My God… The F-14 Tomcat May Actually Fly Again Over The United States (Updated)

Summary

Congressional legislation known as the "Maverick Act," inspired by the Top Gun film franchise, is working its way through both the Senate and House with the goal of transferring three retired F-14D Tomcats from the Davis-Monthan Air Force Base boneyard to the U.S. Space & Rocket Center museum in Huntsville, Alabama. The bill passed the Senate by unanimous consent on April 28, 2025, and was co-sponsored by bipartisan lawmakers including Senator Tim Sheehy, a Navy SEAL veteran, and Senator Mark Kelly, a retired naval aviator and astronaut. Most notably, the legislation includes a provision requiring the Secretary of the Navy to provide excess spare parts sufficient to make one of the three F-14Ds potentially airworthy, opening the door for the iconic jet to fly again at airshows and commemorative events. Strict safeguards are built into the bill, ensuring the aircraft will be fully demilitarized with no combat capabilities restored, must comply with FAA regulations, and cannot be transferred to another party without Navy approval. This legislation creates a rare exception to the post-retirement restrictions that resulted in nearly all F-14s being destroyed, largely due to the aircraft's sensitive technology and its continued operational use by Iran.