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This new enhancement combined with the ability to deliver JDAM’s greatly increased the demand for F-14Ds throughout the combat zone. The last two Tomcat squadrons combined to deliver 9,500lbs of munitions during 1,163 combat sorties and 6,876 flight hours. The final Tomcat combat mission was flown on February 8, 2006. The last trap or arrested landing of an F-14 following a combat mission also took place on that date when F-14D(R) 161159 was recovered aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71). This event concluded the combat service life of the most potent fighter/attack aircraft in the U.S. Navy inventory.
On March 10, 2006, VF-31 and VF-213 returned to NAS Oceana, VA. From March through September 2006 the remaining 23 Tomcats were flown off to museums or to storage at the AMARG facility, Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ. On September 22, 2006, NAS Oceana hosted a formal retirement ceremony for the remaining (VF-31) Tomcats. After much pomp and circumstance, F-14D 163904 taxied out for the official farewell flyby. Unfortunately, it suffered an equipment failure and was replaced by F-14D 163902. This F-14D made one subdued fly-by for assembled dignitaries and service personnel, then disappeared over horizon.
The last airworthy US Navy Tomcat, F-14D, 164603, departed from NAS Oceana’s runway 23L on, October 4, 2006, at 1020 hours. The occasion signified the final launch of an F-14 Tomcat in the United States. Approximately one and a half hours later, 164603 touched down at the American Airpower Museum, Republic Airport, Long Island, NY. The last chapter in the history of this iconic Fleet Defender, All Weather Bomber and Tactical Reconnaissance jet ended with the spooling down of its GE F110-400 engines.