fjs@floyd.ATT.COM (05/31/89)
From: fjs@floyd.ATT.COM In article <6959@cbnews.ATT.COM>, slammer!brad@gatech.edu (Brad Isley) writes: > > Loral in Norcross, Ga. has contracted to do the new CRT systems for the > new F14 avionics. They want me to do some software for it, but they have > been waiting for gov't money for 8 months now. Seems the 14 will finally > get a modern cockpit! :-) Grumman was awarded a $864 million contract in the summer of 1984 for dev- elopement of the F-14D (SuperTomcat). In February 1984, the Navy awarded GE the contract for the new powerplants, F110-GE-40 (an unbelievably superior engine). The heart of the new F-14D is the Hughes APG-71 radar, offering a 100% increase in reliability over the AWG-9, a 40% increase in detection and tracking ranges, and better tracking accuracy. Cockpit changes include: * Multifunction displays (MFD), allowing the pilot and RIO to CHOOSE what aspect of the aircrafts' function they wish to look at. * Improved raw video radar display for the RIO for ease in diagnose and counter different jamming types. * A new HUD (heads up display) using a combining glass rather the windscreen which will allow a one-piece windscreen in the future (see picture of Tomcat "21" in AW&ST, May 15, 1989, page 17). * A new hands-on-throttle-and-stick (HOTAS), like the F/A-18, to allow the pilot to perform most tacticle functions without removing his hands from the primary flight controls. * A new digital entry keyboard to allow the RIO to comunicate with the computer more efficiently than the old analog address panel. * The incorporation of color displays. Other avionics new for the 'cat are the new digital inertial navigation, stores management, tactical air navigation, and identification friend or foe systems. It will also have, when it is available, an airborne self protection jammer (ASPJ), needed largely because of the F-14's large radar signature. But then there's budget cuts................................ So far, Grumman can build 6 F-14D Tomcats for 1990 and 12 more for 1991, but this is only the conversion of the present F-14A models to F-14D. The existing F-14A+ models only have the new GE engines (see 'em at all the Blue Angel Air Shows, sometimes in the air). Presently, the full production F-14D in on hold. For the F-14D, the following cuts have been proposed (it seems): 1990 -$365 million 1991 -$469 million 1992-94 -$1,532 million I can understand budget cuts, but what is supposed to take the place of a rotting vintage 1972 Tomcat on carrier decks whilst the latest technology MiG's are screaming around?? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Fred J. Shubert | "You haven't lived until you've seen a 'cat fly!!!" AT&T Bell Labs |----------------------------------------------------- Whippany, N.J. | DISCLAIMER: All views are that of my own. PERIOD. Ma-Bell 201-386-3094 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ \ _ / \ /^ ^\ / F-14D ____________\_( . )_/____________ SUPERTOMCATS --*/--|_| (___) |_|--\*-- RULE * O O * (I Love 'Em)
dlj@cbnewsh.ATT.COM (david.l.jacobowitz) (06/01/89)
From: dlj@cbnewsh.ATT.COM (david.l.jacobowitz) In article <7000@cbnews.ATT.COM>, fjs@floyd.ATT.COM writes: > > Grumman was awarded a $864 million contract in the summer of 1984 for dev- > elopement of the F-14D (SuperTomcat). In February 1984, the Navy awarded > GE the contract for the new powerplants, F110-GE-40 (an unbelievably superior > engine). The heart of the new F-14D is the Hughes APG-71 radar, offering > a 100% increase in reliability over the AWG-9, a 40% increase in detection > and tracking ranges, and better tracking accuracy. Cockpit changes include: How much thrust does this new GE engine develop (assuming it's not classified)? How much does this improve the thrust-to-weight ratio of the F-14? Does it improve to > 1 ? On another note, I was reading (in the 20 lb book titled "The Great Book of Modern Warplanes," BTW) that the F-18 Hornet is capable of making carrier landings under autopilot control. Is the F-14 capable of this? Why not? ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dave J. usual disclaimer implied
fjs@floyd.ATT.COM (06/03/89)
From: fjs@floyd.ATT.COM In article <7019@cbnews.ATT.COM>, dlj@cbnewsh.ATT.COM (david.l.jacobowitz) writes: > > From: dlj@cbnewsh.ATT.COM (david.l.jacobowitz) > > How much thrust does this new GE engine develop (assuming it's not > classified)? > How much does this improve the thrust-to-weight ratio of the F-14? > Does it improve to > 1 ? > > On another note, I was reading (in the 20 lb book titled "The Great > Book of Modern Warplanes," BTW) that the F-18 Hornet is capable of > making carrier landings under autopilot control. > Is the F-14 capable of this? Why not? The new F110-GE-400 is much more powerful than the present P&W TF30-P-414A. It developes a maximum augmented thrust of 27,080 lbs. (compared to the P&W engine with maximum augmented thrust of 20,900 lbs.) and is more fuel efficient in afterburner than the P&W engine. The GE engine has a hot-section inspection life of 1500 hours vs. 880 hours for the P&W. Present F-14A specs for weight are: Empty: 39,921 lbs. Normal Take-off: 58,571 lbs. Maximum Take-off: 74,349 lbs. So, at 54,160 lbs. of thrust, if you take off at normal weight, burn a few pounds off buzzing the tower, and drop an AIM-54 or two ('A' variant weighs in at 975 lbs.), you have a thrust-to-weight ratio of >1:1. :-) But all kidding aside, I talked with a pilot from the Tomcatters (VF-31) at NAS Norfolk (Blue Angels air show, this past April) who flew an F-14A+ there. He said that the new engines are like night and day compared to the old P&W. He compared the performance of the new 'cat to sex (details omitted here) but looked forward to the F-14D which is supposed to have a tighter turning radius (6g's at 295 knots compared to the present Tomcat with its optimum turning radius at 325 knots). He said the new Tomcat would be more similiar to the F-15 Eagle in some handling aspects (I said SOME, I don't want a barrage of hate mail about the comparison, and these were his words, not mine. I need to investigate more.) He said that verticle acceleration now exists (at air show, little fuel, no weaponry) and feels great, and despite it's being big and bulky, it's quite an awesome aircraft. He did voice some harsh, negative criticism about the Tomcat, old and new, that sorta burst my bubble about it........ but that's another posting. About the F/A-18 and its autopilot carrier landings, 1, Tomcat 0/?, I gotta get back some of the books I loaned out......................... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Fred J. Shubert | "You haven't lived until you've seen a 'cat fly!!!" AT&T Bell Labs |----------------------------------------------------- Whippany, N.J. | DISCLAIMER: All views are that of my own. PERIOD. Ma-Bell 201-386-3094 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ \ _ / \ /^ ^\ / F-14D ____________\_( . )_/____________ SUPERTOMCATS --*/--|_| (___) |_|--\*-- RULE * O O * (I Love 'Em)