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)