Golden Age Weaponsmiths F-14D Super Tomcat:


Designed to operate from carriers as a fleet defense fighter, the Grumman F-14 Tomcat is one of the most well known fighters. It was made famous by the movie "Top Gun." Other than serving in the United States Navy, a small number of these fighters were sold to Iran. The fighter has variable sweep wings which are fully extended at slow speeds for better control and retract into a delta wing configuration for lower drag at high speeds. The Tomcat was designed to be able to carry up to six AIM-54 Phoenix missiles. It also had one of the most powerful radars in a fighter when it was introduced in the early Nineteen-Seventies. A total of about seven hundred F-14 Tomcats were built. Retired in the early Twenty-First Century due to high maintenance requirements and replaced by the FA-18E/F Super Hornet, they were carefully stored in an aircraft bone yard. The planes were thought scrapped but in reality they were just forgotten.


When Golden Age Weaponsmiths found the huge cache of F-14D Super Tomcats sitting in a forgotten storage after several centuries and in surprisingly good condition, they refitted the old fighters and sold the Tomcats. One of the first buyers was the Coalition States, who was trying to create an air force at this time. Golden Age Weaponsmiths has also sold numbers of these fighters to independent governments and mercenary units. Since the Coalition States has not purchased any more F-14 Tomcats, all sales of the old fighter have been going to independents. While Golden Age is considering building fighters based on a Pre-Rifts design, it is highly unlikely that it will be the F-14 due to requiring huge amounts of maintenance.


The engineers replaced much of the outer skin of the fighter with high strength composite and alloy armor materials to enable the fighter to survive the damage of modern air combat. In addition, the airframe had to be rebuilt and strengthened. Still, these rebuilt fighters are far weaker than a newly built aircraft would be. The internal 20 mm Vulcan cannon is basically unchanged but the original rounds have been replaced with special Wellington Industries Ramjet rounds that greatly increase the damage the gun does. Using these rounds, the 20 mm cannon inflicts as much damage as most rail guns.


All of the fighter’s hard points have been refitted to carry the standard missiles built on Rifts Earth. The F-14 has a total of eight hard points. There are four hard points between the twin engines and can carry virtually any ordnance. There are also four hard points on the supports for the wings. Two of these wing root are limited to medium range missiles or smaller with the other can carry long range missiles. The hard points have been refitted so that instead of AIM-54 Phoenix, AIM-7 Sparrow, or AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles, the hard points can carry long range missiles or multiple medium or short range missiles. If the Super Tomcat is loaded down with a full load of six long range missiles on its main hard points, the F-14D cannot land until it has lost two long range missiles even if that means just ditching the missiles.


The General Electric F-110-GE-400 engines were completely rebuilt. They were also modified to be able to better burn bio-fuels. After the coming of the Rifts, a large amount of jet fuel is bio-fuel types. For the purpose of carrier landings, the F-14 mounts a tail hook. The fighter is also specifically reinforced to be able to be launched from a catapult. Electronics on the fighter were also reconditioned and in some cases old components were replaced by more modern equivalents. The radar system is quite powerful but lacks the flexibility of more advanced radar systems such as active scanned arrays as was carried on the FA-18E/F Super Hornet.


There was originally a plan for a revised Tomcat design called the Tomcat 21. This aircraft would have been constructed out of all composites, have a fully fly by wire system flight system, and have more powerful engines. This aircraft would have had about 90% of the capabilities of the F-22 while being much less expensive to construct. Still, the advanced Tomcat was never built.


Authors Note: In the author’s opinion, this writeup should be used in place of the one written in the Coalition Navy Source Book because the writeup in the book cannot survive any combat and the fighter can be shot down by a light rifle and many energy pistols in one shot. This writeup, while not especially powerful in game terms, can survive a little combat. Also, the writeup in the Coalition Navy Source Book has long range missiles on the wings in addition to the aircraft carrying six Phoenix missiles. This created two problems, first is that the weight would be too much for the aircraft to take off and the wings of the fighter were not designed to carry ordnance.


As of 2007, the F-14 was retired from United States Navy service will all fighters shredded to prevent parts from being acquired by Iran for their F-14 fighters.


Model Number: F-14D
Vehicle Type: Twin Engine Interceptor
Crew: Two (2) - Pilot and Electronic Warfare Officer.


M.D.C. by Location:

[1] Wings (2):70 each
[2] Elevators (2):40 each
[2] Rudders (2):40 each
Cockpit:80
[3] Engines (2):100 each
Landing Gear (3):5 each
[4] Main Body:140


Notes:
[1] Destroying a wing will cause the plane to crash
[2] Destruction of rudders or one elevator will still allow the fighter to be controlled by the varying of power levels of the engines but the fighter has a penalty of -10 to dodge, and a -30% penalty to all piloting rolls. Destruction of both of the elevators will leave the plane uncontrollable and pilot must eject to survive.
[3] The destruction of one engine will reduce the fighter’s top speed by half and give the pilot a -2 penalty to dodge as well as giving a 10% penalty to piloting. Destruction of both engines will cause the aircraft to crash. Pilot may attempt an emergency landing or pilot can choose to eject.
[4] Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body will shut the aircraft down completely, rendering it useless and causing it to crash if in flight.


Speed:
Driving on Ground (Taxiing): Only possible for take offs and landings as well as for parking and storage. Speed is 40 mph (64 kph) when traveling and not on take off or landing. Has a tail hook for carrier landings and designed to be catapult launched.
Flying: The Super Tomcat can reach a top speed of Mach 2.3 (1480.9 knots/ 1,705.3 mph / 2,744.5 kph ) on full afterburner (the fighter can only last a few minutes at that speed and consumes most of the fuel.) Top speed is reduced by about 10% when fully loaded. The fighter’s normal cruise is about 420 knots (483.7 mph / 778.4 kph) but varies on the situation. The fighter has a maximum altitude of 53,000 feet (16,460 meters).
Range: 1,312 nautical miles (1,510.8 miles/2,431.6 kilometers) with no external ordnance load. The fighter can carry two 280 gallon fuel tanks (one under each engine) that extend range by about 280 nautical miles (322.4 miles/518.9 kilometers)for both - carried in pairs. Reduce aircraft's range by 15% if partially loaded (two long range missiles, four medium range missile or eight short range missiles, or more) and by 25% if fully loaded. The F-14D Super Tomcat can be refueled in the air.


Statistical Data:
Height: 16 feet (4.8 meters)
Wingspan: 64 feet 1.5 inches (19.55 meters) with wings unswept and 38 feet 2.5 inches (11.56 meters) with wings swept back.
Length: 62 feet 8 inches (19.1 meters).
Weight: 41,780 pounds (18,968 kg) unloaded and 74,349 pounds (33755 kg) at maximum load.
Power System: Conventional, Two General Electric F-110-GE-400 augmented turbofan engines with afterburners (Each with 13,810 lbs thrust dry and 27,800 lbs thrust on afterburners), uses aviation fuel.
Cargo: Minimal (Storage for small equipment) in cockpit, does not include hard points.
Black Market Cost: 4 million credits (Can sometimes sell for double that price)


Weapon Systems:

  1. One (1) M61A1 20 mm Vulcan Cannon: This is the original Pre-Rifts cannon mounted in the nose of the fighter. It is the same cannon design as is carried on the FA-18 Hornet and multiple other United States aircraft. They have replaced the standard ammo with Wellington Industries developed mega damage, armor piercing ramjet ammunition which allows the aircraft to hold it own against other Rifts aircraft. The gun mount is controlled by the fighter’s pilot.
    Maximum Effective Range: 4,000 feet (1,220 m).
    Mega Damage: 1D6x10 for a burst of 30 round, 2D4 for each round.
    Rate of Fire: Equal to the combined hand to hand attacks of the pilot (usually 4 or 5).
    Payload: 660 rounds (22 bursts)
  2. Eight (8) Hard Points: The F-14 Tomcat has a total of 8 hard points with four of the hard points between the aircraft's engines and two of the hard points on each of the aircrafts wing roots. The two hard points are closely grouped together and one can carry much lower payload that the other. All but the secondary wing support hard points can carry bombs instead of missiles but the Tomcat was not designed to carry bombs so there are penalties when using bombs. The hard points were originally designed to carry one missile each but the hard points have been refitted to carry two medium range missiles or four short range missiles on each hard point. The smaller secondary wing root hard points are reduced in their payload. The aircraft cannot land with six long range missiles being carried.
    Fuselage Hard Points (4): ECM pack or missiles/bombs (one long range missile /heavy, two medium range/medium, or four short range/light each). Originally used for Phoenix, AMRAAM, Sparrow, and Sidewinder missiles but could carry bombs as well.
    Primary Wing Root Hard Points (2): ECM pack, towed decoy, or missiles/bombs (one long range missile /heavy, two medium range/medium, or four short range/light each). Originally used for Phoenix, AMRAAM, Sparrow, and Sidewinder missiles but could carry bombs as well.
    Secondary Wing Root Hard Points (2): Missiles only (one medium range missile or two short range missiles each.) These hard points were originally designed for Sidewinder missiles.
    1. Bombs and Missiles: The only restriction is that a hard point must carry all the same type of missiles or bombs. Both unguided and guided bombs can be carried. Missiles, especially long range missiles, are usually controlled by the weapon officer but can be controlled by the pilot as well.
      Maximum Effective Range: Varies by missile type for missile and varies by altitude bombs are dropped at (See revised bomb and missile tables for details.)
      Mega Damage: Varies by missile or bomb type (See revised bomb and missile tables for details.)
      Rate of Fire: Missiles can be fired and bombs can be dropped one at a time per hard point. Multiple hard points can be linked as one attack but must be the same size (light, medium, or heavy) and style of ordnance (all missiles or bombs in a volley.)
      Payload: Varies by hard point (see above - all ordnance on a hard point must be the same size and type of ordnance)
    2. Active Jamming Pod: The pod takes place of all ordnance on the hard point. Causes -25% to detection but when it is active, other vehicles/ bases can detect that it is jamming, and some missiles will home in on jamming signals. Jamming also causes a -4 penalty to all radar guided weapons.
    3. Towed Decoys (4): The pod takes place of all ordnance on the hard point. The aircraft can carry a special pod that carries four advanced towed decoy drones. These drones are dragged about 328 feet (100 meters) behind the aircraft on a thin cable. Each is a specially designed radar lure that creates a radar image to mimic the aircraft. If decoys are not destroyed, they can be recovered and repaired. Rifts Earth decoy systems are assumed to not operate against Phase World weapons due to technological difference.
      M.D.C.: 5 each
      Effects: The decoy has an 65% chance of fooling ordinary non military radars and non smart guided missiles, the decoy has a 35% chance of fooling military level radars (like those of the Coalition), and the decoy has a 10% chance of fooling advanced military radars (Like those of the New Navy and Triax) and smart missiles.
      Range: Not Applicable although the decoy is deployed 328 feet (100 meters) from the aircraft
      Rate of fire: One can be deployed at a time and requires 15 seconds to deploy (Reel Out) another decoy
      Payload: 4 Decoys each pod.
  3. One (1) Anti-Missile Chaff/Flare Dispenser: Use the same effects as the TRIAX model. However, each time the system is engaged, the system fires off one chaff and 1D4 flares. Rifts Earth decoy systems are assumed to not operate against Phase World missiles due to technological difference. Reduce effects by 20% against smart missiles (Add +20% to rolls for smart missiles.)
    Effect:
      01-50 Enemy missile or missile volley detonates in chaff cloud - Missiles are all destroyed.
      51-75 Enemy missile or missile volley loses track of real target and veers away in wrong direction (May lock onto another target.)
      76-00 No effect, missiles are still on target
    Also note that the chaff cloud will also blind flying monsters that fly through cloud. They will suffer the following penalties: reduce melee attacks/actions, combat bonuses, and speed by half. Duration: 1D4 melee rounds.
    Payload: 20 chaff, 40 flares. Each time the system is engaged, the system fires off one chaff and 1D4 flares.


Special Equipment:
The equipment of the fighter has been upgraded but many of the original systems are still on the fighter. Consider the fighter to carry all standard equipment that robot vehicles carry (not including loudspeaker and microphone) plus the following extra systems:

Combat Bonuses


[ Altarain TM, Bandito Arms TM, Brodkil TM, Chipwell Armaments TM, Coalition States TM, Cyber-Knight TM, Federation of Magic TM, Free Quebec TM, Golden Age Weaponsmiths TM, Horune TM, Iron Heart Armaments TM, Kankoran TM, Kittani TM, Kydian TM, Larsen’s Brigade TM, M.D.C. TM, Mechanoids TM, Mega-Damage TM, Megaversal Legion TM, Millennium Tree TM, Mutants in Orbit TM, Naruni Enterprises TM, Naut’Yll, New Navy TM, New Sovietskiy TM, NGR TM, Nog Heng TM, Northern Gun TM, Phase World TM, Psyscape TM, Rifter TM, SAMAS TM, S.D.C. TM, Shemarrian TM, Splugorth TM, Stormspire TM, Sunaj TM, Tolkeen TM, Triax TM, Wellington Industries TM, Wilk’s Laser Technologies TM, Xiticix TM, and Zaayr TM are trademarks owned by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc. ]

[ Beyond the Supernatural®, Heroes Unlimited®, Nightbane®, Ninjas & Superspies®, Palladium Fantasy®, and Rifts® are registered trademarks owned by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc. ]


Writeup by Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).


Copyright © 1998, 2001, & 2011, Kitsune. All rights reserved.


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