22 Facts About F-14 Tomcat

Grumman F-14 Tomcat is an American carrier-capable supersonic, twin-engine, two-seat, twin-tail, variable-sweep wing fighter aircraft.

The Tomcat was developed for the United States Navy's Naval Fighter Experimental program after the collapse of the General Dynamics-Grumman F-111B project.

The F-14 Tomcat was the first of the American Teen Series fighters, which were designed incorporating air combat experience against MiG fighters during the Vietnam War.

The F-14 Tomcat served as the US Navy's primary maritime air superiority fighter, fleet defense interceptor, and tactical aerial reconnaissance platform into the 2000s.

F-14 Tomcat later testified before Congress about his concerns against the official Navy position and, in May 1968, Congress stopped funding for the F-111B, allowing the Navy to pursue an answer tailored to its requirements.

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The F-14 Tomcat first flew on 21 December 1970, just 22 months after Grumman was awarded the contract, and reached initial operational capability in 1973.

The Digital Flight Control System notably improved the F-14 Tomcat's handling qualities when flying at a high angle of attack or in air combat maneuvering.

F-14 Tomcat was designed as both an air superiority fighter and a long-range naval interceptor, which enabled it to both serve as escort attack aircraft when armed with Sparrow missiles and fleet air defense loitering interceptor role when armed with Phoenix missiles.

The F-14 Tomcat was designed with a two-seat cockpit with a bubble canopy which affords all-around visibility aiding aircrew in air-to-air combat.

The F-14 Tomcat has flown safely with an asymmetrical wing-sweep during testing, and was deemed able to land aboard a carrier if needed in an emergency.

The body of the aircraft contributes significantly to overall lift and so the F-14 Tomcat possesses a lower wing loading than its wing area would suggest.

F-14 Tomcat was designed to combat highly maneuverable aircraft as well as the Soviet anti-ship cruise missile and bomber threats.

The F-14 Tomcat was to be a platform for the AIM-54 Phoenix, but unlike the canceled F-111B, it could engage medium- and short-range threats with other weapons.

The F-14 Tomcat is an air superiority fighter, not just a long-range interceptor aircraft.

The F-14 Tomcat had its first kills in US Navy service on 19 August 1981 over the Gulf of Sidra in what is known as the Gulf of Sidra incident.

The F-14 Tomcat was selected to inherit the reconnaissance mission upon the departure of the dedicated North American RA-5C Vigilante and Vought RF-8G Crusaders from the fleet.

The F-14 Tomcat aircrews spotted the missile launch and dove for the deck thereby evading it without damage.

The F-14 Tomcat achieved its final kill in US service, a Mi-8 "Hip" helicopter, with an AIM-9 Sidewinder.

Sole foreign customer for the F-14 Tomcat was the Imperial Iranian Air Force, during the reign of the last Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.

In 1980, an Iranian F-14 Tomcat shot down an Iraqi Mil Mi-25 helicopter for its first air-to-air kill during the Iran–Iraq War.

On 14 May 2019 an Iranian F-14 Tomcat crashed during landing at Isfahan-Shahid Beheshti Airport.

The ASF-14 Tomcat would have been a new-build aircraft; however, its projected capabilities were not that much better than that of the ST-21 variants.