Aeronaves y UAV

F-14 Tomcat

Also known as
  • Grumman F-14
  • F-14
  • Tomcat
  • F-14A Tomcat
  • F-14B Tomcat
  • F-14D Tomcat

El Grumman F-14 Tomcat fue un caza embarcado biplaza de ala de geometria variable construido para la defensa de flota de la U.S. Navy y adaptado posteriormente para misiones de ataque, reconocimiento y designacion de blancos. Su concepto de radar y misiles de largo alcance influyo en la defensa aerea de portaaviones durante la Guerra Fria, mientras que las mejoras F-14B y F-14D mantuvieron al tipo en combate desde el Golfo de Sidra hasta Irak, Afganistan y la flota superviviente de Iran en la guerra de Iran de 2026.

F-14 Tomcat, Caza de superioridad aerea embarcado, Aeronaves y UAV
Image source: F-14D over the Persian Gulf Commons file

Role in Conflicts

1955 Vietnam War
Force Protection
Side
United States and South Vietnam

Los F-14 tuvieron una aparicion breve sobre Vietnam, realizando patrullas de proteccion para helicopteros durante la evacuacion final de personal estadounidense y otros ciudadanos extranjeros.

Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
Estados Unidos
Type
Caza de superioridad aerea embarcado
Service note
Servicio durante la Guerra Fria y posterior a la Guerra Fria

Specifications

Tripulacion
2
Planta motriz
Dos motores turbofan Pratt & Whitney TF30-P-412A o 414A
Empuje
20.900 lb de empuje estatico cada uno
Dimensiones
Longitud 62 ft 8 in; altura 16 ft; envergadura 64 ft 1,5 in extendida y 38 ft 2,5 in plegada
Armamento
Canon M61 Vulcan de 20 mm; misiles AIM-54 Phoenix, AIM-7 Sparrow y AIM-9 Sidewinder
Prestaciones
Velocidad maxima 1.544 mph; regimen de ascenso 30.000 ft/min; techo 55.000 ft; alcance 2.400 millas
Sistemas de mision
Radar AWG-9 en el F-14A; avionica y radar digitales del F-14D, busqueda y seguimiento infrarrojo pasivo, LANTIRN, FTI y capacidad TARPS
Produccion
712 construidos: 633 para la U.S. Navy y 79 para Iran
Variants

La familia Tomcat progreso desde la base F-14A hasta el F-14B propulsado por F110 y el F-14D modernizado digitalmente, con celulas F-14A reconstruidas designadas F-14D(R).

VariantConfigurationDesignation notes
F-14ACaza de produccion inicial

Tomcat biplaza de base entregado para defensa aerea de flota con motores TF30, radar AWG-9 y armamento Phoenix/Sparrow/Sidewinder.

Sources: F-14A Tomcat - NHHC, Tomcat Program End - NAVAIR

F-14A+ / F-14BMejora con nuevos motores

NAVAIR identifica la mejora de noviembre de 1987 con motores General Electric F110 como la modificacion designada posteriormente F-14B.

Sources: Tomcat Program End - NAVAIR

F-14DVariante con avionica digital y radar

El F-14D anadio avionica digital, un sistema avanzado de radar aire-aire digital y capacidad pasiva de busqueda y seguimiento infrarrojo.

Sources: Tomcat Program End - NAVAIR, Grumman F-14D(R) Tomcat - Smithsonian

F-14D(R)Celula F-14A remanufacturada

La celula del Smithsonian fue construida como F-14A-85-GR y posteriormente modificada a la configuracion F-14D(R) a comienzos de la decada de 1990.

Sources: Grumman F-14D(R) Tomcat - Smithsonian

Municiones transportadas

NHHC documenta el armamento del F-14A Tomcat con misiles AIM-54 Phoenix, AIM-7 Sparrow y AIM-9 Sidewinder.

Carried itemItem typeCarriage evidence
AIM-54 Phoenix missile, Air-to-air missile, MunitionsAIM-54 Phoenix missileMisil aire-aire

NHHC enumera el armamento del F-14A Tomcat como seis misiles AIM-54 Phoenix.

Sources: F-14A Tomcat - NHHC

AIM-7 Sparrow missile, Air-to-air missile, MunitionsAIM-7 Sparrow missileMisil aire-aire

NHHC incluye misiles AIM-7 Sparrow entre el armamento del F-14A Tomcat.

Sources: F-14A Tomcat - NHHC

AIM-9 Sidewinder missile, Short-range air-to-air missile family, MunitionsAIM-9 Sidewinder missileMisil aire-aire

NHHC enumera el armamento del F-14A Tomcat como cuatro misiles AIM-9 Sidewinder.

Sources: F-14A Tomcat - NHHC

Canon instalado

El Tomcat conservaba un canon integrado de corto alcance junto a su armamento de misiles de largo alcance.

AmmunitionAmmunition typeFiring evidence
M61A1 Vulcan cannon, 20mm aircraft cannon, Aircraft & UAVsM61A1 Vulcan cannonCanon rotativo de 20 mm

NHHC enumera un canon M61 Vulcan de 20 mm como parte del armamento del F-14A Tomcat.

Sources: F-14A Tomcat - NHHC

Mission Systems Evolution

El valor del Tomcat en la etapa final de su servicio procedio tanto de las mejoras de sistemas de mision como de la celula basica. NAVAIR describe la transicion del tipo desde un caza aire-aire de mision unica hacia una aeronave de ataque de precision y reconocimiento digital, mientras que el Smithsonian registra equipos del F-14D(R) que conectaban funciones de designacion de blancos, imagenes y reconocimiento.

LANTIRN

Anadio designacion laser autonoma diurna/nocturna y adquisicion de blancos para bombas guiadas por laser; VF-103 realizo el primer despliegue Tomcat con LANTIRN en 1996.

TARPS y FTI

El F-14D(R) podia portar TARPS y usar Fast Tactical Imagery para transferir imagenes de reconocimiento y designacion de blancos en vuelo.

F-14D digital

El F-14D combinaba avionica digital, radar aire-aire avanzado y busqueda y seguimiento infrarrojo pasivo con la mision original de defensa de flota del Tomcat.

Timeline

F-14 Tomcat Key Events

  1. Comienza el programa Tomcat

    NAVAIR remonta el programa Tomcat a una decision de enero de 1968 de desarrollar un nuevo caza aire-aire para la Navy.

    Sources: Tomcat Program End - NAVAIR

  2. Primer vuelo

    El F-14 realizo su primer vuelo en diciembre de 1970, avanzando rapidamente desde el desarrollo hacia la introduccion en la flota.

    Sources: Tomcat Program End - NAVAIR, F-14 Tomcat Inventory - NHHC

  3. Entrega del primer avion de produccion

    NAVAIR registra la entrega del primer F-14A de produccion en mayo de 1972, seguida en octubre por la preparacion de dos escuadrones Tomcat.

    Sources: Tomcat Program End - NAVAIR

  4. Primera victoria en combate

    F-14 de la U.S. Navy derribaron dos cazas libios Su-22 sobre el Golfo de Sidra, dando al Tomcat sus primeras victorias en combate.

    Sources: F-14A Tomcat - NHHC

  5. Mejora con motor F110

    La mejora con motores General Electric F110 produjo la aeronave que NAVAIR identifica como F-14B.

    Sources: Tomcat Program End - NAVAIR

  6. Misiones de ataque sobre Bosnia

    F-14A Tomcat despegaron del USS Theodore Roosevelt para misiones de ataque en apoyo de Operation Deny Flight sobre Bosnia-Herzegovina.

    Sources: Bosnia - NHHC

  7. Despliegue de LANTIRN

    VF-103 se convirtio en el primer escuadron Tomcat en desplegarse con LANTIRN, lo que dio a la aeronave capacidad autonoma de designacion para bombas guiadas por laser.

    Sources: Tomcat Program End - NAVAIR

  8. Ataques de Operation Allied Force

    F-14 Tomcat despegaron del Theodore Roosevelt para realizar misiones de ataque durante Operation Allied Force sobre Kosovo.

    Sources: Kosovo - NHHC

  9. Comienzan las operaciones de combate en Afganistan

    Los F-14 comenzaron misiones de combate sobre Afganistan durante Operation Enduring Freedom.

    Sources: Operation Enduring Freedom 2001-2002

  10. Ultimo crucero de combate

    El ultimo despliegue de combate del F-14 termino cuando el tipo completo su mision de combate final y avanzo hacia su retirada estadounidense.

    Sources: F-14D Tomcat - NHHC

  11. F-14 iranies atacados en Isfahan

    Informes que citaban a las IDF dijeron que F-14 iranies fueron destruidos en ataques aereos en Isfahan durante la guerra de Iran de 2026.

    Sources: Iranian F-14 Fleet Attacked at Isfahan - The Aviationist

Media

F-14 Tomcat Videos

F-14 Tomcat Images

F-14 Tomcat, Caza de superioridad aerea embarcado, Aeronaves y UAV - view 1
Source: VF-84 F-14A Tomcat Commons file
F-14 Tomcat, Caza de superioridad aerea embarcado, Aeronaves y UAV - view 2
Source: F-14A Tomcat prototype Commons file
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Sources

F-14A Tomcat - NHHCPublisher: Naval History and Heritage Command | Note: Supports the F-14A Tomcat used in 1981 U.S.-Libya Confrontations, the 1990 Gulf War, the 2001 War in Afghanistan, and the 2003 Iraq War, plus the aircraft's Grumman manufacturer, carrier-based air-superiority role, dimensions, engines, and armament. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Tomcat Program End - NAVAIRPublisher: Naval Air Systems Command | Note: Supports Tomcat program milestones, the F-14B and F-14D variant distinctions, LANTIRN deployment, precision-strike evolution, and late-service ROVER compatibility. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Tomcat Program Farewell - NAVAIRPublisher: Naval Air Systems Command | Note: Supports production totals and the F-14's transition from fleet-defense fighter to precision strike and digital reconnaissance platform. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Grumman F-14D(R) Tomcat - SmithsonianPublisher: Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum | Note: Supports F-14D(R) variant context, LANTIRN, FTI, TARPS, precision strike, air-superiority, fleet-defense, and reconnaissance capability. | Accessed: 2026-07-04F-14 Tomcat - NASAPublisher: NASA | Note: Supports variable-sweep research context using NASA 834 in the 1986-1987 Variable-Sweep Transition Flight Experiment. | Accessed: 2026-07-04F-14 Tomcat Inventory - NHHCPublisher: Naval History and Heritage Command | Note: Supports F-14 first-flight and development inventory context. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Grumman F-14A Tomcat - Wings Over the RockiesPublisher: Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum | Note: Supports F-14 design context, variable-sweep wing rationale, radar and Phoenix missile relationship, and Iranian use in the Iran-Iraq War. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Iranian F-14 Fleet Attacked at Isfahan - The AviationistPublisher: The Aviationist | Note: Supports Iranian F-14s fielded in the 2026 Iran War and destroyed in Israeli strikes at Isfahan. | Accessed: 2026-07-04F-14D Tomcat - NHHCPublisher: Naval History and Heritage Command | Note: Supports the F-14D Tomcat used in the 1955 Vietnam War during the final evacuation from Saigon and the later service history. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Operation Enduring Freedom 2001-2002Publisher: Naval History and Heritage Command | Note: Supports F-14 Tomcats used in the 2001 War in Afghanistan during the opening Operation Enduring Freedom launches. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Lebanon Crisis and Libya EncountersPublisher: Naval History and Heritage Command | Note: Supports F-14s used in the 1982 Lebanon War over Beirut and used in 1981 U.S.-Libya Confrontations over the Gulf of Sidra during the 1980s. | Accessed: 2026-07-04H-Gram 018-1 Tanker WarPublisher: Naval History and Heritage Command | Note: Supports Iranian F-14s used in the 1980 Iran-Iraq War, including the Tanker War phase over the Persian Gulf. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Bosnia - NHHCPublisher: Naval History and Heritage Command | Note: Supports F-14A Tomcats used in the 1992 Bosnian War for strike missions over Bosnia-Herzegovina. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Kosovo - NHHCPublisher: Naval History and Heritage Command | Note: Supports F-14 Tomcats used in 1999 Kosovo War / Operation Allied Force strike missions over Kosovo. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Southern Watch No-Fly ZonePublisher: Naval History and Heritage Command | Note: Supports F-14 Tomcats used in the 1991 Iraqi No-Fly-Zone Conflict during Southern Watch sorties. | Accessed: 2026-07-04USS JOHN F. KENNEDY Second Battle of Fallujah & Final F-14 CruisePublisher: Naval History and Heritage Command | Note: Supports F-14 Tomcat use in the 2003 Iraq War during the 2004 Fallujah fighting and the final combat cruise. | Accessed: 2026-07-04F-14D over the Persian Gulf Commons filePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports the primary image provenance and public-domain status for the gallery hero image. | Accessed: 2026-07-04VF-84 F-14A Tomcat Commons filePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports the second gallery image provenance and public-domain status. | Accessed: 2026-07-04F-14A Tomcat prototype Commons filePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports the third gallery image provenance and public-domain status. | Accessed: 2026-07-04