Super Tomcat 21: The History of a Very Special F-14 Tomcat – Not too long ago, we delved into the reasons why the iconic F-14 Tomcat was retired decades before its fellow fighter jets from the 1970s. However, the story of Grumman’s remarkable fighter and its quest for a role in the post-Cold War era is far from over. In the early 1990s, Grumman proposed a new version of the legendary Top Gun fighter. This new iteration was not only modern enough to remain in service today, but it would have represented a significant leap in performance and capability, surpassing even Maverick’s highly capable F-14D.
Although the F-14D was dubbed the “Super Tomcat,” the effort to modernize the F-14 began under the codename “ST21,” which, quite appropriately, stood for “Super Tomcat for the 21st Century.” Make no mistake, that’s precisely what it could have become.
In 1988, the Navy found itself in need of a fighter aircraft that could not only soar through the skies but also deliver devastating attacks when the situation demanded. To fulfill this requirement, a collaborative effort between McDonnell Douglas and General Dynamics was initiated, resulting in the award of a development contract for what would later be known as the A-12 Avenger II. It’s worth noting that this A-12 should not be confused with Lockheed’s proposed A-12 from the 1960s, which aimed to equip an SR-71 sibling jet with air-to-air weapon systems.
The Navy’s A-12 project, once completed, would have showcased a distinctive flying wing design, drawing comparisons to Northrop Grumman’s B-2 Spirit or the soon-to-come B-21 Raider. However, the Navy’s A-12 was much smaller and sported a more triangular shape, earning it the affectionate nickname “Flying Dorito.” This innovative aircraft was poised to meet the Navy’s need for a versatile fighter with potent attack capabilities, marking a significant step in the evolution of military aviation.
Once completed, the A-12 would have truly claimed the title of the world’s first stealth fighter. This achievement was attributed to its onboard radar system and its ability to deploy AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles. However, by 1991, the “Flying Dorito” met its demise due to massive budget overruns and persistent technical delays. For more in-depth information on the A-12 program’s cancellation, you can explore our comprehensive feature on the topic. Suffice it to say, this termination left the Navy facing a pressing need to fill a strike capability gap, especially with the impending retirement of the A-6 Intruder.
The F-14 Tomcat had been originally designed with a primary focus on air-to-air combat, emphasizing the need to cover extensive ground quickly while carrying a substantial payload of advanced AIM-54 Phoenix missiles to intercept approaching Soviet bombers. Grumman, recognizing the Navy’s requirement for an aircraft capable of undertaking attack missions, proposed a relatively cost-effective upgrade for the Navy’s existing Tomcat fleet, known as the F-14 Quick Strike. This upgrade would involve the integration of an infrared navigation and targeting pod, akin to the LANTIRN system utilized in the F-15E and F-16, alongside enhancements to the aircraft’s potent onboard radar for ground attack capabilities. The addition of more hardpoints for standoff munitions completed the proposal, presenting an economically viable solution.
The concept of an “F-14 for the 21st Century” was intriguing. However, the F-14 Tomcat was not known for its cost-effectiveness, and the Navy had reservations about expanding the role of its costly and occasionally problematic F-14 fleet in its existing state. To further complicate matters for Grumman, rumors swirled that McDonnell Douglas was diligently developing a largely new fighter aircraft, influenced by the Navy’s other carrier-based fighter, the F/A-18 Hornet.
McDonnell Douglas had a strategic plan in mind: to present the Navy with a cutting-edge fighter aircraft that could fulfill a wide range of roles, all while maintaining the familiar appearance and sound of the successful Hornet lineage. This approach aimed to instill confidence in the aircraft’s proven reliability and make it appear more cost-effective than developing an entirely new fighter.
On the other hand, Grumman took a different route by offering an even more extensively upgraded version of the F-14, which could either be acquired as entirely new aircraft or achieved through the refurbishment of existing platforms. The resulting ST21 (Super Tomcat for the 21st Century) and its subsequent iteration, the AST21 (Attack Super Tomcat for the 21st Century), represented designs that could have propelled the Tomcat into the new millennium, as the name implied.
Despite the remarkable capabilities offered by the most modern F-14Ds at the time, the Tomcat’s fundamental design was already over two decades old when discussions about the Super Tomcat 21 began. Typically, in discussions about fighter programs striving to remain competitive in the face of rapid technological advancement, an outdated design can pose a challenge. However, the dated layout of the Tomcat presented ample opportunities for integrating new technologies into the aircraft.
Drawing on the insights gained from over fifteen years of service, the Super Tomcat 21 addressed one significant issue by eliminating the “glove vanes” situated just outside of each wingroot. These glove vanes were originally intended to generate lift in front of the aircraft’s center of gravity at supersonic speeds beyond Mach 1.4, tilting the nose of the aircraft upward and relieving pressure on the tailplanes, thus enhancing high-speed maneuverability. Nevertheless, the systems governing these vanes proved to be a maintenance nightmare, and, in most cases, they were permanently sealed shut.
In lieu of the problematic glove vanes that were present in the earlier models, the ST21 and AST21 introduced enlarged aerodynamic gloves. These innovative gloves provided substantial advantages in terms of supersonic handling and dogfighting performance. Simultaneously, they created space for an extra 2,200 pounds of fuel storage in each wing, significantly extending the aircraft’s operational range.
When the F-14 initially entered service with its remarkable AIM-54A Phoenix missile, it required rail fairings to accommodate the missile’s oil cooling system. However, by the 1990s, the Navy had upgraded to AIM-54B and C versions of the missile, both of which eliminated the need for the F-14 to manage oil cooling functions. Instead, the Super Tomcat 21 would house navigation and attack FLIR (Forward Looking Infrared Sensors) in these rail fairings.
Data from these systems would be integrated into a state-of-the-art glass cockpit featuring vastly improved avionics. The cockpit included a wide-angle Heads Up Display (HUD) capable of projecting imagery from the navigational FLIR pod. Additionally, it featured an upgraded APG-71 radar and entirely new mission computers. These advancements transformed the Tomcat from an aging fighter into a cutting-edge aircraft equipped with the most advanced avionics available at the time.
The AST21 was essentially an extension of the ST21 design, with the addition of bomb-carrying pylons, a modified radar system featuring a Forward Air Controller (FAC) mode, an Integrated Defensive Avionics Package (IDAP), and the capability to carry nuclear weapons.
Both iterations of the Super Tomcat 21 were equipped with upgraded GE-F110-129 turbofan engines, aligning with the Navy’s ongoing efforts, at that time, to replace the problematic Pratt & Whitney TF30 engines in their Tomcat fleets. The utilization of these engines, along with increased fuel capacity and enhanced wing aerodynamics, promised to transform this fighter into a potentially astonishingly capable aircraft. Further enhancements were on the horizon with the addition of thrust vectoring nozzles, guided by the aircraft’s new flight computer.
The GE-F110-129 represented a significant leap forward compared to the TF30 engines that still powered some Tomcats into the early 2000s. Moreover, it outperformed even the F110 engines used in the Navy’s top-performing Tomcats. With each engine capable of producing around 30,000 pounds of thrust during afterburner operation and boasting a more efficient design, the new Tomcat would have achieved unprecedented range and sustained speeds. Remarkably, the Super Tomcat 21 would have been able to super-cruise, meaning it could reach supersonic speeds without engaging its afterburners, maintaining an impressive Mach 1.3.
The integration of thrust vectoring nozzles, if chosen by the Navy, would have taken the fighter’s maneuverability to an astonishing level, particularly when combined with its automated variable-sweep wing design. Reports suggest that the AST21 would have achieved a remarkable 77 degrees of sustained angle of attack (AoA) thanks to planned aerodynamic improvements, and thrust vector control would have pushed those boundaries even further.
With wing positioning controlled by an onboard computer for maximum efficiency, the comparatively large F-14 was already capable of tighter turns than its smaller Air Force counterpart, the F-16 Fighting Falcon, under the right conditions. The addition of thrust-vectoring capabilities would not only have enhanced this impressive angle of attack but would likely have solidified the Super Tomcat 21 as the most acrobatic and maneuverable fighter, not only of its era but likely for decades to come.
Thrust vector control is a remarkable technology that enables precise control of an aircraft’s engine thrust direction independently of the aircraft itself. This capability allows the aircraft to maintain its forward momentum in the sky while directing its nose, and potentially its weaponry, towards an adversary. Furthermore, it facilitates astonishingly agile maneuvers that almost appear to defy the laws of physics when witnessed in videos.
Notably, thrust vector control has played a crucial role in Russian fighter design, primarily due to their emphasis on within-visual-range aerial combat, known as dogfights. In the United States, this technology is exclusively featured on the F-22 Raptor, which reigns as the undisputed king of the skies.
However, Grumman, a pioneering American aerospace company, was not content with the status quo. In addition to the ST21 and AST21 designs, they introduced a game-changing concept, the ASF-14, which represented the ultimate iteration of the iconic Tomcat.
While both the ST21 and AST21 programs aimed to upgrade existing Tomcats and build new aircraft, the ASF-14 was a radical departure. Though it bore a resemblance to its F-14 predecessors on the surface, the ASF-14 featured substantial improvements beneath the skin.
The ASF-14 boasted thicker wings, akin to the transition from the Hornet to the Super Hornet, increasing its fuel capacity significantly. Notably, the ASF-14 was an entirely new aircraft, enabling Grumman to forgo many of the bulky legacy subsystems that upgrade or remanufacture programs would retain for cost and time-saving reasons.
Consequently, the internals of this new “ultimate” Tomcat would have been state-of-the-art from nose to tail. Outdated and cumbersome electrical systems would have been replaced with modern modular systems, enhancing performance, reducing weight, and streamlining future upgrades. The aircraft’s problematic electronic and hydraulic systems, which were a maintenance headache, would have been replaced with modern, low-maintenance counterparts. Even components that had been functioning well would see enhancements, with carbon fiber replacing traditional materials like titanium or aluminum in various parts.
Surprisingly, despite carrying additional fuel, the ASF-14 Super (or perhaps even “Duper”) Tomcat would have likely weighed the same as or even less than the Navy’s existing F-14s, thanks to the significant weight savings made possible by the ASF-14’s innovative design.
When the F-14 Tomcat first took to the skies, it was designed to accommodate the massive and incredibly powerful Hughes AWG-9 fire control radar, which still holds the record as the largest radar system ever utilized by an American fighter aircraft. The vast space within its airframe would have been ideal for housing a large active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, capable of handling both air-to-air and air-to-ground operations.
The ASF-14, boasting around 60,000 pounds of thrust and a superior thrust-to-weight ratio compared to the F-14D, featured thrust vector control, extensive internal fuel capacity, substantial payload capabilities, and remarkable situational awareness, thanks to its potent onboard radar and numerous sensor pods. It had the potential to be a 4th generation fighter with few, if any, rivals to this very day.
Now, in comparison to the Super Hornet, you might wonder why we’re not flying these remarkable F-14 variants today. Military acquisitions involve a delicate balance of capability, capacity, budget constraints, and public perception, all within the context of military doctrine. The Super Hornet, the Navy’s ultimate choice, doesn’t elicit the same passion among aviation enthusiasts as the F-14 Tomcat, but it has proven itself as a dependable and sensible choice. In many ways, the F-14 was like the “Rocky” of the aviation world, with a turbulent past and a challenging start that eventually led to its rise as an American powerhouse.
The Super Hornet, on the other hand, was seen as an “80% solution” to the Navy’s multifaceted challenges at the time. It may not match the speed and power of other fighters, and it falls short of the F-14’s range, let alone the astounding capabilities of the ASF-14. However, the Super Hornet is reliable, efficient, and battle-tested. In fact, the only air-to-air kill by an American fighter in the past two decades was achieved by a Super Hornet.
It’s difficult to argue against the Navy’s choice of the Super Hornet, considering its reliability and efficiency in the two decades of the Global War on Terror. However, as the U.S. shifts its focus back to Great Power Competition, the ASF-14’s incredible range, potent radar, exceptional speed, and agility make it an attractive option for non-stealth fighter aircraft.
One of the primary challenges facing America’s carrier-based fighters today is their limited range, which multiple programs are currently addressing. The Super Tomcat 21 or ASF-14, like the Super Hornet, might not have stealth capabilities, but they could have the necessary range to engage threats while keeping American carriers safe. Presently, the F-35Cs and F/A-18s fall short in this aspect.
While aviation technology continues to advance, and even if the ASF-14 had entered service in the late 1990s, it would likely still face early retirement in favor of the Navy’s F/A-XX fighter in the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program, where stealth is increasingly critical. Nevertheless, the era of saying “they never should have retired the F-14” may be drawing to a close.
For now, those who have long admired the F-14 can take solace in knowing that the Super Tomcat 21 or ASF-14 could have been among the most remarkable fighters the world has ever seen.
