[MilCom] Re: NavNews for Wednesday, February 15, 2006

[Greg Brazil]

Looks like the end is coming for hearing F-14's
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>>                                    -USN-
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>>  NNS060215-15. TR Traps Last Tomcat from Combat Mission
>>
>>  By Journalist 2nd Class Stephen Murphy, USS Theodore
>>  Roosevelt Public Affairs
>>
>>  ABOARD USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT (NNS) -- A
>>  chapter in naval aviation history drew to a close Feb. 8 aboard
>>  USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) with the last recovery of an
>>  F-14 Tomcat from a combat mission.
>>
>>  Piloted by Capt. William G. Sizemore II, commander, Carrier
>>  Air Wing (CVW) 8, Fighter Squadron (VF) 213’s aircraft 204
>>  was trapped at 12:35 a.m. and marked one of the final stages of
>>  the Navy’s transition from the F-14 to F/A-18 E/F Super
>>  Hornet.
>>
>>  “It’s the end of an era and it just kind of worked out that I was
>>  the last trap,” said Sizemore. “This is one of the best airplanes
>>  ever built, and it’s sad to see it go away. It’s just a beautiful
>>  airplane. It’s powerful, it has presence, and it just looks like the
>>  ultimate fighter.”
>>
>>  Lt. Bill Frank, a VF-31 pilot, also took part in the last mission,
>>  and is credited with being the last pilot to ever drop a bomb from
>>  an F-14 Tomcat.
>>
>>  “We were called on to drop, and that’s what we did,” said
>>  Frank. “It’s special and it’s something I can say I did, but what’s
>>  more important is the work of the Sailors who made it possible.
>>  They have worked so hard during this cruise to make every
>>  Tomcat operational.”
>>
>>  The decision to incorporate the Super Hornet and decommission
>>  the F-14 is mainly due to high amount of maintenance required to
>>  keep the Tomcats operational. On average, an F-14 requires
>>  nearly 50 maintenance hours for every flight hour, while the
>>  Super Hornet requires five to 10 maintenance hours for every
>>  flight hour.
>>
>>  “I don’t think there is anything better than a Tomcat, but it’s
>>  probably a good time for it to go away,” said Senior Chief
>>  Aviation Machinist’s Mate (AW) Gene Casterlin, VF-31. “The
>>  Navy is getting smaller and more efficient, and it will only get
>>  harder to maintain the Tomcat. But no matter what, the Tomcat
>>  is the sexiest airplane in the sky.”
>>
>>  The F-14 entered operational service with Navy fighter
>>  squadrons VF-1 Wolfpack and VF-2 Bounty Hunters aboard
>>  USS Enterprise (CVN 65) in September 1974. The Tomcat’s
>>  purpose was to serve as a fighter interceptor, and it eventually
>>  replaced the F-4 Phantom II Fighter, which was phased out in
>>  1986.
>>
>>  During their final deployment with TR, VF-31 and 213
>>  collectively completed 1,163 combat sorties totaling 6,876 flight
>>  hours, and dropped 9,500 pounds of ordnance during
>>  reconnaissance, surveillance, and close air support missions in
>>  support of OIF.
>>
>>  “As we near the end of the Tomcat’s last deployment, we are
>>  proud of our legacy and take solace in the fact that the Tomcat is
>>  going out at the top of its game, but also regret saying farewell to
>>  an old, revered and trusted friend," said Cmdr. Richard
>>  LaBranche, VF-31 commanding officer.
>>
>>  In keeping with its history of being adaptable to new challenges,
>>  the Tomcat soared to a new level during its last deployment
>>  when it became the first Navy aircraft to make use of the
>>  Remotely Operated Video Enhanced Receivers (ROVER)
>>  system in December of last year. The system allows for ground
>>  forces to view video via laptop computers which gives them the
>>  ability to view their surroundings from the aircrafts’ point of view
>>  in real time, and ultimately provides better reconnaissance and
>>  target identification, which are essential to combat air support
>>  missions in Iraq.
>>
>>  Previously, ROVER had been used by the Air Force, and with a
>>  few modifications from personnel of Naval Air Station Oceana,
>>  Va., and members from Naval Air Depot Jacksonville, Fla., it
>>  became one of the last great modifications to the Tomcat.
>>
>>  "From its inception, the Tomcat has been the icon of Naval
>>  Aviation with its striking appearance, speed, formidable lethality
>>  and versatility,” said LaBranche. “It is more capable today than
>>  at any other time during its existence because of the innovation,
>>  dedication, and tenacity of every maintainer and pilot who has
>>  ever been associated with it.”
>>
>>  VF-213 pilots who are making the transition to the Super Hornet
>>  will begin F/A-18F (double seat) training in April, and the
>>  squadron will be operational, or “safe for flight,” in September.
>>  VF-31 pilots who are making the transition will begin F/A-18E
>>  (single seat) training in October, and the squadron will be safe
>>  for flight in April 2007. This will make VF-31 the last official
>>  Tomcat squadron in the Navy.
>>
>>  Maintainers in both squadrons will be begin training to perform
>>  their specific maintenance job as it pertains to the Super Hornet,
>>  shortly following this deployment. Their training will last
>>  anywhere from six weeks up to seven months, depending on the
>>  type of maintenance skills involved.
>>
>>  For related news, visit the USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71)
>>  Navy NewsStand page at www.news.navy.mil/local/cvn71/ 
>> <file://www.news.navy.mil/local/cvn71/>.
>>
>>                                    -USN-
>>                                    -USN-
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