Sanchez makes naval history(F-14 Tomcats being phased out)

The Bee-Picayune ^ | July 2, 2004

[SwinneySwitch]

- Ens. Manuel Sanchez, VX-30 maintenance material control officer, recently made history by being the last Navy F-14 Tomcat test and evaluation maintenance material control officer. According to tradition, Sanchez took a supersonic ride in the back of the F-14 Tomcat which he said was the time of his life.

“If you haven’t heard, the world famous Tomcat that Tom Cruise put on the map with the movie Top Gun is currently disestablishing from the Navy,” Sanchez said. “We at Air Test and Evaluation Squadron Three Zero (VX-30) ‘The Bloodhounds’ out of Point Mugu, Calif., are a Combat Support Unit. The Bloodhounds exist to carry out missions in support of our naval war fighters. These missions consist of providing our naval war fighters with system improvements that enhance their ability to ‘put missiles in enemy cockpits and strike weapons through their front doors.’

“We do this by conducting and supporting cutting edge research, development, test and evaluation (RDT&E) flight tests of naval combat systems,” Sanchez continued. “To accomplish these missions, we provide Naval Air Systems Command with people and aircraft that contribute both unique and complementary RDT&E capabilities to our winning team. However, since the Tomcat squadrons will be going away by midyear 2006, the requirements to continue research and tests of advanced weapons and systems for the F-14 Tomcat is no longer a demand.

“The Navy’s heart and soul for fighter aircraft is now the Strike Fighter F/A-18 Hornet which is currently used by the world famous Navy Blue Angels,” Sanchez said.

Sanchez joined the Navy out of Beeville in May 1990 as an enlisted sailor and was commissioned as an officer in December 2002. He is the son of Abel and Esther Rodriguez of Beeville. He will leave Point Mugu for VFA-27 Royal Maces (F/A-18E Super Hornet Squadron) out of Atsugi, Japan, in April 2005.

“I’ve had an awesome tour here at Point Mugu as you can tell by a couple of these photos,” Sanchez said. “I gave actor Jamie Foxx a tour of my squadron and had him sit in the Tomcat. He wanted to get the feel of sitting in a jet as he was filming for his upcoming movie ‘Stealth.’ Also, I participated in President Ronald Reagan’s funeral. Being away from home, I sincerely enjoy going online (to read the newspaper) and keeping up with Beeville every Wednesday and Saturday. You guys do a phenomenal job!”

[POA2]

While the F-18E/F Horent is a great aircraft....we are foolish in thinking it can replace the F-14D - It simply cannot -

We are gambling on the notion that we can get by until the F-22 (Naval Version) comes along with the F-18E/F

However, the F-18E/F cannot compete with the SU-27, SU-35's that are out there in China, India as well as N. Korea.

While our pilots are better trained it is the first time in history we are putting them out there with inferior aircraft - (within certain terms) -

Congress blew it on this one going with the F-18E/F for price alone -

F-14D is by far the superior Air to Air platform for fleet defense -

[Pukin Dog]

I take exceptions on your #93. I think Long Cut is on the money with respect to airframe commonality; especially on the F-4 example. AF not only had, but used that Navy folding wing mechanism when they had to do some close parking.

It will be a cold day in hell before the AF takes a Navy jet again. I've heard stories about the AF thinking Thuds were all they would need in Vietnam. Eagle-E is a weird bird anyway. It takes a lot of compromise to make that fat baby fly with all the new guts and conformals. I don't think other aircraft would be so different. Where can I get one of those cool scarfs so I can look AF-cool? Maybe a white and blue checkered one?

[Pukin Dog]

Preaching to the choir, son.

[POA2]

Pukin Dog -

After reading my post...I was kind of directing those as questions to you - (Since you are by far more in the know)...more just asking if all those points were true (or not).

But I worded it wrong.

Seems like such a dangerous decision by our Congress -

What plane is going to be the "real" replacement for the Tomcats down the road??

[Pukin Dog]

What plane is going to be the "real" replacement for the Tomcats down the road??

Truthfully, I have no idea.

I am hoping and lobbying for a Navy version of the YF-23. Not only is it an incredible aircraft, I would love for the Navy to have a jet that would also whip the F-22. It would be great for both services to revive true inter-service competition. The Navy knows that ultimately, they need a big, bad-ass jet and not some gutless insect of an airplane protecting the fleet. The YF-23 even LOOKS like a navy jet, just a mean looking mutha that looks scary just sitting on the tarmac.

[Gunrunner2]

Long Cut has a point, I agree, but not really applicable in the real world. The AF did use the F-4 -- nice jet -- but the issues I raised about weight and maintenance stand. Why would the AF buy a jet that weighs more than need be and why would they buy a jet that requires more maintenance than need be.

Thud was originally designed primarily as a nuke platform. But that changed, as we know. The AF back in the day was operating under the presumption the strat/tac nuke mission was the future and no real thought to conventional/unconventional war.

Aircraft design is--or should be--determined by mission, not kumbaya let's-all-dress-the-same.

The Strike Eagle is a cool jet, with the -229 engines and the weapons it truly is a multi-mission jet. . .unlike the Lawn Dart.

The Strike Eagle is an excellent jet and I'm not sure what "compromise" you are referring. It basically is the F-4 with better engines, radar, weapons, avionics, etc. Cadillac of jets. . .big, comfy, powerful and you don't want to get in its way.

Let's see. . .join the Navy, go to sea for months and months at a time, locked on a hot ship with 5,000 other guys and do that for 20-yrs or more. . .hmmm. . .now why would a manly-man wanna do that? I'll keep my scarf, thank you very much.

;-)

[Gunrunner2]

Yeah, the Army has a few that as so ugly they scare the sky into letting them up there.

Now, ugly is ugly and the A-10 is right there, but I luv the jet. Had more fun flying that thing than I ever did with the Strike Eagle. Nothing like single-seat, cowboy low-flying where if you wanna turn you just dip a wing in the dirt and pivot.

Ya'know, it was real satisfying when the A-10 first became "famous" in Gulf War I. Proud moment when the Air Force--and others--finally admitted that the jet could do the job and was doing it exceptionally well.

We in the A-10 world knew all along the jet was a kick-butt killer of bad guys. It was nice to see the "fast jets" (Air Force AND Navy) finally take note.

Now I know there were a lot of guys that secretly wanted the jet, but like that old joke about romping with a fat ugly chick, it sure is a lot of fun but you don't want your friends to see you. We in the A-10 world had no friends and didn't care who saw us. We romped around with that fat ugly chick and had a ball!

We may have pretty scarfs but we have kick-butt jets too.

[Pukin Dog]

Let's see. . .join the Navy, go to sea for months and months at a time, locked on a hot ship with 5,000 other guys and do that for 20-yrs or more. . .hmmm. . .now why would a manly-man wanna do that? I'll keep my scarf, thank you very much

Why?

To be the best, thats why.

In the rain, in the dark, with no gas, I know I can put it down to an OK-3 anytime, baby.

I don't need no stinkin' 10,000ft runway(or a gomer scarf) to look good. Besides that, you aint got no steaks and sliders waiting for you when you land, your coffee sucks worse than ours does, and only ugly chicks live near AF bases and they are waiting for you at the gate with a chicken, a goat, and an application for Rent-A-Center.

[Gunrunner2]

Bawhahaha. . .good one.

The ugly ones are out the gate because all the good looking ones are inside the gate.

[hardhead]

Here are some Tomcat insignia from 'way back' before the Islamists started their purge This was pre-Khomeini in Iran - when he took power he executed most of the top military.

[VaBthang4]

"My broker will appreciate this extensive list of companies to add to his SHORT list."

Haha...I know, right!

[VaBthang4]

"The YF-23 even LOOKS like a navy jet, just a mean looking mutha that looks scary just sitting on the tarmac."

I agree. That's the most beautiful bird ever. From what I understand [though I've never been given a breakdown] it beat out the F22 across the board. I so hope it finds a place in one of our branches. It would be a shame to have it just fade out. It'd be a great carrier born air supremacy fighter/interceptor.

Though I dont know how much retooling would have to be done in order to make it seaworthy.