The F-14 Tomcat is used as the US Navy's standard carrier based fighter. Its
missions include Deck-Launched Intercept (DLI), Combat Air Patrol (CAP), and air
superiority. It was designed as a launching platform for the AIM-54 Phoenix Air
to Air Missile using the Hughes AWG-9 weapons control system.
In the past the F-14 was also carrying the Tactical Air Reconnaissance Pod System
so that the F-14 could serve as a reconnaissance aircraft as well as a fighter without
any sacrificing of speed or maneuverability. Recently the Navy has been using the F-18
as its reconnaissance aircraft.
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General Description:
The F-14 Tomcat is a 2-seat, twin-engine fighter with two tails
and variable-geometry wings. Some special features of the Tomcat is the ability
for the wings to automatically sweep during flight to maximize speed or lift. So
when the aircraft is traveling fast the wings sweep back to decrease drag that
slows the airplane. The wings move out when moving slowly to maintain enough
lift to stay in the air. The pilot can override the computers choices for the position
of the wings. The wings have a sweeping range of 20 to 68 degrees. It is also
possible for the wings to move to the "oversweep" position used for storing the
airplanes at a angle of 75 degrees. The planes sweep at a speed of about 7.5
degrees per second.Equipment:
The AWG-9 is used as the radar system for the
airplane. It is pulse Doppler that supports multiple modes and is able
to track 24 different targets simultaneously while guiding missiles to 6
targets. The F-14 uses a Kaiser AN/AVG-12 Heads-Up Display with
an AN/AVA-12 to show the airplanes horizontal and vertical position.
To visually identify long range targets a Northrop AN/AXX-1 Television
Camera Set. For defense the Tomcat has the AN/ALR-45 radar warning
and control system that warn the pilot about missiles or bogies. The
Tomcat also has a Tracor AN/ALE-29/-39 to release chaff and flares to
confuse enemy missiles as well as a Sanders AN/ALQ-100 to jam the
enemy.Weapons
The Tomcat has a built in 20-mm Vulcan Gatling
type gun set in the left side. The F-14 hardpoints can hold
Sparrows, Phoenixes and Sidewinders. It can hold two
Sidewinder missiles on the wings above the Phoenix pylons.
The Tomcat can also carry a maximum of 6 Phoenix missiles carried
on 4 hardpoints between the engines while the other
two are placed on the fixed area of the wings. The F-16 can
also carry Mk 80 bombs as well as AGM-88 HARM and the AGM-84 Harpoon.Manufacturer Grumman Corporation, Bethpage, Long Island, NY Crew 2(one pilot and one intercept officer) Engines 2 Pratt and Whitney TF30-P-412A turbofan
engines with afterburner. Output 20,900 pounds
of static thrust each.(9,480 kg)Internal Fuel Capacity 2,385 gallons or 9,029 liters Weights:
Air Defense Mission
Escort Mission
Max takeoff weight
39,762 pounds or 18,036 kg
68,649 pounds or 31,139 kg
58,904 pounds or 26,718 kg
74,348 pounds or 33,724 kgSpeeds:
F-14A
Max speed at sea level
F-14D
1,342 knots or 2,485 km per hour(Mach 2.34)
1,029 knots or 1,998 km per hour(Mach 1.88)
739 knots or 1,469 km per hour(Mach 1.2)
631 knots or 1,169 km per hour(Mach 1.1)
Acceleration speeds:
Without afterburners
F14D from 0 to 778 km per hour
F-14D from 0 to 350 knots
46 seconds
30 seconds
21 seconds
10 secondsMax ceiling height more than 56,000 ft (17,070 meters) Combat radius 500 nautical miles (927 km) Armament
or 6 AIM-7 Sparrow+ 2Sidewinder
or 2 Phoenix + 3 Sparrow + 2 Sidewinder
or 4 Phoenix + 2 Sparrow + 2 SidewinderRadar:
F-14D AWG-9 long-range search/weapons control
APG-71 digital monopulse multi-mode
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