![]() Sure, the Super Hornet can do a lot of things, but compared to the other planes that it ultimately replaced, like the Tomcat, A-6 Intruder, and even somehow the S-3 Viking, it just doesn't have the range to do everything the carrier needs it to do, while keeping the carrier safe.īut, they see it as "Hey, we can save billions by making the F-18 Super Hornet a one plane fits all aircraft, so let's do that!", I can understand making certain things common across air frames, that makes sense in the long run. The further a carrier is from the action, the harder it is to target for retaliation. Case in point, why having a long-range, mult-irole, but slightly more complex aircraft on the carrier was a good thing. Not to go on a long political rant, but many politicians in the US don't understand why things were the way they were. Not anything wrong with the aircraft in particular, just the politicians being completely ignorant of how the military works, and it's still in effect now. This is the same thing that killed the ASF14E/F14E "Super Tomcat 21" Program. ![]() Hence that the documentation isn't available is most likely all down to silly beaucracy, with people having no clue on how the tech works (politicians) being the ones with the authority to decide when it will be available. In other words whilst the F-14D's IRST & radar were certainly impressive for their time (early 2000's), they couldn't hold a candle to todays sensors in both categories. That the F-14D documentation is still classified is a bit silly tbh when you consider the capabilities of the systems in the aircraft that are now being deployed (F-35, F-22, EF2000 etc.), all of which are equipped with much higher tech sensors. So strap in kids, it's gonna be a long road ahead. There's also the MFDs to program correctly, which won't be an easy task.īasically, if they go to make the D, they will need a minimum of 18 months worth of work to get it right, and there isn't a whole lot that can be reused from the B. And frankly, given all the work they have to do to make the F-14A, which is an engine change and some cockpit changes, the F-14D is going to rely a lot on 'under the hood' changes that we won't see, such as the handling characteristics and radar. The exact nature of how they work can remain classified, but ultimately, the purpose of them is the same, and they can just keep it there (with an option to upgrade it later on should the information become available).Īs for the rest. F-14D VF-31 CAG,NO.164432,USS Theodore Roosevelt.On the subject of the IRST I saw earlier in the chat, I'd say just keep it to the basics of what those things do, which is to say: They help locate and track targets which can then be slaved to them to help lock on. Total Sprues 32 sprues, lower fuselage, upper fuselage, 4 tyres and 4 Die cast main landing gear strut A total of 37 new aircraft were constructed and 18 F-14A were upgraded to D variants. Congress decided not to shut production down and funded 55 aircraft as part of a compromise. Although the F-14D was to be the definitive version of the Tomcat, not all fleet units received the D variant. Other systems included the Airborne Self Protection Jammer (ASPJ), Joint Tactical Information Distribution System (JTIDS), SJU-17(V) Naval Aircrew Common Ejection Seats (NACES) and Infrared Search and Track (IRST). ![]() The F-14D also included newer digital avionics systems including a Glass cockpit and replaced the AWG-9 with the newer AN/APG-71 radar. The original TF-30 engines were replaced with GE F110-400 engines, similar to the F-14B. The F-14D variant was first delivered in 1991. The final variant of the F-14 was the F-14D Super Tomcat. The F-14 began replacing the F-4 Phantom II in USN service starting in September 1974 with squadrons VF-1 Wolf pack and VF-2 Bounty Hunters aboard USS Enterprise and participated in the American withdrawal from Saigon. ![]() The F-14 was the United States Navy's primary maritime air superiority fighter, fleet defense interceptor and tactical reconnaissance platform from 1974 to 2006. The Grumman F-14 Tomcat is a supersonic, twin-engine, two-seat, variable-sweep wing aircraft.
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