Overview
The F-14 Tomcat was the US Navy's carrier-based fleet defender from 1974 to 2006. Its wings swing forward for slow carrier landings and sweep back for high-speed flight, adjusted automatically by a computer.
Its AWG-9 radar and long-range AIM-54 Phoenix missiles were designed to stop Soviet bombers far from the fleet. Made famous by the 1986 film Top Gun, the Tomcat now serves only with Iran, which bought it before the 1979 revolution. Specifications are for the F-14D.
Specifications
Dimensions
| Length | 19.10 m |
|---|---|
| Wingspan | 19.55 m |
| Height | 4.88 m |
| Wing area | 52.5 m² |
Weights & fuel
| Empty weight | 19,838 kg |
|---|---|
| Max. take-off weight | 33,720 kg |
Performance
| Max. speed | 2,485 km/h |
|---|---|
| Max. Mach | Mach 2.34 |
| Ferry range | 3,000 km |
| Combat radius | 926 km |
| Service ceiling | 16,150 m |
| Rate of climb | 229.0 m/s |
Crew & capacity
| Crew | 2 |
|---|---|
| Hardpoints | 10 |
Powerplant
| Engines | 2 |
|---|---|
| Engine model | GE F110-GE-400 (F-14D) |
| Thrust (each) | 73.9 kN |
| Thrust with afterburner (each) | 123.7 kN |
Figures are compiled from public sources and may be approximate; they can vary by variant and configuration.
Armament
- 20 mm M61A1 Vulcan rotary cannon
- AIM-54 Phoenix, AIM-7 Sparrow and AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles
- Up to about 6,600 kg of bombs on 10 hardpoints (later "Bombcat" role)
Did you know?
Iran was the only export customer, receiving 79 Tomcats in the 1970s.
Photos
Photo 1: LCDR Dave Parsons / US DoD / Wikimedia Commons · PD
Some text and images come from Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons under CC BY-SA licences.
