F-14 TOMCAT 50th ANNIVERSARY F-14 Tomcat Variants Crew ...

AVIATION NEWS JANUARY 202134

F-14 Tomcat Variants Crew Perspectives

Still operated by the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force, the Grumman F-14 Tomcat is most famous for its US Navy service – and its role in the 1986

fi lm Top Gun. To mark the 50th anniversary of its fi rst fl ight on December 21, 1970, we present the fi rst of three articles on this formidable fi ghter.

Doug Gordon hears from a former F-14 pilot and a radar intercept o� cer about fl ying and operating di� erent versions of the Tomcat

F-14 TOMCAT 50th ANNIVERSARY

When discussing the different variants of the Grumman F-14 Tomcat, it is important to remember that all three

variants were upgraded to some degree. The F-14A was designed as a fleet

defence fighter. In the event of hostilities its role was to defend the carrier group from attack by enemy bombers. It was necessary to intercept the bombers a long way from the carrier group before the enemy could launch missiles at the ships. To achieve this, the F-14 required speed, a long-range missile and a radar which could find and identify the adversaries at distance.

The Pratt & Whitney TF30 engine that was adopted for the F-14A was originally meant for the cancelled F-111B. It provided the power that the Tomcat needed. The combination of the AN/AWG-9 radar and the formidable AIM-54 Phoenix missile gave the F-14A the capability of identifying and attacking multiple targets simultaneously. The F-14A could carry as many as six Phoenix missiles.

Now retired, Captain Brian ‘Billy’ Kocher was a radar intercept officer (RIO). He said: “I started flying Tomcats in 1987 after completion of advanced flight training. When I reported to VF-124 ‘Gunslingers’, I was trained on the F-14A model. At the time, the threat we trained for was the Soviet Bear/Backfire bomber attacks against the aircraft carrier. “Our tactics were devoted to long-range intercept of bombers carrying long-range supersonic Kh-22 (NATO reporting name AS-4 Kitchen) air-to-surface missiles. The AWG-9 was the most powerful radar in the air capable of detecting bomber size targets at 200nm. The AS-4 had nearly the same radar cross section so it was presumed we could see it at similar ranges.

“The Tomcat strategy was to employ multiple AIM-54 Phoenix at near maximum range to obtain undetected kills against the bombers before they launched.” He continued: “As time progressed and Soviet tactics began to include fighter escort, we then had to learn to distinguish between bomber and fighter size targets. The AWG-9 provided raw radar returns, which allowed the RIO to evaluate the returns not only for size but also jet engine modulation (JEM), which allowed a skilled RIO to discern and identify targets. The AWG-9 also had multiple identification systems including IFF [Identification Friend or Foe] interrogation – the ability to distinguish more reliably between hostile and friendly aircraft]. The ‘A’ model was also equipped with the ALR-45/50 radar warning receiver

and did not have any onboard electronic countermeasures capability.”

The F-14 was not originally intended to be a dogfighter, but as time progressed, changing circumstances such as the presence of escorting fighters forced the role upon it. One of the most significant drawbacks in this respect for the F-14A was its engines. Research led to the realisation that 28% of F-14 mishaps were related in some way to the TF30.

Captain Keith ‘Grumpy’ Kimberly (ret’d) was a pilot who flew all the Tomcat variants. He said: “One of the drawbacks in the F-14A occurred when you were in close-in fighting, 1 v 1. In the back of your mind you were always very conscious of not putting adverse yaw on the aeroplane because you could stall an engine pretty quick. Even if you were putting a minimum angle of attack on the aircraft; as soon as you put it into yaw, it would disturb the airflow and the engine would cough.”

NEW POWERThe General Electric F110-GE-400 was chosen to replace the TF30 and began to be installed in the F-14As in 1987. The modified aircraft were redesignated F-14A(PLUS). A total of 47 F-14As were upgraded with the new engines and 38 new F-14A(PLUS) models were built. The designation was later changed to F-14B. The replacement

engine made a significant difference to the performance of the Tomcat.

In the summer of 1995, Keith Kimberly was selected for the first class of Strike Fighter Tactics Instructors (SFTI) course that TOPGUN introduced as part of the newly developed Strike Fighter Training Continuum. He recalled the advantage that the new engine gave to the F-14: “With the F110 engine you’re really maximising the aeroplane in a 1v1 environment. So much so that you didn’t have any qualms about departing in a high angle of attack scenario in order to rapidly manoeuvre it in another direction. You weren’t afraid to slow down or go ‘over the top’ in a loop. Also, you weren’t concerned to start that manoeuvre at 200 to 250kts because you could ‘milk’ the aircraft over the top and knew the engines wouldn’t stall – even if you got into a tail slide.

“When it came to close-in combat situations, the F110 engine really allowed the F-14 to become a better fighter than it was originally designed for.”

Brian Kocher flew the F-14B during his time with VX-23 Air Test and Evaluation Squadron at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland. His eyes were opened to the tremendous power and reliability of the new engine compared with the stall-prone and underpowered TF30. He said: “As a RIO and later flying with nugget [junior] pilots, I had to become very attuned to the noises,

The AIM-54 Phoenix gave the Tomcat long-range punch. This VF-111 ‘Sundowners’ F-14A is test-firing an AIM-54C over a US range US Navy

35WWW.AVIATION-NEWS.CO.UK

An F-14A Tomcat aircraft refuelling from a US Air Force KC-10A Extender during Operation Desert Storm, with others alongside, in February 1991. The aircraft are from VF-14, VF-33 and VF-84 USAF

Main photo: Four Grumman F-14B Tomcats from the VF-143 ‘Pukin’ Dogs’ fly over the California desert. Note, three of them are carrying the LANTIRN pod for dropping air-to-ground munitions Photo by Ted Carlson/

Fotodynamics.com

pops and bangs of the TF30 when it was stalled; especially when a pilot was focused in an air-to-air engagement. Experiencing ‘pop stalls’ with the TF30 was a common, almost expected occurrence on every flight. So much so we had actually grown complacent to the dangers of stalls, often ignoring them; some at our own peril.

“One of the more aggressive manoeuvres in the Tomcat was the ‘rudder reversal’ in which the pilot would climb and as we slowed to 100kts airspeed they would kick the rudder and stick in opposite directions to get the Tomcat to ‘swap ends’ and point straight down. It was always 50/50 chance the TF30 would stall especially if a pilot moved the throttles at all during the manoeuvre. With the F110, the manoeuvre was seamless and with all the extra thrust it meant the pilot would actually have to reduce throttles to achieve slow enough airspeed to execute it.”

Taking off and landing with the new engine were also new experiences for the crews. Launching from a carrier with the F-14A required full afterburner with the TF30 engine, whereas the F110 was restricted to Military Power only; use of the afterburner was forbidden as there was a risk of exceeding the maximum operating speed of the landing gear. The F110 made landing on the ship easier as it had a lot more thrust available and gave smoother power adjustments on ‘the ball’ – an optical landing system (OLS) used to give glidepath information. Kocher said: “With the F110 you could quickly add a little bit more power and with the new lift control devices you could go up and down easily and arrest the sink rate immediately. In comparison, the TF30 took a little bit more time to spool up and in the beginning the F-14A didn’t have Direct Lift Control.”

Kimberly added: “Direct Lift Control was an all or nothing push button; later it was changed with the ability to moderate the amount of DLC a pilot could utilise, which the F-14D came with from the beginning. It was such a good added feature that you could pick the wire you wanted to catch on the deck through its utilisation.”

RECCE ROLEOne of the roles which was given to the F-14A was that of tactical reconnaissance. To fulfil this the Tactical Airborne Reconnaissance Pod System (TARPS) was designed. Only a small number of F-14As and F-14Bs in each fighter squadron were modified for this role. Subsequently, all F-14Ds would be TARPS-capable. In Operation Desert Storm the majority


Left: With wings swept fully forward to 20°, this VF-102 F-14B demonstrates the high-speed configuration of the Tomcat Rick Llinares

Below left: A stack of F-14s illustrating the maximum inflight wing sweep of 68°. An ‘oversweep’ position of 75° could be used to allow tighter parking on aircraft carriers Rick Llinares

of Tomcat sorties were reconnaissance missions. Brian Kocher was deployed to the Persian Gulf on the carrier USS Ranger (CV 61) assigned to the F-14A with VF-2 as part of the forces assembled to evict Iraqi forces from Kuwait: “During Operation Desert Storm, the Tomcat was used exclusively for tactical reconnaissance and fighter sweep/escort missions as we had no air-to-ground capability. Our intelligence told us that Iraq had tremendous respect for the Tomcat and the AWG-9 based on their negative experience against Iran during the Iran-Iraq War. Most of the time when Tomcats took off, Iraqi aircraft immediately landed or flew straight to Iran so our opportunity to engage was almost zero.

“We did, on several sorties, vector to intercept MiG-25 Foxbats, flying high over Northern Iraq. The long radar detection ranges allowed us to track the Foxbats at over 150 miles and remain undetected; but as soon as Iraqi controllers were aware of our intentions, the Foxbats would immediately circle to land.

“During Desert Storm, the capabilities and limitations of the F-14A were highlighted particularly during TARPS missions. The TARPS-capable Tomcat squadrons

were sought after for providing photo intelligence to coalition forces preparing for invasion. On one of our squadron missions, the crews landed and were excited about their execution only to find out from intelligence that they had taken pictures of the wrong area. The AN/ASN-92 [Carrier Aircraft] Inertial Navigation System (CAINS) was an old ring laser gyro navigation system that was commonly called the ASN-92 ‘Drift Master’ for its lack of stability and excessive drift rates. The aircrew had to always plan for multiple INS updates while in-flight to re-centre the system. After Desert Storm, RIOs started flying with hand-held GPSs as a back up to the poor onboard navigation systems.”

It was not until the advent of the F-14D that the CAINS was upgraded to the AN/ASN-139 DINS (Digital Inertial Navigation System). Yet another upgrade in the F-14D was to the TARPS. Kocher explained: "TARPS-DI allowed the RIO to take digital images and transmit them either to another Tomcat or to the ground station onboard the aircraft carrier. The capability was instrumental in providing post-strike battle damage assessment almost immediately after a strike instead of having to wait for the aircrew to land, download the film and process/analyse the pictures by TARPS. This was important for shortening the targeting and planning time for leadership."

One of the most significant developments

during the life of the Tomcat for both the pilots and the RIOs was the improvement of situational awareness provided by new equipment and their associated cockpit displays. Pilot Keith Kimberly said: “In the front seat of the F-14A you had an information display which was right in front of the stick and is a duplicate of the display in the back seat. You couldn’t pull out a lot of information other than what was displayed or tailor it to yourself. You also had an antiquated HUD [head-up

display] and a lot of analogue gauges. Also, the CRT [cathode ray tube] display which showed the radar picture wasn’t exactly the brightest, as in the F-14B also. In a real combat situation the radio could get clogged up and was really hard to understand and it was difficult to ascertain where the bad guys were in the HUD.

“When you started coming inside ten miles you were really ‘heads out’ the whole time, trying to pick out where the enemy was. F-14D situational awareness


“The Tomcat was the king of the air-to-air hill”

Outfitted with a Tactical Aerial Reconnaissance Pod System (TARPS) pod and a jamming pod on the centreline, a VF-102 ‘Diamondbacks’ F-14 Tomcat on a December 1997 Southern Watch mission over Iraq US Navy/LT Chuck Radosta

An F-14D ‘kneels’ in tension before a catapult shot. The television camera set (TCS) and infrared seeker under the nose are clearly visible Scott Rathbone

was significantly greater than in an ‘A’ or ‘B’ models. The displays were raised above the stick and were clearly visible. The interactive Tactical Situational Display [TSD] was in front of you. To the right of the TSD was the IRST [infrared search and track system] which displayed just like a radar. You had an amazing HUD which was integrated into the INS system and its symbology. The HUD clearly showed where the adversaries were and gave good seeker information from the air-to-air missiles. It also showed where the television camera and IRST were looking. The HUD at that time was better than found today in the F/A-18A-G. The F-14A and ‘B’ did receive improved HUDs, but these were not as good as on the ‘D’.”

On the F-14D the analogue AN/AWG-9 radar was replaced by the digital AN/APG-71 which also had a NCTR [Non-Cooperative Target Recognition] capability. Kimberly said: “I would describe the AN/APG-71 radar as an improved digital version of the AWG-9 that had true all-aspect search and track capability with greater range detection.” The F-14A did not originally have any electric

countermeasures capability and the AN/ALR-45/50 radar warning receiver was not very effective. Its threat detection was erratic, particularly with regard to surface-to-air threats. Kocher recalled that for the F-14A in Desert Storm, part of the RIO’s combat checklist was to use a rubber band to hold the bypass switch in order to pick up threats the system was weak in detecting. The F-14B introduced the AN/ALR-67 countermeasures warning and control system which provided a lot more information to the RIO and pilot concerning threats from surface to-air missile systems. This system was also retrofitted to 60 F-14As.

Kocher was responsible for some testing and evaluation of the AN/ALR-67 with VX-23: “With the addition of air-to-ground missions, we conducted test and evaluation of the ALR-67 and the ALQ-165 ASPJ [Airborne Self Protection Jammer] which provided tremendous improvement in situation awareness and self-protection capability. The systems worked together such that when a threat was detected, the ASPJ would automatically initiate a

countermeasures programme to jam any threat.” The F-14A was fitted with the AN/ALE-29 countermeasures chaff and flare dispenser – capable of carrying only 40 rounds of chaff or flare cartridges. Later BOL LAU-38 rails were integrated that could be fitted externally on the Tomcat’s Sidewinder pylons and as many as four could be carried. These enabled carriage of the missile, plus each rail had 160 rounds of chaff or flare packets for defeating radar or infrared threats respectively.

CLAWS OF THE TOMCATThe armaments carried by the F-14A were initially exclusively for the air-to-air mission. In addition to the AIM-54 Phoenix, the Tomcat could carry the AIM-9 Sidewinder and the AIM-7 Sparrow missiles. The aircraft also had a 20mm M61 Vulcan cannon. As time progressed, these missiles were upgraded as later models became available. One of the developments for the Phoenix was the AIM-54C.

Kocher remembered an occasion when he and others researched a possible alternative use for the missile in combat: “With the AIM-54, the Tomcat was the king of the air-to-air hill. We could reach out and touch any air threat without them even knowing we were around. The Iraqis knew this and rarely flew when we were airborne, so a couple of us enterprising junior officers decided to see if we could exploit the new air-to-ground capability we heard had come with the AIM-54C models. According to our new tech manuals, it could be guided using the TCS [television camera set] using line-of-sight cueing for the missile’s onboard radar to acquire a ground return.

“Our Tomcats were frequently tasked to provide air cover for the oil platforms located in the Persian Gulf as the Iraqis started sending small boats to harass them. On one such mission, we detected a small boat approaching an oil platform using the raw pulse radar returns. As we circled and manoeuvred to get within launch parameters, the boat scooted under a platform and hid while we circled at 100ft before departing for the ship unsuccessful.”

Meanwhile, the Navy was developing an air-to-ground mission for the Tomcat. Following the war in the Gulf in 1991 there was some development undertaken to allow the F-14A and F-14B to deliver basic ‘iron’ bombs and, in the late 1990s, both these variants were given the capability to deliver precision-guided munitions as well.

However, it was in the F-14D that the multi-role mission of the Tomcat was to find complete fulfilment. The improvement in the targeting of the cannon was a case in point. Keith Kimberly said: “In the HUD of the F-14D, the gun reticle was ten times more accurate than what I found in the Hornet or Super Hornet and earlier model Tomcats.” One of the most significant developments for the air-to-ground role for the Tomcat


An F-14D of VF-213 ‘Blacklions’ patrols over an Iraqi city in 2005, carrying an LGB and a JDAM in the ‘tunnel’ between the engines US Navy/LT JG Scott Timmester

The F-14B had a single TCS under the nose with an ALQ-100 jammer attached below it, as seen on this VF-74 jet aboard the USS Saratoga during 1993 operations in the Atlantic US Navy/PH Coss

was the LANTIRN (Low Altitude Navigation and Targeting Infrared for Night) pod. The precision strike targeting programme that included LANTIRN began in February 1996 and operational testing culminated the following year.

The F-14A and F-14B were included in the programme; all F-14Ds received the capability as well as 60 F-14As. The aircraft in the F-14B upgrade programme were also given the system. Kimberly described its benefits: “The pod knew exactly where it was and exactly where to look. They ran a 1553 data bus [MIL-STD-1553 DMDB] linked to a control unit and they plugged that picture into a tactical information display in the back seat, and now you had a fantastic weapons system in and of itself. Now we could bring anything to the fight. The F-14D was an amazing air-to-ground platform. Both the ‘A’ and ‘B’ had integration with the LANTIRN, though the F-14D took it to another level. You added that to the IRST and the radar and we had JTIDS [Joint Tactical Information Distribution System]. Whatever the E-2 AWACS [Grumman E-2 Hawkeye] or ground stations saw on their radars would go into the distribution system so we got to see it. It also enabled us to receive information from aircraft with the PPLI [Precise Position Locating Identification]. It gave you information as to where you and they were. You got to see your wingmen's information – how many missiles they had, how much fuel they had – and we got two secure radios. In any combat situation, it was possible to talk directly to my wingman over hundreds of miles. The IFF [AN/APX-100] was also significantly better."

The final word on the air-to-ground role of the F-14 came from Brian Kocher: "Adding air-to-ground to the Tomcat allowed the aircraft to go out of service on top. This was accomplished by adding the

LANTIRN as well as integration of the LGBs [laser-guided bombs] and JDAM [Joint Direct Attack Munition) precision-guided munitions. While not completely integrated, the LANTIRN system was extremely capable and could take cueing information from the APG-71 and upgraded mission computers of the ‘D’. The integration with the ‘A’ was much less as it was not equipped with the 1553 data bus required for full integration.” He added: “The LANTIRN was the most advanced infrared targeting system at the time, which thrust the Tomcat into a leading role during OIF [Operation Iraqi Freedom]. Often our air wing would fly mixed section [Tomcats and Hornets] with the Tomcat providing targeting while legacy Hornets performed as ‘bomb trucks’ dropping them off the wing of the F-14 whose RIO would ‘buddy lase’ and guide the weapons to their intended target. The Nite Hawk targeting system on the legacy Hornets [A to D models] was of such low quality and resolution, it was more reliable to use the Tomcat and LANTIRN, not to mention the

longer station keeping with more fuel, to cycle Hornets to the Tomcat, which would then lead and guide the bombs to their target." The F-14 was officially retired from the US Navy on September 22, 2006; the last flight taking place on October 4.

Capt Kimberly retired from the service in 2017, having amassed more than 5,500 flying hours; over 3,000 of them in the F-14. He had flown all versions of the Tomcat and F/A-18 with some 150 combat missions into Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria. During his 28 years’ service he deployed with air wings nine times and flew off 14 different aircraft carriers.

Captain Kocher retired from the US Navy in 2011. He had flown more than 3,000 flight hours, with over 2,700 of these in the Tomcat; including some 400 combat hours in the ‘A’ and ‘D’. He also flew a further 300 hours with the US Navy Test Pilot School. During his training and subsequent assignment to the Naval Air Warfare Center – Aircraft Division (NAWC AD), now called VX-23, he flew 24 different aircraft.


An F-14D of VF-213 over the Gulf in 2003, supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom

USAF/TSgt Rob Tabor

One advantage of the improved engines in the F-14B and ’D was greater ‘bringback’ of unexpended ordnance. Here a VF-11 ‘Red Rippers’ F-14B returns to the USS John F Kennedy in April 2002, with unused bombs after an uneventful Operation Iraqi Freedom mission Jim Winchester

I was excited, proud and happy to be selected as commanding officer of Fighter Squadron 211 (VF-211), the ‘Checkmates’, in 1995. The squadron

had a stellar history and was consistently a strong performer among the ten or so Tomcat squadrons at the fabled Naval Air Station Miramar – ‘Fightertown USA’ near San Diego, California.

But when I reported in July 1996 as executive officer (the normal progression for

US Navy tactical squadrons was to start as Executive Officer/XO and then move up to CO) I was immersed in a world of change. Miramar had already been transferred to the Marine Corps and F-14 squadrons were moving to Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia. More than half of all F-14 squadrons had already been decommissioned as carrier air wings evolved with the influx of the F/A-18 Hornet. The F-14 itself had taken on a new air-to-ground mission, which had once


Leading From the BackF-14 RIO

Dave ‘Bio’ Baranek was a Radar Intercept Officer (RIO) on the

Tomcat. He served as a Topgun instructor and then returned

to the front line F-14 force which is where his new book Tomcat

RIO picks up. This article covers the

period in his career when he was the

commanding officer of a Tomcat squadron


A colourful F-14A Tomcat shows the ‘Checkmates’ tail design when the author was executive officer of the squadron. This photograph was taken during training which took place near Key West in Florida Dave Baranek

AIM-54C Phoenix missile, LANTIRN pod, and software updates helped keep us in the fight. But the fight had changed dramatically; we now trained against fourth-generation fighters armed with capable forward-quarter missiles. Of course we brought one of the best missiles to that fight with the Phoenix. The Navy had also gone to school and refined intercept tactics, and the SFWT programme honed the skills of aviators. One early morning training flight near Key West, Florida, provided a good demonstration.

PERFECT PRACTICEThe flight lead was Lt Daryl ‘Salty’ Martis, a RIO who had been an A-6 bombardier/navigator, one of many former Intruder aircrew brought in to help establish the air-to-ground mission in the F-14 community. This morning was a check ride for Salty and his briefing was like a one-hour course on fighter weapons and tactics. Four Tomcats launched, joined up, and headed south over the Straits of Florida. The bandits took off after us so we wouldn’t know how many there were. Our jets were in good shape, all systems working, as we checked in with our controller. Soon the bandits checked in, and Salty called: “Fight’s on.” A moment later I heard, “Salty Flight, reference three-zero-zero.”

Our controller radioed the bare-bones info: “Bandits three-two-zero, 43, tracking southeast” – compass bearing, range in nautical miles, and bandit track as the controller saw it. I was flying with Lt Dwight ‘Tricky’ Dick and we were Dash 3, leading the second section. Our wingman was a mile away. We turned to face the threat and in moments four AWG-9 radars were pointed northwest, two searching high and two searching low.

“Salty, single group, three-two-zero, 39, heavy [this term refers to a group with three or more contacts].” I was showing the same contacts.

The next call was covered in detail in the brief and was executed precisely. And it showed me how much things had changed since the 1980s.

“Salty, action.”Instantly Salty and his wingman yanked

into a hard right turn, and Tricky led our wingman in a hard left. We all started the stopwatch function on our cockpit clocks, as the turn swept the enemy blips off my radar screen, which could not look beyond 65° off the nose. The adversaries would see the dramatic split and would have to react to it. In 20 seconds the four Tomcats turned back in. I aimed my radar again, and there were the bandits.

“Salty, new picture, two groups, near group BRA three-one-zero, 32, 26,000, far group BRA three-zero-five, 37, 20,000.” BRA


Leading From the Back

Main photo: A ‘Checkmates’ Tomcat on a training sortie near Fallon, Nevada. The blue shapes under the fuselage are inert bombs Dave Baranek

seemed unlikely, and the community was enthusiastically embracing the strike-fighter role. As I got to know my new squadron, enthusiasm is what I found throughout. In the maintenance shops, men and women did whatever it took to keep our 14 F-14s in top operating condition and were proud to be ‘Checkmates’. In the ready room, fighter pilots and RIOs implemented the still-new demands of the Strike Fighter Weapons and Tactics (SFWT) programme that

raised the standards of training and aerial performance. Yet they retained the esprit de corps I remembered from my early days in the fleet, 15 years before.

In 1997 roughly two-thirds of the Navy’s remaining F-14 squadrons operated the newer B or D model Tomcats. VF-211, however, continued with the F-14A that was essentially the same as the jets that joined the first squadrons in 1974. Incremental improvements such as the

Approaching San Clemente Island, off the coast of Southern California, for a bomb run. The dark grey pod under the right wing is a LANTIRN pod, which was used mainly for level bomb deliveries Dave Baranek

retreat before they could be shot at. So the Secretary of Defense ordered the Nimitz Battle Group to bypass Singapore and head directly to the Persian Gulf. We had heard this might happen, so it didn’t come as a complete surprise. It heightened my expectations for action. On the transit from San Diego to the Persian Gulf, VF-211 maintenance personnel put in a lot of overtime getting our Tomcats ready for the high-visibility Operation Southern Watch (OSW) missions we would fly. Most squadrons spend the final month before deployment ‘grooming’ their jets, fine-tuning systems for the demanding carrier environment. We, however, did the opposite. Due to the discovery of unexpected cracks in major structural bulkheads of several F-14s, the Navy ordered extensive inspections. Checkmate maintainers had to disassemble most of our jets. If cracks were found they were repaired, but even if no repairs were necessary the simple inspection and re-assembly required a huge effort and introduced potential problems as the aircraft was put back together. Most F-14 squadrons went through this drill, but we did it in the weeks before deploying.

Squadron members proved themselves. The hard work continued for the first few months of deployment and by the time we were on station we were ready to perform the real-world missions, carrying live weapons on every flight, ready to shoot at no-fly zone violators,

meant he was calling their bearing, range, and altitude from his aircraft as opposed to a bullseye call from a reference point. Again Salty’s call showed me how much had changed. The simple words “new picture” keyed everyone that there was a significant change in the threat. I worked my radar, silently impressed at Salty’s ability. Each of our four Tomcats turned loose a simulated Phoenix, several bandits were kill-removed, and we engaged the survivors. We then ran a second intercept that was like an instant replay and returned for a detailed debrief in the TACTS [Tactical Aircrew Combat Training System] trailer at Key West. In the months leading up to our deployment, VF-211 conducted intense air-to-air and air-to-ground training from our home base in Oceana and locations around the United

States. When the deployment started, we were ready.

I became VF-211’s CO on August 29, 1997, but the associated ceremony and celebration fast receded from memory. The next week the squadron flew from Virginia to California and moved aboard the USS Nimitz, and the battle group set out across the Pacific. We had port visits in Yokosuka, Japan and Hong Kong. Our next stop was Singapore.

TO THE PERSIAN GULFMeanwhile, 5,000 miles away, they did not get the memo about our port visit plans. The Iraqi Air Force was making a mockery of the Southern No-Fly Zone, apparently testing the coalition’s resolve. Fighters would cross the line and then


An over-the-shoulder view of Nimitz, a few heartbeats after launch. The Tomcat’s Plexiglas canopy provided excellent all-round visibility Dave Baranek

An F-14A going to full afterburner on the USS Nimitz, seconds before launch for an OSW mission. It carries a jamming pod under the belly and AIM-9s and Phoenix missiles on the wings Dave Baranek

as a strike leader under instruction. Yes, under instruction. Planning and leading co-ordinated strikes was not a simple task. I was notified around noon on the 23rd, with a target time the next afternoon. The package was modest: two Tomcats and two Hornets as bombers, with an EA-6B Prowler escorting us and two other Hornets as counter-air. Strike planning was usually done by a team, and I got a lot of help from four pilots: ‘Spotan’, ‘Lex’, a Hornet pilot, and ‘Mach’, who would be flying me for this one. It took us four hours to develop the route of flight, timing, comms and other details, and make the kneeboard cards.

The morning of the 24th I put the key info on the ready room whiteboard. Aircrews arrived and after the brief we split up into elements, so Mach and I could brief the interdiction aircraft in more detail... then out into the 100°F heat that was typical of a flight deck in the Persian Gulf. All deck personnel wore water backpacks to stay hydrated. We were lucky it wasn’t summer.

The day was clear and aircraft start was smooth. I was ahead of the jet as I entered a handful of navigation points into the INS

attack ground targets if required and provide valuable intelligence using the TARPS (Tactical Airborne Reconnaissance Pod System).

We had maintained aircrew qualifications during the transit by flying as much as possible. Though I was the CO, I flew about the same frequency as other aircrews, averaging roughly one flight every other day during the month-long trip from San Diego. We practised strike tactics in co-ordination with air wing Hornets and flew intercepts and engagements against them. They were capable wingmen when on the same side, and challenging adversaries when opposing. Everything we did prepared us for OSW.

STRIKE FIGHTERAnd now it’s October 1997. VF-211 is in the Persian Gulf aboard the USS Nimitz as a component of Carrier Air Wing 9, supporting OSW. Flight ops from the carrier take place over 12 hours a day, both daytime and night-time, for about six days, take a break, and then start again. The missions involve all of the air wing’s squadrons as well as land-based assets such as AWACS and tankers. They are fairly

complex but they run smoothly, thanks to excellent planning and skillful execution. About half of my OSW flights were air-to-ground Strike Familiarization missions (SFAM), with realistic targets – bridges, fuel storage areas, powerplants, headquarters buildings in cities and suchlike. If it came to a shooting war, we would attack with

laser-guided bombs (LGBs) that home in on the laser spot from our LANTIRN pod, so we’d have to identify the target and direct the pod to track it. Lat/long co-ordinates helped, but it was important to verify the target, so we trained to find it with video from the pod.

In late October I was notified I would plan and lead an SFAM mission... my fourth OSW flight, so I was comfortable with how they worked. It would be my seventh flight


“After we gathered for a debrief VF-211 was the only squadron with 100% target

acquisition”

A VF-211 Tomcat and VMFA-314 Hornet returning to the USS Nimitz at the end of an OSW mission in December 1997. The Tomcat’s tail has a special Christmas design Dave Baranek

Near Kuwait, an F-14A and F/A-18C Hornets from several Air Wing 9 squadrons join on a USAF KC-10 for more ‘go-juice’. This was a non-OSW training flight, as indicated by the lack of live weapons on the fighters Dave

Baranek

then checked in all of the event aircraft. After launch, we headed for the tanker. We flew over Kuwait into Iraq and checked in with AWACS. Suddenly a contact popped up on my radar! It was in Iraq at low altitude, heading south, and approaching launch range for a Phoenix. I tried to sound calm as I reported it to AWACS, but I was excited. AWACS quickly replied that it was a UN flight. Well, it was exciting for a moment. Okay, back to our SFAM mission.

The orange-brown terrain below offered little visual entertainment. When we reached the initial point, I turned on my mission recorder and started searching for the target on LANTIRN. When I found it, I locked the LANTIRN on the target and it started calculating release information for the bomb we were simulating. At time zero Mach said: “Simulated bombs away,”

and our element made a hard left turn to exit the area. Though I’d not had much training with the LANTIRN system, using it was straightforward… as long as no one was actually shooting at me. I battled complacency by reminding myself we were over hostile territory and by keeping up a good visual scan behind and below our formation. No one there. We got extra fuel from a KC-10 as a safety cushion and returned to the ship. Late lunch, event debrief, review of my mission tape. We took the debriefs seriously. A few days before, Lt Denis ‘Itchy’ Tri – a first-tour RIO and a tactical expert – had pointed out that I didn’t have a switch in the correct position, which showed up as a symbol on the tape. This time, I was happy to go through the tape and not find any errors. It was a good flight.

THE NUMBERS GAMEIt was an incredible honour and privilege to be the CO of a Navy fighter squadron. They entrusted me with 14 aircraft and more than 300 people, but as anyone who has held any position of responsibility knows, there is a reason it’s called ‘responsibility’. By 1997, for example, the Navy had decided to reduce the number of Tomcats in each squadron from 14 to ten. This was just the latest adjustment in force structure during a dynamic few years. As I’ve mentioned, VF-211 personnel had worked very hard to maintain our ageing F-14As, so after conferring with Maintenance Department leaders I used the satellite link to call the Navy’s enlisted detailing office to ask for help with manning. Our enlisted ranks were filled to only 90% of the Navy’s allowance, which was common in those days. Around the time the deployment began, we’d welcomed eight new senior enlisted personnel, but six of them had no F-14 experience. I told the enlisted detailer my tale of woe, but he reminded me of the decision to reduce the


Southern Watch MissionsOperation Desert Storm ended in February 1991 after accomplishing its limited objective: get Iraq out of Kuwait. This left a substantial portion of Iraqi military forces intact, and they were soon used against groups within their own country. In response, the United States, United Kingdom, France, and Saudi Arabia began Operation Southern Watch (OSW) in August 1992. Although not a United Nations (UN) operation, the stated purpose of OSW was to ensure Iraq complied with a UN resolution. A similar effort in northern Iraq was known first as Operation Provide Comfort, then Operation Northern Watch.

OSW was implemented by declaring a no-fly zone over a large portion of southern Iraq. Its main elements included:

Surveillance: Normally provided by a US Air Force E-3 AWACS aircraft, but could be provided by US Navy E-2 Hawkeyes if necessary. In addition to radar surveillance of the no-fly zone, they provided command and control (C2) that was essential to keeping these complex ops on track. Hawkeyes provided C2 support for carrier air wing operations.

Counter-air: An armed response was essential, in the form of coalition fighters on patrol within the zone, ready at a moment’s notice to attack Iraqi aircraft that flew into the restricted airspace.

Interdiction, known to us as SFAM: Strike-fighters and electronic warfare aircraft on patrol carried a variety of air-to-ground weapons to respond immediately to any Iraqi attempt to shoot down a coalition aircraft. These flights usually performed a simulated strike; so we called them strike familiarisation – SFAM.

Refuelling: The airborne armada was supported by US Air Force KC-10s, Royal Air Force VC10s, and carrier air wing S-3s.

Reconnaissance: USAF U-2s performed reconnaissance from up high while TARPS F-14s took photos from more familiar altitudes.

Forward Air Controller (Airborne): Required incredible skill and crew co-ordination; would direct bombing attacks on enemy forces in close contact with friendlies.

An event launched from the aircraft carrier included some or all of the above mission elements. F-14s flew counter-air, interdiction, TARPS, and FAC(A).

number of F-14s in each squadron, and said to support this they were transferring sailors on schedule, but they weren’t replacing them. I reminded them we still had 14 Tomcats but the phone call was a waste of time.

We did not get assistance from HQ, so Checkmate maintenance continued to work harder and smarter. It was never easy, but the hours became more reasonable. Our maintenance hours per flight hour, a standard measure of effort, steadily fell by almost half, from 67.0 in October to 36.2 in January. I include these numbers as comparison for those who say the Tomcat required excessive maintenance. I love the F-14 Tomcat. So did all its pilots, RIOs and maintainers, but on a carrier at sea in 1997-98 the F-14 was no sentimental

A photo of the author’s wingman taken by the TARPS pod as we orbited high above the USS Nimitz waiting to land after a reconnaissance mission over Iraq US Navy via Dave Baranek

The author poses on Checkmate 101 in May 1998 during his time as squadron CO. The ‘Brutus’ character from the VF-211 badge is depicted on the fin Dave Baranek

favourite. It was the biggest fighter on the ship, so it took up more space. It was also the oldest, so it needed more maintenance than the newer F/A-18 Hornets, and sometimes more hassle to do it. If you had to spread the wings to fix something, you’d have to clear a space on both sides to make room and if you moved it, you found puddles of fuel and hydraulic fluid left on the deck. For young, hard-working Nimitz crew, they were high maintenance. On the hangar deck, Tomcats were parked together in the aft portion which was known as ‘Jurassic Park’. The Nimitz, Air Wing 9, and VF-211 were in the Persian Gulf supporting OSW for almost four months. We made four visits to Jebel Ali, near the spectacular city of Dubai, welcome breaks from our operational demands. But… let’s get back to flying.

SILENT RUNNINGSeveral times the carrier air wing joined Marine Corps, Air Force, and other coalition aircraft in the ‘strike of the month’. It was similar to our typical OSW missions, but with ten times the aircraft, launched from many different locations. These were complex operations where positioning and timing were critical, yet we flew them in radio silence. Radio frequencies were assigned, and as events progressed I would switch to a new frequency, but no one said anything. Dead silence. It was eerie and

impressive at the same time. I saw some other aircraft on radar, and looked them up on my big-picture kneeboard card. “OK,” I told Mach, “those specks at left ten o’clock should be eight F-16s.” A minute later we crossed under them. Sure enough – F-16s. We flew our route in formation and when the last aircraft in each formation was off target they made a brief transmission. Different aircraft, different services, even different countries, yet it ticked away like clockwork. That’s how well trained we were. After we gathered for a debrief VF-211 was the only squadron with 100% target acquisition and video to prove it.

By late January the high-level strike planners – many of them Hornet pilots – noticed the tremendous progress VF-211 had made improving aircraft availability. They gave us a chance to show off, by scheduling an all-Tomcat OSW package. Well, we still launched a Prowler, Hawkeye, and Viking – but no Hornets. Six VF-211 F-14s covered both air-to-air and air-to-ground roles. I was honoured by the tribute.

On the return of the USS Nimitz to the US, VF-211 flew off the ship to return to Oceana at the end of February 1998 and we could boast that all 14 of our F-14s were ready to fly. We had to leave two jets on board the ship, but the ‘Checkmates’ all knew we had 100% up aircraft. When we had an all-squadron assembly, as

I addressed the 300-plus dedicated men and women, I imagined for a brief second myself in those ranks, looking at the commanding officer talking to me. Instances like this led me to later use the words humbling and rewarding when I reflected on my command experience.


The information for this article came from Dave ‘Bio’ Baranek’s new book Tomcat RIO: A Topgun Instructor on the F-14 Tomcat and the Heroic Naval Aviators Who Flew It (ISBN 978-1510748224) which has been released by Skyhorse Publishing and is available from www.skyhorsepublishing.com

A pair of VF-211 F-14As over the Florida Keys in 1998 Dave Baranek

Coalition aircraft came in many types. Here an RAF 101 Sqn VC10 K3 provides fuel for an F-14 from the ‘Checkmates’ somewhere near Kuwait Dave Baranek

Selected as the winner of the US Navy’s VFX (Navy Fighter Experimental) programme in January 1969, Grumman Aircraft’s Design

303E was intended as a replacement for the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II and unsuccessful General Dynamics F-111B. The latter was developed under the Joint Services Tactical Fighter Experimental (TFX) programme, the naval ‘B’ variant fi rst fl ying in May 1965. Largely due to weight issues with the design, the F-111B was formally cancelled in December 1968.

The VFX concept was initiated earlier in November 1967, when Grumman Aircraft

Engineering Corporation submitted an unsolicited proposal to the US Navy. The service’s subsequent VFX requirements called for a two-seat, twin-engine, supersonic, all-weather, carrier-based fi ghter equipped with an advanced weapon system that comprised a powerful radar and a variety of long-, medium- and short-range air-to-air missiles along with an internal 20mm cannon. Assigned the designation F-14A, the new fi ghter would primarily be tasked to provide fl eet air defence against manned bombers and cruise missiles. It utilised the F-111B’s AN/AWG-9 radar, AIM-54A Phoenix missiles

and Pratt & Whitney TF30-PW-412 engines. The advanced weapon control system provided the capability to track 24 hostile targets at a range of 195 miles and simultaneously attack six with the long-range AIM-54 missiles. Although planned for the F-111B, the long-range Phoenix and advanced radar had originally been developed for the Douglas F6D Missileer programme that was cancelled in December 1961. Like the F-111B, the F-14 had variable-geometry ‘swing wings’ that optimised its high- and low-speed fl ight characteristics. Under normal operating conditions the wings were automatically


US Navy Tomcat Operations

The Grumman F-14 Tomcat served as the US Navy’s premier fi ghter aircraft for more than 30 years. In addition to its role as fl eet air

defender, Tom Kaminski explains how it proved to be adaptable when tasked to perform the tactical air reconnaissance mission and later

when it was turned into a long-range precision strike platform

The last two F-14D squadrons to undertake an operational cruise were VF-213 ‘Blacklions’

(pictured) and VF-31 ‘Tomcatters’ aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt, which concluded

in March 2006 Rich Cooper/COAP


positioned to the optimum sweep angle for maximum manoeuvring performance, however the pilot could selectively position the wings at sweep angles aft of optimum. A mechanical backup control system is also provided for emergency and oversweep operations.

The first of 12 prototype F-14As carried out its maiden flight from Grumman’s flight test facility in Calverton, New York, on December 21, 1970. Unfortunately, a hydraulic failure caused the loss of the aircraft during its second flight on December 30. Testing resumed when the second prototype flew in May 1971. Test milestones included the Tomcat’s first launch of an AIM-54A missile on April 28, 1972 and its first carrier take-offs and landings aboard the USS Forrestal (CV 59) on June 15, 1972. An arrested landing onto the ship followed on June 28 and formal sea trials were conducted aboard the Forrestal beginning in December 1973. The fighter’s advanced capabilities were established during full-scale testing over the Pacific Missile Sea Range near NAS Point Mugu on November 21, 1973, when six AIM-54s were fired at six separate targets within 38 seconds. The missiles located and scored four direct hits on the targets that were approximately 50 miles downrange.

Production deliveries began of what had now been named the Tomcat when fighter squadron VF-124 received its first F-14A on October 8, 1972. Operational squadrons began equipping with the fighter in July 1973 and its initial deployment began in September 1974 aboard the USS Enterprise (CVAN 65, later redesignated CVN 65).

The Pratt & Whitney TF30 engine was considered an interim powerplant and plans were initiated to upgrade the F-14A with a new Advanced Technology Engines (ATE) under the designation F-14B following the 67th F-14A. In support of the plan, the seventh F-14A was fitted with new Pratt & Whitney F401-PW-400 engines and it first flew in that configuration on September 12, 1973. Development problems with the ’-401 version initially delayed fielding plans but eventually caused cancellation of the F-14B along with the follow-on F-14C that would have featured updated avionics.

ENGINE FATIGUEUltimately, the Tomcat fleet would be forced to suffer through issues with engines plagued by compressor stalls and notorious for shedding fan blades. The Pratt & Whitney engine required many design changes that eventually led to the improved TF30-PW-414 and theTF30-PW-414A.

Early upgrades provided the F-14A with several new systems including the AN/AXX-1 Television Camera Set (TCS). First evaluated in 1977, the TCS was installed beginning with production aircraft 456 and retrofitted to earlier Tomcats. Initially deployed by VF-14 and VF-32 in 1978,


Several F-14A prototypes share the ramp with early production Tomcats at NAS Point Mugu, California in March 1972. The base was used for Tomcat testing with the Naval Missile Center and later the Pacific Missile Test Center and Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division US Navy via Tom Kaminski

The VF-32 ‘Swordsmen’, along with the VF-14 ‘Tophatters’ were the first Atlantic Fleet squadrons to transition to the F-14A. The former squadron later claimed two air-to-air victories over Libyan MiG-23s in in January 1989 The Aviation Photo Company

This F-14A(PLUS) from VF-211 ‘Checkmates’ carries six long-range AIM-54 Phoenix missiles on its fuselage and wing stations demonstrating the Tomcat’s designed weapons load for the fleet air defence mission. VF-211 was one of two Miramar-based squadrons to transition to the F-14A(PLUS) in 1989 Key Collection

the high resolution camera enabled visual target identification at long ranges.

The Tomcat took on a new mission when the LA-610 Tactical Air Reconnaissance Pod System (TARPS) was integrated. Initially added to 45 aircraft, the TARPS was intended to replace capabilities

assigned to the Vought RF-8G Crusader, which was being retired. The mission was only assigned to one of the two Tomcat squadrons deployed with a carrier air wing. VF-84 was the first squadron to deploy with the TARPS capability aboard the USS Nimitz (CVN 68) in 1981.

A total of 48 TARPS pods were produced by the Naval Avionics Center. Equipped with two cameras and an AN/AAD-5 Infrared reconnaissance set, the 17ft-long pod was installed between the engine nacelles on the aircraft’s aft starboard Phoenix missile station. Tomcats flew 781 TARPS missions while supporting Operation Desert Storm in 1991.

The updated Digital TARPS (TARPS-DI) pod replaced the KS-87B frame camera with a CA-261 digital camera and the first frontline F-14 unit to receive the new system was VF-32 in June 1996. TARPS-DI permitted the radar intercept officer (RIO) in the rear seat to view images on the multi-function display and transmit encrypted data directly to the carrier intelligence centre (CVIC) via a secure UHF data link. Beginning in 1998 the completely digital TARPS-CD configuration replaced the pod’s panoramic film camera with an RSC-100 digital camera system, along with a DoD standard Common Data Link (CDL) transmitter/receiver, digital recorders and a Navy Input Station (NAVIS) with real-time Image Display Software (IDS). TARPS-CD was first deployed by VF-102 in 1999. The TARPS capability was later incorporated in all new and remanufactured F-14Ds.

IMPROVEMENTSThe TF30’s limitations continued to plague the fleet and on July 14, 1981 Grumman began a flight test programme using the original F-14B development aircraft modified with the General Electric F101DFE (Derivative Fighter Engine). The DFE was developed from the Rockwell B-1 bomber’s F101-GE-100 engine. The success of the 44-flight evaluation test programme, which concluded in March 1982, resulted in further development of the powerplant and the F101DFE became the basis for the F110-GE-400 engine that would power later versions of the Tomcat.

By the early 1980s, the navy realised that the time had come for a mid-life update for the F-14A. During 1984, Grumman was issued a contract for an avionics improvement plan and development of a major upgrade began. The new model eventually received the designation F-14D.

The core of the F-14D was an advanced version of the AN/AWG-9 radar system, known as the AN/APG-71. Intended to deliver increased capabilities and improve reliability, it integrated new components with other existing or modified equipment, including several common with the F-15E’s AN/APG-70 radar. The AN/AAS-42 Infrared Search and Track System (IRSTS) was also incorporated. Designed to passively search for the heat signatures of potential targets in conjunction with or in lieu of using radar, the IRSTS was especially useful in seeking out and tracking stealthy targets by searching for their heat signature. It was installed under the nose, alongside the Television Camera Set (TCS) in a dual chin


With the callsign ‘Vandy One’, the final F-14D BuNo 164604 was assigned to VX-4 and later VX-9 at NAS Point Mugu. Following its retirement the aircraft was repainted in a standard grey scheme and placed on static display at NAS Oceana, Virginia Key Collection

A pair of F-14Ds from VF-11 ‘Red Rippers’ and VF-31 ‘Tomcatters’, along with other aircraft from Carrier Air Wing 14, pass over the USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) operating in the Persian Gulf in May 1994 LT Mitchell/US Navy

A Phoenix-armed VF-102 F-14A escorts a Soviet Bear. Known as the ‘Diamondbacks’, VF-102 received the F-14A in 1981 and transitioned to the F-14B in 1994 Key Collection

pod. The upgraded variant also featured the AN/ALQ-165 Airborne Self Protection Jammer (ASPJ), AN/ALR-67 radar warning receiver (RWR), updated radios and the Joint Tactical Information Distribution System (JTIDS). The latter secure data link system permitted the aircraft to transmit and receive data between airborne and surface assets. Additionally, programmable multi-function displays (MFD), a new head-up display (HUD) and stores management system (SMS) were incorporated. The production F-14Ds also received a new canopy, the Martin-Baker SJU-17(V) Naval Aircrew Common Escape System (NACES) ejection seats and an on-board oxygen generating system (OBOGS).

The final piece of the puzzle was the F110-GE-400 engine.

While F-14A production continued, development of the definitive F-14D was also underway. Five airframes – one Block 125, two Block 130s and a Block 135 F-14A, as well as the original F-14B supported the F-14D Full Scale Development (FSD) programme and, despite their differing configurations, all five of them were referred to as F-14Ds.

During FSD, the original F-14B was used as a test bed for the General Electric (GE) F110-GE-400 engine and was known as P1. The Tomcats with company serials 482, 501, 503 and 517 were designated as PA1 to 4 and became the development aircraft for the avionics systems. Flight testing of the F110 began aboard the F-14B on September 29, 1986. Aircraft 503 also received GE engines and was the only aircraft to demonstrate the ‘Full’ F-14D configuration. This aircraft first flew from Calverton on April 28, 1988. It was preceded by avionics test aircraft 501, which took to the air on November 23, 1987. Following the completion of the FSD programme, these four aircraft were returned to the navy. Aircraft 482 and 517 were transferred to the Naval Air Test Center’s (NATC) Strike Test Directorate at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland and 501 and 503 were delivered to the Pacific Missile Test Center (PMTC) at NAS Point Mugu.

Again assigned the designation F-14B, aircraft number 7 remained at Calverton.

F-14A(PLUS)As the F110 engine would be available long before the avionics upgrade was complete, the navy made the decision to integrate the new powerplant into the F-14A. As a result, beginning in Fiscal Year 1986, the service began purchasing F-14As powered by the F110-GE-400 engine. The F110s provided the Tomcat with approximately 57,200lb of thrust, an increase of around 14,000lb over the TF30s. Grumman delivered 557 TF30-equipped F-14As to the navy before production switched to the new variant.

Developed from the F101DFE engine as the F110-GE-400, the engine offered reduced fuel consumption. This translated

to increased range and improved reliability. Its higher thrust permitted the aircraft to be launched using only the military power setting in lieu of full afterburner. It also offered a greater margin of safety at launch since it provided more thrust in single-engine situations.

A redesigned air inlet control system (AICS), a fatigue and engine monitoring system (FEMS), AN/ARC-182 radios and the AN/ALR-67 RWR were also incorporated. Besides changes needed for the new engines, structural modifications included a redesigned gun gas purge system.

Since the designations F-14B and C had already been used, and the D was already in development, the designation F-14A(PLUS) was assigned to the interim configuration. First flown on November 14, 1987, the F-14A(PLUS) entered service with VF-101 in April 1988; the variant’s designation changed to F-14B in May 1991.

Thirty-eight new F-14A(PLUS) aircraft were produced by Grumman. In addition, the manufacturer converted 32 Block 115/120/125/130 F-14As to the F-14A(PLUS) configuration. This included the structural modifications required to install the F110 engine and removal of the glove vane as well as the incorporation of the required F-14A(PLUS) wiring and avionics. The first F-14A(PLUS) deployment was made by VF-142 and VF-143 aboard the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) during March

1990. In late 1993, Grumman received a contract to convert 15 additional Block 130/140 F-14As to the F-14B configuration. Conversion work on those jets was carried out at the company’s St Augustine, Florida facility between February 1994 and December 1995.

With production of the F-14A(PLUS) complete, Grumman began delivering F-14Ds. Plans to produce nearly 400 new F-14Ds, were initially reduced to 127 by changes in the defence strategy. Subsequent budget cuts reduced this further and ultimately contracts for 37 aircraft were issued over three fiscal years beginning in 1988. The first lot comprised the final five of the F-14A(PLUS) and seven F-14D aircraft.

ULTIMATE TOMCAT The first production F-14D was handed over to the navy on March 23, 1990 in a ceremony at Calverton. The initial delivery to VX-4 at NAS Point Mugu took place in May, while the first frontline unit to receive it was VF-124 which accepted its initial F-14D on November 16, 1990. Grumman delivered the last new F-14D to the fleet on July 21, 1991 ending a production run that spanned more than two decades and resulted in the manufacture of 632 Tomcats for the US Navy. Grumman also produced 80 F-14As for the Imperial Iranian Air Force, however; only 79 were delivered and one


Commonly called ‘Topgun’, the Navy Fighter Weapons School (NFWS) operated a number of older F-14As from NAS Miramar, California and later as part of the Naval Strike Air Warfare Center (NSAWC) at NAS Fallon, Nevada, until October 2003 The Aviation Photo Company

An F-14A assigned to VF-33 ‘Starfighters’ departs one of the waist catapults aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) in the Atlantic Ocean during September 1987. Originally known as the ‘Tarsiers’, VF-33 operated the Tomcat from 1981 until the squadron was disestablished in October 1993 PH1 Gerwien/US Navy

embargoed jet eventually saw service with the US Navy.

In addition to the production aircraft, plans were made to remanufacture as many as 400 F-14As aircraft to the F-14D confi guration, under the designation F-14D(R). Ultimately, however, contracts were issued for the remanufacture of just 18 F-14As, comprising 12 Block 85 and six Block 110 variants. Plans originally called for the establishment of two lines for the remanufacture programme, with the prime site located at the Calverton facility. The second was established at Naval Aviation Depot (NADEP) Norfolk at NAS Norfolk. Virginia. Grumman delivered the fi rst of 12 F-14D(R)s to the navy from Calverton on September 30, 1991 and the last of six rolled out the NADEP in November 1994.

BOMBCATSAlthough developed for fl eet air defence, the capability to visually deliver ‘iron bombs’ was part of the F-14A design. In fact, the original proposal for Design 303 included the carriage of up to six 2,000lb Mk84s or 24 500lb Mk82s, cluster bombs and rocket pods. During the mid-1980s, using the Tomcat in the strike role began to receive support in the fl eet. In March 1987, the Chief of Naval Operations directed VX-4 to re-evaluate F-14/AWG-9 capabilities in the air-to-surface role. That same November, an F-14A dropped two inert 2,000lb Mk84 general purpose bombs within lethal range of a target. Development of the strike Tomcat had o� cially begun.

By 1994, the 1,000lb GBU-16 laser-guided bomb (LGB) was cleared for use. Other aircraft provided target designation, however, and in September 1994, VF-41 dropped the fi rst GBU-16s on Serb targets in Bosnia that were designated by F/A-18C Hornets. During Operation Deliberate Force, VF-41 delivered 24,000lb of stores on Serb targets including ten GBU-16s.

A programme to equip the Tomcat with the LANTIRN Targeting Pod (LTP) began in November 1994. The ‘F-14 Strike Fighter’ was formally unveiled at NAS Oceana,


US NAVY F-14 TOMCAT SQUADRONSSquadron/ Nickname/Location Dates ModelVF-1 ‘Wolfpack’; NAS Miramar 1973-1993 F-14AVF-2 ‘Bounty Hunters’; NAS Miramar/NAS Oceana 1973-2003 F-14A/DVF-11 ‘Red Rippers’; NAS Miramar/NAS Oceana 1980-2005 F-14A/D/B VF-14 ‘Top Hatters’; NAS Oceana 1974-2001 F-14A VF-21 ‘Freelancers’; NAS Miramar/NAF Atsugi 1984-1996 F-14AVF-24 ‘Renegades’; NAS Miramar 1975-1996 F-14A/BVF-31 ‘Tomcatters’; NAS Oceana/NAS Miramar 1980-2006 F-14A/DVF-32 ‘Swordsmen’; NAS Oceana 1974-2005 F-14A/BVF-33 ‘Tarsiers/Starfi ghters’; NAS Oceana 1981-1993 F-14AVF-41 ‘Black Aces’; NAS Oceana; 1976-2001 F-14AVF-51 ‘Screaming Eagles’; NAS Miramar 1976-1995 F-14AVF-74 ‘Bedevilers’; NAS Oceana 1983-1994 F-14A/BVF-84 ‘Jolly Rogers’; NAS Oceana 1976-1995 F-14AVF-101 (FRS) ‘Grim Reapers’; NAS Oceana 1975-2005 F-14A/B/DVF-102 ‘Diamondbacks’; NAS Oceana 1981-2002 F-14A/BVF-103 ‘Sluggers/Jolly Rogers’; NAS Oceana 1983-2005 F-14A/BVF-111 ‘Sundowners’; NAS Miramar 1976-1995 F-14AVF-114 ‘Aardvarks’ NAS Miramar 1976-1993 F-14AVF-124 (FRS) ‘Gunfi ghters’; NAS Miramar 1972-1994 F-14A/DVF-142 ‘Ghostriders’ NAS; Oceana 1974-1995 F-14A/B VF-143 ‘Pukin’ Dogs’; NAS Oceana 1974-2005 F-14A/B VF-154 ‘Black Knights’; NAS Miramar/NAF Atsugi 1984-2003 F-14AVF-191 ‘Satan’s Kittens’; NAS Miramar 1986-1988 F-14A V-194 ‘Red Lightnings’; NAS Miramar 1986-1988 F-14A VF-201 (USNR) ‘Hunters’; NAS Dallas 1986-1998 F-14A VF-202 (USNR) ‘Superheats’; NAS Dallas 1987-1994 F-14A VF-211 ‘Checkmates’; NAS Miramar/NAS Oceana 1975-2004 F-14A/BVF-213 ‘Blacklions’; NAS Miramar 1976-2006 F-14A/D VF-301 (USNR) ‘Devil’s Disciples’; NAS Miramar 1984-1994 F-14A VF-302 (USNR) ‘Stallions’; NAS Miramar 1985-1994 F-14AVX-4 ‘Evaluators’; NAS Point Mugu 1972-1994 F-14A/B/DVX-9 ‘Vampires’; NAS Point Mugu 1994-2004 F-14A/B/DNSATS/VX-23 ‘Strike’; NAS Patuxent River 1995-2001 F-14A/B/DNMC/PMTC; NAS Point Mugu 1972-1994 F-14A/B/DNWTSPM/VX-30 ‘Bloodhounds’; NAS Pt Mugu 1994-2004 NF-14A/B/DNFWS/NSAWC ‘Topgun’; NAS Miramar/NAS Fallon 1990-2003 F-14ANATC/NAEC/NADC; NAS Patuxent River/ 1970-1992 F-14ANAS Lakehurst/NADC Warminster AbbreviationsFRS Fleet Replacement Squadron NADC Naval Air Development CenterNAEC Naval Air Engineering CenterNAF Naval Air FacilityNAS Naval Air StationNATC Naval Air Test CenterNFWS Navy Fighter Weapon SchoolNMC Naval Missile CenterNSATS Naval Strike Aircraft Test Squadron NSAWC Naval Strike Air Warfare CenterNWTSPM Naval Weapons Test Squadron Point MuguPMTC Pacifi c Missile Test CenterUSNR US Naval ReserveVF Fighter SquadronVX Air Test & Evaluation Squadron

Known to Grumman employees simply as ‘Aircraft 7’, F-14B, BuNo 157986, spent its entire career as a fl ight test asset assignedto Grumman’s Calverton, New York fl ighttest facility US Navy

Virginia in June 1996 and VF-103 began a six-month deployment aboard the USS Enterprise (CVN 65) with nine LANTIRN-capable F-14Bs. Two of these flew the first LANTIRN-equipped sortie in support of Operation Decisive Endeavor over Bosnia on July 17. The LTP and a Programmable Tactical Information Display (PTID) was integrated on 60 F-14As, but due to differences in internal systems, LANTIRN capabilities differed between the three Tomcat variants. Continued development permitted the aircraft to deliver a variety of precision-guided weapons including more LGBs plus GPS-guided Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM).

The F-14D Block I, Multi-Mission Capability MCAP and F-14A/B Upgrade programmes provided updated systems and capabilities including night vision compatible cockpits, updated ALR-67 RWR, improved LANTIRN integration, and a digital flight control system (DFCS) replaced the earlier Automatic Flight Control System (AFCS). In addition to an Embedded GPS/Inertial Navigation System (EGI) a MIL-STD-1760 interface was added to four weapon stations that enabled the carriage of GPS-guided weapons. A total of 67 aircraft were modernised to F-14B (Upgrade) standard. This variant achieved Initial Operational Capability using the JDAM in 2002 with VF-11 and VF-143. The weapon was first employed in combat over Afghanistan by VF-11 on March 12, 2002.

INTO COMBATThe initial operational Tomcats were delivered to the newly activated fighter squadrons VF-1 and VF-2 at NAS Miramar, California in July 1973. The two squadrons made the Tomcat’s first deployment aboard the USS Enterprise beginning in September 1974 as part of CVW-14. The deployment also marked the Tomcat’s combat debut when VF-1 and VF-2 flew combat air patrol (CAP) missions over South Vietnam in support of the US evacuation during Operation Frequent Wind.

Late in 1973, VF-14 and VF-32 turned in their Phantoms and moved cross-country from NAS Oceana to NAS Miramar, where they underwent conversion to the F-14A with VF-124. The squadrons, returned to the Virginia base in September 1974 as the first Atlantic fleet F-14A squadrons. The first Atlantic Fleet Tomcat deployment was carried out by aboard the USS John F Kennedy (CV 67) by the squadrons beginning in June 1975.

Early plans to deliver Tomcats to as many as four US Marine Corps squadrons were scrapped in July 1975, when the decision was made to upgrade the service’s F-4s. At that time, the transition of Marine fighter attack squadron VMFA-122 was halted.

By 1987, 24 fleet, two fleet replacement squadrons and several test and evaluation units were operating the F-14 Tomcat. The conversion of four Naval Reserve

squadrons from the Phantom to the Tomcat began in 1985 when Miramar-based VF-301 received F-14As. Operations at NAS Dallas, Texas, began in January 1987 when VF-201 accepted its first F-14A. It was one of 20 Block 60/65 F-14As upgraded to the later Block 130 configuration by Grumman. VF-201 and VF-202 at Dallas also received the final four production F-14As.

A pair of Tomcats from VF-41 became the first to be credited with air-to-air victories on August 19, 1981 downing a pair of Libyan Sukhoi Su-22 Fitters by firing AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles. The incident occurred after the F-14As were fired upon by the Su-22s during a combat air patrol over the Gulf of Sidra and marked the first aerial kills for the US military since the Vietnam War.

On January 4, 1989, VF-32 became the second Tomcat squadron to achieve air-to-air combat victories. The second incident over the Gulf of Sidra saw two F-14As down a pair of Libyan Mikoyan MiG-23 Floggers with AIM-7 Sparrow and AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles. Tomcats had also come under fire from Libyan SA-5 surface-to-air missiles during a Freedom of Navigation exercise in March 1986, and had provided air cover for strike aircraft during the Operation El Dorado Canyon attacks on Libya on April 15, 1986. The Tomcat’s only other air-to-air kill occurred on February 6, 1991, when an F-14A from VF-1 shot down an Iraqi Mi-8 helicopter with an AIM-9M Sidewinder missile over Kuwait while supporting Operation Desert Storm. Ten F-14A and F-14B squadrons were deployed aboard five aircraft


A LANTIRN-equipped F-14B from the VF-143 ‘Pukin’ Dogs’ prepares to launch from the USS John F Kennedy (CV 67) in February 2002. The squadron received the F-14A in 1974 and operated the F-14B until its transition to the F/A-18E (as VFA-143) in April 2005 Jim Winchester

The first F-14D on the ramp at Grumman’s Calverton, New York, flight test facility. Known as ‘D1’, the aircraft was assigned the designation NF-14D and supported testing until it was retired in 2002 Grumman Aerospace

An F-14B operated by VF-143 ‘Pukin’ Dogs’, drops a 1,000lb Mk83 bomb equipped with a BSU-33 Air Inflatable Retarder (AIR) over the bombing range near NAS Fallon, Nevada LT JG Stephen P Davis/US Navy

carriers for Desert Storm where they were primarily tasked with strike escort and reconnaissance missions. Miramar-based squadrons VF-24 and VF-211 transitioned to the F-14B in 1989, but both reverted to the F-14A in 1992 after it was decided to base all the F-14Bs at NAS Oceana and the F-14Ds at Miramar.

Reductions brought about by the end ofthe Cold War caused the stand-down of several squadrons. CVW-6’s inactivation caused the transfer of VF-11 from Oceana to Miramar, where it began conversion to the F-14D along with VF-31 in March 1992.The first squadrons began their initial deployment with the variant aboard USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) in February 1994. Early in 1997, after turning the F-14Ds over to Fighter Wing Atlantic, VF-11 began transition to the F-14B at NAS Oceana. This move gave it the distinction of being the only fleet squadron to operate all three variants of the Tomcat. VF-2’s transition to the F-14D began in February 1993 and it embarked the USS Constellation (CV 64) on November 10, 1994 for Operation Southern Watch duties. During that year, VF-101 assumed

the responsibility for all Tomcat training when VF-124 was disestablished. VF-101 Detachment Miramar continued training at the California base until early 1996 when these operations moved to Oceana. By late 1995 the navy had made the decision to eliminate nearly half of its Tomcat squadrons and the majority of its non-TARPS capable units were disestablished. Following decisions made by the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Commission to single-site the Tomcat fleet, plans to relocate the Pacific fleet Tomcats to NAS Lemoore, California, were shelved. Six Pacific fleet Tomcat squadrons left Miramar for Oceana between April and August 1996. In May 1997, VF-32 began transitioning to the more capable F-14B. The unit deployed with this variantfor the first time on the USS Enterprise inNovember 1998 and in December attackedtargets in Iraq as part of Operation DesertFox marking the Tomcat’s first use ofthe LTP and LGBs in combat. Tomcatseventually carried out precision strikesagainst targets in Iraq and Afghanistan insupport of Operations Southern Watch,Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.

AN END IN SIGHTBy the mid-1990s the Navy had decided to begin formally retiring the F-14 in 2010. However, that plan was later revised and the sundown of the fleet formally began in 2001, when VF-14 and VF-41 transitioned to the Super Hornet at NAS Lemoore. Naval Reserve Tomcat operations ended earlier in 1998 when VF-201 transitioned to the F/A-18A. VF-202, VF-301 and VF-302 had been disestablished in 1994. The final Tomcat Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor (SFTI) course brought an end to F-14A operations with Topgun in September 2003. In the same month at NAF Atsugi, Japan, VF-154 departed for NAS Lemoore, where it converted to the F/A-18F. VF-211 completed the final F-14A carrier takeoff on May 20, 2004 aboard the USS Enterprise. The squadron had completed the F-14A’s final deployment on the carrier earlier in late-February 2004. Test operations at NAS Point Mugu concluded with VX-9 in June 2004 and VX-30 followed in July. The final F-14B deployment ended when VF-32 returned from a six-month deployment on the USS John F Kennedy on April 2005. Assigned to VF-213, F-14D(R) BuNo 161159, logged the Tomcat’s final combat mission, from the USS Theodore Roosevelt on February 8, 2006. Sister squadron VF-31 carried out the final carrier launch from the ship on July 28, 2006. During the Tomcat’s final six-month deployment, VF-31 and VF-213 dropped 61,000lb of ordnance, 38,980 flight hours, which included 6,786 hours during 1,163 combat sorties, maintaining a 97.3% sortie completion rate.

Although the Tomcat’s final ‘official’ flight took place during a ceremony at NAS Oceana on September 22, 2006, the fighter’s last flight actually occurred on October 4, when BuNo 164603 landed at Republic Airport. Formally placed in the custody of the Grumman Retiree Club, the F-14 was put on display at Northrop Grumman’s Bethpage, New York, facility.


An F-14D assigned to VF-2 ‘Bounty Hunters’ flies in formation with the first F/A-18F to carry the squadron’s markings via Keith Kimberly

Grumman F-14D Tomcat, BuNo 164603, taxies in at Republic Airport in Farmingdale, New York, at the conclusion of the US Navy Tomcat’s final flight on October 4, 2006. ‘Felix 101’ is currently on display in front of a Northrop Grumman facility in Bethpage, New York Tom Kaminski

•Variants Compared

• F-14s in US Navy Service

• Leading from the Back Seat

TOMCATTURNS50

•Variants Compared

• F-14s in US Navy Service

• Leading from the Back Seat

TOMCATTURNSTOMCATTURNS50505050TURNS50TURNS

JANUARY 2021

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