A Hughes AN/AWG-9 weapons control system is fitted to the F-14A and F-14B. The basic system has been modified several times since its introduction to the fleet, with the current version installed in late F-14As and all F-14B aircraft referred to as the AN/AWG-9D (or Block IVA) configuration. This system has the ability to detect …
The variable-geometry wings have 20° of leading edge sweep in the fully forward position and 69° when fully swept. An oversweep position of 75° is provided for carrier stowage and can only be engaged manually on the ground. The wing position is programmed automatically for optimum performance throughout the flight regime, but manual override is …
Accommodations are provided for a pilot and Naval Flight Officer (NFO) seated in tandem on Martin-Baker GRU-7A rocket assisted zero/zero ejection seats (F-14A/B) or Martin- Baker Mk 14 NACES ejection seats (F-14D). The cockpits are prominently located atop the forward fuselage and are enclosed by a single clamshell canopy that is hinged at the rear. …
Perhaps the largest potential order for the Tomcat (other than the Navy) was from the US Air Force. The Air Force instituted a series of studies (Advanced Manned Interceptor, CONUS Interceptor, etc.) during 1971-72 for a new interceptor and had considered a wide variety of possibilities, including a modified Lockheed YF-12A, an improved General Dynamics …
In early 1989, Grumman proposed an upgraded F-14D to the Navy as an alternative to buying the Navy Advanced Tactical Fighter. This program is generally thought of as the Tomcat 21 project, especially after Aviation Week ran a series of articles on that aircraft. However, in reality Tomcat- 21 referred to just one of three …
In August 1984, the Navy awarded Grumman a $984 million fixed-price contract for improved versions of the F-14 and A-6. The new Tomcat would be known as the F-14D or Supertomcat. The F-14D designation had originally been unofficially assigned to a cost-reduced, stripped version of the Tomcat, proposed at a time when the rapidly-increasing cost …
The F-14B Tomcat was developed version of the F-14A, with the primary difference being that advanced turbofan engines would be used. These engines would overcome the one significant shortcoming of the basic F-14A. that of being slightly overweight and thus somewhat underpowered. It was anticipated that essentially the same avionics suite used in the F-14A …