US F-14 Tomcat vs. Russian Mig 29 – Massive Air War

By Maya Carlin

The F-14 Tomcat fighter jet is perhaps the most recognizable airframe to anyone not affiliated with the U.S. military.

Due to the blockbuster hit Top Gun and its sequel, Top Gun: Maverick, the Tomcat has become synonymous with American aerial strength and naval aviation.

The carrier-capable, supersonic, twin-engine, variable-sweep wing fighter aircraft first entered service with the U.S. Navy in the 1970s.

This aging platform continues to fly for the Iranian Air Force today.

While many military experts will dismiss the Tomcat as an airframe well past its time, the F-14 was a powerhouse for the Navy, and its top speed of Mach-2.3 still puts it on par with the fifth-generation F-22 Raptor.

F-14 Tomcat vs. Fulcrum

The need for the Tomcat emerged in part due to the F-4 Phantom’sshortcomings in dogfighting during the Vietnam War. As the Cold War was heating up, the Navy understood it needed to develop an airframe that could serve as a carrier strike group’s front line of defense.

The service required a fighter that could fly fast and engage enemy airframes with long-range weapons that would keep carriers out of danger. When the Department of Defense tasked the Navy to participate in the Tactical Fighter Experimental program, the solution was the Tomcat.