Manual

ABOUT FLEET DEFENDERFLEET DEFENDER is a combat flightsimulation based upon the United StatesNavy’s principle carrier-based interceptor,the F-14B Tomcat. Since its deployment in1972, the F-14 has been entrusted with thedefense of the United States Navy’s aircraftcarrier battlegroups, its most valued militarypossession. More importantly, however, thisaircraft is charged with protecting the livesof 8,000-10,000 servicemen and womenthat serve aboard the ships of an averagebattlegroup (CVBG). They are the Navy’sshield. From Admiral to Ensign, Chief PettyOfficer to Recruit, the F-14 is truly our fleetdefender.Those of you already familiar withMicroProse’s F-15 Strike Eagle III shouldfeel free to jump right in with a singlesortie. Notice that many of the controlkeys and features are common to bothsimulations. The programmers and gamedesigners made a conscious effort to limitthe functional differences between thetwo so that you could get started playingright away. But, if this is your firstMicroProse flight simulation get ready forthe ride of your life.Picture yourself on the deck of a modernaircraft carrier suspended 70 ft. off thesurface of the water. You and your RIO(Radar Intercept Officer) are strapped intoyour F-14 with over 30,000 lbs. of thrustspooling up behind you. “Greenshirts”swarm around your aircraft making sureeverything performs as advertised.Underneath your aircraft, a steam catapultis building up pressure, it has to get your30 ton “Tomcat” airborne in less than 300feet. That doesn’t leave a big margin forerror. The blast deflectors are raised,signifying that the moment of take-off isfast approaching. You are about to bethrown off the flight deck with only onechance to get it right.After the obligatory “thumb’s up”exchange with the Cat Officer, it’s time toThe Cat Officer (in the foreground) is secondsfrom sending this F-14 on its way.go. With a deafening roar, your F-14 isthrust into the sky trailing a superheatedcolumn of air. There’s no turning backnow.... you’re airborne, you’re committed.You’ve become a FLEET DEFENDER.The rest is up to you.FLEET DEFENDER is specificallydesigned to recreate carrier take-offs andlandings (TOLs) in realistic detail. In fact,carrier landings are such a challenge thatthey can easily become a game within agame. How many landings can you makebefore getting your first wave-off? Thestress of so many carrier approaches canget to be too much, especially at night.In order to relieve the tension, thissimulation combines carrier operationswith air combat in two all-new theatres ofwar. Each theatre of war contains threedistinct campaign scenarios for you toparticipate in. If you’re not ready forcombat and just want to practice flying theTomcat, there is an entire theatre devotedsolely to training.Each of the campaign scenarios exposesyour carrier and its escorts to savageattacks. Enemy aircraft probe yourdefenses and test your CAPs. Cruisemissiles suddenly pop-up seemingly outof nowhere. Yes- there are numerouschallenges which await you, fromintercepting bomber formations at high