F-14 Tomcat: History, Performance & Discussion

So 1 tomcat was farther ahead and relayed it back right?

I don’t know if you’re just refusing the listen or you simply arent trying to understand. This is not normal datalink.

Think of it like this. The AWG-9 has an untapped potential that it can’t reach due to its antenna, so its maximum range is 230 miles. The APG-71 has the same problem, but has upgrades to put its problem into the perspective of code. Using datalink, Hughes combined the antennas of both radars to tap into the full potential of the system. This is possible because the system was always capable of this performance. Nothing new is being added performance-wise. It’s not normal datalink because both radars are already capable. They’re not doing something they couldn’t do systemically before. It’s not like AWACS - Fighter Datalink where it plots stuff onto the displays and shows stuff out of reach to the receiving aircraft. It’s not showing stuff 800km out.

Honestly I don’t know why this is so hard to comprehend. It explains it perfectly fine in that one sentence alone if you take the time to process what it says.

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No.

How the hell did they combine the signals of the radars in the 80’s/90’s when it was designed? That’s stupidly complicated when you really think about it

And don’t you think other stuff would have this if it was seriously that effective?

they already had this type stuff on the AEGIS radar systems in 1973

So it’s some death star beam type stuff?
And could you please elaborate

data link between ships was already a thing with AEGIS combat systems by the time f14d came about one ship can monitor the radars of all the ships in the carrier strike group and guide munitions even if the ship that launched the missile is sunk

No I understand this, it’s just datalink, but what @MikeyPlayzonYT seems to be saying is that the radar antennas them selves combined their signals from 2 seperate aircraft to extend their range

no i see what u are saying now there are multiple things saying the f14 can extend radar range with 2 aircraft or more but nothing that says how its doing this

I guess the US thought there would be no need. I mean the F-22 already covers 3/4 of that range without another plane to connect to. It uses its system to the fullest. Plus, it was the last mechanical radar from the US. The focus was AESA magic.

i dont see why the same couldnt be used by AESA especially for F-35’s (assuming its even possible), since with their smaller antennas they could really benefit from something like it

It’s really just addition. 1 system with a potential range of 740km (limited to 370km) + another system with a potential range of 740km (limited to 370km) = maximum potential system usage and range of 740km.

AESA magic tbh. Nobody really knows how it works in its entirety. Plenty of reasons could be why it isn’t compatible.

AESA magic? when 2 tomcats are allegedly able to perfectly match each others antennas to double their range, with 80’s/90’s tech?

For the F-35s. An AESA Tomcat would’ve been sick though

i know, but its just kind of funny how you think AESA is magic compared to what you are saying the tomcats could do. im no radar engineer but im usually able to grasp this kind of stuff, how they actually get APG-71 signal combination to work is beyond me

Doesnt change the fact that except for range the JA-37 Viggen and many other inferior radars performs better in-game than the F-14 AWG-9 which does not make sense.

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Yes, so how do you know that is how the ability works?

Do you have some publicly available information stating that is how the radars work? Or have you just read that the aircraft has data link that increases range and you’re assuming that is how it works?

Wikipedia (the only source you have provided so far) cites no sources for it’s claim that two F-14Ds can use data link to achieve a 460 mile / 740 km range. And it also says nothing to support the idea that raw radar data is combined from two aircraft to increase detection range, in the manner you describe. Further more: looking online the only sources I can find which mention those range figures appear to just be copying the Wikipedia article.

So if there is any reliable evidence to back up your interpretation I would be very interested to see it.

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In the same time they co-existed Tomcat had the second best radar in the world, with the best being AN/APG-77.
EF2K received a comparable or better radar way after F-14s retired. Imagine Germany got their first EF2K by 2003, Tomcats (in general) had already start to phase out , the last of them being at 2006.
Imagine, in pilot interviews they say about APG-71 that the "radar could do everything , the problem was… could missiles follow? "

Also, you can’t really compare 2020+ planes with 1990s/2ks … it’s advancement in technology , most of the times newer is better. But , by the same time…yes F-14D radar/electronics (ECM/ECCM etc.) was unrivaled if you were not an F-22.
Why do people compare apples with oranges…ALL THE TIME.
Compare with everything build in 1991 and the F-14D is nearly 10-15 years ahead in avionics (not talking pods).

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The Datalink is the Link 4A & -4C system.

as described in

I’ll see if can track down an excerpt from a podcast for range figures.

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