F-4 Phantom

F-4 Phantom. (Photo: USAF)

F-4 Phantom

A F-4E Phantom II aircraft releasing eighteen bombs while on a shallow dive, seen from right. (Photo: USAF/David Nolan)

F-4 Phantom

A formation of four F-4 Phantom II fighters with different camouflage color schemes over Florida. (Photo: USAF)

F-4 Phantom

A pair of Japanese Air Self Defense Force (JASDF) F-4 “Phantoms” take off from one of the runways on the Misawa Air Base during their annual Air Festival. (Photo: U.S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate 2nd Class John Collins)

F-4 Phantom

Following an in-flight refueling with an Air Force KC-135, an F-4 "Phantom" attached to Naval Weapons Test Squadron, Point Mugu, California heads out to conduct weapons tests with USS Porter (DDG 78) in Caribbean waters near Naval Station Roosevelt Roads. (Photo: U.S. Navy photo by Journalist 1st Class David Rush)

F-14 Tomcat

An F-14D Tomcat attached to the “Bounty Hunters” of Fighter Squadron Two (VF-2) makes a sharp pull-up in full afterburner after streaking by the USS Constellation (CV 64), during practice for Constellation's upcoming “Tiger Cruise.” VF-2 is returning home from deployment with the Constellation Carrier Strike Group in which it supported Operations Southern Watch, Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. (Photo: U.S. Navy/Photographer's Mate 2nd Class Daniel J. McLain)

F-14 Tomcat

An F-14 Tomcat embarked aboard USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) flies a combat mission in direct support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The F-14 Tomcat is a supersonic, twin-engine, variable sweep wing fighter whose primary missions are air superiority, fleet air defense, and precision strike against ground targets. Truman and her embarked Carrier Air Wing Three (CVW-3) are conducting combat missions in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Operation Iraqi Freedom is the multi-national coalition effort to liberate the Iraqi people, eliminate Iraq's weapons of mass destruction, and end the regime of Saddam Hussein. (Photo: U.S. Navy/Paul Farley)

F-14 Tomcat

An F-14D Tomcat assigned to the “Tomcatters” of Fighter Squadron Three One (VF-31) launches from the flight deck aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) in route to support coalition ground troops. Lincoln and Carrier Air Wing Fourteen (CVW 14) are conducting combat operations in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Operation Iraqi Freedom is the multi-national coalition effort to liberate the Iraqi people, eliminate Iraq's weapons of mass destruction, and end the regime of Saddam Hussein. (Photo: U.S. Navy/Photographer's Mate 3rd Class Philip A McDaniel)

F-14 Tomcat

An F-14A Tomcat fighter aircraft launches from one of four steam powered catapults aboard USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63). Kitty Hawk is deployed with coalition forces in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, the multi-national coalition effort to liberate the Iraqi people, eliminate Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction, and end the regime of Saddam Hussein. (Photo: U.S. Navy/Photographer's Mate 3rd Class Todd Frantom)

F-14 Tomcat

An F-14A Tomcat assigned to the “Black Knights” of Fighter Squadron One Five Four (VF-154) makes a catapult launch from the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63). Kitty Hawk and her embarked Carrier Air Wing Five (CVW-5) are conducting combat missions in support of Operations Southern Watch and Enduring Freedom. Kitty Hawk is the Navy’s only permanently forward-deployed aircraft carrier and operates out of Yokosuka, Japan. (Photo: U.S. Navy/Photographer's Mate 3rd Class Todd Frantom)

F-14 Tomcat

A plane captain conducts a daily inspection of his F-14D Tomcat that is assigned to the “Tomcatters” of Fighter Squadron Three One (VF-31). Lincoln and Carrier Air Wing Fourteen (CVW 14) are conducting combat operations in support of Operation Southern Watch. (Photo: U.S.Navy/Photographer's Mate 3rd Class Philip A. McDaniel)

F-14 Tomcat

An F-14D “Tomcat” from the "Black Lions" of Fighter Squadron Two One Three (VF-213) lands on the ship’s flight deck after a training mission. VF-213 is embarked aboard Roosevelt and is currently underway conducting training missions in the Atlantic Ocean. (Photo: U.S. Navy/Photographer’s Mate Airman Brad Garner)

F-14 Tomcat

Two F-14 “Tomcats” assigned to the “Jolly Rogers” of Fighter Squadron One Zero Three (VF-103) fly over the Mediterranean Sea. VF-103 is part of Carrier Air Wing Seventeen (CVW-17), embarked aboard George Washington. CVW-17 and the George Washington are nearing the end of a scheduled six-month deployment after completing combat missions in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Southern Watch. (Photo: U.S. Navy/Captain Dana Potts)

F-14 Tomcat

An F-14D Tomcat assigned to the "Tomcatters" of Fighter Squadron Thirty One (VF-31) launches from the flight deck of USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72). In keeping with the holidays, the Tomcat displays the squadron logo Felix the Cat in a Santa's hat, painted on the vertical stabilizers. Lincoln and her embarked Carrier Air Wing Fourteen (CVW-14) are supporting Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Southern Watch. (Photo: U.S. Navy/Ensign Charles M. Abell)

F-14 Tomcat

A Tactical "Tomahawk" Block IV cruise missile is escorted by a Navy F-14 Tomcat fighter during a controlled test over the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) western test range complex in southern California. During the second such test flight, the missile successfully completed a vertical underwater launch, flew a fully guided 780-mile course, and impacted a designated target structure as planned. The Tactical "Tomahawk", the next generation of Tomahawk cruise missile adds the capability to reprogram the missile while in-flight to strike any of 15 preprogrammed alternate targets or redirect the missile to any Global Positioning System (GPS) target coordinates. It also will be able to loiter over a target area for some hours, and with its on-board TV camera, will allow the war fighting commanders to assess battle damage of the target, and, if necessary redirect the missile to any other target. Launched from the Navy's forward-deployed ships and submarines, Tactical Tomahawk will provide a greater flexibility to the on-scene commander. Tactical Tomahawk is scheduled to join the fleet in 2004. (Photo: U.S. Navy)