The Grumman F-14 Tomcat is a twin-engine, variable-sweep wing capable of supersonic flight. The aircraft is crewed by a Pilot and a Radar Intercept Officer who share the tasks of navigation, target acquisition, ECM and weapons usage. The Tomcat was operated by the United States Navy and the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force only. The name “Tomcat” is said to come from the call-sign used by Vice Admiral Thomas Connolly which conformed to the USN tradition of giving Grumman aircraft feline names.

F-14A 161621 was delivered to VF-21 in 1984 and served with VF-111, VF-213, VF-124 and VF- 154 “Black Knights”. In 1989 while with VF-111 the aircraft was given the nose art “Miss Molly”. VF-154 received F-14As in October 1983 and in 1998 took possession of F-14A 161621. In 1991 VF-154 moved to NAF Atsugi, Japan. On March 2 1999 while on board the USS Kitty Hawk VF-154 F-14A 161621, piloted by Lt. Baxter with CAG Captain McHarg along completed the 1000th trap before retiring the aircraft in 2004.