With the success of the Super Hornet to be the next generation Navy multi-purpose fighter, Tomcat 21 was sadly cancelled, but can the Super Hornet E/F really fill up F-14s presence's as the Navy's next generation interceptor and fleet protector? The section below will cover that.
F-14 Tomcat B/D
| Type: | Two seat carrier based multi-role fighter |
| Performance | |
| Max Speed | MACH 2.34 / 2,517km/hr at height MACH 1.2 / 1,464km/hr at Sea Level |
| Combat Radius ( to and back ) | 2,000 miles / 3,200 km |
| Climb rate at normal Gross weight | 30,000ft / 9,144m mins |
| Service Ceiling | Over 56,000ft / 17,067m |
| Thrust | A- 20,900 pound A+ and D 27,000 pound each |
| Weight | |
| Empty | 40,104lb / 18,191kg |
| internal fuel | 16,200lb / 7,348kg |
| Load (clean) | 58,715lb / 26,631kg |
| Maxiumum | 74,349lb / 33,724kg |
Armament
Up to 13,000 pounds of AIM-54 Phoenix missile, AIM-7 Sparrow missile, AIM-9 Sidewinder missile, air-to-ground ordnance, and one MK-61A1 Vulcan 20mm cannon. Ground ordnance includes Rockeye , CBU-59 cluster , GBU-16 LGB and Gator mines.
Overall
Although the F-14 Tomcat is able to carry out both air to air and air to ground mission, it was never intended to be a fighter-bomber but rather than a fighter interceptor. Only the F-14D Tomcat is able to carry ground ordnance and the first bombing was in Bosnia. The F-14 Tomcat is one of the best fighter interceptor in the world, it is able to track up to 24 targets and nail the most 6 treating targets 60 miles away. The Tomcat is also easily fitted with TARPS for reconnaissance missions, although each Tomcat cost about 40 million dollar each, it is definitely one of the most feared fighters in the world
F-18 E/F Super Hornet
| Type: | One and Two seat carrier based multi-role Strike fighter/Interceptor |
| Performance | |
| Max Speed | MACH +1.8 / + 1,936km/hr at height approx |
| Combat Radius ( to and back ) | 1,290.8 miles / 2,074 km (no external fuel) |
| Thrust | 22,000 pound each engine |
| Service Ceiling | Over 50,000ft / 15,238m |
| Weight | |
| Empty | 40,104lb / 18,191kg |
| internal fuel | 14,500 lb |
| Load (clean) | 30,500 lb (approx) |
| Maxiumum | 66,000 lb / 29,932 kg |
Armament
One 20mm MK-61A1 Vulcan cannon; External payload: AIM 9 Sidewinder, AIM 7 Sparrow, AIM-120 AMRAAM, Harpoon, Harm, Shrike, SLAM, SLAM-ER, Walleye, Maverick missiles; Joint Stand-Off Weapon (JSOW); Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM); various general purpose bombs, mines and rockets.
Overall
Being 25 years younger then the Tomcat, the Super Hornet has an advantage in both stealth and modern day technology. Design to carry out both "air to air" and "air to ground" missions, the new generation of the F-18 Super Hornet offers more longer range, greater endurance, more payload-carrying ability, more powerful engines, increased carrier bring back capability, enhanced survivability and a renewed potential for future growth compared to its F-18 predecessor. The crew station also features a touch-sensitive, upfront control display, a larger, liquid crystal multipurpose color display and a new engine fuel display, making the Super Hornet one of the most sophisticated and ATF in the world
SO ??????
With more technological advanced weapon available to more unstable countries (such as the new generation of Migs and the new Russian Anti-ship missile), fleet defense has ever become more important. While the Super Hornet might be the next generation of the navy super fighter, there has been doubt whether if it can carry out air to air combat in long range distance. The Phoenix missile is designed especially for the F-14 Tomcat, it is able to destroy any given target within the range of 60 miles.
With the end of the cold war, governments in the western world are looking into more flexible and money saving equipment, such as the F-18 Hornet series which is known for little m (maintenance) and big R (reliability). The F-18 Super Hornet is definitely the more advanced technological fighter with superb air and ground capability at a cost of 35 million dollars (3 million dollar cheaper then the Tomcat), but the F-14 Tomcat is still the superior fighter because it is able to reach a longer distance and engage multiple targets and destroy them simultaneously (which is needed for the first line of defense in naval warfare), in a time of war and the protection of the fleet.
Only time will tell if it is a mistake to replace the F-14 Tomcat with F-18 Super Hornet as the carriers first line of defense.
