Back to the actual subject at hand -
At this point, they still have in terms of all F-14’s they can add to the game -
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F-14A+/A (Late) - the in between of the in game A (Early) and B (which is a B upgraded) with just the new engine, RWR, and maybe another minor tweak or too from when it was still originally called A+ and not B, and before ground attack upgrades.
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F-14A-65-GR Tomcat (BuNo 158625) - The F-14A that test fired AMRAAM’s when AMRAAM was still being developed (and that can not be denied as there are literally photos of it). Don’t know if any other changes were made for testing purposes.
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F-14D (R) - F-14A/B airframes remanufactured to F-14D standard
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F-14D - actual new production aircraft
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F-14D (CSU) or F-14D (SUP) - F-14D with the planned but abandoned due to cost software upgrades for it to fire AMRAAM’s. CSU and SUP standing in this case for Computer Software Upgrade or Software Upgrade Package - unless someone knows if they had some actual name for the plan.
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NF-14D - F-14D’s assigned to naval testing that could have had any number of things in terms of newer missiles and ordnance tested on them, I’m going to guess AMRAAM isn’t off the table for that one, someone who knows better where to look on that one could likely pin down what all those had access to.
So at this point - unless there is another one off or variant I’ve missed (with things that can apply to the games gameplay), that’s another 6 total F-14’s, 2 A models, 4 D models, with 3 of the 6 being able to field AMRAAM’s. To which the test bed A obviously could get the original AIM-120’s, with the 2 D variants getting both newer AMRAAM’s and newer Sparrows and Sidewinders to compete better at whatever BR’s are appropriate for them, albeit I do think they need to better weight the aircrafts actual performance in how they rate it.
At which point, if what was said many posts above by Nick_Cloud is accurate - it would be better to make this premium with it’s camo an NF-14D with whatever newer missiles in terms of IR, SARH, and AMRAAM’s that existed pre-2006, lower tier option make the F-14A+/Late a premium - at 12.3 in Arcade it’ll get beat up a little less by Su-30’s and MiG-29’s while affording a better chance for the new players who will inevitably buy it to learn how to use FOX-3 missiles and TWS systems. Unless they move the American A models down a stage to 12.0 in Arcade where they might actually be good and get used. F-14 (CSU/SUP) - being the same as the F-15C GE in terms of ‘things that were planned but didn’t happen’ based on precedent goes to the tech tree. Being as it is more of a weird/one off aircraft - the F-14A-65-GR is prime for being an event or squadron vehicle, I’d prefer a premium event vehicle but I prefer the days when all the event vehicles were premiums.
The question then would be 14D and D(R). D(R) seems like a good candidate as well for squadron vehicle options. I guess the question to me is does the D get foldered with the B (B Upgrade) because of how minor the differences are, and is it the top of the folder with the B the hidden aircraft or is it the one hidden? I know people have mentioned alternate versions of the AIM-54C but straight up I do not fully know or understand (having read about them) what those differences would actually mean in game, or if they even apply to Arcade where I spend my time. Would those changes in the AIM-54 actually improve it enough to actually be considered more powerful and so it maybe stays separated out as a step to the AMRAAM armed tech tree version?
