Born in the darkest days of the Cold War and designed to combat the menace of the Soviet Union, the F-14 Tomcat's mission has changed dramatically over the years, including patrolling U.S. airspace for possible passenger jets hijacked by terrorists and to attack terrorist hideouts in the caves of Afghanistan. Adrian Gardner tells the fascinating story of the Tomcat's evolving role in a rapidly changing world. At the book's heart is a nuts-and-bolts description of the plane, its instruments, weapons, and capabilities, and the efforts made over the years to upgrade the mighty Tomcat and maintain its status as a state-of-the-art warplane.