The F-14 Tomcat was the primary fighter aircraft for the US Navy from the early 1970s through 2006. It was the tip of the sword against MiGs and Bears that would try to sink our carriers in the event of World War III. The most recognizable feature of the F-14 was the variable geometry wings; they could sweep forward for takeoff, landing, and dogfighting, and swept back for high-speed pursuits. This geometry was usually automatically controlled by the in-flight computer. The Tomcat could carry the Phoenix, AMRAAM, Sparrow, and Sidewander missiles (up to 8 at a time, depending on configuration), and was equipped with a 20 mm Vulcan (Gatling-style) gun for carving Ivan to pieces. As the Cold War winded down, the Navy converted several F-14s into strike aircraft. The LANTIRN pod system was developed, which was a cheap upgrade that allowed for night bombings and laser target designation. The new Tomcats could carry several types of bombs, and gave the Tomcat another ten years of service.
Without the Tomcat, we would have had a much tougher time winning the Cold War, as there would have been no credible threat to intercept Soviet bombers and cruise missiles. Top Gun would also be siginifantly different as Maverick would not likely have needed Goose, as most fighter aircraft are one-seaters (see the F/A-18s in Independence Day), and we would have been short-changed. Thank you to Grumman for developing the Tomcat.
The Tomcat went 5-0 versus enemy fighters (mostly Libyans). One Tomcat was shot down by a SAM during Desert Storm, but the pilot survived.
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