AIM-54 Phoenix: The Missile That Made the F-14 Tomcat an 'Aerial Assassin'

What You Need to Know: The AIM-54 Phoenix was a renowned long-range air-to-air missile used by the U.S. Navy from 1974 until 2004, notably carried by the F-14 Tomcat fighter jet. Originally designed for the canceled F-111B Aardvark project, the missile became an integral part of the F-14's arsenal.

-Capable of reaching speeds up to Mach 5 and engaging targets over 100 nautical miles away, the AIM-54 could be launched in clusters of six, making it a formidable weapon during its time.