F-14 Tomcat
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The F-14 is a large and powerful two-seat shipboard fighter with variable geometry wings. The weapons system and the Phoenix missile armament are unrivalled for long-distance interceptions, making the F-14 one of the most effective heavy fighters. The original F-14A model was powered by TF30 engines, but the TF30 was too unreliable and not powerful enough. After a lot of experimentation, the F110 engine was adopted, and installed in new-built F-14Ds or upgraded F-14Bs (Formerly known as F-14A+.) The F-14D also introduced digital instead of analog avionics. The F-14 is expensive and very maintenance intensive, and the only export customer was Iran.
MISSION:
The F-14 Tomcat is a supersonic, twin-engine, variable sweep wing, two-place fighter designed to attack and destroy enemy aircraft at night and in all weather conditions.
FEATURES:
The F-14 can track up to 24 targets simultaneously with its advanced weapons control system and attack six with Phoenix AIM-54A missiles while continuing to scan the airspace. Armament also includes a mix of other air intercept missiles, rockets and bombs.
TECHNICAL SPECS:
Function:Carrier-based multi-role strike fighter
Contractor: Grumman Aerospace Corporation
Unit Cost: $38 million
Propulsion:
F-14: two Pratt & Whitney TF-30P-414A turbofan engines with afterburners;
F-14B and F-14D: two General Electric F-110-GE-400 augmented turbofan engines with afterburners
Thrust:
F-14A: 20,900 pounds (9,405 kg) static thrust per engine;
F-14B and F-14D: 27,000 pounds (12,150 kg) per engine
Length: 61 feet 9 inches (18.6 meters)
Height: 16 feet (4.8 meters)
Wingspan: 64 feet (19 meters) unswept, 38 feet (11.4 meters) swept
Maximum Takeoff Weight: 72,900 pounds (32,805 kg)
Ceiling: Above 50,000 feet
Speed: Mach 2+
Crew: Two: pilot and radar intercept officer
Armament: Up to 13,000 pounds of AIM-54 Phoenix missile, AIM-7 Sparrow missile, AIM-9 Sidewinder missile, air-to-ground ordnance, and one MK-61A1 Vulcan 20mm cannon
Date Deployed: First flight: December 1970