The two ‘Top Gun’ films were highly successful. The first one, released in the 1980s, made people fall in love with the Grumman F-14 Tomcat. Thirty years later, the sequel featured the F/A-18 Super Hornet as its star. Currently, many aviation enthusiasts, or ‘avgeeks,’ are debating whether the F/A-18 Super Hornet is a perfect replacement for the F-14 Tomcat. Personally, I believe it is, and I’m pleased that ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ showcased the Super Hornet’s actual capabilities.
The F/A-18 Super Hornet was fit for the mission at TopGun Maverick
In the movie, the mission requires the aircraft to carry out a ground assault to destroy an underground uranium depot hidden within a valley or mountain. To evade surface-to-air missiles stationed at the top of the canyon walls, the pilots need to fly fast and low between the walls. Once they reach the canyon’s mouth, they must climb steeply, following the mountain’s contour. Upon reaching the end of the summit, the pilots are required to perform an inverted dive towards the valley’s floor. From there, they will release smart bombs to destroy the reactor at the center.
After firing their weapons, the F/A-18 pilots must climb steeply to avoid colliding with the mountain walls on the other side, enduring forces of 9G or more.
In reality, the F/A-18E/F, rather than the F-14 Tomcat, is better suited for this type of mission.
The F/A-18 was built as a multi-role aircraft for the Navy
The F/A-18, and later the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, were designed with the intention of performing both air superiority and attack missions. This was not the original purpose of the F-14 Tomcat. The Super Hornet achieves a heavy payload capacity for attack missions without sacrificing the maneuverability needed for air superiority roles.
Among modern jet fighters, the F/A-18 Super Hornet boasts one of the best Alpha performances. ‘Alpha’ in this context refers to the aircraft’s angle of attack.
If an aircraft reaches its critical angle of attack, it will stall. Typically, this is between 15 to 20 degrees. However, the F/A-18 Super Hornet features saw-tooth wings and a modified leading edge extension (LEX) – a relatively short forward extension of the wing’s top edge.
While the large LEX reduces static stability and enhances pitching characteristics, it also improves vortex lifting capabilities during high alpha maneuvers. Thanks to this design, the Super Hornet can achieve a pitch rate of 40 degrees per second. Moreover, its sawtooth wing design enhances airflow and reduces drag at high speeds. When used together, these features allow the Super Hornet to maintain stable flight even at high angles of attack.
Therefore, for the kind of mission depicted in ‘Top Gun: Maverick,’ the Super Hornet was the perfect fit.
Can the F-14 Tomcat pull-off the same performance?
The Grumman F-14 Tomcat was primarily designed as a carrier-based, fast, and long-range interceptor. Its main role was to destroy other aircraft, especially those posing a threat to aircraft carriers. Given its design and intended purpose, the F-14 was not equipped to carry out the same missions as the F/A-18. Furthermore, the F-14 Tomcat was retired in 2006.
The Tomcat was an aircraft to be feared, particularly in engagements with MiGs. It was known for its long-range AIM-54 Phoenix air-to-air missile and its BVR (Beyond Visual Range) capabilities. The F-14 was the only fighter capable of carrying the massive Phoenix missile. It could lock a Phoenix missile onto each of up to six targets in succession. BVR allows pilots to target and shoot down various aircraft without needing visual contact.
The F-15 Eagle, the air force counterpart of the Tomcat, is designed for high-maneuverability dogfights, unlike the Tomcat. The F-14 was massive because it could carry up to six Phoenix missiles. However, in the hands of a skilled pilot, the F-14 remains a formidable adversary in the air.
So is the F-18 really better than the F-14?
It depends on how you compare the two aircraft, but let me share something with you. The Super Hornet is a much more advanced aircraft than the F/A-18 Hornet, which it replaced. Thanks to stronger engines, a redesigned leading edge extension (LEX), and advanced avionics, the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet is capable of performing a variety of tasks. It can serve as a fleet defender, a ground attack and bomber aircraft, provide close air support, neutralize enemy defenses, act as an air-to-air refueler, and even function as an anti-radar/electronic countermeasures (ECM) jet.
Additionally, structural modifications to the Super Hornet’s airframe have increased its internal fuel capacity by 3,600 lb, offering 33% more fuel than the F-18C/D variant.
In comparison with a Tomcat, the Super Hornet has a tighter turning ability. It is equipped with a range of weapons, including the AIM-120 AMRAAM, AIM-7 Sparrow, and AIM-9X Sidewinders. On the other hand, the Tomcat can launch long-range Phoenix missiles at the Super Hornet before the latter even detects it.
Nevertheless, the final outcome in an aerial battle will likely depend on the pilot’s abilities in the cockpit. No matter how sophisticated an aircraft is, a poorly trained pilot is at a much greater risk of being shot down.
While I agree that the F/A-18E/F is a sophisticated and capable aircraft, there’s no denying that the classic Tomcat remains one of the most stunning fighters ever.
First love never dies. I fell in love with airplanes and aviation when I was a kid. My dream was to become a pilot, but destiny led me to another path: to be an aviation digital media content creator and a small business owner. My passion for aviation inspires me to bring you quality content through my website and social accounts. Aviation is indeed in my blood and blog!
