Robocruiser is right. A USN carrier was not to far away at the time and well within range to send a section of F-14s or F-18s to check out the contact. The problem was the air wing knew of the cruisers reputation and didn't want to go near it in case it shot at them. Another point is the contact was thought to be an F-14 and the crew of a USN air defence ship should well know that a Tomcat ( at the time ) has next to zero capability to hurt a ship. M61 20mm cannon only and the jet would be well within visual range by the time it was close enough to use it.