Birds of Fray - Top Gun

The Maverick is back after a long span of 36 years and so has been his need for speed. However, he has been missing his old steed, the formidable F-14 Tomcat and its unmatched capabilities with its Mach 2.34 top speed, complex variable sweep wing system and the powerful APG-9 radar capable of tracking & engaging multiple targets from beyond-visual-ranges with its lethal AIM-54 Phoenix missiles.

In this high octane tactical dogfight and aerial battle among the birds of fray, we lock on to the top U.S. 4.5 and 5th generation fighter jet aircraft programs to analyze their abilities to meet Maverick's need for speed in the 21st century as a truly worthy successor to the venerable F-14 Tomcat. We compare the iconic F-14 Tomcat with the other in-service, comparable twin-engine, twin-tail U.S. fighter jets on technical specifications, armament & weapon systems and overall capabilities, in order, to zero down on to the ultimate supersonic flying machine which would come closest to matching the Tomcat's speed & maneuverability and satiating Maverick's 'Need for Speed' given that 5th generation modern tech, including, super cruise and stealth abilities have become critical for survival in a radically altered threat environment where multi-layered air defenses have become ubiquitous and long-range stand-off weapons norm of the day...