During the 1950s and 60s, the United States Navy was in an intense rivalry with the Soviet Union. Because of the Soviet challenge on the high seas, every aspect of naval power was going through a major rethink.

Around this time, the threat of Soviet long-range bombers and of the Soviet Navy to American aircraft carriers put pressure on the U.S. Navy to develop carrier-based planes that could intercept those long-range bombers and, more importantly, better protect American fleets while underway.

First, the Navy built the F-4 Phantom II. These iconic third-generation warplanes were capable of long-range intercept, had a potent radar system, and could carry a sizable armaments package—including air-to-air and air-to-ground ordnance. The Navy had various American defense contractors bid on the F-4 program. Ultimately, the Pentagon chose McDonnell Douglas’ Phantom II design. 

The F-14’s unique origins

However, a proposal from Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation stuck in the minds of many. That proposal, although it did not become the F-4 Phantom II, percolated in the aircraft designers’ minds and ultimately became the F-14 Tomcat. This became a truly iconic bird in the 1980s (thank you, Tom Cruise and Top Gun). Over time, the Grumman engineers innovated several interesting designs for the F-14 Tomcat.

Notable designs included the variable-sweep wing that optimized the F-14’s aerodynamic performance for both high-speed interception and low-speed carrier operations. The variable-sweep geometry wing design made this bird an incredibly adaptable plane for basically any mission set the Navy would need it to participate in.

The AWG-9 radar system was also included in the F-14 Tomcat. It became the most important element of the bird, considering it allowed for greater situational awareness than what other carrier-based planes had. This new radar system allowed for the crew of an F-14 Tomcat to track up to twenty-four targets and engage six of those targets at the same time. The F-14, therefore, became a dominant over-the-horizon warplane. 

This capability also enhanced the protection of carriers because these birds could detect enemy aircraft approaching the carrier battle group earlier than other systems could—and the F-14 could engage those targets long before they ever became a threat to the carrier group.

A notable advancement that was unique to the Tomcat was the inclusion of the AIM-54 Phoenix Missile. This beast had a range far exceeding that of contemporary air-to-air missiles, making that long-range, over-the-horizon strike capability even more dangerous for America’s enemies.

In January 1969, Grumman won the contract for the F-14 Tomcat. The program was initially beset with major problems, if only because of the complex and unique nature of the F-14 design. Issues arose, for example, about the weight-to-thrust ratio for the bird as well as the complex integration of so many advanced systems. Ultimately, Grumman worked out the problems and the bird made its first flight on December 21, 1970. It was first flown by Robert B. “Bob” Smyth. By 1974, VF-1 “Wolfpack” and VF-2 “Bounty Hunters,” the initial squads of the F-14 Tomcat were stationed aboard the USS Enterprise (CVN-65).

The U.S. Navy still has a need for speed 

This iconic bird was more than just a new high-technological platform for the Navy: It was a strategic asset. It could operate in any environment where the U.S. Navy might be outnumbered, given a real quality over quantity advantage in favor of U.S. Navy forces. The Tomcat was a constantly evolving platform, too, in terms of capabilities and technology. Ultimately, these birds incorporated the AIM-9 Sidewinder missile along with the AN/AAQ-14 LANTIRN pod for ground attack. F-14s were eventually equipped with digital flight controls. All these improvements greatly extended the operational life of these birds beyond their original design.

The F-14 made its final flight in 2006. There was an attempt to make a new F-14, the Super Tomcat 21, but that never made it off the drawing board. Many supporters of the F-14 believe the Navy erred in not either keeping the F-14s active or getting a new variant of these birds, as the carrier-based F-18 Super Hornets, while impressive, cannot do the things that the F-14 could do.

Regardless of which side one falls on during that debate, the fact remains that the F-14 set many benchmarks over the course of its operational history that have greatly influenced subsequent warplane designs and continue to influence naval aviation and tradition. 

Brandon J. Weichert, a National Interest national security analyst, is a former Congressional staffer and geopolitical analyst who is a contributor at The Washington Times, the Asia Times, and The-Pipeline. He is the author of Winning Space: How America Remains a Superpower, Biohacked: China’s Race to Control Life, and The Shadow War: Iran’s Quest for Supremacy. His next book, A Disaster of Our Own Making: How the West Lost Ukraine, is available for purchase wherever books are sold. Weichert can be followed via Twitter @WeTheBrandon.