Final tour of the F-14 Tomcat

[SaburoS]

Yeah, it's my favorite.

[Nilsen]

Beautiful old plane.

if it was given the money for updates it could have done the job as fleet defender for many many years. Nothing lasts forever tho, and its prolly time.


Im sure the makers of the F18E/F and JSF agrees too  

[indy007]

Originally posted by Hangtime
The Tomcat was the best CAP fleet defender the Navy ever had. With the Chinese picking up Kitchen Missle and Backfire Bomber production there is now a great big huge hole in the fleet defense. Granted the Cat with Two Tails is old and maintenance hungry, there is still nothing in the Inventory that can engage and destroy at the ranges and speeds necessary for modern fleet defense.

They had better figure out how to fit an AIM-54 on it.. or buy up some MBDA Meteor's.

[nuchpatrick]

That is the main reasion there killing the Tomcat, the AIM-54 system has been canceled.

From: http://www.news.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=15422

PATUXENT RIVER, Md. (NNS) -- After 30 years of highly accomplished service, the U.S. Navy retired its first long-range air-to-air missile, the AIM-54 Phoenix, Sept. 30.

One of the world's most technologically advanced tactical missiles, the AIM-54 Phoenix was the first operational radar-guided air-to-air missile that could be launched in multiple numbers against different targets from an aircraft, making the Phoenix the Navy's main fleet air defense long-range weapon.

“The heart of the F-14 Tomcat (soon also to retire) weapons system is the Hughes AWG-9 fire control system, capable of tracking 24 targets and firing six AIM-54 Phoenix air-to-air missiles engaging six different targets,” said Capt. Scott Stewart, the Navy's program manager for Air-to-Air Missile Systems. “With a range of over 100 miles, the AIM-54 gave the F-14 the greatest stand-off engagement capability of any fighter in the world. For years, Soviet air crews flying Badger, Bear and Backfire bombers feared the unprecedented capabilities of the Phoenix Missile."

[Sandman]

Originally posted by Nilsen
Beautiful old plane.

if it was given the money for updates it could have done the job as fleet defender for many many years. Nothing lasts forever tho, and its prolly time.


Im sure the makers of the F18E/F and JSF agrees too  

Different missions... the Tomcat was built to defend against a maritime attack.

The name of the game today is power projection.

[Hangtime]

The Navy has retired the Hughes AIM-54. None are left in deployment.

Zero. Zip. Nada.

Pheonix Retired

Mission has been taken up by the AIM 120 AMRAAM toted by the ChickenHawk or Surface/Ship launched platforms. Rough estimates indicate it'll take 4 Hornets with AIM 120's to do the job of one Tomcat loaded with 6 AIM-54C's. The 4 Hornets also have a lower PK in the role. Not good. If the Chinese get 24+ Kitchens inbound they would quickly overwhelm the point defense and Long Range Air defense of the fleet.

AIM 120 Deployment

These will be missed...

Tomcat & Phoenix

[Bodhi]

The Iranian F-14's are not the "same" F-14's that our guys are flying.

First off, they do not have the same avionics, and weapons systems that ours have, secondly, they do not have the maintenance support on em since our techs left.

Sure, a few of em are flying, but as for fighting our stuff.... they'd get tanked easily.

[SaburoS]

Originally posted by Bodhi
The Iranian F-14's are not the "same" F-14's that our guys are flying.

First off, they do not have the same avionics, and weapons systems that ours have, secondly, they do not have the maintenance support on em since our techs left.

Sure, a few of em are flying, but as for fighting our stuff.... they'd get tanked easily.

I seem to recall they got the full basic F14-A  package. Phoenix and all. Was a necessary selling point to stop the USSR MiG-25 recce overflights of Iran.

The newer digital retrofits they didn't receive.

Spot on about the important tech support though. Iran-Contra, I think they were able to procure some spare parts though.

[mora]

Originally posted by Bodhi
The Iranian F-14's are not the "same" F-14's that our guys are flying.

First off, they do not have the same avionics, and weapons systems that ours have, secondly, they do not have the maintenance support on em since our techs left.

Sure, a few of em are flying, but as for fighting our stuff.... they'd get tanked easily.

What equipment and weapons are the Iranian Tomcats lacking that your original F-14A's had? They do have the same radar and missiles, but they might have lacked some other equipment. Also they are producing all vital parts themselves, and according to some sources, even reverse engineered and improved Phoenix missiles. Most likely they have made upgrades over the years aswell. I wouldn't underestimate Iran, it's a quite advanced country technologically, has a quite a lot of aircraft industry and they aren't shy on spending in defence.

[Toad]

Maybe Eagl will drop by and give us the unclassified evaluation of the Iranian AF threat.

[mora]

Of course they are not a threat to you at all. I'm just saying that all propaganda about them is not true.

[Furball]

i heard they converted them to run on camel dung?

[Toad]

Originally posted by mora
Of course they are not a threat to you at all. I'm just saying that all propaganda about them is not true.

Oh, I think you're right there. If it ever came to all-out "last man standing" I think it'd turn out OK on our end.

I hope it doesn't, of course.

[Nilsen]

Originally posted by Sandman
Different missions... the Tomcat was built to defend against a maritime attack.

The name of the game today is power projection.

I know that you silly little man

They have to do the job of the Tomcat.

[ASTAC]

Originally posted by Bodhi
The Iranian F-14's are not the "same" F-14's that our guys are flying.

First off, they do not have the same avionics, and weapons systems that ours have, secondly, they do not have the maintenance support on em since our techs left.

Sure, a few of em are flying, but as for fighting our stuff.... they'd get tanked easily.

When we(Navy Ships) train for gulf deployment, the F-14 Iranian F-14 is considered a non-factor...not enough that can fly and even fewer pilots who can handle them well...

We actually are more concerned with their F-4's with a modified Chinese C-802 missile.