Super Tomcat 21: Navy’s long-range F-14 upgrade rejected
By The BriefBrief
Grumman’s Super Tomcat 21 long-range F-14D concept was offered after A-12’s collapse but the Navy chose the Super Hornet.
WHO:Grumman; U.S. Navy
WHAT:The Navy selected the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet over the Super Tomcat 21 long-range F-14D strike concept.
WHEN:Reported Aug 17, 2026 at 2:16 PM ET
WHERE:USA
WHY:The Navy chose the Super Hornet instead of the Super Tomcat 21, citing that the Tomcat was expensive to keep and post-Cold War budgets were shrinking.
Reporting from 1 identified publisher for this event.
