I’m aware that it was deployed in the fleet and began to be specified in the NAVAIR flight manual in the 1980s but, If we can find some docs proving that TCS was tested/installed by April 1977, maybe They can add TCS to the F-14A Early. At least in terms of tested weaponry and functionality, they are somewhat lenient, just like VTAS for Navy Phantoms and the SRAAMs for Hunter F.6.
It is shame that they didn’t add ALR-23 for F-14A Early even if they are completely useless.
It’s not useless, it would make the radar (when within IRSTS’s gimbal limits [?+/- 65 degrees?, seems a little high]) immune to chaff and Notching meaning that you would trade some limitations on tracking geometry for much more reliable Radar missiles (Within 10 Nmi [~18km]), and the ability to passively track off bore targets for Sidewinder usage without relying on the radar.
Good to know I guess, I think that that may have been when it went out to tender, since Government furnished Technical data, requires competitive bidding processes in an attempt to avoid single source contracts.
I’m pretty sure that also predates the production of “F-14A+” airframes as well (?'84?).
Seems Smithsonian has NAVAIR 01-F14AAA-1 from 1986.
Probably, since it mentions “no restrictions on access,” it is probably the only flight manual from the late 1980s that is not under export restrictions.
And the first comment i see (in a serious video not to mention , i mean it’s an attack on an airfield…)
“this plane used to terrorize 12.7” …
Imagine the butthurt!!
This guy is a legend!
The reality is that we don’t even know in what condition those 14s are anymore…
Sure there was one at Kish Island Air Show 2024 , but that doesn’t really mean it’s in combat condition.
And given that Israelis didn’t find any opposition, i dare to say that they kept them flying (yes) but for show of strength and because they are known and historical aircraft (at this point) .
i don’t think think they are combat worthy…flying is one thing, combat is another…
Is it just me, or did they remove being able to switch STT locks from PD to SRC while staying locked on? I remember it was exclusive to the Tomcat/AWG-9…