tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post114027038716827750..comments2023-11-10T04:17:00.492-05:00Comments on View From The Porch: A sad day in the annals of naval aviation...Tamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07285540310465422476noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-1140452281726543382006-02-20T11:18:00.000-05:002006-02-20T11:18:00.000-05:00Also, the F-14's airframes were approaching servic...Also, the F-14's airframes were approaching service life time limits.<BR/><BR/>(Which on carrier-based planes is based on # of landings, for obvious reasons)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-1140366648561772042006-02-19T11:30:00.000-05:002006-02-19T11:30:00.000-05:00There goes one of the reasons why I studied aerona...There goes one of the reasons why I studied aeronautical engineering. :-(<BR/><BR/>T.StahlAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-1140324111304685112006-02-18T23:41:00.000-05:002006-02-18T23:41:00.000-05:00"Without the Phoenix missle, the F14 is just a big..."Without the Phoenix missle, the F14 is just a big jet that takes up to damned much space on the deck and in the hangar bay while leaking hydraulic fluid everywhere."<BR/><BR/>Well, that's the truth. The Phoenix was the Tomcat's reason for existance. Without a modern version of the AIM-54, the Tomcat is just an extravagantly expensive hangar queen...Tamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07285540310465422476noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-1140323665668129052006-02-18T23:34:00.000-05:002006-02-18T23:34:00.000-05:00The U.S. Navy retired the AIM-54 Phoenix, Sept. 30...The U.S. Navy retired the AIM-54 Phoenix, Sept. 30, 2004. Without the Phoenix missle, the F14 is just a big jet that takes up to damned much space on the deck and in the hangar bay while leaking hydraulic fluid everywhere. They are a PIA to keep airborne, and serve no purpose without the AIM-54 that another bird cannot better fill. <BR/>Anytime baby? Yeah, OK.Xavierhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00036652456691021642noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-1140306107365184712006-02-18T18:41:00.000-05:002006-02-18T18:41:00.000-05:00Fleet defense against ballistic threats is handled...Fleet defense against ballistic threats is handled by the AEGIS cruisers now, so the Tomcat was kind of redundant in that role.<BR/><BR/>Also, the AIM-54 missiles are showing their age, with a lot of the stock having developed stress cracks. In addition, the Phoenix is a swell performer against a slow Tupolev loaded down with ASM missiles, but it's not all that nimble and less than ideal for shooting down fighters.<BR/><BR/>All in all, they retired the Tomcat for the same reasons they ditched the battleships...too costly to operate, and a redundant mission capability that can be done by newer and less expensive systems.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05796690368588471378noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-1140279763584677022006-02-18T11:22:00.000-05:002006-02-18T11:22:00.000-05:00Between Korea and VietNam, we managed to convince ...Between Korea and VietNam, we managed to convince ourselves that missles made dog-fighting obsolete and, therefore, aircraft didn't need guns.<BR/><BR/>Then the Migs showed up and, suddenly, guns and gunfighters were "in" again.<BR/><BR/>History does and will repeat itself.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15907727.post-1140272343050197762006-02-18T09:19:00.000-05:002006-02-18T09:19:00.000-05:00The new joint-strike-fighter is better at air supe...The new joint-strike-fighter is better at air superiority. So much better as to not even make much of a contest since it is VERY stealthy. It is also faster and carries a pretty good collection of weapons.<BR/><BR/>But the Tomcat will just go into mothballs - ready to come back if needed.Zendo Debhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00094772654735415974noreply@blogger.com