidewinder AIM-9 missile systems. It has a range of electronics set up to compliment its weapons, from multi-target tracking radar to TV cameras for visual long range target identification, and a host of electronic support and counter measures, from radar warning and jamming to chaff and flare dispensers.

The aircraft has also seen the addition of other electronic attachments that have increased its use allowing it to perform photo reconnaissance without compromising its core competencies. The key piece of technology is lodged in its nose, the Hughes AN/AWG-9 radar which allows for multiple target tracking and designantion.

The airframe has been modified going from F-14A to F-14D becoming the Super Tomcat which saw a more powerful turbofan engine (General Electric F-110-GE-400) and improves avionics. This new aircraft saw an expansion of its combat role to include grund attack and can carry a selection of laser guided weapons. However cost cutting measures have resulted in limted deployment.

Armament is provided by the many air to air missile systems listed above and mounted on the underside of the fuselage at 4 distinct stations and to 2 stations on the fixed sections of the wing. It also has an internally placed 20mm Vulcan Gatling gun fitted to the left (port) side of the aircraft.

It was developed during the 1970’s and saw delivery before the Iranian revolution and has since gone on to serve aboard many an aircraft carrier. From the USS Nimitz it has shot down 2 Libyan aircraft, operating out of the USS Saratoga it escorted a hijacked Egypt Air aircraft, carrying hostages, to Italy. From the USS John F. Kennedy it intercepted 2 Libyan aircraft.  During Operation Desert Storm the aircraft racked up the most flight hours of any Navy fixed wing aircraft.

It has been one of the great superfighters to take to the skies. It is an iconic image to anyone interested in flight. Moving forward this airframe has been replaced by the F/A-18 Hornet as the provider of carrier air power.

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