Existing comment:
Tomcat:
In the 1960s, the Navy and Air Force developed a fighter aircraft that both services would utilize. Unfortunately, the result, the F-111, proved too heavy and not suited for carrier use. Vice Adm William D Houser, USNA 1942, urged the development of a different aircraft, eventually designated the F-14. Early versions were fitted with the engine and weapons systems of the F-111, but succeeding versions carried modifications that added greater speed, maneuverability, and new weapons.
The F-14 entered service in 1973, and was the principal fighter and interceptor for carrier battle group defense for more than thirty years.
[Note: Unit cost of the F-14: $38 million (1998). The F-111 was $10 million.] |