![]() ![]() The final upgrade could have been the ASF-14 (Advanced Strike Fighter). Again, the AST21 could be remanufactured by rebuilding existing F-14Ds. And since bombs would generally be carried in the tunnel, the AST21 would retain fighter-like maneuverability unlike any other attack aircraft. If needed for air-to-air scenarios, they could be easily fitted and give the AST21 a full air-to-air suite.Īdditional armoring for the crew area and an Integrated Defensive Avionics Package (IDAP) were planned for the AST21, too. Also, the TCS and IRST would be made removeable to save weight in the air-to-ground role. Weapons capability, bomb stores under the engine nacelles (normally used for external fuel tanks) and a FAC (Forward Air Controller) mode modification to the radar system. Was thought to be an alternative for the navalized ATF. The AST21 is simply a more attack-oriented model of the ST21 and The ST21Ĭould launch at gross weight with a 7 knot tail wind on the deck.Īs well as the F-14D Quickstrike, the ST21 is just an upgrade, that means any of the already existing F-14Ds could have been remanufactured to ST21 standard at consequently lowĪs developed by Grumman engineers, the next step could have been the AST21 (Attack Lbs while the approach speed dropped 15 knots due to the new glove and wing design. This would increase the ST21s internal fuel quantity toġ8,500 lbs! Further, the bringback capability increased from 9,000 lbs (F-14D) to some 16,000 StructuralĬhanges in the glove allowed an extra 2,200 lbs of fuel in each glove while saving structural These engines would have given extra thrust and even more fuel efficiency: The engines puts outĢ9,000 to 30,000 lbs of thrust each in maximum afterburner.Īll the above mentioned modifications, including lighter avionics and engines, accountedįor an increase in empty weight of 1,000 lbs and in gross weight of some 2,000 lbs. The ST21 could have been equipped with an upgraded version of the F110 engine, the F110-GE-429. Since this cooling system is no more needed for the B and C missile, weight was saved by deleting it and a place for the new pods was free. Phoenix rail fairings, which until then housed the oil cooling system for the AIM-54A missile. The pods for this sensors found their place in the forward Would have given the pilot a much better frontsight compared to the relatively restricted viewįurther aerodynamic improvements were revised wing leading edges and a Fowler flap system.įinally, the last visible modification were navigation and attack FLIR (Forward Looking Additionally, this modification would have solved the structural problems in the glove area.Īnother very obvious modification was a newly introduced single piece windscreen. This modification should enhance the supersonic flight characteristics as well as the dogfighting capabilities. Glove was enlarged to take the place of the extended glove-vane. Modification was the new glove area: Instead of the retractable glove-vanes of the A model, the It was an revolutionary upgrade of the existing F-14D model. ST21 stands for Super Tomcat for the 21st Century. The next design-step should have been the ST21. The F/A-18E/F is nearly a complete new airframe with consequently There is another major difference between the F-14D Quickstrike and the F/A-18E/F: Theĭevelopment costs! The F-14D Quickstrike needed only software changes and some internal (as specified for the ATF), it did come closer than anything else, especially the F/A-18E/F. Modifications for more stand-off weapons like the Harpoon, HARM and SLAM (Standoff Land AttackĮven though the F-14D Quickstrike did not meet the Navy's requirements for range and payload It would have featuredĪn improved APG-71 radar with new modes for air-to-air and air-to-ground strikes and The first step into the future was the F-14D Quickstrike. But, the Super Tomcats were never more than design concepts or scale models. And therefore, the Super Tomcats were developed as an alternative to a navalized ATF (Advanced Tactical Fighter). The design work on the advanced versions of the Grumman F-14 began as early as 1987 and shouldīring the F-14 design beyond the limits of the F-14D since the growth potential of the F-14 was Super Tomcat - "With it the Navy might not need the ATF" The most comprehensive Grumman F-14 Reference Work - by Torsten Anft! ![]()
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