[jae471]

The YF-17 was never designed for the same role as an F-14. The F-14 was built to make things go boom. The YF-17 was built as a lighweight figther, which is why the USAF went with the more-versatile F-16.

Anyone know how the F/A-18 performs on SEAD?

[Poohbah]

The F/A-18 did most of the Navy SEAD work (teaming with the EA-6b). It definitely fired most of the HARMs from Desert Storm to Enduring Freedom.

[pfflier]

The YF-17 was never designed for the same role as an F-14

Never said it was. It was designed, by Northrop as direct competition for the F-16 under Air Force flyoff directives...and came in second best.