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The Navy Vol_67_No_2 Apr 2005 - Navy League of Australia

The Navy Vol_67_No_2 Apr 2005 - Navy League of Australia

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An F-14D Tomcat about to ‘trap’ aboard one <strong>of</strong> theUS <strong>Navy</strong>’s Nimitz class aircraft carriers. (USN)the Mediterranean, where they murdered an elderly Americantourist. <strong>The</strong> terrorists managed to cut a deal with Egypt to takean Egyptair Boeing 737 airliner to Libya.American signals intelligence was monitoring thewhole affair, and seven Tomcats were scrambled fromthe carrierTomcats flew air patrols again during the 1988-1989Persian Gulf convoy operations, occasionally firing missiles atIranian F-4 Phantoms but not scoring any kills. F-14s also flewduring the 1991 Gulf War, performing air patrols to protect<strong>Navy</strong> ships, which as it turned out were never presented withany real threat. It appears that the only kill scored by F-14Asduring the conflict was <strong>of</strong> a Mil Mi-8 ‘Hip’ helicopter, shotdown by two Tomcats on 6 February 1991.USS SARATOGA to intercept the airliner.<strong>The</strong>y forced it to land at Sigonella, Italy, where theterrorists were arrested and tried by the Italians. It mightnot have been a massive blow to terrorism, but it was greataction-movie stuff. It is little wonder in hindsight why RonaldReagan was so popular in his time.<strong>The</strong> US <strong>Navy</strong> performed yet another provocation exercisein the Gulf <strong>of</strong> Sidra in early 1989. Two Tomcats from the USSJOHN F. KENNEDY (JFK) were on combat patrol when theywere confronted by two Libyan MiG-23 fighters. <strong>The</strong> Tomcatcrews were given the authorization: “Warning yellow, weaponshold” – indicating they were recognized as being under threat(“warning yellow”) and were free to prepare for and engage incombat (“weapons hold”, as opposed to “weapons tight”). <strong>The</strong>fighters launched two Sparrows and a Sidewinder, with oneSparrow and the Sidewinder scoring kills. Both Libyan pilotsejected successfully, but were apparently lost at sea.F-14B / F-14DIt is difficult to tell an F-14B from an F-14A. <strong>The</strong> F-14Bhas bigger exhaust nozzles, no wing glove vanes, a modifieddoor near the gun port, and antennas for a new AN/ALR-<strong>67</strong>Radar Warning Receiver (RWR) under the wing gloves. <strong>The</strong>new engines not only provided improved performance, forexample allowing carrier take<strong>of</strong>fs without afterburner, theywere also more fuel-efficient, permitting longer loiter times ora greater radius <strong>of</strong> action, and could be operated without thesame kind <strong>of</strong> babying demanded by the old TF30s.<strong>The</strong> <strong>Navy</strong> also decided to obtain an F110-powered Tomcatwith a substantially improved digital avionics suite, includingan AN/APG-71 radar system; a modernized cockpit layout,featuring new display systems and compatible with nightvisiongoggles (NVGs); new Martin-Baker Mark 17 ejectionseats; an AN/ALR-<strong>67</strong> RWR; dual MIL-STD 1553B digital databuses; and both IRST and TCS sensors. <strong>The</strong> new variant wasTHE NAVY VOL. <strong>67</strong> NO. 2 7

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