Fleet Defender

Fleet Defender was a combat flight simulator published by Microprose in 1994. It features the F-14 Tomcat and, as a commercial game, "is one of the most complicated and realistic PC air combat simulators ever created." The game features exclusively the F-14B version of the aircraft, even in scenarios where it constitutes an anachronism, because the developers found that flying the original underpowered F-14A was very unforgiving and "not much fun" for a commercial flight simulator.

Tommo Inc. purchased the rights to this game and digitally publishes it through its Retroism brand in 2015.

Gameplay

One of the most realistic simulators of its time, Fleet Defender modelled detailed carrier operations including air traffic and take-off/landing under various conditions. Under the most realistic settings, the player had full control of not only the pilot, but the radar intercept officer (RIO) in the radar cockpit as well, having to manage the several available realistic radar modes (the game manual had a section dedicated to the AWG-9 radar itself, which was unusual at the time). In keeping with the real-life aircraft's role, emphasis was placed on using the AIM-54 Phoenix missile as a standoff weapon where possible, rather than engaging the more nimble Soviet fighters in close-quarters dogfighting - although dogfights were inevitable at some point. There was also the option to control your wingmen's formations and tactics.