The Grumman F-14 Tomcat is a twin-engine, variable sweep wings capable of supersonic flight.
The aircraft is crewed by a Pilot and a Radar Intercept Officer who share the tasks of navigation,
target acquisition, ECM and weapons usage. The Tomcat was operated by the United States
Navy and the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force only. The name “Tomcat” is said to come from the
call-sign used by Vice Admiral Thomas Connolly which conformed to the USN tradition of giving
Grumman aircraft feline names.

F-14A 161296 was delivered to VF-1 on March 6, 1982. Over the years 161296 flew with VF-21,
114, 2, 124, 32, 41 and finally VF-154 “Black Knights”. In 2003 the USS Kitty Hawk with VF-154
deployed for Operation Iraqi Freedom. Five VF-154 F-14s were stationed at the Al Udeid AB
Qatar with the rest operating from the Kitty Hawk. The five land-based Black Knights’ flew more
than 300 combat hours dropping over 50,000 pounds of ordnance. F-14A 161296 dropped 32
LGBs and was the only one to use its cannon.