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Aviation History
1988
1988 - 3536.PDF
Grumman studies multirole Tomcat by Mike Gaines, Defence Editor Grumman Aerospace is study ing a new multirole variant of its F-14, called Tomcat 21, for service into the next century. Tomcat 21 is a private venture funded by Grumman as part of the company's product improvement philosophy. The US Navy is interested in the project, Flight understands, but does not have a formal require ment for such an aircraft. Tomcat 21 will reinstate the F-14's air-to-ground capability, discarded by the US Navy during flight-testing of the aircraft in the early 1970s. When the F-14 was designed, the US Navy specified its main roles as strike escort and fleet defence, with secondary inter diction and close-support roles. Prototype Tomcats completed weapons carriage and separa tion trials in the bombing role. The larger 1,0001b and 2,0001b iron bombs separated cleanly, but some smaller weapons suffered post-release collisions. Grumman was resolving this problem when the Navy dropped its air-to-ground requirement, focussing instead on the F-14's air-to-air mission. Grumman has decided to exploit the Tomcat's designed- in air-to-ground mission qual ities, and at the same time bring US Navy/Air Force engine commonality back into line. General Electric F110-400s in re-engined F-14A+S and up dated F-14Ds were added to US Air Force purchases to take advantage of lower unit prices from larger production runs. The Navy engines are 75 to 80 per cent common with USAF FllOs. The improved- performance Fl 10-429 devel oping an extra 3,0001b sea-level thrust will be ready by 1992, however, and Grumman will use this engine for Tomcat 21. Tomcat 21's airframe will differ slightly from that of previous F-14s. The main difference will be removal of the extendable glove vanes; their fairings will be bulged to provide approximately the same area as the extended vanes, and adapted to carry an extra 2,6001b of fuel, bringing total internal fuel to 18,8001b. The triangular vanes generate lift ahead of the e.g. and help to compensate for the nose-down pitching moment as the centre of lift moves aft during super sonic manoeuvring, which is not required for the air-to- ground role. Grumman is also modifying Early tests of the F-14A as a bomber were discontinued. Fourteen retarded bombs were carried on the weapons rails, with two droptanks outboard and AIM-7 Sparrow air-to-air missiles on the glove pylons the Tomcat's high-lift devices to improve wing lift coefficient at approach angles of attack. The company is windtunnel- testing various flap configura tions, with the aim of reducing approach speed by lOkt from the present 128kt. The lower speed will enable Tomcat 21 to land back on the carrier at The glove vanes improve manoeuvrability at supersonic speeds by offloading the tailplane heavier weights when returning with expensive ordnance un expended. Tomcat 21's sensor suite, based on that of the all-digital F-14D, will be extended for ground-attack work. The Hughes APG-71 radar will be modified to provide a high- resolution synthetic-aperture targetting mode for 24hr bad- weather operations. A laser ranger/tracker will be fitted, and slaved to the present infrared search and track system, TV camera set, and radar. A dedicated ground- attack forward-looking infrared sensor will also be fitted. The ordnance envisaged for Tomcat 21—long-range stand off weapons and missiles, rather than dumb bombs—will require new software to be written. Originally the F-14 had a 6,000hr airframe life, since extended to 7,200hr. Grumman aims to extend this to 7,500hr by the end of this year, with an ultimate goal of 9,000hr, which at present usage rates equates to about a 30-year service life. If ordered today, the Tomcat 21 could be on deck by 1996 and remain in service until 2026. The aircraft is not seen as a hard alternative to a naval version of the US Air Force's Tactical Fighter, but as a logical extension of an existing and potent asset. A mix of new and retrofitted Tomcat 21s would provide extra airpower flexi bility, Grumman believes. 10 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL, 10 December 1988
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