F-14s Could Fly Again Under New Bill

Senate bill opens door to fighter jets’ potential restoration and display.

Zach Vasile

Thursday, May 07, 2026 at 12:30 PM ET

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Edited By:

Travis Tingle

An F-14 Tomcat in storage [FLYING Magazine/Connor O'Shea]

Key Takeaways:

The U.S. Senate passed the "Maverick Act," a bill to transfer three retired F-14 fighter jets from the Navy to the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama.
The legislation allows the museum to restore the jets, potentially to flying condition for airshows or for static public display, requesting spare parts from the Navy for this purpose.
For the bill to become law, it still requires approval from the U.S. House of Representatives and the President's signature.

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A bill passed by the U.S. Senate would transfer three retired F-14 fighter jets to the U.S. Space & Rocket Center for potential flying or public display.

The legislation, officially nicknamed the “Maverick Act,” would move the “surplus” aircraft from a U.S. Navy facility to the Huntsville, Alabama, museum, which showcases rockets, space vehicles, and other technology connected to the nation’s space program.