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TechFPGA Expert Recreates F-14 Tomcat's Secret MP944 Microprocessor in 3D-Printed Model
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FPGA and embedded systems expert Adam Taylor has successfully recreated the U.S. Navy F-14 Tomcat's Central Air Data Computer (CADC) using an FPGA, and demonstrated it in a 3D-printed scale model of the aircraft. The CADC, powered by the MP944 chip—which some argue was the world's first microprocessor, predating Intel's 4004 by over a year—controlled the fighter's iconic swing-wing system and computed critical flight parameters. Taylor's open-source project includes complete VHDL implementations for all six original CADC chips, running on a Spartan-7 FPGA. The MP944, classified until 1998, was a 20-bit, pipelined, parallel multi-microprocessor running at 375 kHz. The project revives debate over which chip deserves the 'first microprocessor' title, with MP944 proponents noting its 8x performance advantage over the Intel 4004, though the latter was designed for simpler calculator tasks.
Source report
FPGA and embedded systems expert Adam Taylor has recreated the U.S. Navy's F-14 Tomcat's Central Air Data Computer (CADC) in an FPGA. The CADC is renowned as the brains behind the F-14's advanced fighter capabilities, including control of the aircraft's signature articulated sweep-wing system. To put the new FPGA to the test, Taylor used a 3D-printed scale model of the F-14 Tomcat. A video demonstration is embedded below.
Fridays are for demos. We recreated the F14 CADC, it seemed only right we could test it with the actual swing wing feature. So we created a 3D printed F14 its first test. https://t.co/UUvebMIXei pic.twitter.com/3Mfcvo7Pnq — July 24, 2026
Background on the CADC and MP944
We previously covered the F-14 Tomcat's CADC last year, following social media debates about whether this flight computer was powered by the "world's first microprocessor." The CADC's intelligence came from the MP944 chip, which remained largely unknown for years. Although the MP944 microprocessor entered service in June 1970 — over a year before Intel's legendary 4004 became available in November 1971 — it was classified as an official secret until 1998. As a result, the Intel 4004 claimed the spotlight as the first microprocessor, a title contested by MP944 advocates.
MP944 Specifications
To recap, the MP944 was a 20-bit, pipelined, parallel multi-microprocessor built with state-of-the-art MOS technology. It operated at 375 kHz, executing 9,375 instructions per second. Designed by Steve Geller, Ray Holt, and a team of 25 engineers, the chip passed rigorous ruggedness tests and could function in temperatures ranging from -55°C to +125°C.
Role in the F-14 Tomcat
The MP944 functioned as part of a six-chip system within the CADC, enabling real-time calculation of flight parameters such as altitude, airspeed, and Mach number. This innovation was critical to the Tomcat's articulated sweep-wing system. Some chip architecture enthusiasts assert that the MP944 was "8x faster than the Intel 4004," though it is worth noting that the Intel chip was originally designed for a far more humble desktop calculator.
Adam Taylor's FPGA Recreation
Returning to Adam Taylor's recent achievement, he has released a full open-source set of VHDL source code, documentation, and testbenches for an FPGA recreation of the F-14's CADC. According to the GitHub repository, the FPGA used is a Spartan-7-based System-on-Module (SoM), part of the Adiuvo Embedded System Tile. The resource includes complete synthesizable VHDL implementations for all six original CADC chips, not just the MP944 logic.
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FPGA Expert Recreates F-14 Tomcat's Secret MP944 Microprocessor in 3D-Printed Model