WI: USN buys a 'better F-14' instead of Super Hornet

Offered to the US government as an upgrade of F-18 design, the Super Hornet was largely a new aircraft - new wing & LERX, new tail surface, new intakes and U/C, plus mandatory new electronics and engines. A fuselage 'plug' to increase internal volume.
So, let's say US Navy opts for the improvement of the F-14 instead. The F-14D as base, with new, obviously digital electronics, updated GE 110 engines (similar to what F-15s and 16s got), single-piece canopy, helmet mounted sight etc. Hopefully a 2D vectoring nozzle?
What might be the gains, what are the shortcomings?
Grumman was offering several different upgraded varints of the F-14 historically: link.
 

Ak-84

Banned
Super TomCat 21 (STC 21) was a pretty sweet aircraft. Better in everyway than what the USN got, remember the USN got the Super Hornet because they after the A-12 cancellation has no new A/C projected to join the fleet until 2010, when it was expected that the JSF would be available in large number (lol).
 
The Issue was money

The F-14 was hell of fighter Jet, but also Hell in maintenance cost also. (the variable-sweep wing)

Next to that the US Navy wanted to replace the F-14 & A-6 with The McDonnell Douglas A-12 Avenger II
But that program had ran into serious problems and got canceled
next to that were Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney, who described the F-14 as obsolete 1960s technology, and drastically cut back F-14D procurement in 1989 before cancelling production altogether in 1991
So US Navy went for cheaper Super Hornets

How to change that ?
No Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney, let him have hearth attack.
And make modernized version of F-14 with better engines, up to date electronics, like the Super Tomcat aka Tomcat 21 proposal
 

SsgtC

Banned
Keep the USSR from collapsing for a few more years. When the USSR collapsed, Congress immediately moved to slash the Military's budget. That affected procurement of expensive items like the Tomcat. With the USSR still around, the USN is allowed to buy the better fighter and screw the cost.
 
Have the UK and Japan build the interceptor F14 B for their air defence needs (the UK instead of the Tornado ADF and the Japanese instead of F15) operating from concrete aircraft carriers (The UK and Japan!)

Perhaps the real/imagined threat of air launched Cruise missiles pushes the need for AIM 54 capable aircraft ie the Tomcat and it is felt that the more limited Sparrow/Skyflash engagement envelopes are perceived to be not good enough

So with a much larger pool of aircraft and a continuing strategic need to protect partner nations from this air launched threat the type is not as easily dropped in 1989

With increased development the type turns into the planned advanced F14 with even greater endurence, better engines, avionics (with a modern FLIR and AESA radar) and airframes and capable of carrying a large number of the much lighter, better performing and smaller long ranged AIM 120 AMMRAAM over the much heavier AIM 54 as the older missile was retired in the early 2000s.
 

Ak-84

Banned
Maybe also have Pakistan Air Force go for Tomcats which were offered originally instead of F16? If Tomcat has a large international presence than maybe there is interest in keeping the line open?
 

Pangur

Donor
The Issue was money

The F-14 was hell of fighter Jet, but also Hell in maintenance cost also. (the variable-sweep wing)


Next to that the US Navy wanted to replace the F-14 & A-6 with The McDonnell Douglas A-12 Avenger II
But that program had ran into serious problems and got canceled
next to that were Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney, who described the F-14 as obsolete 1960s technology, and drastically cut back F-14D procurement in 1989 before cancelling production altogether in 1991
So US Navy went for cheaper Super Hornets

How to change that ?
No Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney, let him have hearth attack.
And make modernized version of F-14 with better engines, up to date electronics, like the Super Tomcat aka Tomcat 21 proposal

There are your first bg issues to sort out, money and maintenance. Just what can be done I have no idea expect you would have thought that if say the wiring loom was from the early 70`s that by the late 80`s a far more robust job is possible.

Keep the USSR from collapsing for a few more years. When the USSR collapsed, Congress immediately moved to slash the Military's budget. That affected procurement of expensive items like the Tomcat. With the USSR still around, the USN is allowed to buy the better fighter and screw the cost.

The above makes sense however I suspect that USSR would have had to being putting large carriers to sea to be sure as it were
 
The problem with exporting the F-14 is that it was pretty much built around the AIM-54 and the US was very leery about exporting that weapon system, so by offering the F-14 for export without the missile system built for it, you're immediately de-fanging it.
 

Pangur

Donor
The problem with exporting the F-14 is that it was pretty much built around the AIM-54 and the US was very leery about exporting that weapon system, so by offering the F-14 for export without the missile system built for it, you're immediately de-fanging it.
Leery but not totally against the idea.
 
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I would assume that the new Tomcat would also have the bombcat's strike capabilities. That was one big thing the F-18 had over the F-14, that it was multi-role whilst the F-14 was purely an interceptor.
 

Ak-84

Banned
POD:
In 1979/80 Carter agrees to supply Pakistan with TomCats to combat the threat of the VVS in Afghanistan. IOTL offer was never officially made, however, it was considered by all sides and rejected by the PAF, ostensibly on costs, but really since the PAF had bad experiences with de-Navalised fighters. At the time Carter admin was pushing the F-16/79 and the F20 for export and was unwilling to release F16's, they compromised by offering to pay for French Fighters for Pakistan, which came to nought, and eventually, PAF got F16's when Reagan came to power

ITTL, first PAF F14 are delivered in 1981-1982 and quickly show their mettle against VVS scoring several kills like the F16 OTL. Pakistan eventually ends up with a fleet of 70. Because of PAF's influence (PAF a/c stationed in the country, officers on secondment) with ME AF's, especially in the Gulf, many area air arms begin to place orders. Which further makes countries like S Korea and Japan ask for A/C. By the time the cold war ends the TomCat is established a major player in the aviation industry. Which means that Grumann has many more orders and the STC-21 is introduced in the mid 1990's early 2000's.

The Tom's size means that its potential for A2G missions has been recognized as was with the Phantom before it and the F15 after it. From 1980's several "Bombcat" variants are introduced.
 
F14 is the plane in top gun right? Dual engined

yes we talk about this one
800px-F-14A_VF-211_SectionTop.JPG
 
Raise US tensions with China and give China a Kh-22 class AShM and more H-6D's, either that or just have them buy/license Tu-22M and Kh-22

The Tomcat's killer ap was that it could intercept and kill long range AShM carriers before they entered range, with the Chinese H-6D/C-601 combo has a range of 150km, which is within that of of an RIM-67C or RIM-156, and can be effectively dealt with by the F/A-18E/F/AIM-120 combination. Something like KH-22 with a 600km range, requires the F-14/AIM-54 combination to effectively intercept before seperation
 
The fact is that the F-18 was not what the Navy wanted . They wanted a strike aircraft able to carry what the SLUF carried to the same range and able to also carry out air defence . The F 18 could carry the load and do the A2A stuff but at a fraction of the range .

What the needed was an F 18 E size aircraft . The Tomcat was too expensive for wider purchase and even the super tomcat would be still born without a change to the wings for a start . A navalised f-15 E with aim-54 would have been more acceptable .
 
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