Description: 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.
Background: The Grumman F-14, the world's
premier air defense fighter, was designed to replace the F-4 Phantom II fighter (phased
out in 1986). F-14s provided air cover for the joint strike on Libyan terrorist targets in
1986. The F-14A was introduced in the mid-1970s. The upgraded F-14A+ version, with new
General Electric F-110 engines, now widespread throughout the fleet, is more than a match
for enemy fighters in close-in, air combat.
Point of Contact:
Commander
Naval Air Systems Command
Office of Public Affairs
47122 Liljencrantz Road
Patuxent River, MD 20670-5440
(301)342-7512
General Characteristics
Function: Carrier-based multi-role strike fighter CtorContra: 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) um Takeoff WMaximeight: 72,900 pounds (32,805 kg) Wingspan: 64 feet (19 meters) unswept, 38 feet (11.4 meters) swept 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 M61A1/A2 Vulcan 20mm
cannon Date Deployed: First flight: December 1970
F-14 Images Zone