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U.S. Navy's F-14D Tomcats Gain JDAM Capability

Navy NewStand

Story Number: NNS030321-11
3/21/2003

Special news release from the U.S. Department of Defense

WASHINGTON (NNS) -- Naval Air Systems Command's (NAVAIR) F-14 Program Office announced recently it has accelerated and deployed a software upgrade program allowing the U.S Navy's F-14 D-model Tomcats to carry Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM).

Operational tests already in progress indicated the software upgrade was mature and stable. The test community have since determined they could provide a recommendation for an early release of the JDAM capability.

On Jan. 31, a NAVAIR software support team was assembled to modify the aircraft and install the new software. They reported aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) Feb. 2 and received required hardware two days later to start modifying F-14Ds. In 17 days, the team modified all forward-deployed F-14Ds.

The team loaded the software, assisted with the hardware modifications on the aircraft and trained more than 90 aircrew and maintainers on JDAM employment.

A Tomcat can carry four JDAMs, each weighing 2,000 pounds. March 1 marked the first operational employment of JDAM from an F-14D.

"The Tomcat has proven itself time and again," said Capt. Peter Williams, NAVAIR F-14 program manager. "You could say that the cat has many lives, and once again, we've added more capability to a mature platform."