18
Grumman delivered a total of 557 F-14A Tomcats. The last example, 162711, was delivered to the U.S. Navy on March 31, 1987. At the time the F-14A was maximized as a fleet defender, equipped with a potent air-to-air arsenal consisting of AIM-9 Sidewinders, AIM-7 Sparrow and AIM-54A Phoenix missiles. The AIM-54A, combined with the Tomcat’s powerful AN/AWG-9 radar, provided the F-14 with the capability of tracking 24 targets while engaging six, at ranges approaching 100 miles. A maximum of six Phoenix missiles could be carried, but a more practical load involved four Phoenix, two Sparrow and two Sidewinders. A later improved version, the AIM-54C, was developed to counter emerging Electronic Counter Measures. The Phoenix was retired from U.S. service on September 30, 2004.
The last official Tomcat flight demo took place during the 2005, NAS Oceana Air Show. Two Tomcats performed flight demos during the show, F-14B 163410, assigned to VF-32 and F-14D 164601, assigned to VF-101. This image depicts 164601 in the VF-101 retro paint scheme. Within a week of the flight demos, both Tomcats were stricken. F-14D 164601 was delivered to the Castle AFB, Air Museum on September 21, and 163410 was SARDIP/Destroyed at Oceana and stricken on September 29, 2005.