The U.S. Navy will retire the F14 Tomcat in September 2006 when the last squadron flying that aircraft transitions to the F/A-18E Super Hornet.

The announcement follows the return of Strike Fighter Squadron VF-21 (The “Tomcatters”) and VF-213 (the “Black Lions) to the Naval Air Station Oceana following a six-month deployment with Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 8 aboard the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71). The squadron’s return marked the last operational flight of the F-14D Tomcat and the beginning of the squadrons’ transition to the F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet. VF-213 pilots will begin F/A-18F training in April 2006 and VF-21 pilots, who are transitioning to the F/A-18E, will remain operational until September 2006, when they will fly the Tomcat on its final flight.

The Navy decided to decommission the Tomcat and switch to the Super Hornet to lighten the workload on maintenance crews after recognizing the excessive amount of maintenance needed to keep them operational.

“It takes about three to four times more maintenance man-hours per flight hour to maintain than the newer Hornet,” said a U.S. Navy spokesman. “Retiring the extremely relevant but maintenance intensive Tomcat was a way to save the exhaustive efforts of our people and better spend their labors.”

The F14 entered operational service with the U.S. Navy in September 1974 and the aircraft has been upgraded many times during its 32-years as a carrier-based multi-role strike fighter. The first major improvements to the initial design came with the F-14B, introduced in November 1987, which incorporated new General Electric F-110 engines. In 1995, an upgrade program brought the Tomcat new digital avionics and weapon system improvements. The F-14D, was delivered with improvements to the F-110 engines, new APG-71 radar system, Airborne Self Protection Jammer (ASPJ), Joint Tactical Information Distribution System (JTIDS) and Infrared Search and Track (IRST). Additionally, all F-14 variants were given precision strike capability using the LANTIRN targeting system, night vision compatibility, new defensive countermeasures systems and a new digital flight control system.

Source:  U.S. Navy. Journalist 1st Class Stefanie Holzeisen-Mullen, Fleet Public Affairs Center Atlantic, Story Number: NNS060310-05, 3/10/2006
Text & picture provided by William Folsom
For further information about William Folsom click here