So… DCS gamer filed a FOIA request a few years ago for the F-14D IRST related documents.
Seems Navy provided documents and compiled information about them… The work was done, but at the last moment a federal law prohibiting the release of unclassified aerospace material went into effect and the request was denied.
The documents are unclassified, but because of this law, the Pentagon does not allow the Navy to release the documents.
Classic ITAR and 22 U.S.C. § 2751 moment.
Funnily enough, I came across that DCS forum post and Reddit thread earlier. It really is a shame we couldn’t get fully declassified manuals yet.
It also happened to the FOIA request for the latest A-6E Intruder manuals that was denied for similar reasons.
I do wonder, though. Do ITAR and export controls have automatic expiration dates? Or will we ask them again in 5-10 years?
I do not know, so only time will tell.
Afaik, ITAR regulations do not expire. Once a defense article or item is listed under the United States Munitions List (USML) and becomes subject to ITAR, it remains under ITAR control indefinitely, unless it is formally reclassified or removed by the Pentagon.
While some export licenses issued under ITAR may include expiration dates, these are specific to the individual license and do not affect the regulation itself.
That said, it is possible to request the disclosure of related documents through the Mandatory Declassification Review (MDR) process.
Here we go. This is exactly the type of motion we need. I’m all in. I won’t show the picture, but not only will this declassify the radar, but it’ll also declassify all of this information:
Chapter 24 — F14D Weapon System
Chapter 25 — Weapon System Controls and Displays
Chapter 26 — AN/APG-71 Radar System
Chapter 27 — AN/AAS-42 Infrared Search and Track System
Chapter 28 — AN/AXX-1 Television Camera Set
Chapter 29 — Integrated Sensor Operation
Chapter 30 — Stores Management System
Chapter 31 — Air-to-Air Weapons
Chapter 32 — Air-to-Ground Weapons
Chapter 33 — LANTIRN Targeting System
Chapter 34 — Electronic Warfare Systems
Chapter 35 — Data-Link Systems
Chapter 36 — Weapon System Degraded Operation
We don’t even have this in-depth stuff about the F-14A.
That’s good to know. Thanks for the information.
This is massive. Easily one of the most documented Navy fighters if fully declassified. I am itching to read and absorb the juicy information, but, too bad, DoD says it’s not ready yet lol.
Oh, by the way - this is what the F-14 ST21 would have looked like if the Tomcat program had continued.
Advanced F-14 Family Brochure:
I heard one of them were gonna get thrust vectoring
Don’t forget that you can carry Phoenix’s on the outer pylons and sparrows on the inner pylons because on the D model the plane provides power to the missiles, allowing them to have internal cooling instead of needing the rails for cooling
yak 141 cant use r27R your point ? mig 29A cant use R27ER
The F-14D Manual was leaked somewhere on the forums. I don’t know where or why it’s so overhyped right now, but this has inspired me to fill out an MDR (Mandatory Declassification Review) request.
Best-case scenario, we get the full F-14D document + the redacted Chapters detailing everything about its weapons and avionics.
👀 Please do share the update on the status of the request here if you can.
Honestly, yeah, this would be ideal. I wish you the best of luck!
I might also try NAVAIR 01-F14AAA-1A and 01-F14AAA-1.1 from the mid-to-late 1990s, assuming I don’t get too bored.
As far as I know, these manuals are still classified as DS:C. However, the A models from this period shouldn’t be nearly as difficult to implement or declassify as the F-14D, since they aren’t significantly different from the B models already available in the game.
Unlike the F-14D, which includes more advanced systems and sensitive technologies, the late F-14A shares much of its avionics, and weaponry with the F-14B.
Would be cool to see +1
It should get the aim152 Modernized Pheonix
just guys being dudes
(It can’t use them and would only have space for 2 but it would be a lot like Grimreaper’s video of the Big Stick vs Phoenix but in WT and we would almost return to the F14A days just after Danger Zone) ignore
first time i hear this, where did you get the idea that it’d only be able to carry two? the program was explicitly for a sparrow sized missile.
You mean a FOIA request?
Sorry, miss read it as AIM 174 (I’ve been very tired recently so I’m a bit dumb)
