With the Cats last days coming very soon - Such a terrible decision to not have updated the F-14 (and to have gone solely with the F-18's) - I love the 18's but they are not a true replacement -
Small dirty secret is many SOF on the ground put in request for F-14's not 18's for CAS standbys - (and that is the F-14 secondary role and the 18's primary to boot!).
One of VP (then SecDef) worst decisions while in Gov't office - Shutting down the F-14 program.