Thus far, the F-14 Tomcat’s primary role—fleet air defense—has yet to be fully replicated by any of its successors.

With the launch of "The Other First Man," we introduced a new series titled Flight Test Files, focused on the fascinating legacy of aeronautical advancements pioneered by NACA and later by NASA. This ...

Iran is currently the only nation still flying F-14 Tomcats, having acquired 79 in the 1970s. Iran also flies other old U.S. fighters like the F-4 and F-5E.