Grumman F-14 Tomcat

The F-14A is a supersonic, twin-engine, variable sweep wing, two-place fighter that was designed to replace the venerable F-4 Phantom II series of fleet air defense fighters (the last one of which was phased out in 1986). It can track up to 24 targets simultaneously with its advanced AWG-9 weapons control system, and attack six with Phoenix (AIM-54A) missiles while continuing to scan the airspace. Armament also includes a mix of other air intercept missiles, rockets, and bombs. F-14s provided air cover for the joint strike on Libyan terrorist-related targets in 1986. The F-14 is the premier all-weather, day-night fleet air defense fighter in the world. The F-14A was introduced in the mid-1970s. The upgraded the F-14A+ version, which has new GE F-110 engines, is now widespread throughout the fleet, and is more than a match for threat fighters in the close-in, air combat arena. The follow-on to the F-14A and F-14-A+ is the F-14D, designed to close emerging gaps in the carrier battle group's outer air capability against new generation Soviet bombers and cruise missiles.