Navy Adopts the Tomcat 21

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The US Navy Knew that the F-14 D was an aging fighter and that a new replacement would be needed. Grumman came up with a number of variant ant the final version would be the Tomcat 21. While not as advanced as the F-22 it would have been a huge advance over the F-14D. The estimate cost of the new version of the plane was 39 million per copy. It was estimated that between new versions and rebuild more than 600 planes would be made.

There would be an attack version which would replace the obsolete A-6 Intruder. I propose that the Navy in this case changed its mind and that the Congress agreed to fund the program.

This would mean that there would be no need to build the Super Hornet and there would be easier maintenance, The carrier s would have a longer range fighter and attack aircraft.
 
I think the upgraded electronics would cost 39 million alone. Checked out the projected cost of JSF lately?
 
According to articles that I have read the Tomcat 21 cost was set at 39 million.. Now if I recall the article correctly 250-300 aircraft would be new planes while the remaining 300-35 would be rebuilds. In addition to electronis there would be some other changes and I would not be surprised if the cost of the aircraft rose to 50-60 million per copy. The aircraft would have a fuel saving capacity- thus allowing it to go Mach 1.3 without using its aft burners. It would also have some features that the F-22 had. In effect it would be a compromise and would provide the navy with a longer range fighter than would be the case with the Super Hornet. It would also be available in an attack version thus replacing the A-6 and be far cheaper than the A-12 which was eventually cancelled by Secretary of Defense Cheney for cost over runs and being behind schedule.

In addition the aircraft would not be as stealthy as the F-22 thus it would not cost as much but it would have probably been a better solution. I have seen all kinds of cost estimates for the F-22 and the F-35. It depends on what is being included. Some cost estimates for the F-22 are 132 mill per unit and cost estimates for the F-35 have been as high as 150 million per copy.
 
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The F-22 program was curtailed recently because the cost per unit was 331-350 million bucks a pop. And the RAM coating wash off in the rain. The F-35 program can't really be priced yet because delays change prices and it is delayed. Estimated costs and final unit costs seem to be two different animals, particularly when you combine untried airframes and engines and electronics (mega-multiple systems). If the Navy knew how long they were going to wait and how much they were going to fork over for JSF, they might have given the Tomcat another shot.(for 39 million). However, I believe someone wanted it dead because Iran still flies some and they want to close any possible parts pipelines. Whether effective or not, since Iran itself is trying to build parts itself. Anybody got a thyristor for the AWG-9?
 
Actually from what I have heard Iran has given up on the F-14s as they have not been able to get or make the parts that they need. They have decided to buy new Russian made jets which are 4th generation fighter.

It seems that the navy wanted to go with a radically improved designed aircraft and thus felt that the Tomcat 21 would not have been a big enough advance. The A-12 program litterly sucked all of the spare cash out of navy aviation. It was finally cancelled by the Secretary of Defense for massive cost overruns and being behind schedule. Since the F-14 was approaching the end of its serviceable life the dicission was to go with the Super Hornet, in effect a stretch version of the F/A-18. I too believe that in the end the navy would have been better off with the Tomcat 21 than with the Super Hornet.

The cost of the F-35 may rise since Secretary Gates may not be purchasing enopugh units to replace all of the aircraft being removed from service. The is also talk that the Brits may cancell their purchase if the carriers that they are planning on building are cancelled. A lot of countries that have expressed interest in the F-22 have expressed no interest in purchasing the F-35. Israel has instead purchased specially built F-15s for its air force.
 
Anyway the adoption of the Tomcat 21 would also give the US navy the option of also having the Attack verision of the aircraft. This would replace the aging A-6 intruder with an aircaft capable of carrying more ordnance to a target at a face speed. This would allow the US carrier Battle Group to repond to any emergency much faster than would be the case with the F/A-18 Super Hornet. It would also reduce the cost of maintenace of the aircraft.
 
Actually from what I have heard Iran has given up on the F-14s as they have not been able to get or make the parts that they need. They have decided to buy new Russian made jets which are 4th generation fighter.

It seems that the navy wanted to go with a radically improved designed aircraft and thus felt that the Tomcat 21 would not have been a big enough advance. The A-12 program litterly sucked all of the spare cash out of navy aviation. It was finally cancelled by the Secretary of Defense for massive cost overruns and being behind schedule. Since the F-14 was approaching the end of its serviceable life the dicission was to go with the Super Hornet, in effect a stretch version of the F/A-18. I too believe that in the end the navy would have been better off with the Tomcat 21 than with the Super Hornet.

The cost of the F-35 may rise since Secretary Gates may not be purchasing enopugh units to replace all of the aircraft being removed from service. The is also talk that the Brits may cancell their purchase if the carriers that they are planning on building are cancelled. A lot of countries that have expressed interest in the F-22 have expressed no interest in purchasing the F-35. Israel has instead purchased specially built F-15s for its air force.

A more probable reason for the cancellation for the F/A-35B, by the U.K, is the cancellation of the General Electric/Rolls-Royce F136 engine, now undergoing delevopment, which would be fitted to U.K F/A-35's, by the U.S Congress, in favour of the rival Pratt & Whitney F135, as was intended to be part of the offset, for Level 1 Status...
 
Yes, the engine cancellation may be one factor but another factor is the strong possibility that the FAA may be eliminated and all aviation transferred to the RAF. This might result in the cancellation of the two new carriers.
 
Yes, the engine cancellation may be one factor but another factor is the strong possibility that the FAA may be eliminated and all aviation transferred to the RAF. This might result in the cancellation of the two new carriers.

The RAF would ironically love this, considering that "The Senior Service" in the 1960's, effectively sabotaged the P.1154 supersonic V/Stol proposal, as well as the TSR 2, in order for the Royal Navy to have their Queen Elizabeth Class "Supercarriers" in service during the 1970's...
(Ironically, the financial crisis of 1968, forced the cancellation of said Navy project...).
 
Yes, the engine cancellation may be one factor but another factor is the strong possibility that the FAA may be eliminated and all aviation transferred to the RAF. This might result in the cancellation of the two new carriers.

Source?

In addition the aircraft would not be as stealthy as the F-22 thus it would not cost as much

With logic like this, who needs reasoning? :D

I'd think the Navy was looking for a decent multi-role fighter to fulfill a lot of different tasks, in the age of budget cuts.
A newer version of the F-18 multirole fighter would fit that bill more then a huge interceptor which turned into a very, very decent bomber. A newer version of the Tomcat would likely have cost more then the newer version of the Bug did as it's a larger plane with a complicated swing-wing.
Besides, the F/A-18E/F has barely less internal fuel then the F-14D.

I too believe that in the end the navy would have been better off with the Tomcat 21 than with the Super Hornet.
Why?

The wiki for the tomcat-D specifies a 50 mln USD pricetag, in what probably was 1989 dollars.
IIRC the current price for the F-22, without R&D is 142 mln USD in 2009 dollars. So I don't think the price difference between the F-22 (or F-35) and a newer Tomcat version would be that big.
 

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The US Navy Knew that the F-14 D was an aging fighter and that a new replacement would be needed. Grumman came up with a number of variant ant the final version would be the Tomcat 21. While not as advanced as the F-22 it would have been a huge advance over the F-14D. The estimate cost of the new version of the plane was 39 million per copy. It was estimated that between new versions and rebuild more than 600 planes would be made.

There would be an attack version which would replace the obsolete A-6 Intruder. I propose that the Navy in this case changed its mind and that the Congress agreed to fund the program.

This would mean that there would be no need to build the Super Hornet and there would be easier maintenance, The carrier s would have a longer range fighter and attack aircraft.

This forum is for ALTERNATE HISTORY. You are not posting an alternate history scenario. You are trying to start a politicized debate about jet fighters. You've tried this before. Never, ever do it again. Consider this an official warning.

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