CVN 76 Launches Last Tomcat

[budanski]

CVN 76 Launches Last Tomcat
Navy Newstand (http://www.news.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=13258)
By Journalist 1st Class Shane Montgomery, USS Ronald Reagan Public Affairs


USS RONALD REAGAN, At Sea (NNS) -- An F-14 Tomcat from Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 8's Fighter Squadron (VF) 213 Black Lions, homeported out of Naval Air Station Oceana, Va., launched from USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), May 10, in what was the final Tomcat to leave the deck of the ship.

With a transit date to its new homeport location in San Diego scheduled for late May, Ronald Reagan will be supporting West Coast squadrons, which do not include the F-14 Tomcat.

“Just like Ronald Reagan has a lot of innovations and is the first step to future carriers like CVN 21, our launching of the final Tomcat marks the transition the Navy is making to F/A-18 air wings and eventually the Joint Strike Fighter,” said Capt. Drew Brugal, Ronald Reagan’s executive officer.

Brugal started flying Tomcats in 1984. Despite his personal history with the aircraft, he is not disappointed to see it being transitioned out of the Navy.

“I’m not sad,” said Brugal. “Having gone from flying F-4s to the Tomcat and seeing the benefit of getting into new technology, I view the new transition as a positive stepping stone to the next level.”

After the Tomcat launched off the deck, all hands were invited to the flight deck to watch it make one final flyby. With a tip of the wing, the F-14 shot by Ronald Reagan on its way back to Oceana.

“Being part of a historic moment is an experience I’ll never forget,” said Airman Randall Pugh, a member of air department. “Very few people will have the honor of saying they saw the last Tomcat fly off the Navy’s newest aircraft carrier, and I’ll remember it the rest of my career.”

For related news, visit the USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) Navy NewsStand page at www.news.navy.mil/local/cvn76.

[JiJoMacLE45]

I'll have to go watch Top Gun to honor the passing of the -14.

[Trigger]

http://www.lemoore.navy.mil/cvw-11/images/Aircraft%20Photos/VF213_1.jpg
http://www.lemoore.navy.mil/cvw-11/images/Command%20Logos/T213s.gif
http://www.thebattlezone.com/navy/patchpix/p129n.jpg
*salute*

[Ian H]

How many Tomcat squadrons are left now, and when is the final retirement date?

[Helly]

The last from the USS Ronald Reagan but not the last from the fleet. Although the article states that West Coast squadrons don't have the F-14 now, Carrier Air Wing 14 aboard USS John Stennis still has F-14s (F-14Ds from VF-31 "Tomcatters" ).

A number of F-14 squadrons are likewise still in service with the Atlantic Fleet. VF-11 (Red Rippers, F-14Bs) and VF-143 (Pukin' Dogs, F-14Bs) are aboard USS George Washington, currently deployed in support of OIF. USS Enterprise just finished its deployment (also to the Gulf) a couple of months ago, with VF-211 (Fighting Checkmates, F-14As) among its air wing.

The Pacific Fleet is nearly done replacing its Tomcats with Super Hornets. The Atlantic Fleet's schedule is for all of its Tomcat squadrons and some older Hornets squadrons to transition to the Super Hornets starting this year and ending in 2008.

I still think the US Navy should have just upgraded all its Tomcats to the F-14D standard (+ some more modern goodies) instead of replacing them with Super Hornets, but that's another discussion entirely. :)

[AFACadet]

:petting:

[-Max2-]

I still think the US Navy should have just upgraded all its Tomcats to the F-14D standard (+ some more modern goodies) instead of replacing them with Super Hornets, but that's another discussion entirely.

I agree. Sad to see the Tomcat slowly approaching the end of its service life... :(

[weedman]

Loved it :petting: :(

[Uncle Chô]

I still think the US Navy should have just upgraded all its Tomcats to the F-14D standard (+ some more modern goodies) instead of replacing them with Super Hornets, but that's another discussion entirely. :)
Yeap. Aleas, the airframe is old and tired and the industrial lobbies thought different... :roll:

The end is getting closer :(

http://www.wapers.com/vehicles/f1402/f14022.jpg

[Helly]

How many Tomcat squadrons are left now, and when is the final retirement date?

There are six active-duty Tomcat squadrons left now.

VF-11 "Red Rippers" - F-14B
VF-31 "Tomcatters" - F-14D
VF-32 "Swordsmen" - F-14B
VF-103 "Jolly Rogers" - F-14B
VF-143 "Pukin' Dogs" - F-14B
VF-211 "Fighting Checkmates" - F-14A

All except the VF-143 will transition to the F/A-18F Super Hornet in the next couple of years or so. VF-143 will transition to the single-seat F/A-18E Super Hornet.

VF-211 seems to be the first on the line. It's scheduled to transition to the Super Hornet late this year.

VF-32 is the remaining squadron with F-14Ds. And they just lost one a month or so ago due to engine failure (http://www.news.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=12572). :(

[Trigger]

Uncle Cho wrote:

Yeap. Aleas, the airframe is old and tired and the industrial lobbies thought different...

The end is getting closer

I think they may have aged the airframes a little prematurely also by hanging 2000 lb. JDAMs on them and using them as bombers in recent years.

[usa320]

nahhh....the stress of dropping bombs is far less than that taken from performing aerial combat manuevers.

Its a damn shame. They should upgrade all the remaining models to D versions with new attacks systems and fly em till the JSF comes along. Same with the A-10.

[Uncle Chô]

nahhh....the stress of dropping bombs is far less than that taken from performing aerial combat manuevers.

They should upgrade all the remaining models to D versions with new attacks systems and fly em till the JSF comes along. Same with the A-10.
The airframe is stressed by the onboard carriers career of the Tomcat.

Launching and recovering an airplane + the salt air is the worst thing you could have done to an airframe even it has been designed for.

Plus the increasing combat missions with heavy ordnances for the last 2 years took its toll on a 30 years old airplane.

You can not compare a shore based aircraft (the A-10) with a carrier based one. Even if a Tomcat spend 2/3 of his time out of NAS Miramar or NAS Oceana ie.

[Durandal]

A fantastic air sup and air to ground platform...

So long.

Hey about those new Super Hornets! *snort*

[rob]

i think replacing a tomcat with a hornet is a mistake. they should have rebuilt to tomcat or a better airsuperiority fighter. i can understand that the usn is trying to save money but the hornet just wont do the tomcats job as well as the tomcat. the super hornet might help close the gap but its still not a dedicated airsuperiority fighter. but then again were not in the cold war anymore and there is not such a great need for an airsuperiority fighter anymore.

but if they rebuilt the tomcats whit newer engines and fly by wire(it would cure all spin problems, and for some reason wasnt implimented on the f-14d) along with some other tad bits it would still match anything in the sky.

one last salute for the f-14 great warrior that will be missed.

[Apogee]

Sad stuff. My grand father helped design and build the F-14 out on Long Island. I know he'll be sad to see it go.

[AFACadet]

:(


The Super Bug is an awesome plane in regard to avionics, but its sucky, sucky, sucky, in performance, aerodynamics, and cost.

[seruriermarshal]

NAVY will use more F/A-18E/F .

[Ratamacue]

:(


The Super Bug is an awesome plane in regard to avionics, but its sucky, sucky, sucky, in performance, aerodynamics, and cost.

How does the F-35C fare in those areas though? Seems to me that it would almost be more practical for the Navy to buy mainly JSF's rather than Super Hornets.

[AFACadet]

JSF has better avionics, speed, vastly better range, good manevuerability, stealth, and very good cost.

It beats the Super bug in every way except in stealth 'mode' payload and only having a single aircrew member (although that may change later).

The problem is that the JSF won't be in Navy service for about 8 years.

[Michael RVR]

Its sad to see the F-14 go, but i'm positive that with the current threat level the skies will be safe in the hands of the F/A-18Es.

Its kindof a moot point to say *buy jsf its better* but if its not available, then you have to look at other options. I'd put money on the JSF slipping past its scheduled dates also ;)

I think i also should watch TopGun and have a beer to the F14 :)

[Ratamacue]

JSF has better avionics, speed, vastly better range, good manevuerability, stealth, and very good cost.

It beats the Super bug in every way except in stealth 'mode' payload and only having a single aircrew member (although that may change later).

The problem is that the JSF won't be in Navy service for about 8 years.

That's basically what I figured. Thanks for the info.

[Durandal]

Sorry, the Tomcat was a beautiful MULTI role aircraft. The thing was designed that way at its earliest inception...not the anti-bomber air-sup role the Navy pigeon holed it into.

Inter-service politics...

*sigh*

[seruriermarshal]

I'm afraid Airforce , they only use F-15 and F-16 , they need F-22 , NAVY have F/A-18E/F .

[Helly]

The irony is that after all USN Tomcat squadrons are disestablished in the next couple of years or so, the only remaining Tomcats in service will be the Iranian F-14As.

The Iranians used their F-14As to good effect during the Iran-Iraq war. Confirmed kills number in the 120+ range, with roughly 45% of the kills achieved using AIM-54A Phoenixes. The Iraqi pilots were aware of the Tomcat's capabilities, so much so that there are reports of Iraqi fighters bugging out and returning to base as soon as they detect the presence of AWG-9 radars in the air. There are also rumors that the Iraqi pilots were specifically ordered not to engage Iranian F-14As because they're losing so many planes in the process. The Iraqi Air Force claimed they shot down 12 Iranian Tomcats, 3 of which are confirmed by Iran.

Word is that Iran still has 20+ Tomcats in active service, with roughly the same number in storage. Some sources are saying that as late as last year, US forces in Iraq were tracking up to 16 Iranian F-14As flying simultaneously along the Iran-Iraq border.

All of Iran's F-14As are more than 20 years old, and the airframes are not getting younger. They're not as abused as the USN Tomcats though (carrier landings) so I reckon they can still serve for a decade or so. The Iranians are not sitting still either, they're constantly upgrading their fleet of Tomcats, supposedly with help from the Russians, and there are reports of Iran planning to upgrade its Tomcats with new engines and radars, and even installing a glass cockpit!

Iran was also able to reverse-engineer the AIM-54A Phoenix. They took delivery of around 280 of the missiles in the late 70's, and the missiles that they're able to produce on their own are said to be comparable to the latest AIM-54C Phoenixes currently in service with the USN Tomcats.

Too bad the US Navy bigshots are putting politics first again. Happened before with the Intruders, and it's happening now with the Tomcats.

[Uncle Chô]

The Iranians used their F-14As to good effect during the Iran-Iraq war. Confirmed kills number in the 120+ range, with roughly 45% of the kills achieved using AIM-54A Phoenixes.
To be honest, I think this is propaganda. The AIM-54 was such an expensive and rare weapon in the Islamic IAF inventory they used it sparingly.

Most of the AA kills (Mirage and Mig) were achieved by the F-4E Phantom using Sidewinders and Sparrows.

Confirmed independant sources quoted that the Tomcat was mainly used as a "mini" AWACS thanks to the outstanding AN/AWG-9 performances that outclassed anything in the region at that time (24 years ago ;) )

Back to the initial topic, F-18E/F and F-35 are undoubtely excellent up-to- date machines but they totally lack the so sexy look of the F-14. From whatever angle you look at the Tomcat it is a hell of a design. It is a milestone in the aerospace industry because of the best, ultimate fighter/bomber in its category and one of the last warplane build for "real pilots". I mean no Star War computers, Fly by Wire stick and rudders, Flight Management System, FADEC etc. :(

[Helly]

The Iranians used their F-14As to good effect during the Iran-Iraq war. Confirmed kills number in the 120+ range, with roughly 45% of the kills achieved using AIM-54A Phoenixes.

To be honest, I think this is propaganda. The AIM-54 was such an expensive and rare weapon in the Islamic IAF inventory they used it sparingly.

Most of the AA kills (Mirage and Mig) were achieved by the F-4E Phantom using Sidewinders and Sparrows.

Confirmed independant sources quoted that the Tomcat was mainly used as a "mini" AWACS thanks to the outstanding AN/AWG-9 performances that outclassed anything in the region at that time (24 years ago ;) )

I believe the numbers are accurate. For one thing, all those kills were achieved over an 8-year period, not just three or four months. Sure, the Phoenix is expensive, and Iran only has 280 or so at the start of the war (they have more now since they've learned how to produce the AIM-54). But you don't buy a weapon only to keep it in storage when you're fighting a sworn enemy that's bent on using all weapons at its disposal (including chemical weapons) on your troops. ;)

And just because the Iranian Tomcats are also used in the AWACS role doesn't mean that it's not doing its fair share of fighting. Remember that the Phoenix has outstanding range. If your Phoenix missile can reach your target faster than your other fighters can (which is usually true), you'd fire that missile. :)

Anyway, it's true that there are lots of "independent" and "confirmed" reports floating around so I guess we'll never know for sure. Tom Cooper and his partners over at the ACIG page seemed to have done a lot of research about Iranian F-14s so I guess they're as much as authority on the topic as any other sources. This page (http://www.acig.org/artman/publish/article_210.shtml) is particularly interesting. I'm not saying it's 100% accurate, although it seems to be well-researched.

[cold0]

To be honest, I think this is propaganda. The AIM-54 was such an expensive and rare weapon in the Islamic IAF inventory they used it sparingly.

Most of the AA kills (Mirage and Mig) were achieved by the F-4E Phantom using Sidewinders and Sparrows.

Confirmed independant sources quoted that the Tomcat was mainly used as a "mini" AWACS thanks to the outstanding AN/AWG-9 performances that outclassed anything in the region at that time (24 years ago )

I think you have lost some good books about the IPGW, Uncle Chô!.

Just try Iran- Iraq War in the Air, or, even better, the new Osprey book about the IIRAF F-14 units that will released in September.
Or just surf the site http://www.acig.org/, you will find a lot of infos about the F-14, expecially in the IPGW.

Regards,[/i]

[ronin2172]

i'm sad to see the old bird go how's that old saying go....warriors don't die they just fade away....i found this wallpaper on themesxp.....it is appropriate i think....

http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/487_1084590835_f14_longhorn.jpg