F-14 TOMCAT 50th ANNIVERSARY F-14 Tomcat Variants Crew Perspectives Still operated by the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force, the Grumman F-14 Tomcat is most famous for its US Navy service – and its role in the 1986 fi lm Top Gun. To mark the 50th anniversary of its fi rst fl ight on December 21, 1970, we present the fi rst of three articles on this formidable fi ghter. Doug Gordon hears from a former F-14 pilot and a radar intercept o cer about fl ying and operating di erent versions of the Tomcat

34 AVIATION NEWS JANUARY 2021 Main photo: Four Grumman F-14B Tomcats from the VF-143 ‘Pukin’ Dogs’ fly over the California desert. Note, three of them are carrying the LANTIRN pod for dropping air-to-ground munitions Photo by Ted Carlson/ Fotodynamics.com

hen discussing the different variants of the Grumman F-14 Tomcat, it is important Wto remember that all three variants were upgraded to some degree. The F-14A was designed as a fleet defence fighter. In the event of hostilities its role was to defend the carrier group from attack by enemy bombers. It was necessary to intercept the bombers a long way from the carrier group before An F-14A Tomcat aircraft refuelling from a US Air Force KC-10A Extender during Operation the enemy could launch missiles at the Desert Storm, with others alongside, in February 1991. The aircraft are from VF-14, VF-33 and VF-84 USAF ships. To achieve this, the F-14 required speed, a long-range missile and a and did not have any onboard electronic engine made a significant difference to the radar which could find and identify the countermeasures capability.” performance of the Tomcat. adversaries at distance. The F-14 was not originally intended to In the summer of 1995, Keith Kimberly The Pratt & Whitney TF30 engine that be a dogfighter, but as time progressed, was selected for the first class of Strike was adopted for the F-14A was originally changing circumstances such as the Fighter Tactics Instructors (SFTI) course that meant for the cancelled F-111B. It provided presence of escorting fighters forced the TOPGUN introduced as part of the newly the power that the Tomcat needed. The role upon it. One of the most significant developed Strike Fighter Training Continuum. combination of the AN/AWG-9 radar drawbacks in this respect for the F-14A was He recalled the advantage that the new and the formidable AIM-54 Phoenix its engines. Research led to the realisation engine gave to the F-14: “With the F110 missile gave the F-14A the capability of that 28% of F-14 mishaps were related in engine you’re really maximising the aeroplane identifying and attacking multiple targets some way to the TF30. in a 1v1 environment. So much so that you simultaneously. The F-14A could carry as Captain Keith ‘Grumpy’ Kimberly (ret’d) didn’t have any qualms about departing in many as six Phoenix missiles. was a pilot who flew all the Tomcat a high angle of attack scenario in order to Now retired, Captain Brian ‘Billy’ Kocher variants. He said: “One of the drawbacks rapidly manoeuvre it in another direction. You was a radar intercept officer (RIO). He in the F-14A occurred when you were in weren’t afraid to slow down or go ‘over the said: “I started flying Tomcats in 1987 after close-in fighting, 1 v 1. In the back of your top’ in a loop. Also, you weren’t concerned completion of advanced flight training. mind you were always very conscious of to start that manoeuvre at 200 to 250kts When I reported to VF-124 ‘Gunslingers’, not putting adverse yaw on the aeroplane because you could ‘milk’ the aircraft over the I was trained on the F-14A model. At because you could stall an engine pretty top and knew the engines wouldn’t stall – the time, the threat we trained for was quick. Even if you were putting a minimum even if you got into a tail slide. the Soviet Bear/Backfire bomber attacks angle of attack on the aircraft; as soon as “When it came to close-in combat against the . “Our tactics you put it into yaw, it would disturb the situations, the F110 engine really allowed were devoted to long-range intercept of airflow and the engine would cough.” the F-14 to become a better fighter than it bombers carrying long-range supersonic was originally designed for.” Kh-22 (NATO reporting name AS-4 NEW POWER Brian Kocher flew the F-14B during his Kitchen) air-to-surface missiles. The AWG- The General Electric F110-GE-400 was time with VX-23 Air Test and Evaluation 9 was the most powerful radar in the air chosen to replace the TF30 and began to be Squadron at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland. capable of detecting bomber size targets installed in the F-14As in 1987. The modified His eyes were opened to the tremendous at 200nm. The AS-4 had nearly the same aircraft were redesignated F-14A(PLUS). power and reliability of the new engine radar cross section so it was presumed we A total of 47 F-14As were upgraded with compared with the stall-prone and could see it at similar ranges. the new engines and 38 new F-14A(PLUS) underpowered TF30. He said: “As a RIO and “The Tomcat strategy was to employ models were built. The designation was later flying with nugget [junior] pilots, I had multiple AIM-54 Phoenix at near later changed to F-14B. The replacement to become very attuned to the noises, maximum range to obtain undetected kills against the bombers before they launched.” He continued: “As time progressed and Soviet tactics began to include fighter escort, we then had to learn to distinguish between bomber and fighter size targets. The AWG-9 provided raw radar returns, which allowed the RIO to evaluate the returns not only for size but also jet engine modulation (JEM), which allowed a skilled RIO to discern and identify targets. The AWG-9 also had multiple identification systems including IFF [Identification Friend or Foe] interrogation – the ability to distinguish more reliably between hostile and friendly aircraft]. The ‘A’ model was also equipped The AIM-54 Phoenix gave the Tomcat long-range punch. This VF-111 ‘Sundowners’ F-14A is with the ALR-45/50 radar warning receiver test-firing an AIM-54C over a US rangeUS Navy

WWW.AVIATION-NEWS.CO.UK 35 Left: With wings swept fully forward to 20°, this VF-102 F-14B demonstrates the high- speed configuration of the Tomcat Rick Llinares

Below left: A stack of F-14s illustrating the maximum inflight wing sweep of 68°. An ‘oversweep’ position of 75° could be used to allow tighter parking on aircraft carriers Rick Llinares pops and bangs of the TF30 when it was stalled; especially when a pilot was focused in an air-to-air engagement. Experiencing ‘pop stalls’ with the TF30 was a common, almost expected occurrence on every flight. So much so we had actually grown complacent to the dangers of stalls, often ignoring them; some at our own peril. “One of the more aggressive manoeuvres in the Tomcat was the ‘rudder reversal’ in which the pilot would climb and as we slowed to 100kts airspeed they would kick the rudder and stick in opposite directions to get the Tomcat to ‘swap ends’ and point straight down. It was always 50/50 chance the TF30 would stall especially if a pilot moved the throttles at all during the manoeuvre. With the F110, the manoeuvre was seamless and with all the extra thrust it meant the pilot would actually have to reduce throttles to achieve slow enough airspeed to execute it.” Taking off and landing with the new engine were also new experiences for the crews. Launching from a carrier with the F-14A required full afterburner with the TF30 engine, whereas the F110 was restricted to Military Power only; use of the afterburner was forbidden as there was a risk of exceeding the maximum operating speed of the landing gear. The F110 made landing on the ship easier as it had a lot more thrust available and gave smoother power adjustments on ‘the ball’ – an optical landing system (OLS) used to give glidepath information. Kocher said: “With the F110 you could quickly add a little bit more power and with the new lift control devices you could go up and down easily and arrest the sink rate immediately. In comparison, the TF30 took a little bit more time to spool up and in the beginning the F-14A didn’t have Direct Lift Control.” Kimberly added: “Direct Lift Control was an all or nothing push button; later it was changed with the ability to moderate the amount of DLC a pilot could utilise, which the F-14D came with from the beginning. It was such a good added feature that you could pick the wire you wanted to catch on the deck through its utilisation.” RECCE ROLE One of the roles which was given to the F-14A was that of tactical reconnaissance. To fulfil this the Tactical Airborne Reconnaissance Pod System (TARPS) was designed. Only a small number of F-14As and F-14Bs in each fighter squadron were modified for this role. Subsequently, all F-14Ds would be TARPS-capable. In Operation Desert Storm the majority

36 AVIATION NEWS JANUARY 2021 of Tomcat sorties were reconnaissance missions. Brian Kocher was deployed to the Persian Gulf on the carrier USS Ranger (CV 61) assigned to the F-14A with VF-2 as part of the forces assembled to evict Iraqi forces from Kuwait: “During Operation Desert Storm, the Tomcat was used exclusively for tactical reconnaissance and fighter sweep/ escort missions as we had no air-to-ground capability. Our intelligence told us that Iraq had tremendous respect for the Tomcat and the AWG-9 based on their negative experience against Iran during the Iran-Iraq War. Most of the time when Tomcats took off, Iraqi aircraft immediately landed or flew straight to Iran so our opportunity to engage was almost zero. “We did, on several sorties, vector to intercept MiG-25 Foxbats, flying high over Northern Iraq. The long radar detection ranges allowed us to track the Foxbats at over 150 miles and remain undetected; but as soon as Iraqi controllers were aware of our intentions, the Foxbats would Outfitted with a Tactical Aerial Reconnaissance Pod System (TARPS) pod and a jamming pod immediately circle to land. on the centreline, a VF-102 ‘Diamondbacks’ F-14 Tomcat on a December 1997 Southern Watch “During Desert Storm, the capabilities and mission over Iraq US Navy/LT Chuck Radosta limitations of the F-14A were highlighted particularly during TARPS missions. during the life of the Tomcat for both the display] and a lot of analogue gauges. The TARPS-capable Tomcat squadrons pilots and the RIOs was the improvement Also, the CRT [cathode ray tube] display of situational awareness provided by new which showed the radar picture wasn’t “The Tomcat was equipment and their associated cockpit exactly the brightest, as in the F-14B also. displays. Pilot Keith Kimberly said: “In In a real combat situation the radio could the king of the the front seat of the F-14A you had an get clogged up and was really hard to information display which was right in understand and it was difficult to ascertain air-to-air hill” front of the stick and is a duplicate of the where the bad guys were in the HUD. display in the back seat. You couldn’t pull “When you started coming inside ten were sought after for providing photo out a lot of information other than what miles you were really ‘heads out’ the intelligence to coalition forces preparing was displayed or tailor it to yourself. You whole time, trying to pick out where the for invasion. On one of our squadron also had an antiquated HUD [head-up enemy was. F-14D situational awareness missions, the crews landed and were excited about their execution only to find out from intelligence that they had taken pictures of the wrong area. The AN/ASN- 92 [Carrier Aircraft] Inertial Navigation System (CAINS) was an old ring laser gyro navigation system that was commonly called the ASN-92 ‘Drift Master’ for its lack of stability and excessive drift rates. The aircrew had to always plan for multiple INS updates while in-flight to re-centre the system. After Desert Storm, RIOs started flying with hand-held GPSs as a back up to the poor onboard navigation systems.” It was not until the advent of the F-14D that the CAINS was upgraded to the AN/ ASN-139 DINS (Digital Inertial Navigation System). Yet another upgrade in the F-14D was to the TARPS. Kocher explained: "TARPS-DI allowed the RIO to take digital images and transmit them either to another Tomcat or to the ground station onboard the aircraft carrier. The capability was instrumental in providing post-strike battle damage assessment almost immediately after a strike instead of having to wait for the aircrew to land, download the film and process/analyse the pictures by TARPS. This was important for shortening the targeting and planning time for leadership." An F-14D ‘kneels’ in tension before a catapult shot. The television camera set (TCS) and infrared One of the most significant developments seeker under the nose are clearly visible Scott Rathbone

WWW.AVIATION-NEWS.CO.UK 37 countermeasures programme to jam any threat.” The F-14A was fitted with the AN/ ALE-29 countermeasures chaff and flare dispenser – capable of carrying only 40 rounds of chaff or flare cartridges. Later BOL LAU-38 rails were integrated that could be fitted externally on the Tomcat’s Sidewinder pylons and as many as four could be carried. These enabled carriage of the missile, plus each rail had 160 rounds of chaff or flare packets for defeating radar or infrared threats respectively. CLAWS OF THE TOMCAT The armaments carried by the F-14A were initially exclusively for the air-to-air mission. In addition to the AIM-54 Phoenix, the Tomcat could carry the AIM-9 Sidewinder and the AIM-7 Sparrow missiles. The aircraft An F-14D of VF-213 ‘Blacklions’ patrols over an Iraqi city in 2005, carrying an LGB and a JDAM in also had a 20mm M61 Vulcan cannon. the ‘tunnel’ between the engines US Navy/LT JG Scott Timmester As time progressed, these missiles were was significantly greater than in an ‘A’ or ‘B’ countermeasures capability and the AN/ upgraded as later models became available. models. The displays were raised above the ALR-45/50 radar warning receiver was One of the developments for the Phoenix stick and were clearly visible. The interactive not very effective. Its threat detection was the AIM-54C. Tactical Situational Display [TSD] was in was erratic, particularly with regard to Kocher remembered an occasion when he front of you. To the right of the TSD was surface-to-air threats. Kocher recalled and others researched a possible alternative the IRST [infrared search and track system] that for the F-14A in Desert Storm, part of use for the missile in combat: “With the which displayed just like a radar. You had the RIO’s combat checklist was to use a AIM-54, the Tomcat was the king of the an amazing HUD which was integrated into rubber band to hold the bypass switch in air-to-air hill. We could reach out and the INS system and its symbology. The HUD order to pick up threats the system was touch any air threat without them even clearly showed where the adversaries were weak in detecting. The F-14B introduced knowing we were around. The Iraqis and gave good seeker information from the the AN/ALR-67 countermeasures warning knew this and rarely flew when we were air-to-air missiles. It also showed where the and control system which provided a lot airborne, so a couple of us enterprising television camera and IRST were looking. more information to the RIO and pilot junior officers decided to see if we could The HUD at that time was better than found concerning threats from surface to-air exploit the new air-to-ground capability today in the F/A-18A-G. The F-14A and ‘B’ missile systems. This system was also we heard had come with the AIM-54C did receive improved HUDs, but these were retrofitted to 60 F-14As. models. According to our new tech not as good as on the ‘D’.” Kocher was responsible for some manuals, it could be guided using the TCS On the F-14D the analogue AN/AWG-9 testing and evaluation of the AN/ALR-67 [television camera set] using line-of-sight radar was replaced by the digital AN/ with VX-23: “With the addition of air-to- cueing for the missile’s onboard radar to APG-71 which also had a NCTR [Non- ground missions, we conducted test and acquire a ground return. Cooperative Target Recognition] capability. evaluation of the ALR-67 and the ALQ-165 “Our Tomcats were frequently tasked Kimberly said: “I would describe the AN/ ASPJ [Airborne Self Protection Jammer] to provide air cover for the oil platforms APG-71 radar as an improved digital which provided tremendous improvement located in the Persian Gulf as the Iraqis version of the AWG-9 that had true all- in situation awareness and self-protection started sending small boats to harass them. aspect search and track capability with capability. The systems worked together On one such mission, we detected a small greater range detection.” The F-14A such that when a threat was detected, boat approaching an oil platform using did not originally have any electric the ASPJ would automatically initiate a the raw pulse radar returns. As we circled and manoeuvred to get within launch parameters, the boat scooted under a platform and hid while we circled at 100ft before departing for the ship unsuccessful.” Meanwhile, the Navy was developing an air-to-ground mission for the Tomcat. Following the war in the Gulf in 1991 there was some development undertaken to allow the F-14A and F-14B to deliver basic ‘iron’ bombs and, in the late 1990s, both these variants were given the capability to deliver precision-guided munitions as well. However, it was in the F-14D that the multi-role mission of the Tomcat was to find complete fulfilment. The improvement in the targeting of the cannon was a case in point. Keith Kimberly said: “In the HUD of the F-14D, the gun reticle was ten times more accurate than what I found in the Hornet or Super Hornet and earlier model Tomcats.” The F-14B had a single TCS under the nose with an ALQ-100 jammer attached below it, as seen One of the most significant developments on this VF-74 jet aboard the USS Saratoga during 1993 operations in the Atlantic US Navy/PH Coss for the air-to-ground role for the Tomcat

38 AVIATION NEWS JANUARY 2021 was the LANTIRN (Low Altitude Navigation and Targeting Infrared for Night) pod. The precision strike targeting programme that included LANTIRN began in February 1996 and operational testing culminated the following year. The F-14A and F-14B were included in the programme; all F-14Ds received the capability as well as 60 F-14As. The aircraft in the F-14B upgrade programme were also given the system. Kimberly described its benefits: “The pod knew exactly where it was and exactly where to look. They ran a 1553 data bus [MIL-STD-1553 DMDB] linked to a control unit and they plugged that picture into a tactical information display in the back seat, and now you One advantage of the improved engines in the F-14B and ’D was greater ‘bringback’ of had a fantastic weapons system in and of unexpended ordnance. Here a VF-11 ‘Red Rippers’ F-14B returns to the USS John F Kennedy in April 2002, with unused bombs after an uneventful Operation Iraqi Freedom mission itself. Now we could bring anything to the Jim Winchester fight. The F-14D was an amazing air-to- ground platform. Both the ‘A’ and ‘B’ had LANTIRN as well as integration of the LGBs longer station keeping with more fuel, to integration with the LANTIRN, though [laser-guided bombs] and JDAM [Joint cycle Hornets to the Tomcat, which would the F-14D took it to another level. You Direct Attack Munition) precision-guided then lead and guide the bombs to their added that to the IRST and the radar and munitions. While not completely integrated, target." The F-14 was officially retired from we had JTIDS [Joint Tactical Information the LANTIRN system was extremely capable the US Navy on September 22, 2006; the Distribution System]. Whatever the E-2 and could take cueing information from the last flight taking place on October 4. AWACS [Grumman E-2 Hawkeye] or APG-71 and upgraded mission computers Capt Kimberly retired from the service ground stations saw on their radars would of the ‘D’. The integration with the ‘A’ was in 2017, having amassed more than 5,500 go into the distribution system so we much less as it was not equipped with the flying hours; over 3,000 of them in the got to see it. It also enabled us to receive 1553 data bus required for full integration.” F-14. He had flown all versions of the information from aircraft with the PPLI He added: “The LANTIRN was the most Tomcat and F/A-18 with some 150 combat [Precise Position Locating Identification]. It advanced infrared targeting system at the missions into Iraq, Afghanistan and . gave you information as to where you and time, which thrust the Tomcat into a leading During his 28 years’ service he deployed they were. You got to see your wingmen's role during OIF [Operation Iraqi Freedom]. with air wings nine times and flew off 14 information – how many missiles they had, Often our air wing would fly mixed section different aircraft carriers. how much fuel they had – and we got two [Tomcats and Hornets] with the Tomcat Captain Kocher retired from the US Navy secure radios. In any combat situation, providing targeting while legacy Hornets in 2011. He had flown more than 3,000 it was possible to talk directly to my performed as ‘bomb trucks’ dropping flight hours, with over 2,700 of these in the wingman over hundreds of miles. The IFF them off the wing of the F-14 whose RIO Tomcat; including some 400 combat hours [AN/APX-100] was also significantly better." would ‘buddy lase’ and guide the weapons in the ‘A’ and ‘D’. He also flew a further The final word on the air-to-ground to their intended target. The Nite Hawk 300 hours with the US Navy Test Pilot role of the F-14 came from Brian Kocher: targeting system on the legacy Hornets [A School. During his training and subsequent "Adding air-to-ground to the Tomcat to D models] was of such low quality and assignment to the Naval Air Warfare Center allowed the aircraft to go out of service on resolution, it was more reliable to use the – Aircraft Division (NAWC AD), now called top. This was accomplished by adding the Tomcat and LANTIRN, not to mention the VX-23, he flew 24 different aircraft.

An F-14D of VF-213 over the Gulf in 2003, supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom USAF/TSgt Rob Tabor

WWW.AVIATION-NEWS.CO.UK 39 F-14 TOMCAT 50th ANNIVERSARY

​Leading From the Back F-14 RIO Dave ‘Bio’ Baranek was a Radar Intercept Officer (RIO) on the Tomcat. He served as a Topgun instructor and then returned to the front line F-14 A colourful F-14A Tomcat shows the ‘Checkmates’ tail design when the author was executive force which is where officer of the squadron. This photograph was taken during training which took place near Key his new book Tomcat West in Dave Baranek RIO picks up. This was excited, proud and happy to be US Navy tactical squadrons was to start as selected as commanding officer of Executive Officer/XO and then move up to article covers the Fighter Squadron 211 (VF-211), the CO) I was immersed in a world of change. I‘Checkmates’, in 1995. The squadron Miramar had already been transferred to period in his career had a stellar history and was consistently the Marine Corps and F-14 squadrons were a strong performer among the ten or so moving to in when he was the Tomcat squadrons at the fabled Naval Air Virginia. More than half of all F-14 squadrons commanding officer Station Miramar – ‘Fightertown USA’ near had already been decommissioned as carrier San Diego, California. air wings evolved with the influx of the F/A- of a Tomcat squadron But when I reported in July 1996 as 18 Hornet. The F-14 itself had taken on a executive officer (the normal progression for new air-to-ground mission, which had once

42 AVIATION NEWS JANUARY 2021 Main photo: A ‘Checkmates’ Tomcat on a training sortie near Fallon, Nevada. The blue shapes under the fuselage are inert bombs Dave Baranek AIM-54C Phoenix missile, LANTIRN pod, and software updates helped keep us in the fight. But the fight had changed dramatically; we now trained against fourth-generation fighters armed with capable forward-quarter missiles. Of course we brought one of the best missiles to that fight with the Phoenix. The Navy had also gone to school and refined intercept tactics, and the SFWT programme honed the skills of aviators. One early morning training flight near Key West, Florida, provided a good demonstration. PERFECT PRACTICE The flight lead was Lt Daryl ‘Salty’ Martis, a RIO who had been an A-6 bombardier/ navigator, one of many former Intruder aircrew brought in to help establish the air- to-ground mission in the F-14 community. This morning was a check ride for Salty and his briefing was like a one-hour course on fighter weapons and tactics. Four Tomcats launched, joined up, and headed south over the Straits of Florida. The bandits took off after us so we wouldn’t know how many there were. Our jets were in good shape, all systems working, as we checked in with our controller. Soon the bandits checked in, and Salty called: “Fight’s on.” A moment later I heard, “Salty Flight, reference three- zero-zero.” Our controller radioed the bare-bones ​Leading From the Back info: “Bandits three-two-zero, 43, tracking southeast” – compass bearing, range in nautical miles, and bandit track as the controller saw it. I was flying with Lt Dwight ‘Tricky’ Dick and we were Dash 3, leading the second section. Our wingman was a mile away. We turned to face the threat and in moments four AWG-9 radars were pointed northwest, two searching high and two searching low. “Salty, single group, three-two-zero, 39, heavy [this term refers to a group with three or more contacts].” I was showing the same contacts. The next call was covered in detail in the brief and was executed precisely. And it showed me how much things had changed since the 1980s. Approaching San Clemente Island, off the coast of Southern California, for a bomb run. The “Salty, action.” dark grey pod under the right wing is a LANTIRN pod, which was used mainly for level bomb Instantly Salty and his wingman yanked deliveries Dave Baranek into a hard right turn, and Tricky led our wingman in a hard left. We all started the seemed unlikely, and the community was raised the standards of training and aerial stopwatch function on our cockpit clocks, enthusiastically embracing the strike-fighter performance. Yet they retained the esprit as the turn swept the enemy blips off my role. As I got to know my new squadron, de corps I remembered from my early days radar screen, which could not look beyond enthusiasm is what I found throughout. In in the fleet, 15 years before. 65° off the nose. The adversaries would the maintenance shops, men and women In 1997 roughly two-thirds of the Navy’s see the dramatic split and would have to did whatever it took to keep our 14 F-14s in remaining F-14 squadrons operated react to it. In 20 seconds the four Tomcats top operating condition and were proud to the newer B or D model Tomcats. VF- turned back in. I aimed my radar again, and be ‘Checkmates’. In the ready room, fighter 211, however, continued with the F-14A there were the bandits. pilots and RIOs implemented the still-new that was essentially the same as the jets “Salty, new picture, two groups, near group demands of the Strike Fighter Weapons that joined the first squadrons in 1974. BRA three-one-zero, 32, 26,000, far group and Tactics (SFWT) programme that Incremental improvements such as the BRA three-zero-five, 37, 20,000.” BRA

WWW.AVIATION-NEWS.CO.UK 43 retreat before they could be shot at. So the Secretary of Defense ordered the Nimitz Battle Group to bypass Singapore and head directly to the Persian Gulf. We had heard this might happen, so it didn’t come as a complete surprise. It heightened my expectations for action. On the transit from San Diego to the Persian Gulf, VF- 211 maintenance personnel put in a lot of overtime getting our Tomcats ready for the high-visibility Operation Southern Watch (OSW) missions we would fly. Most squadrons spend the final month before deployment ‘grooming’ their jets, An F-14A going to full afterburner on the USS Nimitz, seconds before launch for an OSW fine-tuning systems for the demanding mission. It carries a jamming pod under the belly and AIM-9s and Phoenix missiles on the wings carrier environment. We, however, did Dave Baranek the opposite. Due to the discovery of meant he was calling their bearing, range, States. When the deployment started, we unexpected cracks in major structural and altitude from his aircraft as opposed were ready. bulkheads of several F-14s, the Navy to a bullseye call from a reference point. I became VF-211’s CO on August 29, ordered extensive inspections. Checkmate Again Salty’s call showed me how much had 1997, but the associated ceremony and maintainers had to disassemble most of changed. The simple words “new picture” celebration fast receded from memory. our jets. If cracks were found they were keyed everyone that there was a significant The next week the squadron flew from repaired, but even if no repairs were change in the threat. I worked my radar, Virginia to California and moved aboard necessary the simple inspection and silently impressed at Salty’s ability. Each of the USS Nimitz, and the battle group set re-assembly required a huge effort and our four Tomcats turned loose a simulated out across the Pacific. We had port visits in introduced potential problems as the Phoenix, several bandits were kill-removed, Yokosuka, Japan and Hong Kong. Our next aircraft was put back together. Most F-14 and we engaged the survivors. We then ran stop was Singapore. squadrons went through this drill, but we a second intercept that was like an instant did it in the weeks before deploying. replay and returned for a detailed debrief TO THE PERSIAN GULF Squadron members proved themselves. in the TACTS [Tactical Aircrew Combat Meanwhile, 5,000 miles away, they did The hard work continued for the first Training System] trailer at Key West. In the not get the memo about our port visit few months of deployment and by the months leading up to our deployment, plans. The Iraqi Air Force was making a time we were on station we were ready VF-211 conducted intense air-to-air and mockery of the Southern No-Fly Zone, to perform the real-world missions, air-to-ground training from our home base apparently testing the coalition’s resolve. carrying live weapons on every flight, in Oceana and locations around the United Fighters would cross the line and then ready to shoot at no-fly zone violators,

An over-the-shoulder view of Nimitz, a few heartbeats after launch. The Tomcat’s Plexiglas canopy provided excellent all-round visibility Dave Baranek

44 AVIATION NEWS JANUARY 2021 Near Kuwait, an F-14A and F/A-18C Hornets from several Air Wing 9 squadrons join on a USAF KC-10 for more ‘go-juice’. This was a non-OSW training flight, as indicated by the lack of live weapons on the fightersDave Baranek

attack ground targets if required and complex but they run smoothly, thanks to as a strike leader under instruction. Yes, provide valuable intelligence using the excellent planning and skillful execution. under instruction. Planning and leading TARPS (Tactical Airborne Reconnaissance About half of my OSW flights were air- co-ordinated strikes was not a simple task. Pod System). to-ground Strike Familiarization missions I was notified around noon on the 23rd, We had maintained aircrew qualifications (SFAM), with realistic targets – bridges, fuel with a target time the next afternoon. The during the transit by flying as much as storage areas, powerplants, headquarters package was modest: two Tomcats and possible. Though I was the CO, I flew about buildings in cities and suchlike. If it came two Hornets as bombers, with an EA- the same frequency as other aircrews, to a shooting war, we would attack with 6B Prowler escorting us and two other averaging roughly one flight every other Hornets as counter-air. Strike planning day during the month-long trip from San “After we gathered for was usually done by a team, and I got a Diego. We practised strike tactics in co- lot of help from four pilots: ‘Spotan’, ‘Lex’, ordination with air wing Hornets and flew a debrief VF-211 was a Hornet pilot, and ‘Mach’, who would intercepts and engagements against them. be flying me for this one. It took us four They were capable wingmen when on the the only squadron hours to develop the route of flight, timing, same side, and challenging adversaries comms and other details, and make the when opposing. Everything we did with 100% target kneeboard cards. prepared us for OSW. acquisition” The morning of the 24th I put the key info on the ready room whiteboard. STRIKE FIGHTER laser-guided bombs (LGBs) that home in Aircrews arrived and after the brief we And now it’s October 1997. VF-211 is in on the laser spot from our LANTIRN pod, split up into elements, so Mach and I the Persian Gulf aboard the USS Nimitz so we’d have to identify the target and could brief the interdiction aircraft in as a component of Carrier Air Wing 9, direct the pod to track it. Lat/long co- more detail... then out into the 100°F supporting OSW. Flight ops from the ordinates helped, but it was important to heat that was typical of a flight deck in carrier take place over 12 hours a day, verify the target, so we trained to find it the Persian Gulf. All deck personnel wore both daytime and night-time, for about with video from the pod. water backpacks to stay hydrated. We six days, take a break, and then start again. In late October I was notified I would were lucky it wasn’t summer. The missions involve all of the air wing’s plan and lead an SFAM mission... my fourth The day was clear and aircraft start was squadrons as well as land-based assets OSW flight, so I was comfortable with how smooth. I was ahead of the jet as I entered such as AWACS and tankers. They are fairly they worked. It would be my seventh flight a handful of navigation points into the INS

A VF-211 Tomcat and VMFA-314 Hornet returning to the USS Nimitz at the end of an OSW mission in December 1997. The Tomcat’s tail has a special Christmas design Dave Baranek

WWW.AVIATION-NEWS.CO.UK 45 and our element made a hard left turn to exit the area. Though I’d not had much Southern Watch training with the LANTIRN system, using Missions it was straightforward… as long as no one Operation Desert Storm ended in February was actually shooting at me. I battled 1991 after accomplishing its limited objective: complacency by reminding myself we get Iraq out of Kuwait. This left a substantial were over hostile territory and by keeping portion of Iraqi military forces intact, and they up a good visual scan behind and below were soon used against groups within their our formation. No one there. We got extra own country. In response, the United States, fuel from a KC-10 as a safety cushion and United Kingdom, France, and Saudi Arabia returned to the ship. Late lunch, event began Operation Southern Watch (OSW) in August 1992. Although not a United Nations debrief, review of my mission tape. We (UN) operation, the stated purpose of OSW was took the debriefs seriously. A few days to ensure Iraq complied with a UN resolution. before, Lt Denis ‘Itchy’ Tri – a first-tour RIO A similar effort in northern Iraq was known first and a tactical expert – had pointed out as Operation Provide Comfort, then Operation that I didn’t have a switch in the correct Northern Watch. position, which showed up as a symbol OSW was implemented by declaring a no-fly on the tape. This time, I was happy to go zone over a large portion of southern Iraq. Its through the tape and not find any errors. It main elements included: was a good flight. Surveillance: Normally provided by a US Air Force E-3 AWACS aircraft, but could be provided by US Navy E-2 Hawkeyes if A photo of the author’s wingman taken by the THE NUMBERS GAME necessary. In addition to radar surveillance of TARPS pod as we orbited high above the USS It was an incredible honour and privilege to the no-fly zone, they provided command and Nimitz waiting to land after a reconnaissance be the CO of a Navy fighter squadron. They control (C2) that was essential to keeping these mission over Iraq US Navy via Dave Baranek entrusted me with 14 aircraft and more complex ops on track. Hawkeyes provided C2 than 300 people, but as anyone who has support for carrier air wing operations. then checked in all of the event aircraft. held any position of responsibility knows, Counter-air: An armed response was After launch, we headed for the tanker. We there is a reason it’s called ‘responsibility’. essential, in the form of coalition fighters on flew over Kuwait into Iraq and checked in By 1997, for example, the Navy had decided patrol within the zone, ready at a moment’s with AWACS. Suddenly a contact popped up to reduce the number of Tomcats in each notice to attack Iraqi aircraft that flew into the on my radar! It was in Iraq at low altitude, squadron from 14 to ten. This was just the restricted airspace. Interdiction, known to us as SFAM: Strike- heading south, and approaching launch latest adjustment in force structure during fighters and electronic warfare aircraft on patrol range for a Phoenix. I tried to sound calm a dynamic few years. As I’ve mentioned, carried a variety of air-to-ground weapons to as I reported it to AWACS, but I was excited. VF-211 personnel had worked very hard respond immediately to any Iraqi attempt to AWACS quickly replied that it was a UN to maintain our ageing F-14As, so after shoot down a coalition aircraft. These flights flight. Well, it was exciting for a moment. conferring with Maintenance Department usually performed a simulated strike; so we Okay, back to our SFAM mission. leaders I used the satellite link to call the called them strike familiarisation – SFAM. The orange-brown terrain below offered Navy’s enlisted detailing office to ask for help Refuelling: The airborne armada was little visual entertainment. When we with manning. Our enlisted ranks were filled supported by US Air Force KC-10s, Royal Air reached the initial point, I turned on my to only 90% of the Navy’s allowance, which Force VC10s, and carrier air wing S-3s. mission recorder and started searching was common in those days. Around the time Reconnaissance: USAF U-2s performed reconnaissance from up high while TARPS F-14s for the target on LANTIRN. When I found the deployment began, we’d welcomed took photos from more familiar altitudes. it, I locked the LANTIRN on the target and eight new senior enlisted personnel, but six Forward Air Controller (Airborne): Required it started calculating release information of them had no F-14 experience. I told the incredible skill and crew co-ordination; would for the bomb we were simulating. At time enlisted detailer my tale of woe, but he direct bombing attacks on enemy forces in zero Mach said: “Simulated bombs away,” reminded me of the decision to reduce the close contact with friendlies. An event launched from the aircraft carrier included some or all of the above mission elements. F-14s flew counter-air, interdiction, TARPS, and FAC(A).

number of F-14s in each squadron, and said to support this they were transferring sailors on schedule, but they weren’t replacing them. I reminded them we still had 14 Tomcats but the phone call was a waste of time. We did not get assistance from HQ, so Checkmate maintenance continued to work harder and smarter. It was never easy, but the hours became more reasonable. Our maintenance hours per flight hour, a standard measure of effort, steadily fell by almost half, from 67.0 in October to 36.2 in January. I include these numbers as comparison for those who say the Tomcat required excessive maintenance. I love the F-14 Tomcat. So did all its pilots, RIOs The author poses on Checkmate 101 in May 1998 during his time as squadron CO. The ‘Brutus’ and maintainers, but on a carrier at sea character from the VF-211 badge is depicted on the finDave Baranek in 1997-98 the F-14 was no sentimental

46 AVIATION NEWS JANUARY 2021 Coalition aircraft came in many types. Here an RAF 101 Sqn VC10 K3 provides fuel for an F-14 from the ‘Checkmates’ somewhere near Kuwait Dave Baranek

favourite. It was the biggest fighter on impressive at the same time. I saw some I addressed the 300-plus dedicated the ship, so it took up more space. It other aircraft on radar, and looked them up men and women, I imagined for a brief was also the oldest, so it needed more on my big-picture kneeboard card. “OK,” I second myself in those ranks, looking at maintenance than the newer F/A-18 told Mach, “those specks at left ten o’clock the commanding officer talking to me. Hornets, and sometimes more hassle to should be eight F-16s.” A minute later we Instances like this led me to later use the do it. If you had to spread the wings to fix crossed under them. Sure enough – F-16s. words humbling and rewarding when I something, you’d have to clear a space We flew our route in formation and when reflected on my command experience. on both sides to make room and if you the last aircraft in each formation was moved it, you found puddles of fuel and off target they made a brief transmission. hydraulic fluid left on the deck. For young, Different aircraft, different services, even hard-working Nimitz crew, they were different countries, yet it ticked away high maintenance. On the hangar deck, like clockwork. That’s how well trained Tomcats were parked together in the aft we were. After we gathered for a debrief portion which was known as ‘Jurassic VF-211 was the only squadron with 100% Park’. The Nimitz, Air Wing 9, and VF-211 target acquisition and video to prove it. were in the Persian Gulf supporting OSW for By late January the high-level strike almost four months. We made four visits to planners – many of them Hornet pilots – Jebel Ali, near the spectacular city of Dubai, noticed the tremendous progress VF-211 welcome breaks from our operational had made improving aircraft availability. demands. But… let’s get back to flying. They gave us a chance to show off, by scheduling an all-Tomcat OSW package. SILENT RUNNING Well, we still launched a Prowler, Hawkeye, Several times the carrier air wing joined and Viking – but no Hornets. Six VF-211 Marine Corps, Air Force, and other coalition F-14s covered both air-to-air and air- aircraft in the ‘strike of the month’. It was to-ground roles. I was honoured by the similar to our typical OSW missions, but tribute. with ten times the aircraft, launched from On the return of the USS Nimitz to the many different locations. These were US, VF-211 flew off the ship to return to The information for this article came from complex operations where positioning Oceana at the end of February 1998 and Dave ‘Bio’ Baranek’s new book Tomcat RIO: and timing were critical, yet we flew them we could boast that all 14 of our F-14s A Topgun Instructor on the F-14 Tomcat and in radio silence. Radio frequencies were were ready to fly. We had to leave two jets the Heroic Naval Aviators Who Flew It (ISBN assigned, and as events progressed I would on board the ship, but the ‘Checkmates’ 978-1510748224) which has been released switch to a new frequency, but no one said all knew we had 100% up aircraft. When by Skyhorse Publishing and is available from www.skyhorsepublishing.com anything. Dead silence. It was eerie and we had an all-squadron assembly, as

A pair of VF-211 F-14As over the Florida Keys in 1998 Dave Baranek

WWW.AVIATION-NEWS.CO.UK 47 F-14 TOMCAT 50th ANNIVERSARY

The last two F-14D squadrons to undertake an operational cruise were VF-213 ‘Blacklions’ (pictured) and VF-31 ‘Tomcatters’ aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt, which concluded in March 2006 Rich Cooper/COAP US Navy Tomcat Operations The Grumman F-14 Tomcat served as the US Navy’s premier fi ghter aircraft for more than 30 years. In addition to its role as fl eet air defender, Tom Kaminski explains how it proved to be adaptable when tasked to perform the tactical air reconnaissance mission and later when it was turned into a long-range precision strike platform

elected as the winner of the Engineering Corporation submitted an and Pratt & Whitney TF30-PW-412 US Navy’s VFX (Navy Fighter unsolicited proposal to the US Navy. engines. The advanced weapon control Experimental) programme in January The service’s subsequent VFX system provided the capability to track S1969, Grumman Aircraft’s Design requirements called for a two-seat, twin- 24 hostile targets at a range of 195 miles 303E was intended as a replacement for engine, supersonic, all-weather, carrier- and simultaneously attack six with the the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II and based fi ghter equipped with an advanced long-range AIM-54 missiles. Although unsuccessful General Dynamics F-111B. weapon system that comprised a powerful planned for the F-111B, the long-range The latter was developed under the Joint radar and a variety of long-, medium- and Phoenix and advanced radar had originally Services Tactical Fighter Experimental (TFX) short-range air-to-air missiles along with been developed for the Douglas F6D programme, the naval ‘B’ variant fi rst fl ying an internal 20mm cannon. Assigned the Missileer programme that was cancelled in in May 1965. Largely due to weight issues designation F-14A, the new fi ghter would December 1961. Like the F-111B, the F-14 with the design, the F-111B was formally primarily be tasked to provide fl eet air had variable-geometry ‘swing wings’ that cancelled in December 1968. defence against manned bombers and optimised its high- and low-speed fl ight The VFX concept was initiated earlier in cruise missiles. It utilised the F-111B’s AN/ characteristics. Under normal operating November 1967, when Grumman Aircraft AWG-9 radar, AIM-54A Phoenix missiles conditions the wings were automatically

48 AVIATION NEWS JANUARY 2021 positioned to the optimum sweep angle for maximum manoeuvring performance, however the pilot could selectively position the wings at sweep angles aft of optimum. A mechanical backup control system is also provided for emergency and oversweep operations. The first of 12 prototype F-14As carried out its maiden flight from Grumman’s flight test facility in Calverton, New York, on December 21, 1970. Unfortunately, a hydraulic failure caused the loss of the aircraft during its second flight on December 30. Testing resumed when the second prototype flew in May 1971. Test milestones included the Tomcat’s first launch of an AIM-54A missile on April 28, 1972 and its first carrier take-offs and landings aboard the USS Forrestal (CV 59) on June 15, 1972. An arrested landing Several F-14A prototypes share the ramp with early production Tomcats at NAS Point Mugu, onto the ship followed on June 28 and California in March 1972. The base was used for Tomcat testing with the Naval Missile Center formal sea trials were conducted aboard and later the Pacific Missile Test Center and Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division US Navy via Tom Kaminski the Forrestal beginning in December 1973. The fighter’s advanced capabilities were established during full-scale testing over the Pacific Missile Sea Range near NAS Point Mugu on November 21, 1973, when six AIM-54s were fired at six separate targets within 38 seconds. The missiles located and scored four direct hits on the targets that were approximately 50 miles downrange. Production deliveries began of what had now been named the Tomcat when fighter squadron VF-124 received its first F-14A on The VF-32 ‘Swordsmen’, along with the VF-14 ‘Tophatters’ were the first Atlantic Fleet squadrons October 8, 1972. Operational squadrons to transition to the F-14A. The former squadron later claimed two air-to-air victories over Libyan began equipping with the fighter in July MiG-23s in in January 1989 The Aviation Photo Company 1973 and its initial deployment began in September 1974 aboard the USS Enterprise (CVAN 65, later redesignated CVN 65). The Pratt & Whitney TF30 engine was considered an interim powerplant and plans were initiated to upgrade the F-14A with a new Advanced Technology Engines (ATE) under the designation F-14B following the 67th F-14A. In support of the plan, the seventh F-14A was fitted with new Pratt & Whitney F401-PW-400 engines and it first flew in that configuration on September 12, 1973. Development problems with the ’-401 version initially delayed fielding plans but eventually caused cancellation of the F-14B along with the follow-on F-14C that would have featured updated avionics. ENGINE FATIGUE Ultimately, the Tomcat fleet would be forced to suffer through issues with engines plagued by compressor stalls and notorious for shedding fan blades. The Pratt & Whitney engine required many design changes that eventually led to the improved TF30-PW-414 and theTF30-PW-414A. Early upgrades provided the F-14A with several new systems including the AN/ AXX-1 Television Camera Set (TCS). First evaluated in 1977, the TCS was installed This F-14A(PLUS) from VF-211 ‘Checkmates’ carries six long-range AIM-54 Phoenix missiles beginning with production aircraft 456 on its fuselage and wing stations demonstrating the Tomcat’s designed weapons load and retrofitted to earlier Tomcats. Initially for the fleet air defence mission. VF-211 was one of two Miramar-based squadrons to deployed by VF-14 and VF-32 in 1978, transition to the F-14A(PLUS) in 1989 Key Collection

WWW.AVIATION-NEWS.CO.UK 49 A total of 48 TARPS pods were produced by the Naval Avionics Center. Equipped with two cameras and an AN/AAD-5 Infrared reconnaissance set, the 17ft-long pod was installed between the engine nacelles on the aircraft’s aft starboard Phoenix missile station. Tomcats flew 781 TARPS missions while supporting Operation Desert Storm in 1991. The updated Digital TARPS (TARPS-DI) pod replaced the KS-87B frame camera With the callsign ‘Vandy One’, the final F-14D BuNo 164604 was assigned to VX-4 and with a CA-261 digital camera and the first later VX-9 at NAS Point Mugu. Following its retirement the aircraft was repainted in a frontline F-14 unit to receive the new standard grey scheme and placed on static display at NAS Oceana, Virginia Key Collection system was VF-32 in June 1996. TARPS- the high resolution camera enabled visual assigned to the Vought RF-8G Crusader, DI permitted the radar intercept officer target identification at long ranges. which was being retired. The mission was (RIO) in the rear seat to view images on The Tomcat took on a new mission when only assigned to one of the two Tomcat the multi-function display and transmit the LA-610 Tactical Air Reconnaissance squadrons deployed with a carrier air wing. encrypted data directly to the carrier Pod System (TARPS) was integrated. VF-84 was the first squadron to deploy intelligence centre (CVIC) via a secure UHF Initially added to 45 aircraft, the TARPS with the TARPS capability aboard the USS data link. Beginning in 1998 the completely was intended to replace capabilities Nimitz (CVN 68) in 1981. digital TARPS-CD configuration replaced the pod’s panoramic film camera with an RSC-100 digital camera system, along with a DoD standard Common Data Link (CDL) transmitter/receiver, digital recorders and a Navy Input Station (NAVIS) with real-time Image Display Software (IDS). TARPS-CD was first deployed by VF-102 in 1999. The TARPS capability was later incorporated in all new and remanufactured F-14Ds.

IMPROVEMENTS The TF30’s limitations continued to plague the fleet and on July 14, 1981 Grumman began a flight test programme using the original F-14B development aircraft modified with the General Electric F101DFE (Derivative Fighter Engine). The DFE was developed from the Rockwell B-1 bomber’s F101-GE-100 engine. The success of the 44-flight evaluation test programme, which concluded in March 1982, resulted in further development of the powerplant and the F101DFE became the basis for the F110-GE-400 engine that would power A pair of F-14Ds from VF-11 ‘Red Rippers’ and VF-31 ‘Tomcatters’, along with other later versions of the Tomcat. aircraft from Carrier Air Wing 14, pass over the USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) operating in the By the early 1980s, the navy realised that Persian Gulf in May 1994 LT Mitchell/US Navy the time had come for a mid-life update for the F-14A. During 1984, Grumman was issued a contract for an avionics improvement plan and development of a major upgrade began. The new model eventually received the designation F-14D. The core of the F-14D was an advanced version of the AN/AWG-9 radar system, known as the AN/APG-71. Intended to deliver increased capabilities and improve reliability, it integrated new components with other existing or modified equipment, including several common with the F-15E’s AN/APG-70 radar. The AN/AAS-42 Infrared Search and Track System (IRSTS) was also incorporated. Designed to passively search for the heat signatures of potential targets in conjunction with or in lieu of using radar, the IRSTS was especially useful in seeking out and tracking stealthy targets by searching for their heat signature. It was A Phoenix-armed VF-102 F-14A escorts a Soviet Bear. Known as the ‘Diamondbacks’, VF-102 installed under the nose, alongside the received the F-14A in 1981 and transitioned to the F-14B in 1994 Key Collection Television Camera Set (TCS) in a dual chin

50 AVIATION NEWS JANUARY 2021 pod. The upgraded variant also featured the AN/ALQ-165 Airborne Self Protection Jammer (ASPJ), AN/ALR-67 radar warning receiver (RWR), updated radios and the Joint Tactical Information Distribution System (JTIDS). The latter secure data link system permitted the aircraft to transmit and receive data between airborne and surface assets. Additionally, programmable multi-function displays (MFD), a new head- up display (HUD) and stores management system (SMS) were incorporated. The production F-14Ds also received a new canopy, the Martin-Baker SJU-17(V) Naval Aircrew Common Escape System (NACES) ejection seats and an on-board oxygen generating system (OBOGS). The final piece of the puzzle was the F110-GE-400 engine. An F-14A assigned to VF-33 ‘Starfighters’ departs one of the waist catapults aboard While F-14A production continued, USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) in the Atlantic Ocean during September 1987. Originally development of the definitive F-14D known as the ‘Tarsiers’, VF-33 operated the Tomcat from 1981 until the squadron was disestablished in October 1993 PH1 Gerwien/US Navy was also underway. Five airframes – one Block 125, two Block 130s and a to increased range and improved reliability. 1990. In late 1993, Grumman received a Block 135 F-14A, as well as the original Its higher thrust permitted the aircraft to contract to convert 15 additional Block F-14B supported the F-14D Full Scale be launched using only the military power 130/140 F-14As to the F-14B configuration. Development (FSD) programme and, setting in lieu of full afterburner. It also Conversion work on those jets was despite their differing configurations, all offered a greater margin of safety at launch carried out at the company’s St Augustine, five of them were referred to as F-14Ds. since it provided more thrust in single- Florida facility between February 1994 and During FSD, the original F-14B was used engine situations. December 1995. as a test bed for the General Electric (GE) A redesigned air inlet control system With production of the F-14A(PLUS) F110-GE-400 engine and was known as (AICS), a fatigue and engine monitoring complete, Grumman began delivering P1. The Tomcats with company serials system (FEMS), AN/ARC-182 radios and the F-14Ds. Plans to produce nearly 400 482, 501, 503 and 517 were designated AN/ALR-67 RWR were also incorporated. new F-14Ds, were initially reduced to as PA1 to 4 and became the development Besides changes needed for the new 127 by changes in the defence strategy. aircraft for the avionics systems. Flight engines, structural modifications included Subsequent budget cuts reduced this testing of the F110 began aboard the a redesigned gun gas purge system. further and ultimately contracts for 37 F-14B on September 29, 1986. Aircraft Since the designations F-14B and C aircraft were issued over three fiscal years 503 also received GE engines and was had already been used, and the D was beginning in 1988. The first lot comprised the only aircraft to demonstrate the ‘Full’ already in development, the designation the final five of the F-14A(PLUS) and seven F-14D configuration. This aircraft first F-14A(PLUS) was assigned to the interim F-14D aircraft. flew from Calverton on April 28, 1988. configuration. First flown on November It was preceded by avionics test aircraft 14, 1987, the F-14A(PLUS) entered service ULTIMATE TOMCAT 501, which took to the air on November with VF-101 in April 1988; the variant’s The first production F-14D was handed 23, 1987. Following the completion of the designation changed to F-14B in May 1991. over to the navy on March 23, 1990 in a FSD programme, these four aircraft were Thirty-eight new F-14A(PLUS) aircraft ceremony at Calverton. The initial delivery returned to the navy. Aircraft 482 and were produced by Grumman. In addition, to VX-4 at NAS Point Mugu took place in 517 were transferred to the Naval Air Test the manufacturer converted 32 Block May, while the first frontline unit to receive Center’s (NATC) Strike Test Directorate at 115/120/125/130 F-14As to the F-14A(PLUS) it was VF-124 which accepted its initial NAS Patuxent River, Maryland and 501 and configuration. This included the structural F-14D on November 16, 1990. Grumman 503 were delivered to the Pacific Missile modifications required to install the F110 delivered the last new F-14D to the fleet Test Center (PMTC) at NAS Point Mugu. engine and removal of the glove vane as on July 21, 1991 ending a production run Again assigned the designation F-14B, well as the incorporation of the required that spanned more than two decades and aircraft number 7 remained at Calverton. F-14A(PLUS) wiring and avionics. The first resulted in the manufacture of 632 Tomcats F-14A(PLUS) deployment was made by for the US Navy. Grumman also produced F-14A(PLUS) VF-142 and VF-143 aboard the USS Dwight 80 F-14As for the Imperial Iranian Air Force, As the F110 engine would be available long D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) during March however; only 79 were delivered and one before the avionics upgrade was complete, the navy made the decision to integrate the new powerplant into the F-14A. As a result, beginning in Fiscal Year 1986, the service began purchasing F-14As powered by the F110-GE-400 engine. The F110s provided the Tomcat with approximately 57,200lb of thrust, an increase of around 14,000lb over the TF30s. Grumman delivered 557 TF30-equipped F-14As to the navy before production switched to the new variant. Developed from the F101DFE engine Commonly called ‘Topgun’, the Navy Fighter Weapons School (NFWS) operated a number of as the F110-GE-400, the engine offered older F-14As from NAS Miramar, California and later as part of the Naval Strike Air Warfare reduced fuel consumption. This translated Center (NSAWC) at NAS Fallon, Nevada, until October 2003 The Aviation Photo Company

WWW.AVIATION-NEWS.CO.UK 51 embargoed jet eventually saw service with the US Navy. US NAVY F-14 TOMCAT SQUADRONS In addition to the production aircraft, Squadron/ Nickname/Location Dates Model plans were made to remanufacture as VF-1 ‘Wolfpack’; NAS Miramar 1973-1993 F-14A many as 400 F-14As aircraft to the F-14D VF-2 ‘Bounty Hunters’; NAS Miramar/NAS Oceana 1973-2003 F-14A/D confi guration, under the designation VF-11 ‘Red Rippers’; NAS Miramar/NAS Oceana 1980-2005 F-14A/D/B F-14D(R). Ultimately, however, contracts VF-14 ‘Top Hatters’; NAS Oceana 1974-2001 F-14A were issued for the remanufacture of just VF-21 ‘Freelancers’; NAS Miramar/NAF Atsugi 1984-1996 F-14A 18 F-14As, comprising 12 Block 85 and six VF-24 ‘Renegades’; NAS Miramar 1975-1996 F-14A/B Block 110 variants. Plans originally called VF-31 ‘Tomcatters’; NAS Oceana/NAS Miramar 1980-2006 F-14A/D for the establishment of two lines for the VF-32 ‘Swordsmen’; NAS Oceana 1974-2005 F-14A/B remanufacture programme, with the prime VF-33 ‘Tarsiers/Starfi ghters’; NAS Oceana 1981-1993 F-14A site located at the Calverton facility. The VF-41 ‘Black Aces’; NAS Oceana; 1976-2001 F-14A second was established at Naval Aviation VF-51 ‘Screaming Eagles’; NAS Miramar 1976-1995 F-14A Depot (NADEP) Norfolk at NAS Norfolk. VF-74 ‘Bedevilers’; NAS Oceana 1983-1994 F-14A/B Virginia. Grumman delivered the fi rst of VF-84 ‘Jolly Rogers’; NAS Oceana 1976-1995 F-14A 12 F-14D(R)s to the navy from Calverton VF-101 (FRS) ‘Grim Reapers’; NAS Oceana 1975-2005 F-14A/B/D on September 30, 1991 and the last of six VF-102 ‘Diamondbacks’; NAS Oceana 1981-2002 F-14A/B rolled out the NADEP in November 1994. VF-103 ‘Sluggers/Jolly Rogers’; NAS Oceana 1983-2005 F-14A/B VF-111 ‘Sundowners’; NAS Miramar 1976-1995 F-14A BOMBCATS VF-114 ‘Aardvarks’ NAS Miramar 1976-1993 F-14A Although developed for fl eet air defence, VF-124 (FRS) ‘Gunfi ghters’; NAS Miramar 1972-1994 F-14A/D the capability to visually deliver ‘iron VF-142 ‘Ghostriders’ NAS; Oceana 1974-1995 F-14A/B bombs’ was part of the F-14A design. In VF-143 ‘Pukin’ Dogs’; NAS Oceana 1974-2005 F-14A/B fact, the original proposal for Design 303 VF-154 ‘Black Knights’; NAS Miramar/NAF Atsugi 1984-2003 F-14A included the carriage of up to six 2,000lb Mk84s or 24 500lb Mk82s, cluster bombs VF-191 ‘Satan’s Kittens’; NAS Miramar 1986-1988 F-14A and rocket pods. During the mid-1980s, V-194 ‘Red Lightnings’; NAS Miramar 1986-1988 F-14A using the Tomcat in the strike role began VF-201 (USNR) ‘Hunters’; NAS Dallas 1986-1998 F-14A to receive support in the fl eet. In March VF-202 (USNR) ‘Superheats’; NAS Dallas 1987-1994 F-14A 1987, the Chief of Naval Operations VF-211 ‘Checkmates’; NAS Miramar/NAS Oceana 1975-2004 F-14A/B directed VX-4 to re-evaluate F-14/AWG- VF-213 ‘Blacklions’; NAS Miramar 1976-2006 F-14A/D 9 capabilities in the air-to-surface role. VF-301 (USNR) ‘Devil’s Disciples’; NAS Miramar 1984-1994 F-14A That same November, an F-14A dropped VF-302 (USNR) ‘Stallions’; NAS Miramar 1985-1994 F-14A two inert 2,000lb Mk84 general purpose VX-4 ‘Evaluators’; NAS Point Mugu 1972-1994 F-14A/B/D bombs within lethal range of a target. VX-9 ‘Vampires’; NAS Point Mugu 1994-2004 F-14A/B/D Development of the strike Tomcat had NSATS/VX-23 ‘Strike’; NAS Patuxent River 1995-2001 F-14A/B/D o cially begun. NMC/PMTC; NAS Point Mugu 1972-1994 F-14A/B/D By 1994, the 1,000lb GBU-16 laser- NWTSPM/VX-30 ‘Bloodhounds’; NAS Pt Mugu 1994-2004 NF-14A/B/D guided bomb (LGB) was cleared for use. NFWS/NSAWC ‘Topgun’; NAS Miramar/NAS Fallon 1990-2003 F-14A Other aircraft provided target designation, NATC/NAEC/NADC; NAS Patuxent River/ 1970-1992 F-14A however, and in September 1994, VF-41 NAS Lakehurst/NADC Warminster dropped the fi rst GBU-16s on Serb targets in Bosnia that were designated by F/A- Abbreviations 18C Hornets. During Operation Deliberate FRS Fleet Replacement Squadron Force, VF-41 delivered 24,000lb of stores NADC Naval Air Development Center NAEC Naval Air Engineering Center on Serb targets including ten GBU-16s. NAF Naval Air Facility A programme to equip the Tomcat with NAS Naval Air Station the LANTIRN Targeting Pod (LTP) began in NATC Naval Air Test Center NFWS Navy Fighter Weapon School November 1994. The ‘F-14 Strike Fighter’ NMC Naval Missile Center was formally unveiled at NAS Oceana, NSATS Naval Strike Aircraft Test Squadron NSAWC Naval Strike Air Warfare Center Known to Grumman employees simply as NWTSPM Naval Weapons Test Squadron Point Mugu ‘Aircraft 7’, F-14B, BuNo 157986, spent its PMTC Pacifi c Missile Test Center USNR US Naval Reserve entire career as a fl ight test asset assigned VF Fighter Squadron to Grumman’s Calverton, New York fl ight VX Air Test & Evaluation Squadron test facility US Navy

52 AVIATION NEWS JANUARY 2021 Virginia in June 1996 and VF-103 began a six-month deployment aboard the USS Enterprise (CVN 65) with nine LANTIRN- capable F-14Bs. Two of these flew the first LANTIRN-equipped sortie in support of Operation Decisive Endeavor over Bosnia on July 17. The LTP and a Programmable Tactical Information Display (PTID) was integrated on 60 F-14As, but due to differences in internal systems, LANTIRN capabilities differed between the three A LANTIRN-equipped F-14B from the VF-143 ‘Pukin’ Dogs’ prepares to launch from the USS John Tomcat variants. Continued development F Kennedy (CV 67) in February 2002. The squadron received the F-14A in 1974 and operated the permitted the aircraft to deliver a variety of F-14B until its transition to the F/A-18E (as VFA-143) in April 2005 Jim Winchester precision-guided weapons including more LGBs plus GPS-guided Joint Direct Attack squadrons from the Phantom to the On January 4, 1989, VF-32 became Munitions (JDAM). Tomcat began in 1985 when Miramar- the second Tomcat squadron to achieve The F-14D Block I, Multi-Mission based VF-301 received F-14As. Operations air-to-air combat victories. The second Capability MCAP and F-14A/B Upgrade at NAS Dallas, Texas, began in January incident over the saw two programmes provided updated systems 1987 when VF-201 accepted its first F-14As down a pair of Libyan Mikoyan and capabilities including night vision F-14A. It was one of 20 Block 60/65 MiG-23 Floggers with AIM-7 Sparrow and compatible cockpits, updated ALR-67 F-14As upgraded to the later Block 130 AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles. Tomcats had RWR, improved LANTIRN integration, configuration by Grumman. VF-201 and also come under fire from Libyan SA-5 and a digital flight control system (DFCS) VF-202 at Dallas also received the final four surface-to-air missiles during a Freedom replaced the earlier Automatic Flight production F-14As. of Navigation exercise in March 1986, and Control System (AFCS). In addition to an A pair of Tomcats from VF-41 became had provided air cover for strike aircraft Embedded GPS/Inertial Navigation System the first to be credited with air-to-air during the Operation El Dorado Canyon (EGI) a MIL-STD-1760 interface was added victories on August 19, 1981 downing a attacks on on April 15, 1986. The to four weapon stations that enabled the pair of Libyan Sukhoi Su-22 Fitters by firing Tomcat’s only other air-to-air kill occurred carriage of GPS-guided weapons. A total AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles. The incident on February 6, 1991, when an F-14A from of 67 aircraft were modernised to F-14B occurred after the F-14As were fired upon VF-1 shot down an Iraqi Mi-8 helicopter (Upgrade) standard. This variant achieved by the Su-22s during a combat air patrol with an AIM-9M Sidewinder missile over Initial Operational Capability using the over the Gulf of Sidra and marked the first Kuwait while supporting Operation Desert JDAM in 2002 with VF-11 and VF-143. The aerial kills for the US military since the Storm. Ten F-14A and F-14B squadrons weapon was first employed in combat over . were deployed aboard five aircraft Afghanistan by VF-11 on March 12, 2002.

INTO COMBAT The initial operational Tomcats were delivered to the newly activated fighter squadrons VF-1 and VF-2 at NAS Miramar, California in July 1973. The two squadrons made the Tomcat’s first deployment aboard the USS Enterprise beginning in September 1974 as part of CVW-14. The deployment also marked the Tomcat’s combat debut when VF-1 and VF-2 flew combat air The first F-14D on the ramp at Grumman’s Calverton, New York, flight test facility. patrol (CAP) missions over South Vietnam Known as ‘D1’, the aircraft was assigned the designation NF-14D and supported in support of the US evacuation during testing until it was retired in 2002 Grumman Aerospace Operation Frequent Wind. Late in 1973, VF-14 and VF-32 turned in their Phantoms and moved cross-country from NAS Oceana to NAS Miramar, where they underwent conversion to the F-14A with VF-124. The squadrons, returned to the Virginia base in September 1974 as the first Atlantic fleet F-14A squadrons. The first Atlantic Fleet Tomcat deployment was carried out by aboard the USS John F Kennedy (CV 67) by the squadrons beginning in June 1975. Early plans to deliver Tomcats to as many as four US Marine Corps squadrons were scrapped in July 1975, when the decision was made to upgrade the service’s F-4s. At that time, the transition of Marine fighter attack squadron VMFA-122 was halted. By 1987, 24 fleet, two fleet replacement squadrons and several test and evaluation An F-14B operated by VF-143 ‘Pukin’ Dogs’, drops a 1,000lb Mk83 bomb units were operating the F-14 Tomcat. equipped with a BSU-33 Air Inflatable Retarder (AIR) over the bombing range The conversion of four Naval Reserve near NAS Fallon, Nevada LT JG Stephen P Davis/US Navy

WWW.AVIATION-NEWS.CO.UK 53 AN END IN SIGHT By the mid-1990s the Navy had decided to begin formally retiring the F-14 in 2010. However, that plan was later revised and the sundown of the fleet formally began in 2001, when VF-14 and VF-41 transitioned to the Super Hornet at NAS Lemoore. Naval Reserve Tomcat operations ended earlier in 1998 when VF-201 transitioned to the F/A-18A. VF-202, VF-301 and VF-302 had been disestablished in 1994. The final Tomcat Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor (SFTI) course brought an end to F-14A operations with Topgun in September 2003. In the same month at NAF Atsugi, Japan, VF-154 departed for NAS Lemoore, where it converted to the F/A-18F. VF-211 completed the final F-14A An F-14D assigned to VF-2 ‘Bounty Hunters’ flies in formation with the first carrier takeoff on May 20, 2004 aboard F/A-18F to carry the squadron’s markings via Keith Kimberly the USS Enterprise. The squadron had carriers for Desert Storm where they were the responsibility for all Tomcat training completed the F-14A’s final deployment primarily tasked with strike escort and when VF-124 was disestablished. VF-101 on the carrier earlier in late-February reconnaissance missions. Miramar-based Detachment Miramar continued training at 2004. Test operations at NAS Point Mugu squadrons VF-24 and VF-211 transitioned the California base until early 1996 when concluded with VX-9 in June 2004 and to the F-14B in 1989, but both reverted to these operations moved to Oceana. By VX-30 followed in July. The final F-14B the F-14A in 1992 after it was decided to late 1995 the navy had made the decision deployment ended when VF-32 returned base all the F-14Bs at NAS Oceana and the to eliminate nearly half of its Tomcat from a six-month deployment on the USS F-14Ds at Miramar. squadrons and the majority of its non- John F Kennedy on April 2005. Assigned Reductions brought about by the end of TARPS capable units were disestablished. to VF-213, F-14D(R) BuNo 161159, logged the Cold War caused the stand-down of Following decisions made by the Base the Tomcat’s final combat mission, from several squadrons. CVW-6’s inactivation Realignment and Closure (BRAC) the USS Theodore Roosevelt on February caused the transfer of VF-11 from Oceana Commission to single-site the Tomcat 8, 2006. Sister squadron VF-31 carried out to Miramar, where it began conversion fleet, plans to relocate the Pacific fleet the final carrier launch from the ship on to the F-14D along with VF-31 in March Tomcats to NAS Lemoore, California, were July 28, 2006. During the Tomcat’s final 1992.The first squadrons began their initial shelved. Six Pacific fleet Tomcat squadrons six-month deployment, VF-31 and VF-213 deployment with the variant aboard USS left Miramar for Oceana between April dropped 61,000lb of ordnance, 38,980 Carl Vinson (CVN 70) in February 1994. and August 1996. In May 1997, VF-32 flight hours, which included 6,786 hours Early in 1997, after turning the F-14Ds began transitioning to the more capable during 1,163 combat sorties, maintaining a over to Fighter Wing Atlantic, VF-11 F-14B. The unit deployed with this variant 97.3% sortie completion rate. began transition to the F-14B at NAS for the first time on the USS Enterprise in Although the Tomcat’s final ‘official’ Oceana. This move gave it the distinction November 1998 and in December attacked flight took place during a ceremony at of being the only fleet squadron to targets in Iraq as part of Operation Desert NAS Oceana on September 22, 2006, the operate all three variants of the Tomcat. Fox marking the Tomcat’s first use of fighter’s last flight actually occurred on VF-2’s transition to the F-14D began in the LTP and LGBs in combat. Tomcats October 4, when BuNo 164603 landed at February 1993 and it embarked the USS eventually carried out precision strikes Republic Airport. Formally placed in the Constellation (CV 64) on November 10, against targets in Iraq and Afghanistan in custody of the Grumman Retiree Club, 1994 for Operation Southern Watch support of Operations Southern Watch, the F-14 was put on display at Northrop duties. During that year, VF-101 assumed Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. Grumman’s Bethpage, New York, facility.

Grumman F-14D Tomcat, BuNo 164603, taxies in at Republic Airport in Farmingdale, New York, at the conclusion of the US Navy Tomcat’s final flight on October 4, 2006. ‘Felix 101’ is currently on display in front of a Northrop Grumman facility in Bethpage, New YorkTom Kaminski

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TOMCAT TURNS50

•Variants Compared • F-14s in US Navy Service • Leading from the Back Seat