Grumman F-14B Tomcat (ex-F-14A+)
The re-engined Tomcat — General Electric F110s finally gave the airframe the power it needed · First flight 1986 · In service 1988
Plans to replace the F-14A's TF30 engines with the General Electric F110-GE-400 were announced in 1984, and the first F-14A Plus (F-14A+) flew on 29 September 1986. Each F110 produced about 120 kN with afterburner, which raised the thrust-to-weight ratio at maximum weight from roughly 0.56 to 0.73. The A+ also received the AN/ALR-67 radar warning receiver, while the AWG-9 radar and most of the original avionics were kept.
A total of 38 new aircraft were built and 43 F-14As were converted, giving 81 airframes. VF-74 is generally credited as the first fleet squadron to receive the type, in 1988, and the designation was changed to F-14B on 1 May 1991. In the late 1990s the F-14B fleet went through a further upgrade programme — known as F-14B (Upgrade) — that extended airframe life and improved the offensive and defensive avionics.
F-14Bs served exclusively with the US Navy, flying with Atlantic Fleet squadrons such as VF-11, VF-32, VF-74, VF-103 and VF-143 on operations over Iraq and Afghanistan before the type was replaced by the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet in the mid-2000s.
