F-14 Tomcat

[Craig.]

but the A-10 isnt really made for air to air combat though. it has a few air defence weapons, but it really is an air to ground aircraft

[OTTOL]

Think of the possibilities though. With the exception of some thrust vectoring A/C there's not much out there that can outturn an A-10. You've seen what that gun can do to a tank
just imagine being the poor sod in an aluminum and carbon fiber airplane caught in an A-10's gunsights.

[Crumbso]

but the A-10 isnt really made for air to air combat though. it has a few air defence weapons, but it really is an air to ground aircraft

There in lies my point. This commentater made it out to be the best every thing but it is only good at what it was designed to do.That is probably what this program was doing. The f-14 may be a good interceptor but could it do the rest of the things that an EFA, a very advanced multi role aircraft, could do?

P.S the EFA might be able to keep up with the turning circle of an A-10.

[Craig.]

my bad:) its sort of difficult to pick between certain comments and others when only in text. although the F-14 is a pretty good multirole aircraft though, i believe its main title, is along the lines of naval air interceptor and fleet defence, air superiority fighter? but it soon got turned into a recon and a bomber.
i know in general the eurofighter is a better aircraft, it better be for what it cost:) its just a shame they left out a cannon on the front though, i know it really needed but it could be its downfall if by some mirical it got caught up in a dogfight

[Blade]

Well here's my philosophy with the F-14. If it can go faster, carry more weapons, longer range, and the one and only plane in the NATO inventory that carries one of the worlds farther range missles. Even though its thirty years old it still carries some of the most advanced weapons in the world, has the worlds most powerful radar suite and targeting package. Its still one of the worlds technological feats with its swing-wing design. Its heavy, its bulky, its old, but its still one of the most feared fighter interceptors in the world. With the new GE engines being installed in the fleet it gives it an extra 7,000 lbs of thrust, up to 27,000. But in comparison the F-14 is more like the F-15 while the Eurofighter is more like the F-16. Small, fast, agile, its a great aircraft, but I'm sticking to my Tomcat for the time being. One last thing, when you guys build a fighter dont ask other nations to chip in because you will only get half of what you want. The F-14 was a god send for the Navy, it may be expensive but to hell with that, if it does that job right politicians have no business telling people how it should be handled.

Addon to post above: Did I just hear that correctly, that the EFA has NO CANNON!?!? What the hell are these people thinking. There was a whole show on the other day on the importance of the cannon. Back in Vietnam the first F-4 Phantoms had no cannon, and they got their butts kicked by the NVAF MiG-21's, until the cannon was mounted on. For future of air combat there will always be the need for a cannon, no matter how technologically advanced we are. The US found that out by the bodies of dead pilots in Vietnam...

[Crumbso]

I guess your right blade.

I'm sure they'll see the error of their ways and shove one on there after a couple of years.

[Craig.]

as my dad explained to me.
the reason no cannon, on the EF is because of a few reasons,
1: it will save a huge amount of money.
2: it will save a large amount of weight.
3: they do not spend millions of

[BMan1113VR]

[quote]The F-14s drawback is that it's a beast to land on carriers because even the F-14D is missing the technology that the Hornet has to help it down.

[ozzy72]

Craig I do believe we've heard the arguement for not dogfighting before. The first F4s over 'Nam didn't have guns because all the clever eggs thought that dogfighting was dead in the advent of the missile age!
Dogfighting is always a possibility, and if you don't prepare for it your bottom will have a large boot come into contact with it!
Oh and nobody has mentioned the greatest carrier based fighter of all time yet......... The Seafire

Ozzy (one heavily biased Supermarine products fanatic)

[Craig.]

hey i'm not saying there wont be dogfights:) thats the MOD's reasoning behind it.
the cannon is always a handy thing to have in my opinion, could be the differance between bringing home a

[BMan1113VR]

The F-14s drawback is that it's a beast to land on carriers because even the F-14D is missing the technology that the Hornet has to help it down.  That's why students who pass with top marks in pilot training always get the Hornet...sometimes whether they like it not!

Right BMan?

yah the f-14 is a reall b*tch to land.

there are many different ways to end up flying different aircraft (wow hope that came out so that someone can understand it  ::)) when i was in the navy. . .unless you were coming in from the academy. . .you would have to generally  prove yourself elegable for top gun school. . .and then after all the training and stuff you get to fly the f-14

. . .it could be different nowadays

[OTTOL]

Hey Bman, how long has it been since you flew an F14(seriously)? I have a friend who flies for United(yeah another friend of a friend of a friend story!), he flies with a Navy reserve pilot that told him the F14 has now been limited to +4g Max., due to stress cracks found in the wing pivot points during NDT. If that's the case, Blades dogfighter argument sort of loses it's punch. Although I watched the F14 Demo all three days at the FLL airshow this year, and I think that particular pilot must have left his Natops in the Ready Room and put all of his faith in the ejection seat! Whoever is right in this argument (if there is such a thing) one thing is for sure, it's THE most awe-inspiring aircraft to watch at an airshow. The flying equivalent to a TopFueler/F1
Car with a tank turret mounted on it.

[Blade]

It depends which F-14 model you are talking about. There is the F-14A/A+ and the F-14B/D. The B/D models have new engines and improved airframes and lots of other goodies. The A/A+ had the older engines that tended to seize in flight.

[OTTOL]

You ARE good! Don't get me wrong, I'm a fan of the F14(in case you had'nt noticed.)
     I was stationed at MCAS Kaneohe just before the last two squadrons of F4's were retired. Another example of maybe not the baddest thing out there but a bull in it's own right. Those J79's reminded me of locomotive engines as they taxiied by our hangar.  brute Horsepower!

[Blade]

Yea the old P&W turbines would seize during violent flight tactics. So they were changed to GE engines that were safer and punched out 7,000 more lbs of thrust.