Tomcat May Not Be Ready For Retirement Just Yet

You would have to do some digging, but the Iranian's had excellent success with their F-14A's. Reports vary and indicate from 4 to over 100 air to air kills, mostly Iraqi during the 80-88 war. Some hits with the AIM-54 did occur. However, prior to the Iraq war, the Shah ordered Tomcats to test fire pheonix missiles on the Iranian-Soviet border, because they got tired of the MIG-25 overflights. The flights stopped, but I don't think it was ever reported if any Soviet planes were actually shot down. After the Ahatollah took over, support and spare parts ceased to exist, and Iran's 79 F-14's fell into disrepair. Also it is rumured some of the avionics were sabatoged by the American contractors.

It is beleived that perhaps 15-20 or so are still flying, canabalizing the rest for spare parts. There was a bust a few years back on black market Tomcat parts going to Iran. The Iranian's were nice enough to give one to the Soviets as well.

home.att.net...

www.iiaf.net...

www.acig.org...

July 28, 2006 photos from "...Forever-Fearsome F-14 Tomcat Fighter Jet's Last Official Launch, Flyby, Landing": www.freerepublic.com...