The F-14 Fighter Still Haunts the U.S. Navy

The F-14 Fighter Still Haunts the U.S. Navy

Key Points and Summary – The F-14 Tomcat was purpose-built for Cold War fleet defense: get far from the carrier fast, find threats first, and kill them at range. It achieved exceptional reach via large internal fuel, drop tanks, variable-sweep wings, and (in later models) efficient F110 engines—while retaining a Mach-2+ dash. (June 19, 2006) – An F-14D Tomcat from Fighter Squadron Three One (VF-31), the “Tomcatters,” performs a fly by past the N…