The Grumman F-14 Tomcat is an American carrier-capable supersonic, twin-engine, two-seat, twin-tail, variable-sweep wing fighter aircraft. The Tomcat was developed for the United States Navy's Naval Fighter Experimental (VFX) program after the collapse of the General Dynamics-Grumman F-111B project. A large and well-equipped fighter, the F-14 was the first of the American Teen Series fighters, which were designed incorporating air combat experience against MiG fighters during the Vietnam War.
The F-14 first flew on 21 December 1970 and made its first deployment in 1974 with the U.S. Navy aboard USS Enterprise (CVN-65), replacing the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II. The F-14 served as the U.S. Navy's primary maritime air superiority fighter, fleet defense interceptor, and tactical aerial reconnaissance platform into the 2000s. The Low Altitude Navigation and Targeting Infrared for Night (LANTIRN) pod system was added in the 1990s and the Tomcat began performing precision ground-attack missions.
The Tomcat was retired by U.S. Navy on 22 September 2006, supplanted by the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. Several retired F-14s have been put on display across the US.
Having been exported to Pahlavi Iran under the pro-American Mohammad Reza Pahlavi in 1976, F-14s were used as land-based interceptors by the Imperial Iranian Air Force. Following the Iranian Revolution in 1979, the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force used them during the Iran–Iraq War. Iran claimed their F-14s shot down at least 160 Iraqi aircraft during the war while 16 Tomcats were lost, including seven losses to accidents. As of 2022, the F-14 remains in service with Iran's air force, though in low numbers of combat-ready aircraft due to a lack of spare parts.
VF-1 Wolfpack 14 Oct. 1972 1 Oct. 1993
VF-2 Bounty Hunters 14 Oct. 1972 2003
VF-11 Red Rippers mid 1980 early 2005
VF-14 Tophatters July 1973 Oct. 2001
VF-21 Freelancers early 1984 Jan. 1996
VF-24 Renegades Dec. 1975 Aug. 1996
VF-31 Tomcatters Aug. 1980 Sept 2006
VF-32 Swordsmen July 1973 Oct 2005
VF-33 Starfighters June 1981 24 Sept. 1993
VF-41 Black Aces April 1976 Oct. 2001
VF-51 Screaming Eagles May 1976 16 Feb. 1995
VF-74 Be-Devilers early 1983 28 April 1994
VF-84 Jolly Rogers June 1976 late 1995
VF-101 Grim Reapers late 1975 Sept 2005
VF-102 Diamondbacks mid 1981 March 2002
VF-103 Jolly Rogers (former Sluggers) early 1983 early 2005
VF-111 Sundowners mid 1976 16 Feb. 1995
VF-114 Aardvarks early 1976 28 Jan. 1993
VF-124 Gunfighters 1972 30 Sept. 1994
VF-142 Ghostriders late 1974 March 1995
VF-143 Pukin' Dogs late 1974 early 2005
VF-154 Black Knights early 1984 Sept. 2003
VF-191 Satan's Kittens 4 Dec. 1986 Sept. 1988
VF-194 Red Lightnings 1 Dec. 1986 Sept. 1988
VF-201 Hunters Oct. 1986 Dec. 1998
VF-202 Superheats March 1987 9 July 1994
VF-211 Checkmates 1 Dec. 1975 Sept. 2004
VF-213 Black Lions early 1976 April 2006
VF-301 Devil's Disciples Oct. 1984 11 Sept. 1994
VF-302 Stallions April 1985 11 Sept. 1994
VF-1285 Fighting Fubijars 1980 (?) 1994 (?)
VF-1485 Americans 1980 1994 (?)
VF-1486 Fighting Hobos 1980 early 1990s
VX-4 Evaluators late 1972 30 Sept. 1994
VX-9 Vampires late 1994 June 2004
VX-30 redesignated NSATS (see NAWC)
VX-31 redesignated NWTS (see NAWC)
NAWC Naval Air Warfare Center:
NWTS, NSATS, PMTC & NWC
NATC Naval Air Test Center
NFWS
NSAWC Navy Fighter Weapons School
Naval Strike & Air Warfare Center 1970 2003
NASA National Aeronautics & Space Administration 1979
TOPGUN
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