Top Gun Maverick Super Tomcat 22 | The Fighter Jet Maverick Should Have Flown

The Super Tomcat ST-22 is the fighter jet should have flown in the new movie Top Gun Maverick. Here is the story on how Grumman planned to upgrade the infamous F-14 Tomcat several times, and what the legendary 'Cat's final form may have looked like in the 21st Century.

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Photography and video Credits/Attributions:

"The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement."
Department of Defense
The NATO Channel
Lockheed Martin

[paulmarsdensr]

I am a retired F-14 A/B/D Aviation Electrician and I retired from the Navy in 2007. I was in 5 Tomcat Squadron. I wish Grumman never retired my Tomcats. A great video brother. Tomcats forever.

[RobertWilliams-oxhz]

If you grew up in the 80's and 90's then the Tomcat is what you think about when someone says fighter plane. It's like the Lamborghini Countach. It's the poster that adorned your wall, and the model that hung from your ceiling on strings. It's so iconic. I still think it's the coolest looking aircraft ever designed.

[BPP]

Top Gun: Maverick gave me the most thrilling cinematic experience I've had in years. The Super Hornets were great to see, but they just don't have the same screen presence as the Tomcat. There's just something majestic about the Turkey.

[Rockstago]

You are totally right- the F-18 doesn't have the cool factor the Tomcat does. I can't explain why, maybe it's the swing wing design (?), but the F-14 has always & will always stand out to me as an American symbol of power & freedom.

[daniel_f]

Your ST-22 is gorgeous. Just based on the Rule of Cool it’s a God Tier fighter.

I can only imagine such a platform combined with a similarly upgraded AIM-54. Presuming upgrades to the avionics, motor and control surfaces of the Phoenix it might very well be equivalent to an air launched, late model, Patriot missile. With those types of upgrades an AIM-54X, unlike the original Phoenix, could still be effective against even the maneuverability of fighters.

[phantom]

That’s actually a really awesome imagining of what a modern, stealthy F-14 might look like. The F-14 is one off if not the best looking fighter jets ever made, and your stealthy, modern rendition looks fantastic. Very well done!

[adj]

I was on the F14 program in the 80s/90s and helped generate data for some of the proposals. It wasn’t about what the F 14 could do or be modified to do. It was about replacing the the F14, A6, EA6B, KA6 with the F18 essentially removing Grumman off the carrier with the exception of the E2 and C2. We gave it the great college try but looking back with additional info I know now how much it wouldn’t

[tolson]

I maintained Avionics and Fire Control systems on the Tomcat for 20 years. Your evolution of the Tomcat is spot on. Many people that have no actual experience with the Tomcat like to blame the swing wing for the high maintenance cost per flight hour but that was not the case, The primary cause of the cost was the outdated electronics. The D updated about 30% of the electronics and that did reduce the costs. The ST21 would have had all new electronics, including a digital fly-by-wire system and would have incorporated everything Grumman and the Navy had learned about the Tomcat after 20 years of service. This would have resulted in a much more reliable jet that was much less expensive to operate. It would have also made the Carrier Task Force much safer than the Super Hornet ever could.

[zaneelliot]

When I was young I watched Robotech, the Skull 1 resembled the F-14. Ever since then I have loved the F-14, and Top Gun only made it that much better.

[mr.cookie]

The Tomcat was the most beautiful airplane in the past 50 years. Its the inspiration for the Robotech anima robot series.

[kenpumford]

I just saw the sequel today, and man, does it live up to the original! The flight scenes are just incredible, and the story itself is at least as good as the original. It doesn't break new ground like the original did, but is a more than worthy successor.

[dstavs]

As always, excellent video. I just watched Top Gun: Maverick. It’s 100% worth the wait. I couldn’t imagine watching it on anything other than the big screen. If you’re a fan of the original, you’ll really appreciate all the tastefully incorporated nostalgic elements of the movie.

[louferrao]

Man, this Tomcat would have been a game changer for carrier air strikes.

[benwelch]

If only, I remember when the Super Tomcat was proposed and reading the periodicals for news on its fate. Maintenance costs and hours on current airframes at the time were the reasons I saw cited as for its dismissal. Instead of telling us no, my boss always says, 'Negative Ghostrider.' Great video, as always superb work and cheers to you and your subs.

[BigBossIvan]

Brings a tear to my eye as I remember watching these beautiful planes off the coast of Long Island NY. It's clear as day they were pushed aside for Boeing's benefit. They had more potential and exuded American air superiority more than any other plane in our aviation history. What a waste to let it go the way it did...

[Phoenix]

Almost makes me cry seeing what should have been. 😥 Excellent video!

[InterstellarTaco]

The movie lives up to its name and them some. It was that rare sequel that manages to out do the original.

[pyronuke]

Your Super Tomcat ST-22 is actually not that far off from Lockheed Martin's own F-22N, a navalized version of the Raptor with swing-wings that was on the drawing board in the 90's but was dropped because of budget cuts.

[jeremyjohnson]

The F-14 Tomcat was my favorite plane growing up in the early 90s and still is.

[schurb]

As a retired Navy Mechanic who worked both 14's and 18's, nobody factors in beyond the cool factor, what a MASSIVE maintenance pig the 14 was. 14's returned to base every-time broke (in my Squadron). 18's turned around and went for more. Just my humble experience. As a dude that liked being off of work, more that being there 19 hours, 18's worked for me.