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The once dominant F-14 "Tomcat" fighter, like a steel beast, guarding the United States sky, its unique variable sweep wing design, in that era, is undoubtedly the pinnacle of aviation technology, giving it extraordinary aerial combat ability, no matter how powerful the weapon can not escape the judgment of the times, "Tomcat" finally walked off the stage of history, which certainly has its own insurmountable defects, but also reflects the change of military strategy and the evolution of the development trend of weapons and equipment
We might as well take a look at the style of the "Tomcat", its streamlined fuselage, as if to tear the sound barrier, full of power, and the most eye-catching, is the pair of variable swept wings, like an eagle spreading its wings, sometimes stretching, sometimes retracting, giving it the best aerodynamic layout in different flight conditions
The design is not just for visual impact, but contains a profound aerodynamic principle: when the Tomcat needs to fly at high speeds, the wings will be retracted to reduce air resistance, allowing it to shuttle between the clouds at incredible speeds, and when it is necessary to fly at low speeds or take off and land, the wings will be extended forward to increase lift, improve stability and maneuverability
With its variable sweep wing technology, the Tomcat showed an unparalleled advantage in air combat, it was able to flexibly adjust its flight attitude according to the combat situation, whether it was high-speed interception or low-altitude dogfighting, it was able to play with ease, coupled with a powerful radar system and long-range air-to-air missiles, the Tomcat became the world's most formidable aerial hunter at that time
Just as there are two sides to a coin, the brilliance of the "Tomcat" also hides a flaw that is difficult to ignore, the variable swept wing structure is complex, difficult to maintain, and the cost is high, according to statistics, the "Tomcat" needs to spend tens of thousands of dollars in maintenance costs for every hour of flight, which is a large expense for any country
Although it performed well in air combat, it was a little powerless in the face of ground anti-aircraft fire, and the pursuit of air combat performance made the "Tomcat" lack of capabilities in other aspects, which was one of the reasons for its eventual retirement
With the progress of science and technology, the air defense system is becoming more and more perfect, and the era of relying solely on air forces to compete for air supremacy is gone forever, and modern warfare places more emphasis on systematic warfare and requires the coordination and cooperation of various combat forces in order to achieve ultimate victory
Therefore, fighters such as the "Tomcat" that pursue the ultimate air combat performance have gradually lost their usefulness and have been replaced by a new generation of fighters that pay more attention to multi-purpose and multi-functional, which can not only perform air combat missions, but also strike at the ground and sea to adapt to a more complex battlefield environment
The retirement of the "Tomcat" is the end of an era, but also a new beginning, it leaves us, not only those wonderful aerial fighting pictures, but also the thinking and enlightenment of future wars, in today's rapid development of science and technology, only by constantly adapting to the changes of the times, in order to be invincible in the future competition
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