Was it cost or capability that doomed the Tomcat?
2007-09-03 21:02:29 · 4 answers · asked by dee dee dee (mencia) 3 in Politics & Government ➔ Military
Simply put COST... Age IS a factor in the cost of course. The older the bird, the more it costs to maintain and to upgrade it's capability.
The F-14 Tomcat was 32 years old, BUT had been upgraded back around 1996 to the "Bomb-Cat": capable of delivering laser guided bombs as well as the new GPS guided bombs.
The Phoenix missile was designed to deal with hitting Soviet bombers WAY outside the "bubble" around the carriers, BEFORE the bombers could target and deliver their anti-ship cruise missiles. With the Soviet Threat "gone" the Phoenix System wasn't worth continuing... and yes, the rocket motors were suffering from cracking in the propellant.
The F/A-18D-E Super Hornet had been ordered by Congress and the Pentagon... again, an upgrade to the F/A-18 A-C Hornet... you get "two missions" in one Aircraft.
2007-09-04 05:44:05 · answer #1 · answered by mariner31 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The F/A 18 is a better all around platform....It was designed as a multirole fighter from the ground up. The F-14 was designed as a interceptor/ air superiority fighter for controlling the air space around a Carrier Battle Group. The Navy was looking to streamline the budget......When you have 1 aircraft that can provide the screen for the carrier battle group do reconnaisance, and perform the strike role and negate the maintainence and other costs on another aircraft that was truly limited to the airsuperiority role, the F 14 was doomed. They DID arm the F14 with air to ground weaponry but it IS still just a fighter.....As far as the Phoenix goes......Heavy but lethal........AMRAAM Light shorter range but more lethal. I also believe cheaper. They also were decommissioning the Phoenix due to cracks in the rocket motors if I am not mistaken.
2007-09-04 00:24:12 · answer #2 · answered by frederick t 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
They may say that it was maintenance costs that caused them to retire the F-14. They may have just retired them to make room for the Super Hornet. It seems that the F/A-18 is being set up to take all the carrier based aircraft missions save those of the E-2, and the C-2. The Hornet took over for the A-6, and I believe the EA-6, and now it seems they're taking over for the F-14.
2007-09-03 21:57:18 · answer #3 · answered by Mike W 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Neither.
It was old age.
They were over 30 years old when retired.
Thats a long time for an airplane.
F-14's went into service in the Navy in 1974.
2007-09-03 21:53:35 · answer #4 · answered by jeeper_peeper321 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋