Key Points – The US Navy likely misses the exemplary long-range capability of its retired F-14 Tomcat, which could travel nearly 1,841 miles at top speed.
-Today’s carrier-borne fighters, the F/A-18 Super Hornet and F-35C Lightning II, have significantly shorter combat radii.
-This creates a dangerous “range gap,” as Chinese long-range “carrier-killer” anti-ship missiles (like the DF-21D and DF-26) can force US aircraft carriers to operate from distances where their current fighters cannot reach key targets.
-The forthcoming MQ-25 Stingray unmanned tanker, expected to be fully deployed by 2026, is the Navy’s intended solution to this critical vulnerability.
Does the US Navy Miss the Range of the F-14 Tomcat?
The F-14 Tomcat is one of the most iconic fighters the US Navy has ever flown. It had the distinctive variable swing-wing design and a combat record that made movie-goers and air show attendees ooh and ahh about its speed and maneuverability. Tomcat aviators likely miss the days they were at the controls. Those take-offs and landings on carriers, plus their simulated battles at the Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor program (Top Gun), are legendary.
But one crucial aspect little known to the casual observers of the F-14 was its combat radius. The Tomcat had an exemplary range of 1,841 miles at MACH 2 top speed. The Navy is probably nostalgic about these highly sought-after attributes.
The Tomcat Had Long-range Missiles Too
The Tomcat was also one of the early fighters to fire beyond-visual range missiles. The F-14 came with long-range AIM-54 Phoenix air-to-air projectiles. These munitions allowed it to engage multiple targets more than 90 miles away.
The F-14 featured two powerful Pratt & Whitney TF30-P-412A or 414A engines. These had nearly 21,000 pounds of thrust. The climb rate was 30,000 feet a minute, with a ceiling of 55,000 feet.
But it was that combat radius that the Navy depended on so much, and battle planners miss the days when the F-14 streaked through the skies with such a long-range after they launched from carriers.
Super Hornets and F-35Cs Have Shorter Range
Now, things are different. The F/A-18 E/F only has a combat radius of 1,200 miles, and that’s without weapons. The stealth F-35C naval version of the Lightning II just has a range of 670 nautical miles. The Navy also wants a new next-generation fighter called the F/A-XX, but this has a short range too. The combat radius of the F/A-XX may only be about 838 miles.
Chinese Aircraft Carrier Killer Missiles Pose a Threat
This is a problem because of Chinese long-range anti-ship “carrier killing” missiles. The DF-21D and DF-26 have ranges estimated at 1,035 to 1,726 miles.
The Navy will likely have to sail farther away to stay out of range of the carrier killers. Naval fighters may not be able to reach Chinese targets on land and at sea.
Time for a New Tanker
This means there is a need for aerial refueling. The MQ-25 Stingray will be the Navy’s go-to tanker choice. This is an unmanned tanker that boasts numerous features, including some radar-evading capabilities. It will extend the range of the Super Hornet and Lightning IIs, along with the Growler electronic warfare aircraft. The Stingray also offers intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance duties.
The MQ-25 is expected to be fully deployed in 2026, which will provide the Navy with a solution to the range limitations of its strike aircraft. An aerial re-fueler for the Navy has been a project that has taken 20 years. The sea branch knew that after the F-14 retired, it would need to extend the range of its fighter jets.
Dangerous Window Until the New Aerial Refueler Comes Online
There is a window in which the F/A-18 E/Fs and F-35Cs will not have the range enjoyed by the F-14. There could be a 12- to 18-month wait before the MQ-25 tanker is fully operational with the fleet. But it could not come at a better time. China has two carrier battle groups currently in the water to the east of Taiwan and the Philippine Sea. They are likely rehearsing for a potential blockade or quarantine of Taiwan and challenging territorial claims with the Philippines.
The Navy’s fighters desperately need the range to reach those carriers if the United States would intervene in a blockade of Taiwan or mischief in the South China Sea. Also, the Chinese could make an amphibious attack on Taiwan, and that would put the Americans in a predicament about whether to try and stop Xi Jinping’s forces from invading the island.
So, while the Navy probably has fond memories of the F-14, it was an older airplane that had been developed in the early 1970s. The Tomcat had enviable speed and range, but it was time for the warbird to be retired in 2006 after 36 years of service. I remember that day well because I was attempting to get an invite to the retirement ceremony for the Tomcat.
Now, it will be the Super Hornet and Lightning II that take the F-14’s esteemed place in the naval order of battle.
The Tomcat will be missed, and when it graced the silver screen in the first iteration of the Top Gun series, audiences never forgot the irresistible dialogue between Maverick and his backseat radio intercept officer Goose.
About the Author: Dr. Brent M. Eastwood
Brent M. Eastwood, PhD is the author of Don’t Turn Your Back On the World: a Conservative Foreign Policy and Humans, Machines, and Data: Future Trends in Warfare, plus two other books. Brent was the founder and CEO of a tech firm that predicted world events using artificial intelligence. He served as a legislative fellow for U.S. Senator Tim Scott, advising the senator on defense and foreign policy issues. He has taught at American University, George Washington University, and George Mason University. Brent is a former US Army Infantry officer. He can be followed on X @BMEastwood.
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Ghostrider
August 4, 2025 at 5:53 pm
Should the US negotiate the return of Iran’s F14s in exchange for some sanction relief, and prep them for deployment in the Pacific theatre just in case? If I understand correctly, we shredded all of our Tomcats to prevent the Persians from getting parts. I mean might as well right?