Editing Grumman F-14 Tomcat (section)

==Variants==
A total of 712 F-14s were built from 1969 to 1991. F-14 assembly and test flights were performed at Grumman's plant in Calverton on [[Long Island]], New York. Grumman facility at nearby [[Bethpage, New York]] was directly involved in F-14 manufacturing and was home to its engineers. The airframes were partially assembled in Bethpage and then shipped to Calverton for final assembly. Various tests were also performed at the Bethpage Plant. Around 34 F-14s have been lost over thirty years of service.{{citation needed|date=November 2022}}

===F-14A===
The F-14A was the initial two-seat, twin-engine, all-weather interceptor fighter variant for the U.S. Navy. It first flew on 21 December 1970. The first 12 F-14As were prototype versions<ref name=Spickp75>Spick 2000, pp. 75–79.</ref> (sometimes called YF-14As). Modifications late in its service life added precision strike munitions to its armament. The U.S. Navy received 557 F-14A aircraft and 79 were received by Iran.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Anft |first1=Torsten |title=F-14 Bureau Numbers |url=http://www.anft.net/f-14/f14-serial.htm |website=anft.net |access-date=27 March 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=A Brief Overview of the F-14A Tomcat in Iranian Service |url=https://www.kavehfarrokh.com/military-history-1900-present/a-brief-overview-of-the-f-14a-tomcat-in-iranian-service/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241213161427/https://www.kavehfarrokh.com/military-history-1900-present/a-brief-overview-of-the-f-14a-tomcat-in-iranian-service/ |archive-date=13 December 2024 |access-date=2025-03-13 |work=Dr. Kaveh Farrokh |language=en-US |url-status=live }}</ref> The final 102 F-14As were delivered with improved Pratt & Whitney TF30-P-414A engines.{{citation needed|date=February 2023}} Additionally, an 80th F-14A was manufactured for Iran, but was delivered to the U.S. Navy.{{Citation needed|date=September 2022}}

Throughout its production run, the F-14A underwent numerous changes which were divided into blocks labelled in multiples of 5:<ref>{{cite web|url=https://modelingmadness.com/review/mod/us/usn/fighter/gar14adiff.htm|title=Tomcat Airframe Differences|publisher=Modelling Madness|access-date=October 3, 2023}}</ref>

*F-14A-60 (BuNo 158612 - 158619), F-14A-65 (BuNo 158620 - 158637), F-14A-70 (BuNo 158978 - 159006), F-14A-75 (BuNo 159007 - 159025) – early beaver tail with dielectric fairings, IRST chin pod with ALQ-100 antenna, 7-holed gun vent
*F-14A-75/80 (BuNo 159421 - 159429), F-14A-80 (BuNo 159430 - 159468) – dielectric fairings removed from beaver tail
*F-14A-85 (BuNo BuNo 159588 - 159637) – AN/ARC-159 UHF radio replaced AN/ARC-51A radio, 2-holed gun vent first installed during construction of airframe BuNos. 159612 - 159615
*F-14A-90 (BuNo 159825 - 159874), F-14A-95 (BuNo 160379 - 160414) – small angle of attack probe added to nose radome, automated maneuvering flaps
*F-14A-100 (BuNo 160652 - 160696), F-14A-105 (BuNo 160887 - 160937) – slip clutch and coupler installation added to the flap/slat system, fuel system improvements, improved AN/AWG-9, anti-corrosion measures (i.e. seals, baffles, drain plugs)
*F-14A-110 (BuNo 161138 - 161168), F-14A-115 (BuNo 161270 - 161299) – AN/ALQ antenna added to the beaver tail and above and below wing gloves
*F-14A-120 (BuNo 161416 - 161445), F-14A-125 (BuNo 161597 - 161626), F-14A-130 (BuNo 161850 - 161873), F-14A-135 (BuNo 162588 - 162611) – ECM blisters under glove vanes and on the tip of the beavertail
*F-14A-140 (BuNo 162688 - 162711) – TCS chin pod with ALQ-100 antenna

===F-14B===
[[File:F110 Ugello.jpg|thumb|upright|Close-up view of the distinctive afterburner petals of the GE F110 engine|alt=]]

The F-14 received its first of many major upgrades in March 1987 with the F-14A Plus (or F-14A+). The F-14A's TF30 engine was replaced with the improved F110-GE-400 engine. The F-14A+ also received the state-of-the-art [[ALR-67]] Radar Homing and Warning (RHAW) system. Many of the avionics components, as well as the AWG-9 radar, were retained. The F-14A+ was later redesignated F-14B on 1 May 1991. A total of 38 new aircraft were manufactured and 43 F-14A were upgraded into B variants.<ref name="wapj19p1323">Lake 1994, pp. 132–133</ref><ref name="iapr3p52">Lake 2002, p. 52</ref> In the late 1990s, 81 F-14Bs were upgraded to extend airframe life and improve offensive and defensive avionics systems. The modified aircraft became known as ''F-14B (Upgrade)''.<ref name="iapr3p523">Lake 2002, pp. 52–53</ref>

===F-14D===
[[File:F-14 Tomcat ROVER antenna circled.jpg|thumb|left|An upgraded F-14D(R) Tomcat with the [[ROVER]] transmit antenna circled with [[USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71)|USS ''Theodore Roosevelt'']] in the background |alt= ]]

The final variant of the F-14 was the F-14D Super Tomcat, first delivered in 1991. As with the F-14B, the F-14D was equipped with the F110-GE-400 engines. It also included newer digital avionics systems including a glass cockpit and replaced the AWG-9 with the newer [[AN/AWG-9#AN/APG-71|AN/APG-71]] radar. Other systems included the Airborne Self Protection Jammer (ASPJ), Joint Tactical Information Distribution System (JTIDS), SJU-17(V) Naval Aircrew Common Ejection Seats (NACES), and Infrared search and track (IRST).<ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20100504214359/http://www.lockheedmartin.com/news/press_releases/2010/MFC_042810_LM_DevelopingF-15C_IRST.html "Developing F-15C."]}} Lockheed Martin Press Release, 28 April 2010.</ref> A total of 37 new aircraft were completed, and 18 F-14A models were upgraded to D-models, designated F-14D(R) for a rebuild. Starting in 2005, some F-14Ds received the ROVER III upgrade.{{Citation needed|date=September 2022}}

===Projected variants===
[[File:Grumman F-14B 157986 (mfr via RJF) (16947709020).jpg|thumb|A prototype F-14B test aircraft with F401 engines installed]]

When the F-14 was still in development, Grumman had planned an upgrade path for the Tomcat's propulsion and avionics. The first ''F-14B'' was to be an improved version of the F-14A with more powerful [[Pratt & Whitney F401]] turbofans; the F-14B prototype equipped with the F401 first flew in 1973. The ''F-14C'' was a projected variant of this initial F-14B with advanced multi-mission avionics.<ref>Spick 2000, p. 75.</ref> Grumman also offered an interceptor version of the F-14B in response to the U.S. Air Force's Improved Manned Interceptor Program as one of the contenders to replace the [[Convair F-106 Delta Dart]] as an [[Aerospace Defense Command]] interceptor in the 1970s. The F-14 ADC interceptor variant was to be armed with a [[GAU-7 cannon|GAU-7/A 25mm caseless cannon]] and powered by F100 turbofans.<ref>Air Enthusiast February 1973</ref> The F-14B program was terminated in April 1974. The actual F-14B and D upgrades that went into service did somewhat follow the initially projected ''B'' and ''C'' upgrade path in practice, although it was much more delayed and with fewer airframes.<ref>Isham, Marty. ''U.S. Air Force Interceptors: A Military Photo Logbook 1946–1979''. North Branch, Minnesota: Specialty Press Publications, 2010. {{ISBN|1-58007-150-3}}.</ref>

[[File:USAF ADCOM Grumman F-14 Tomcat proposed interceptor - 1972.jpg|thumb|Grumman's proposed F-14 ADC Interceptor for USAF Aerospace Defense Command in 1972 with the simulated "Buzz Code" and Aerospace Defense Command livery and emblem on the tail |alt=]]
In the early 1990s, Grumman proposed a few improved ''Super Tomcat'' versions. The first was the ''Quickstrike'', which would have been an F-14D with navigational and targeting pods, additional attach points for weapons, and added ground attack capabilities to its radar, turning the Tomcat into a multirole [[strike fighter]]. The Quickstrike was to fill the role of the A-6 Intruder after it was retired. This was not considered enough of an improvement by Congress, so the company shifted to the ''Super Tomcat 21'' (ST-21) proposed design. The ST-21 was a proposed lower-cost alternative to the Navy Advanced Tactical Fighter (NATF), and would mostly have the same shape and body as the Tomcat, and an upgraded AN/APG-71 radar. The improved [[General Electric F110]]-GE-429 engines{{refn|The F110-GE-429 is the [[United States military aircraft engine designations|designation]] of the proposed Navy version of the F110-GE-129.|group=N}} were to provide a supercruise speed of Mach 1.3 and featured [[thrust vectoring]] nozzles. The version would have reshaped leading-edge gloves, increased fuel capacity and modified control surfaces for improved takeoffs and lower landing approach speed. The ''Attack Super Tomcat 21'' (AST-21) version was the last proposed Super Tomcat design and was meant to be a more attack-oriented version of the ST-21 with possibly an [[active electronically scanned array]] (AESA) radar from the canceled [[McDonnell Douglas A-12 Avenger II|A-12]] attack aircraft. The (A)ST-21 was to be able to be rebuilt from existing F-14 airframes.<ref name=Donald_p9-11/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/29653/this-is-what-grummans-proposed-f-14-super-tomcat-21-would-have-actually-looked-like |title=This Is What Grumman's Proposed F-14 Super Tomcat 21 Would Have Actually Looked Like |work=The War Zone |date=1 December 2019 |access-date=3 July 2022 |archive-date=3 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220703185406/https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/29653/this-is-what-grummans-proposed-f-14-super-tomcat-21-would-have-actually-looked-like |url-status=live}}</ref>

The last "Tomcat" variant was the ''ASF-14'' (Advanced Strike Fighter-14), Grumman's replacement for the NATF concept. By all accounts, it would not be even remotely related to the previous Tomcats save in appearance, incorporating the new technology and design know-how from the Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) and Advanced Tactical Aircraft (ATA) programs. The ASF-14 would have been a new-build aircraft with considerably greater development costs; however, its projected capabilities were not that much better than that of the (A)ST-21 variants. Even Grumman was not enthusiastic about it.<ref name=Donald_p9-11/> In the end, the proposed Super Tomcat variants were considered too costly and also faced stiff political opposition from the Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney. The Navy decided to pursue the cheaper F/A-18E/F Super Hornet to fill the fighter-attack or strike fighter role.<ref name=Donald_p9-11>Donald 2004, pp. 9–11.</ref>