Board Thread:Questions and Answers/@comment-1.53.226.66-20130919083540/@comment-207.23.203.113-20140305224236

The wings are in the forward sweep potition when the plane is at relatively low speeds. Just look at some videos of the F-14 Tomcat. The extra wing surface prevents the plane from stalling, and therefore allows it to go slower.

When the wings are folded, it is for high speed. By definition, an object going faster has less maneuverability when it applies the same force to maneuver. The short wings are easier to maneuver with, since they push less air when turning/rolling. When the wings are folded, there is less drag and the plane gets its tail fins to work like rear-mounted canards. Since there is less drag and better controlling surfaces, the airplane gets the same, or better maneuverability than it did with its wings folded.

In short:

Wings are deployed for lower speeds, allowing for maneuvers without stalling.

Wings are retracted for high-speeds, creating less drag and allowing for better maneuverability due to the tail-fins becoming canards.