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6d ago

Senate-Passed ‘Maverick Act’ Would Send Three Retired F-14s to Huntsville and Permit One to Fly

House action will determine whether a parts-limited, nonprofit-supported restoration effort can eventually return a Tomcat to public flight.

Image
An F-14 Tomcat in storage
An F-14D Tomcat of VF-31 flies by the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) in 2002. (Image credit: U.S. Navy Photo by Photographer's Mate First Class (AW) Willie Davis)

Overview

  • The bipartisan bill, which passed the Senate by unanimous consent, now awaits consideration in the House of Representatives.
  • The measure names F-14D BuNos 164341 and 164602 and F-14A BuNo 159437, believed to be stored at the AMARG “Boneyard” in Arizona, with 159437 noted for its role in the 1989 Gulf of Sidra incident.
  • The Secretary of the Navy could convey the jets to the U.S. Space & Rocket Center Commission at no cost to the government, with the museum paying for transport, restoration, maintenance, and all FAA and Navy compliance.
  • The bill allows transfer of existing excess Navy parts to make one F-14D flyable or complete a static display and lets the Commission partner with qualified nonprofits to restore and operate the aircraft at public events.
  • Restoring a Tomcat to flight would likely take years and significant funding because many parts were destroyed or tightly controlled to prevent diversion to Iran and the aircraft is costly to inspect, certify, and operate.