trademarks protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. 2024 Military Pay Chart Military Ranks DoD Dictionary Conversion Calculators Military Alphabet Code Military Map Symbols The "Military Factory" name and logo are registered ® U.S. A few days after the F-14D production and remanufacture lines were terminated on 26 February 1991, the US Department of Defence announced that the Navy wanted to develop a new version of the F/A-18 to replace both the F-14 and the aging A-6E and this became the F-18E/F and so ended the reign of the Tomcat. The procurement number of new build F-14Ds was reduced along with a reduction in the numbers of upgraded F-14A/B. The Tomcat also became night-vision goggle capable and finally enabling it to be a true long-range multi-mission day & night strike-fighter and reconnaissance platform.īut things went different for the F-14D due to financial cut-backs combined with a pro F/A-18E/F lobby in the US government. LANTIRN equipped Tomcats delivered smart bombs as well as standard iron-bombs with a big bring-back capability. F-14A/B/Ds had a full strike capability and gained even more competence in this business. A-6s and A-7s did a good job and the Tomcat could fly as a pure air-superiority fighter with its unbeaten missile capabilities. Since the first sketches on the drawing board the F-14 had a strike capability, but back in the early days there was no need for a “Bombcat”. The F-14D met also the Navy’s alert requirement that the aircraft should be able to taxi with functioning systems within five minutes of a cold engine start: The inertial navigation system and the rear cockpit display work within 3 minutes.įurthermore, the F-14s strike capability was re-awakened. TARPS: All F-14Ds have the cockpit displays and wiring for use of the TARPS recce pod. The combination of the APG-71 radar and the IRST gives the best possible result for target acquisition.Ĭockpit: programmable interactive displays & controls, on-board oxygen generating system, NACES ejection seatsĭigital Avionics: distributed processing architecture (expandable), two AYK-14 mission computers, four Mil-std-1553 data busses control all major subsystems The IRST is said to be sensible enough to detect even heated surfaces on stealthy aircraft such as the F-22. Infrared Search & Track (IRST), IR heat sensor passively detects & tracks targets, integrated to provide simultaneous multi-sensor coordination. Joint Tactical Information Distribution System (JTIDS) to secure voice & data communications links between cooperating assets.ĪLR-67 Radar Warning Receiver, ALQ-165 Airborne Self-Protection JammerĪSN-139 Digital Navigation, highly reliable inertial navigation system with enhanced redundancy The APG-71 can track up to 24 targets simultaneously and uses digital processing instead of analogue processing as used by the AWG-9. The Fatigue/Engine Monitoring System (distributed throughout the aircraft) is a major Repair & Maintenance improvement.ĪN/APG-71 Radar, multiple target tracking with twice the previous range. As pilots said, “the F-14D’s new engines finally allowed the pilot to fly the aircraft rather than the engines.” The installation of the new GE engines required only minor changes to the aft fuselage and engine exhaust area. This increased thrust for the new Tomcat meant no afterburners were required for a catapult launch on a carrier they also improved “behind the boat” flying characteristics and were more fuel efficient. The F-14D was powered by two F110-GE-400 engines with 28,200 lbs thrust each. The best visible modifications were the engines. But sadly, the last one followed only little more than two years later on 20 July 1992. Finally, on 23 March 1990 the first production aircraft rolled off the assembly line. But it was no easy way for the F-14D to find its place in the Navy a lot of setbacks on the political scene made it hard and often endangered the F-14D production and remanufacturing. Since Grumman saw still a growing potential for the F-14, they upgraded their 20 years old kitty with quite a range of up-to-date technology. In the late 1980s Grumman started a promotion for the new F-14D when the Navy was to select their future carrier-based fighter. Happily I have Dave’s completed model here for final photography and so here are a couple of draft pics just to show you how well his project turned out.
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