The franchise Top Gun has again swept the nation, as “Top Gun: Maverick” rebooted the nostalgia of the original 1986 film and everything associated with it, especially the Grumman F-14 Tomcat. This iconic airplane is praised for its multirole capabilities and endurance, being the principal fighter jet aircraft of the U.S. Navy throughout the late Cold War.
The F-14 Tomcat made use of lessons learned from combat against the MiG fighters during the Vietnam War. Entering service in 1970, and deploying onto USS Enterprise in 1974, it quickly superseded the F-4 Phantom II as the Navy’s standard workhorse. The F-14 can be flown in air superiority, fleet defense, interception, and even as an aerial reconnaissance platform; the aircraft later received upgrades for carrying out ground attacks. The F-14 stayed in service for thirty years. Despite being overshadowed by its replacement, the F/A-18 Hornet, and its cousin, the F-15 Eagle, the F-14 has an operational history worth noting.
In the 1970s, Iran, a Cold War ally of the United States, bought F-14s in an attempt to develop the capability to project military force. Iranian F-14s had a spectacular air victory record during the Iran-Iraq War, with 50 air-to-air victories within the first six months of the war. According to researcher Tom Cooper, Iranian F-14s shot down Iraqi MiG-21s, MiG-23s, and Su-20s; in return, the Iranians lost only one F-14 during this period. This success is nothing but superb, to say the least, given the non-availability of adequate support from AWACS, AEW, and Ground Control. Iraq also enjoyed support emanating from the Soviet Union, France, and the United States.
Today, Iran remains the sole operator of the F-14 with around two dozen still in service. The U.S. retired the F-14 in 2006 to be replaced by the F/A-18. Most retired F-14s were shredded to prevent Iran from acquiring components, and only 11 intact F-14s are preserved in storage at Davis-Monthan AFB.
Running parallel to the F-14 story was that of the Grumman EA-6B Prowler: a twin-engine, four-seat electronic warfare aircraft based on the A-6 Intruder airframe. Developed in 1966, the EA-6B has been in service since 1971, flying sorties to jam hostile radar installations and to conduct radio intelligence. Until the entry of the EA-18G Growler into service in 2009, following the retirement of the USAF’s EF-111A Raven in 1998, the EA-6B was the only dedicated electronic warfare aircraft available to the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force.
It has proven phenomenally capable, projecting heavy electromagnetic radiation to jam enemy communications and radar systems. In 1988, the addition of the AGM-88 HARM missile provided a great increase in neutralizing enemy air defenses. Despite its age, Prowler aircraft have been instrumental in recent operations against ISIS and in suppressing Syrian/Russian air defense systems. The aircraft served in every major aerial conflict since Vietnam; its last deployment was in 2014.
The EA-6B was flown in operational service with the United States Marine Corps until 2019. The final squadron to fly the type, VMAQ-2 “Death Jesters”, stood down in March 2019. The legacy of the EA-6B is born from its great contributions to electronic warfare and the protection of coalition forces against enemy air defenses and IEDs.
The F-14 Tomcat and EA-6B Prowler are leaving an indelible mark on military aviation history. Their fabled histories continue to charm enthusiasts and testify to both the genius and durability of their designs.