Summary and Key Points: The F-14 Super Tomcat 21 (ST21) stands as one of naval aviation’s greatest “what-if” scenarios.
-Proposed in the early 1990s as a 21st-century evolution of the iconic F-14, the ST21 promised Mach 1.3 supercruise, upgraded AN/APG-71 radar, and enlarged wing gloves for increased fuel and agility.
F-14 Tomcat on Flight Deck of USS Intrepid. National Security Journal Photo.
-Despite its formidable multirole potential, the Navy favored the more economical F/A-18E/F Super Hornet.
-With Iran’s remaining Tomcats reportedly neutralized by 2025 airstrikes, the ST21 remains a “drawing board” legend—a titan of the pre-stealth era that was ultimately eclipsed by the 5th-generation shift toward the F-35 and F/A-XX.
-We have included countless original F-14 Tomcat photos we took last year in visits to see this iconic fighter upclose.
Why the U.S. Navy Canceled the F-14 Super Tomcat 21 for the “Economical” Super Hornet
The F-14 Super Tomcat 21 (ST21) was a proposed, advanced upgrade for the U.S. Navy’s F-14 Tomcat in the early 1990s, intended to modernize it as a 21st-century multirole fighter with significantly improved range, avionics (such as an AESA radar), engines (F110-GE-429), and payload, including supercruise capability. Still, it was ultimately canceled in favor of the more economical F/A-18E/F Super Hornet.
However, the Super Tomcat 21 never entered service; it was a proposed upgrade that lost out to the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet due to cost, maintenance, and evolving Navy needs.
Iran still flew a variant of the Tomcat until 2025, when Israeli airstrikes took out the last of them. Even if built, modern demands for stealth and network-centric warfare would likely see it retired in favor of newer 5th-gen or next-gen aircraft like the F-35 and F/A-XX.
F-14 Tomcat from Outside DC NSJ Image.
F-14 Tomcat in Hanger National Security Journal Photo.
Key Features of the Super Tomcat 21
Enhanced performance would have been provided by more powerful engines (F110-GE-429), a larger glove (wing root) for more fuel, and improved aerodynamics for supercruise (Mach 1.3).
The F110-GE-429 is a powerful engine, enabling Mach 1.3 supercruise, a significant leap from the earlier problematic Pratt & Whitney TF30, known for compressor stalls, offering better reliability, speed, and range.
With afterburners, the F110s produced over 27,000 pounds of thrust each, contributing to the F-14’s Mach 2+ speed. It featured variable geometry air intakes with movable ramps, controlled by the Air Inlet Control System (AICS), to manage airflow to the engines at different speeds and altitudes.
The ST 21 would have had an advanced avionics package. Upgraded radar (APG-71), FLIR systems, digital controls, and modern Electronic Warfare (EW) suites.
Greater range, payload, and the ability to carry advanced standoff weapons like AMRAAMs. The ST 21 was primed to be a multirole aircraft. It was designed to be a potent fleet defender and strike aircraft.
Background on the F-14 Super Tomcat
The US Navy was looking for ways to extend the service life of the beloved F-14 Tomcat in the 1990s. Due to the success of the film “Top Gun,” the Tomcat was arguably the most popular aircraft in the US inventory.
F-14D National Security Journal Photo.
F-14D Tomcat at Smithsonian. Image Credit: Dr. Brent M. Eastwood/National Security Journal.
F-14D Tomcat NSJ Image. Image Credit: Taken by Jack Buckby on 9/18/2025.
F-14D Tomcat Up Close on USS Intrepid. Image Credit: National Security Journal.
The ST 21 moniker came from the Navy, specifically, a “Super Tomcat for the 21st century.” In 1988, a joint McDonnell Douglas and General Dynamics team was awarded a development contract for what was to become the A-12 Avenger II, or the “Flying Dorito.”
The A-12 Avenger II would have been the first true stealth fighter; unlike the F-117, it would have had AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles, but the project suffered from massive cost overruns and was canceled by 1991.
McDonnell Douglas designed an attack aircraft based on the more economical and successful F/A-18 Hornet. Grumman, however, opted to offer an even more heavily upgraded variant of the F-14, available as a new aircraft or through the remanufacture of existing platforms.
In place of the problematic glove vanes on the F-14, which were maintenance nightmares and, in many cases, welded shut, the ST21 incorporated enlarged aerodynamic gloves that offered significant benefits in supersonic handling and dogfighting performance. These aerodynamic gloves provided an additional 2,200 pounds of fuel storage in each wing, granting the aircraft even greater range.
F-14 Tomcat Image by Dr. Brent M. Eastwood/National Security Journal.
The Mighty F-14 Tomcat. Image Credit: National Security Journal. Image taken by Brent M. Eastwood.
F-14D Tomcat. Image Taken By National Security Journal.
Super Tomcat 21s would house navigation and attack FLIR (Forward-Looking Infrared) sensors. With new upgraded computer systems and an improved Heads-Up-Display system, the ST-21 would take a 20-year fighter and outfit it with the best avionics package available.
The ST-21 would have been a formidable, bad-ass dogfighter. And it could have been continuously upgraded as well. But that wasn’t the issue.
Doomed For Failure
The F-14 Tomcat was never an economical aircraft to build and maintain. Its variable-sweep wings and the airframe that supported them were maintenance-intensive and expensive.
And at that time, the Pentagon was not in a position to spend lavishly.
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While the improvements slated for the Tomcat were impressive, the advent of stealth aircraft, specifically the F-22 Raptor, initiated a shift in the US military’s combat aviation toward fifth-generation stealth fighters.
While many analysts believe that the ST-21 may still be in service today if it had been adopted, the gains of fifth-generation stealth aircraft by the US and China would have rendered the aircraft obsolete.
That’s why the F/A-18 Super Hornets are being phased out of service by the F-35 and the soon-to-be-adopted F/A-XX, as the Navy will jump to a sixth-generation stealth fighter with the F/A-XX, which is being developed in conjunction with the Air Force in the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program.
It is another of those great “what if” type of scenarios, but it was never fated to be. And it was never built. It was a drawing board design, but it didn’t stop many aviation and Tomcat-loving enthusiasts from dreaming.
About the Author: Steve Balestrieri
Steve Balestrieri is a National Security Columnist. He served as a US Army Special Forces NCO and Warrant Officer. In addition to writing on defense, he covers the NFL for PatsFans.com and is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA). His work was regularly featured in many military publications.
Steven F
February 14, 2026 at 3:03 pm
Can you just imagine what the US Military would be capable of if the fiscal hawks on Capitol Hill would just bug off (not the word I’d like to use) and let it develop capabilities for the sake of capability and not over emphasis on purely cost effectiveness? Too many times the American Military edge has suffered setbacks to save a few pennies, that we ultimately waste elsewhere anyway. It’s not like cutting defense has actually saved us money. It just frees that money up for other wasteful programs. Now, even though we have had nearly twice the income (at least, in recent history) as China, we’re staring down a narrowing capability gap, all because some politician in a thousand dollar suit somehow thought the American Military overmatch is some garuanteed phenomenon that could never be brought into question. And like America was forever cemented as the top dog on playground and would eternally be above reproach. Well, here we are. In 2026 and no one can say with absolute certainty if we’d be able to overmatch the PLA. All because affordability took the forefront to capability so we can simply give away that money saved regardless. Throughout our history, countless prototypes have been watered down because some ignoramus politician said “It’s too capable! Capable equates expensive! Lose some of that capability and get back to me!” We witnessed it with the B1-B. We witnessed it with the Tomcat. We witnessed it with the Raptor. And now, I fear, we’re about to witness it, yet again, with the NGAD & F/A-XX. By far the wealthiest nation on the planet, no contest, yet we’re constantly pinching pennies like a poor, lower class working man. And I think we are betting too much on the Beyond Visual Range doctrine. With highly advanced, low cost EWS proliferating the battlespace, it is truly only a matter of time before aerial combat is relegated back to within Visual Range only. We can’t put all our eggs in the basket that just assumes we’ll always be the most advanced systems flying. Maneuverability and dog fighting are poised to make a come back. Cause everything gets a return. Without cannons, climb rates and high G turns, we’re sitting ducks just waiting to be splashed. When we have the expertise, experience and ability to make absolutely devastating flying beasts that can do everything flawlessly; at least, when we’re not knee capping ourselves. $35T GDP, yet they pretend like an extra dozen or so billion dollars annually is going to somehow make or break us. Ridiculous. Especially when it comes to tomorrow’s fight, it absolutely will.