F-14 Tomcat

The supersonic, twin-engine F-14 was the United State’s primary superiority fighter from 1974 to 2006. Its special swing-wing design allows it great performance over a full range of speeds and it can track up to 24 targets simultaneously with its advanced weapons control system. It can also attack 6 targets with missiles while continuing to scan the airspace. It was retired from the U.S. Navy fleet in 2006 and replaced by the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet.
Grumman F-14 Tomcat flying over mountains
Image Description: The Grumman F-14 Tomcat is a supersonic, twin-engine, two-seat, variable-sweep wing fighter aircraft. The F-14 first flew in December 1970 and made its first deployment in 1974 with the US Navy aboard USS Enterprise (CVN-65), replacing the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II. 

 

FACTS & STATS:

First Flown
1970
Range		 1,840 miles (2,960 km)
Length 62 ft 8 in (19.10 m)
Engine Two General Electric F110-GE-400 turbofans
Wingspan 64 ft 1 in (19.54 m)
Max Speed Mach 1.9 (1.9 times the speed of sound)
Ceiling 53,000 ft (16,155 m)
Weight

Empty: 43,735 lbs (19,838 kgs);
Loaded: 70,000 lbs (31,752 kgs)
Number Built

712
Armament

One 20 mm M61 Vulcan cannon, AIM-54 Phoenix, four AIM-7 Sparrow, four AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles



This US Navy F-14D Tomcat performs a high-speed fly-by causing the moisture in the air around the aircraft to condense into vapor as the aircraft breaks the sound barrier.
Image Description: This US Navy F-14D Tomcat performs a high-speed fly-by causing the moisture in the air around the aircraft to condense into vapor as the aircraft breaks the sound barrier.
Cockpit of an F-14 Tomcat variant used by NASA.
Image Description: Cockpit of an F-14 Tomcat variant used by NASA.