Maverick Act offers hope of flyable F-14 Tomcat returning to American skies
May 8, 2026
2026 may prove a mixed year for the venerable F-14 Tomcat. While Israeli and US airstrikes hunted down and destroyed remaining Iranian F-14s on the ground, new legislation has been passed by the Senate that could see an American F-14 eventually returned to flying service.
Maverick bill to see three F-14s transferred from boneyard
Congress is considering allowing the Navy to transfer three retired F-14Ds, currently stored at the Davis-Monthan boneyard, to the US Space & Rocket Center in Alabama.
The bills have been called the “Maverick Act” in both Houses in an unmissable reference to the Top Gun movie franchise’s Navy Capt. Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, played by Tom Cruise.
According to the AMARC Experience, there are three F-14As, two F-14Bs, and three F-14Ds stored at the boneyard, although it is unclear what condition these are in.
Four seemingly complete Tomcats can be seen parked between a large number of F-15s and A-10s. The four complete F-14s are next to four partial F-14 aircraft that are missing their wings and tails.
If the act passes, there could be hope that one would be returned to flying condition. The Maverick bill names the serial numbers of the three F-14Ds as 164341, 164602, and 159437.
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Possibility to restore the F-14 to flyable status
While the bill says that the F-14 should “not have any capability for use as a platform for launching or releasing munitions or any other combat capability that it was designed to have,” it also has some eye-catching clauses.
The bill reads, “a condition that the Secretary [of the Navy] may provide excess spare parts to make one of the F–14D aircraft flyable or able to complete a static display, provided that any part transferred from existing Navy stock is replenished at fair market value by the Commission…”
While it says the Navy is not obligated to restore, repair, or modify the F-14s, it does say “a condition that the Secretary shall provide any maintenance and operations manuals that are specific to the F–14D aircraft.”
Importantly, it goes on to say that the Navy will provide “excess spare parts to make one of the F–14D aircraft flyable or able to complete a static display.”
The Maverick Act just passed the Senate, allowing the US Navy to transfer a trio of retired F-14D Tomcats and necessary spare parts to the U.S. Space and Rocket Center.
— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) May 7, 2026
The F-14s have also been authorized to potentially be restored to flying condition. pic.twitter.com/lIA6gcQRfv
This suggests that the Navy is expected to hand over the manuals and spare parts needed for a third party to restore a Tomcat to flying service.
A change of heart following Iran campaign
Iran ordered 80 Tomcats before the revolution of 1979, of which 79 were delivered. Most of the 79 Tomcats exported to Iran survived the Iran-Iraq War of 1980-1988.
US Navy F-14s retired in 2006. In an effort to limit the effectiveness of the Iranian Tomcats, the US imposed strict export controls, with retired F-14s scrapped along with their spare parts.
Ironically, it may be because of Israeli strikes on the F-14s that the US is considering relaxing its post-retirement restrictions on the Tomcat.
Israel destroyed some F-14 airframes in the 2025 air campaign over Iran, while the 2026 air campaign destroyed more. While only two more F-14 airframes have been visually confirmed destroyed in 2026, the actual number is likely higher.
During the air campaign, Iran is known to have flown Northrop F-5s, Yak-130s, and MiG-29s. Afterwards, it flew at least two surviving F-4 Phantom IIs and two MiG-29s on escort missions.
🇮🇱✈️🇮🇷 Israeli airstrikes destroyed many of Iran’s remaining F-14 Tomcats along with radar and air defenses at Isfahan’s 8th Tactical Fighter Base. pic.twitter.com/QyBBhblJ4B
— MAKS 25 🇺🇦👀 (@Maks_NAFO_FELLA) March 11, 2026
It is unclear if Iran managed to get a single Tomcat in the air during the fighting. The US may now be willing to conclude that Iran’s F-14 Tomcat era is essentially at an end.
Featured Image: DVIDS
