The Grumman F Tomcat is an American carrier-capable supersonic , twin-engine , two-seat, twin-tail, all-weather-capable variable-sweep wing fighter aircraft.
A large and well-equipped fighter, the F was the first of the American Teen Series fighters, which were designed incorporating air combat experience against MiG fighters during the Vietnam War. The F first flew on 21 December and made its first deployment in with the U. The F served as the U.
Navy's primary maritime air superiority fighter , fleet defense interceptor , and tactical aerial reconnaissance platform into the s. Several retired Fs have been put on display across the US. Iran claimed their Fs shot down at least Iraqi aircraft during the war only 55 of these confirmed, according to historian Tom Cooper , [ 2 ] while 16 Tomcats were lost, including seven losses to accidents.
Beginning in the late s, the U. Navy sought a long-range, high-endurance interceptor to defend its carrier battle groups against long-range anti-ship missiles launched from the jet bombers and submarines of the Soviet Union.
They outlined the idea of a Fleet Air Defense FAD aircraft with a more powerful radar and longer range missiles than the F-4 Phantom II to intercept both enemy bombers and missiles at very long range.
