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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.