- Yes
- No
This suggestion is essentially a “late” version of the F-14A, representing the aircraft as it appeared just before its retirement from U.S. Navy service. Compared to the early F-14A currently available in the game, this variant features improved air-to-air and air-to-ground loadouts, as well as upgraded avionics, allowing it to compete more effectively against more advanced jets.
Compared to the F-14B, it is equipped with less powerful engines but benefits from a lighter airframe, which can offer a slight advantage in 1-cycle dogfights.
F-14A Tomcat (VF-154 / CVW-5) launched from USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63) - March 2003
Spoiler
In the 1990s, the U.S. Navy operated a significant number of F-14As. However, unlike the Legacy Hornet and F-14B, the F-14A was less capable in terms of multirole functionality. As part of the LANTIRN/PTID upgrade program in the mid-1990s, these aircraft received the “Bombcat” upgrade and an AN/ALR-67 RWR (Radar Warning Receiver) update.
Interestingly, even the NATOPS manuals make no mention of which specific RWR systems were replaced. Instead, evidence of the upgrade primarily comes from squadron photos, videos, and pilot testimonies from that time.
The F-14A also received ECM (Electronic Countermeasures) upgrades. The ALQ-126 was first installed on F-14A BuNo.161168, which was deployed to VF-154 Black Knights in April 1984. This system continued to be included in all subsequent production and refurbished blocks until around 1986–1987. The F-14A+/F-14B also began receiving this equipment starting in 1987–1988, when those variants entered squadron service.
These upgraded F-14As were later deployed during the Iraq War in 2003 and in operations in Afghanistan, including strikes against al-Qaeda and Taliban targets.
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-201 Hunters
- 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, the F-14As of VF-14 “Tophatters” and VF-41 “Black Aces” embarked on their final cruise with the Tomcat aboard the USS Enterprise (CVN-65). Positioned as the closest carrier to Afghanistan, they were among the first aircraft deployed in Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), preceding even the arrival of the F-14Ds of VF-213 “Black Lions” aboard the USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70).
At the time, aircraft carriers were the only means of projecting tactical air power into Afghanistan. Tomcat, Hornet, and Prowler units carried out missions ranging from six to ten hours in duration, flying over 700 miles (1,126 km) from their carrier to their targets.
The F-14A model was retired around 2004, several years earlier than the F-14B and F-14D. The last U.S. Navy F-14A to fly was “NICKEL 103” (BuNo 158632), which belonged to VF-211 “Fighting Checkmates.” Its final flight took place on September 13, 2004.
Spoiler
In real life, the refurbishment process of the F-14A was highly inconsistent. Many of the airframes used were essentially leftovers from earlier production batches, and there was no clearly defined, standardized block-by-block structure applied to the upgrades.
As a result, variations in equipment and systems were common even within the same squadron, making it difficult to categorize late-service F-14As under a single unified configuration.
Crew:
- 2 (Pilot and Radar Intercept Officer)
Powerplant:
- 2 × Pratt & Whitney TF30-P-414A turbofan engines
- Thrust: 20,900 lbf each (with afterburner)
Dimensions:
- Wingspan (fully spread): 64 ft 1 in (19.53 m)
- Wingspan (fully swept): 48 ft 2 in (14.68 m)
- Wingspan (overswept): 33 ft 3 in (10.13 m)
- Wing Area: 565 sq ft (52.5 m²)
Weight:
- Empty Weight: 40,104 lb (18,193 kg)
Performance:
- Maximum Speed: 1,544 mph (Mach 2.34 at altitude)
- Rate of Climb: 30,000 ft/min (152.4 m/s)
Avionics & Systems:
- Radar: AN/AWG-9
- Radar Warning Receiver (RWR): AN/ALR-67
- Electronic Countermeasures (ECM): AN/ALQ-126
Armament:
- 1 × M61A1 Vulcan 20 mm rotary cannon (675 rounds)
Air-to-Air (A2A)
- AIM-9H
- AIM-9L
- AIM-9M – All-aspect IR-guided missile with IRCCM (All Navy-variant except the AIM-9M-10)
- AIM-7F
- AIM-7M
- AIM-7P
- AIM-54A
- AIM-54C
- AIM-54C ECCM/Sealed – Sealed and improved ECCM-capable Phoenix; still requires coolant from launch pylons
Air-to-Ground (A2G)
- Unguided Rockets:
- LAU-10 Zuni 5-inch rocket pods
- General-Purpose Bombs (GPB):
- Mk.82 (including BLU-111A/B)
- Mk.83 (including BLU-110A/B)
- Mk.84
- Guided Bombs (LGB):
- GBU-10 Paveway II
- GBU-12 Paveway II
- GBU-16 Paveway II
- GBU-24 Paveway III
- Cluster Munitions:
- CBU-20 Rockeye II
- CBU-78 Gator
- CBU-99
- CBU-100
- Practice Munitions:
- Mk.76
- Mk.106
- BDU-33
- BDU-45
- BDU-48
Spoiler
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 are implemented in the game, the F-14A late could serve as a viable counterpart to aircraft such as the F-15C MSIP II, F-16AM, F-16A OCU, F-16C Block 40/50, MiG-29SMT, Su-27SM.
Spoiler
Spoiler
- Jon Lake (ed.). F-14 Tomcat Shipborne Superfighter. (London, England: Aerospace Publishing, Ltd., 1998), 83, 196.
- National Naval Aviation Museum
- SeaForce-online This website really helped to find late F-14A photos!
- The retire of F-14A from The Aviation Geek Club
- HOME OF M.A.T.S
- TOMCAT ALLEY
- The Aviationist
