F-14 Tomcat

The F-14 Tomcat was a twin-engine, two-seat, variable-geometry carrier-based fighter built by Grumman to replace the F-4 Phantom II in the U.S. Navy's fleet air-defense role. Entering service in 1974, the Tomcat paired the AN/AWG-9 pulse-Doppler radar with the AIM-54 Phoenix missile to engage up to six airborne targets simultaneously at ranges beyond 100 nautical miles — an outer-air-battle capability intended to defeat Soviet bomber regiments before they could launch anti-ship cruise missiles.

The Tomcat scored air-to-air kills over the Gulf of Sidra and during Operation Desert Storm, and in its later F-14B and F-14D 'Bombcat' configurations became a capable precision strike platform using LANTIRN targeting pods. It was retired from U.S. Navy service in 2006, replaced by the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet; the only remaining flying Tomcats are operated by Iran, the sole export customer. Retirement of the F-14 removed the AIM-54 Phoenix from U.S. service until the 2024 fielding of the AIM-174B restored the very-long-range carrier air-defense mission.

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