Grumman F-14A Tomcat Late: Anytime Baby!

[Would you like to see this in-game?]
  • Yes
  • No
0 voters

Grumman F-14A Tomcat Late


This suggestion is essentially a “late” version of the F-14A, just prior to its retirement from U.S. Navy service. Compared to the F-14A Early we currently have in the game, it has better A2A, A2G loadout and avionics, allowing it to fight on equal terms with more advanced jets. Also, compared to the F-14B, it has a worse engine but lighter airframe, which will give it bit better advantage on 1v1 duels.

F-14A Tomcat (VF-154 / CVW-5) launched from USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63) - March 2003

Background
In the 1990s, the U.S. Navy had a significant number of F-14As, but unlike the Legacy Hornet and F-14B, they were not as capable from a “multirole” standpoint. As part of the LANTIRN/PTID upgrade program in the mid-1990s, a “bombcat” upgrade and RWR update was done. Curiously, however, even in the NATOPS, there is no mention of the RWRs that were replaced, only some squadron images/videos and testimonials from pilots at the time like that.

These upgraded F-14As were used in the Iraq war in 2003 and operations in Afghanistan, an attack against al-Qaeda/Taliban.

The F-14As that received these upgrades operated in the following squadrons.

  • VF-14 Top Hatters
  • VF-41 Black Aces
  • VF-101 Grim Reapers
  • VF-154 Black Knights
  • VF-211 Fighting Checkmates
  • VX-30 Bloodhounds

In September 1995, the VF-41 “Black Ace” flew Operation Deliberate Force off the coast of Bosnia. This operation marked the first ever combat deployment of A2G weapons by the “A model” bombcats.

In 2001, VF-14 “Top hatters” and VF-41 “Black Aces” F-14As embarked on the USS Enterprise on their last cruise with the Tomcat. They were aboard the closest carrier to Afghanistan and were the first aircraft employed in Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) as the F-14Ds of VF-213 “Black Lions” aboard USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) arrived there. Carriers were initially the only means of deploying tactical air power in Afghanistan. Tomcat, Hornet, and Prowler units flew six- to 10-hour missions over 700 miles (1,126 km) from the carrier.

The A model of the F-14 was retired around 2004, several years earlier than the F-14B/F-14D, and the last US Navy F-14A to fly was the NICKEL 103 (BuNo 158632), which was part of the VF-211 “Fighting Checkmates”. It’s last flight was September 13, 2004.

Specifications
The real life F-14A refurbishment was very patchy. That is, many units were often leftovers from previous variants, and there was no clear cut block by block.

  • Crew: x2 (Pilot and Radar Intercept Officer)
  • Powerplant:Two Pratt & Whitney TF30-P-414A engines of 20,900 lb
  • Span (max spread): 64 ft., 1 in.
  • Span (fully swept): 48 ft., 2 in.
  • Span (overswept): 33 ft. 3 in.
  • Wing Area: 565 sq. ft.
  • Empty Weight: 40,104lbs
  • Max Speed: 1,544 mph
  • Climb Rate: 30,000 ft./min.
  • Radar: AN/AWG-9
  • RWR: ALR-67(same as F-14B)
  • ECM: ALQ-126
  • Guns: M61 Vulcan 20mm cannon
  • Weaponry
    ----------------A2A----------------
  • AIM-9H
  • AIM-9L
  • AIM-9M
  • AIM-7F
  • AIM-7M
  • AIM-54A
  • AIM-54C
    ----------------A2G----------------
  • LAU-10
  • Mk.82 (BLU-111A/B) GPB
  • Mk.83 (BLU-110A/B) GPB
  • Mk.84 GPB
  • GBU-10
  • GBU-12
  • GBU-16
  • GBU-24
  • CBU-20
  • CBU-78
  • CBU-99
  • CBU-100
  • Mk.76 Practice Bomb
  • Mk.106 Practice Bomb
  • BDU-33
  • BDU-45
  • BDU-48

Conclusion
The late model of F-14A is, in a nutshell, the F-14B with the TF-30. However, it is not “worse” model because of lighter airframe. If added to the game, it would be a historic addition and also allow players to choose between the F-14A or F-14B depending on two different play styles. If you want to make it completely different from F-14B, Gaijin can give AIM-9M and AIM-54C for F-14A. Of course, as of June 2024, the AIM-54 is in need of some rework, but if all of that were done, it would not be difficult at all to balance even if the F-14A had an AIM-9Ms. If they were added, the F-14A late would be a legitimate counterpart to the F-15A/C and Su-27, MiG-29G.

Camoflages

  • VF-14 Top Hatters
    80th anniversary High-vis camoflage (1999)
    af_aj200land

80th anniversary Low-vis camoflage (1999)
tom1-2b

  • VF-41 Black Aces
    Low-vis camoflage (2001)
    image023

  • VF-101 Grim Reapers
    Low-vis camoflage
    f-14a-161274-vf-101-grim-reapers-david-brown

  • VF-154 Black Knights
    Last Tomcat that stationed to NAF Atsugi in Japan (2003)

Low-vis camoflage, CV-63 USS Kitty Hawk (2003)

High-vis camoflage, NAF Atsugi in Japan (2000)

High-vis camoflage, CVN-68 USS Nimitz (1997)

Sources

  1. Jon Lake (ed.). F-14 Tomcat Shipborne Superfighter. (London, England: Aerospace Publishing, Ltd., 1998), 83, 196.
  2. National Naval Aviation Museum
  3. SeaForce-online This website really helped to find late F-14A photos!
  4. The retire of F-14A from The Aviation Geek Club
  5. HOME OF M.A.T.S
  6. TOMCAT ALLEY
  7. The Aviationist
6 Likes

Kind of a yes, but kind of a no from me, I’ll explain:
Personally, I would like to see the F-14B go up to 12.3 and receive its Aim-9Ms, while seeing an F-14A (Late) take its place at 12.0, and if the current F-14A (late) that you’re proposing would have 9Ms, ehhhhhhhhh idk.
I’m not opposed to it, but I would prefer if a F-14A (late) could be a gap filler at 12.0 and the F-14B gets historically adjusted. For now, I think ima just give it a thumbs up, great and well detailed suggestion as well.

5 Likes

As a reminder, Gaijin can implement several F-14s, including the F-14A late.

  • F-14A Early

Yes… we already have but, the F-14A that Gaijin is modeling is from 1977, and the U.S. Navy tested the AIM-9L with the F-14A at China Lake on same year.

  • F-14A Late(with bombcat upgrades)
  • F-14B
  • F-14B(U)

“U” means Upgrade. It is basically F-14B with some F-14D functions such as Sparrowhawk HUD and JDAM.

  • F-14D
4 Likes

Can be a great addition. +1

1 Like

Would be 12.3 and in folder with F-14B

1 Like

or folder with F-14A.

1 Like

Why not a F-14D Super Tomcat?

There’s other variants to be added, this one is not about the F-14D, it’s about the F-14A (Late)

2 Likes

In folder with F-14A Early ? Maybe but F-14A at 12.3 BR

1 Like

Just posting some late model F-14As photo

3 Likes

The model seen in Top Gun! Would love to see it get the Aim-9L and Aim-7M (the F-14B should get the 9M+7MH). Did they carry BOL pods?

LAU-138 (BOL pods) were only ever used in service with the F-14B and D, A did not carry them

2 Likes

Good, that’ll help differentiate the A Late from the B even more. Thanks for the reply!

1 Like

Early “bombcat” upgraded for F-14A (late) armed AIM-9L & AIM-7M like F-14B

F-14A could be 12.7 BR same F-14B and higher F-14A Early

F-14A armed AIM-9M like F-14B.

I guess F-14B could get AIM-9M-8 sidewinder and AIM-7MH & AIM-7P Sparrow

There’s the issue of progression in the TT at top tier. Gaijin doesn’t have much incentive to add a Late A to the US Tree if its kit will be basically the same as the B, as they’d be pretty much the same BR; it might end up being made into an event vehicle like the M2KS4/F4FEarly/23MF/Marineflieger.

In my opinion, F-14A fill the gap between F-14A Early and F-14B

2x AIM-9L & 2x AIM-54A stock better F-14A Early

I might hope gajin buff F-14B add AIM-9M-8, AIM-7MH & AIM-7P

In the future F-14B from tech tree change Air-to-Air Missile stock

Current

  • 2x AIM-9L & 2x AIM-54C

New

  • 2x AIM-9M & AIM-54C

Maybe F/A-18B Hornet from USN

Some A model did.

The F-14A in Top Gun movie is probably a 1986 model, and there are several visual differences from the around 2000s F-14A.

It has TCS on nose but, RWR should be same from original one and shouldn’t have AN/ALQ-126 ECM at grove vane sections.

The only visual difference between the F-14A around 2000 and the F-14B was the engine.

actually they did

2 Likes

Pretty sick, always down for more Tomcats. I think having extra variants of it is acceptable since its a famous aircraft that is no longer in US-use. +1

2 Likes