The F-14 Tomcat

The Grumman F-14 Tomcat is a supersonic fighter , powered by two engines, provided with variable geometry wings and crewed by two elements.

Designed and produced by Grumman Aerospace Corporation for the United States Navy , it was created to supplant the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II.

Over thirty-five years of active service aboard American aircraft carriers , it was probably the most important air superiority fighter of the so-called Cold War . Responsible for the air defense of the fleet, its secondary mission was to escort other air units on attack missions and, towards the end of its operational life, it proved to be an extraordinary platform for precision ground attack.

Already removed from the inventory of the United States Navy , since the third quarter of 2006, it remains in operation in Iran , however the number of operational units is unknown, as well as the conditions in which they are found.

Origins

The origins of the project date back to the 1950s, when McDonnell Douglas proposed to the US government a "missileer" (missile-carrying aircraft) that would be capable of defending American vessels against attacks carried out by long-range Soviet bombers, which gave rise to the birth of the F6D Missileer. It was designed as a subsonic patrol aircraft, whose missiles could destroy enemy aircraft before they attacked the task force or convoy. To ensure superiority over Soviet aircraft, each F6D was to carry six long-range Eagle missiles under the wings and two more under the fuselage . The project was discontinued in the late 1960s, but the basic principles of the design were used in the development of the F-111B, which flew in 1965

The F-111B was the Navy version of the General Dynamics F-111 variable geometry model, which in turn originated in competition for the TFX, a multipurpose aircraft that was to meet both the Air Force's requirements for a low-altitude interceptor and the Navy's requirements for a fleet defense fighter (in place of the F-4 Phantom II). The F-111B had to overcome several problems throughout its development, the most serious being a continuous increase in weight. In October 1967, Grumman presented a proposal for a smaller and lighter design than the F-111B. It was an entirely new aircraft that retained the AWG-9 system and Phoenix missiles (planned for the F-111B), but the new design would offer superior performance to the F-111B./

troubled development

In July 1968, the U.S. Navy opened a competition for a new fighter (titled Project VFX) to replace the F-111B. Grumman won the competition in early 1969 with its new design, which would later be called the F-14A. The inaugural flight was made at the Calverton factory in the United States on December 21, 1970, with pilots Bob Smyth (a Grumman pilot) and Bill Miller (a pilot for the F-14 project) in the rear seat. Nine days after its inaugural flight, the aircraft crashed after total loss of control of the controls caused by fatigue in the hydraulic piping. The crew saved themselves using the ejection seats, but the F-14 was completely destroyed. In the design correction, the steel tubes were replaced by titanium tubes, and the second F-14 made its maiden flight in May 1971.

During its development, two more accidents occurred: on June 30, 1972, Bill Miller died. His plane (number 10) crashed into the sea while he was training to perform at an exhibition. On July 20, 1973, an F-14 piloted by Navy pilots caught fire when it encountered an unarmed Sparrow missile that it had launched. There were no deaths in this accident, as the pilots managed to escape using their ejection seats. However, after this accident, the missiles' propulsion system was revised and became more powerful.

Going live

The first F-14As began to be delivered to the US Navy in October 1972, with the first two squadrons VF-1 and VF-2 being delivered to Miramar air base (California) and embarked on the aircraft carrier Enterprise in September 1974.

In 1981, the F14-A equipped the VX-4 test and evaluation squadron at Point Mugu, California. In the same year, it also equipped the squadrons of the VF-51, VF-111 and VF-124 fleets at Miramar and VF-32, VF-41, VF-84, VF-101 and VF-142 at Oceana, Virginia. In the early 1980s, the US Navy intended to acquire a total of 521 aircraft to equip eighteen squadrons, although production was limited to 30 aircraft per year.

The F-14A in Iran

Iran's choice and purchase of the F-14A was made to discourage overflights of its territory by the MIG-25 Foxbat , from its northern neighbor, the former Soviet Union. [ 1 ] When in May 1972, Richard Nixon, the President of the United States at the time, officially visited Iran, he was asked by the Iranian leader, Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi , about what was the most suitable equipment that the United States could provide to intercept such an aircraft, which was shown to be

invulnerable to the F-5E and F-4 Phantom II . [ 2 ] The response given was consistent with previous behavior: to provide all the best that the United States could make available, thus creating a regional power in the Persian Gulf zone of influence and a credible adversary to the Soviet bloc's intentions to expand in a southern direction. For this purpose, the F-15 Eagle option or the F-14A alternative were made available .

The above-described fact is, however, only half of what really happened. In reality, since the late 1950s, the Imperial Iranian Air Force and the USAF itself have been engaged in cooperative, highly secret reconnaissance flights over Soviet territory. [ 1 ] Initially using light aircraft or commercial transports, later using specialized aircraft for the role, such as the RF-4E . [ 1 ] These were severely punished by both the use of interceptors and Soviet anti-aircraft fire. It remains unclear why the United States immediately replaced lost aircraft, using its own inventory, with absolutely no knowledge of the number of aircraft supplied. It also remains somewhat obscure that the reconnaissance systems used were under tight and exclusive American control. [ 3 ]

Eighty aircraft were sold to Iran in the 1970s, but with the Iranian revolution and the fall of the Shah, technical assistance and the supply of spare parts were interrupted.

User squadrons

VF-1 Wolfpack, VF-2 Bounty Hunters, VF-11 Red Rippers, VF-14 Top Hatters, VF-21 Freelancers, VF-24 Fighting Renegades, VF-31 Tomcatters, VF-32 Swordsmen, VF-33 Starfighters, VF-41 Black Aces, VF-51 Screaming Eagles, VF-74 Bedevilers, VF-84 Jolly Rogers, VF-101 Grim Reapers, VF-102 Diamondbacks, VF-103 Sluggers, VF-111 Sundowners, VF-114 Aardvarks, VF-124 Gunfighters, VF-142 Ghostriders, VF-143 Pukin' Dogs, VF-154 Black Knights, VF-191 Satan's Kittens, VF-194 Red Lightnings, VF-201 Hunters, VF-202 Superheats, VF-211 Fighting Checkmates, VF-213 Black Lions, VF-301 Devil's Disciples, VF-302 Stallions, VX-4 Evaluators

NASA temporarily operated two F- 14A Tomcats at the Dryden Research Center at Edwards AFB . The first of these (BuNo 157991), assigned NASA tail number 991, was used to investigate low-altitude flight and angles of attack under asymmetric axial flight conditions from 8 August 1979 to September 1985, when it was returned to the Navy . The second (BuNo 158613), assigned NASA tail number 834, was used from 8 April 1974 to September 1987 to investigate attitude and flight transitions related to the use of variable-geometry wings . [ 4 ]

IIAF/IRIAF (Iranian Air Force)

Potential users

In addition to Iran, six other potential customers have shown interest in the F-14 , and have even received official and specific information: Saudi Arabia , Israel , Japan , Australia , Canada and Spain . The first three countries opted for the F-15 Eagle and the last three chose the F/A-18 Hornet . [ 5 ]

The Middle Eastern countries represented a lucrative and potential market, especially Saudi Arabia, which in terms of geography and defense profile was quite similar to Iran. Grumman hoped to achieve a significant number of sales for its F-14 . However, a "more experienced and energetic sales team", which was not unrelated to the Pentagon 's preference , tipped the decision in favor of McDonnell Douglas and its F-15 Eagle , which managed to export more than 400 aircraft, only among the first three countries mentioned. [ 6 ] On the other hand, the acquisition price of the aircraft, but especially the cost of their maintenance, would have put off other potential customers. Although it may seem strange that only Iran and the United States Navy have enjoyed a unique and unrivaled fighter for long-range interception and air combat, the success of its sales and use by the Imperial Iranian Air Force is probably due to Shah Reza Pahlavi 's fascination with military technology and his own experience as a pilot. [ 7 ]

Technology

Basic design
The F-14 Tomcat in its basic design is a tandem two-seater powered by two Pratt & Whithney TF-30-P-414 turbofans of 9,480 kg of thrust, with afterburners in fairings mounted on the fuselage. These have a complex system of square air intakes of variable geometry at the front and divergent/convergent nozzles at the rear, also variable. The empennage has double drift, designed to compensate for any sudden thrust failure in one of the turbines when at maximum speed.

Variable sweep

The F-14 Tomcat is the second mass-produced aircraft in the West to use variable sweep. Its wing design was based on the so-called "external hinge" that was developed by NASA with the function of minimizing the variation in the stability of the aircraft as the moving parts close. This technology offers special advantages in a naval fighter. At minimum sweep (20º on the leading edge), it has good takeoff and landing performance, a large subsonic range and high autonomy for air patrolling. At maximum sweep (68º), it acquires admirable supersonic performance with minimal responses to gusts in high-speed, low-altitude penetration missions. In the super sweep position (75º), it reduces the wingspan, allowing better accommodation in aircraft carrier hangars.

Technological refinements

The triangular surface on the leading edge of the fixed part of each wing is one of its technological refinements, its purpose is to compensate for the displacement of the aerodynamic center backwards, at very high speeds extending to Mach 1.5, this element can be operated manually to improve the maneuverability of the F-14.

The Hughes AWG-9 radar can operate in pulse and pulse-Doppler configurations, in a detection and scanning operation that allows it to monitor 24 fields simultaneously, while the computer plans attacks on six targets contained in these fields. The radar detects bombers at 315 km, fighters at 215 km and small guided cruise missiles at more than 120 km.

Production and variants

F-14A

Series version for the US Navy and Iranian Air Force, with two 9,480 kg thrust Pratt & Whitney TF-30-P-412A turbofans and afterburners (521 aircraft for the US Navy and 80 aircraft for Iran).

F-14A TARPS

Same as F-14A, but with inclusion of TARPS on the underbody (49 conversions planned). The TARPS (tactical airborne reconnaissance pod system) consists of a system containing a KS-87B camera, another KA-99 panoramic camera and an AAD-5 infrared scanner, the US Navy planned to equip some F-14s with reconnaissance pods (TARPS) temporarily replacing the Rockwell RA-5C Vigilante and Vought RF-8G Crusader .

F-14B

Same as the F-14A, but with Pratt & Whitney F401 turbofans with afterburners and 12,745 kg of thrust.

F-14C

Proposed F-14B with improved electronics.

F-14D

Proposed F-14B with optimization for short- and medium-range combat, simplified aerodynamic structure, lightweight radar.

Super Tomcat

Designation given to the F-14A with General Electric F101DFE engines of 13,150 kg of thrust in place of the TF-30.

Specifications and armament

Data collected from the following sources: Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1982-83, [ 8 ] MATS, MILAVIA and US Navy.

Crew: 2 (pilot and radar operator)
Role: Carried air superiority fighter .
Fabricante: Grumman Aerospace Corporation
Unit price: $38 million ( F-14A prices from the 1970s)
Propulsion: (F-14A) - 2x Pratt & Whitney TF30-P-414A turbofans , with 68 kn of static thrust and 112 kn with afterburner on, per engine. (F-14B/D) - 2x General Electric -F110-GE-400 turbofans , with 73.9 kn of static thrust and 120.49 kn with afterburner on, per engine.
maximum speed: Mach 2.34 (2,485 km/h ) at high altitude
Maximum cruise speed: Mach 0.72
Approx. speed to aircraft carrier: 231.5 km/h

Armament

It is equipped with a 20mm M 61 Vulcan cannon with 675 rounds, in addition to 10 points for attaching up to 6500 kg of missiles, bombs or extra fuel tanks. It could launch a wide range of bombs and missiles such as the AIM 54 (long range), AIM 7 (medium range) and the famous AIM 9 (short range), and could also launch laser-guided bombs and JDAM'S (bombs with a special kit that makes them incredibly accurate). [