Airedalandian Aerospace Systems Tomcat

Main Operator(s)
Royal Airedalandian Navy
Royal Liberinsulan Air Force
Royal Liberportese Air Force
 Number Built
 First Flight
 Service Entry
 Status
 Unit Cost

The AAS Tomcat is a large, variable-geometry, two-engined, two seat Airedalandian fighter aircraft.

## Origins

In the 1960s, The First Cold War was heating up, and their was a constant race to introduce better and better weapons systems as to gain the upper hand in the Airedalandia-Ebeline arms race.

The RAAF and RAN issued a joint requirement for an advanced, Mach 2 interceptor with look-down shoot-down capability and Beyond Visual Range (BVR) missile armament. Stemming from the joint requirement, the aircraft had to be able to perform this task from both land bases and the navy's aircraft carriers. The latter requirement ruled out the Air Force's preferred option, a modernized Arrow, which, due to the aircraft's large size, was virtually impossible to adapt to carrier usage.

   Ironically the winner of the initial contest, the AAS Grizzly, was deemed unsuitable for carrier use, and a new round of designs were put forth. Airedalandian Aerospace Systems won with their proposal, incorporating the same engines, missile and radar arrangement and variable-geometry design element of the abortive Grizzly. It was officially named "Tomcat" on the day of the prototype's first flight on January 8th, 1970.

## Operational History

The first batch of 8 Tomcats was accepted into service by the 112th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (Training) [FIST-112] on June 1st, 1974. Through the Summer of 1974 navy Tomcats began flying from carriers, where they began to replace Phantoms. In Air Force service, Tomcats replaced Arrows and Delta Daggers.

Tomcats proved highly successful, and have enjoyed a long career marked by several incremental upgrades. They are however being replaced now, at least in Airedalandian service, by the Tyhpoon.

## Specifications (F-14 Tomcat Mk. 4A)

**General characteristics**

* **Crew:** 2 (Pilot and Radar Intercept Officer)
* **Length:** 62 ft 9 in (19.1 m)
* **Wingspan:**
	+ Spread: 64 ft (19.55 m)
	+ Swept: 38 ft (11.58 m)
* **Height:** 16 ft (4.88 m)
* **Wing area:** 565 ft² (54.5 m²)
* **Airfoil:** 64A209.65 mod root, 64A208.91 mod tip
* **Empty weight:** 43,735 lb (19,838 kg)
* **Loaded weight:** 61,000 lb (27,700 kg)
* **Max. takeoff weight:** 74,350 lb (33,720 kg)
* **Powerplant:** 2 × Jetpower Corp afterburning turbofans
	+ **Dry thrust:** 16,610 lbf (73.9 kN) each
	+ **Thrust with afterburner:** 30,200 lbf (134 kN) each
* **Maximum fuel capacity:** 16,200 lb internal; 20,000 lb with 2x 267 gallon external tanks

**Performance**

* **Maximum speed:** Mach 2.34 (1,544 mph, 2,485 km/h) at high altitude
* **Combat radius:** 500 nmi (575 mi, 926 km)
* **Ferry range:** 1,600 nmi (1,840 mi, 2,960 km)
* **Service ceiling:** 50,000+ ft (15,200 m)
* **Rate of climb:** >45,000 ft/min (229 m/s)
* **Wing loading:** 96 lb/ft²] (468.7 kg/m²)
* **Thrust/weight:** 0.88
* **Armament**

* **Guns:** 1× 20 mm (0.787 in) M61A1 Vulcan 6-barreled Gatling cannon, with 675 rounds
* **Hardpoints:** 10 total: 6× under-fuselage, 2× under nacelles and 2× on wing gloves with a capacity of 14,500 lb (6,600 kg) of ordnance and fuel tanks