Iran Military Force 100% Action

Im not to sure about the Iranian airforce, Even though the F14 was a great airplane and still is, It is an old plane and with missile develpments like the amraam im not sure that the Iranian airforce would stand much chance against an f18 or f22.
If they have some pheonix missiles that maybe different.

reply to post by colec156


Even a F-14 with old avionics packages like the Iranians have is still a formidable foe. It's ability to target literally dozens of targets at the same time is a huge asset. You can even use them like mini AWACS.

That being said, they will not stand a chance against a f-22 with top of the line pilots. The caliber of the USAF pilots vs the IAF is not even close. The days of the US trained IAF pilots is long over, they are ok but don't stack up against the USAF. Add better planes and avionics, ect to the USAF side and it really is quite the mismatch.

Originally posted by hpsfl
Keep in mind the fall of the Shah was in 1979

That's not very hard to keep in mind...

The F-18's first flight was in 1978, with the first production aircraft flying in 1980. Iran doesn't have F-18's. You're confusing them for the outwardly similar HESA Saeqeh, which is (On the outside) a Twin-Tailed F-5E.

Obviously.

Iran has never possesed F-111's. I think you're confusing the very similar swing-wing profile to that of the F-14A.

The profile isn't at all similar from the side or front ( and even the top is iffy) but then almost everything looks similar on grainy video footage....

Iran's F-14 fleet is a joke. They haven't recieved any parts or upgrades (I'm sure they've "Acquired" some 3rd party parts though) since 1979. That's no parts for 29 years! Of their original 79 aircraft, it's believed that only 20 are airworthy, with 59 being used for parts.

And here i think some authorities would take serious issue!

It does Tom Cooper and Farhad Bishop a disservice to compare this book to any other on the aerial aspects of the Iran-Iraq War. The aircraft enthusiast community is a competitive and often bitchy environment, but an attempt to detract from this book should be treated with the contempt it deserves.

The book is meticulous yet written with great passion. Literally dozens of forgotten episodes of this fascinating air war are brought to light for the first time. Only serious investigative research, including exclusive primary evidence gathered during in-country interviews, can generate the level of detail and colour contained in this book. Cooper and Bishop maintain an enviable contact book that many aviation journalists can only dream of. In a profession of bluffers, they are real experts. This is the reason for much of the criticism they face.

I can attest that the book is slowly getting read and recommended onwards amongst military and regional specialists in Washington and throughout the US military community. The reason is obvious. The book shows, in detail, how developing world countries (and particularly Iran) can use the higghest levels of military technology and even improve on their employment through local innovation. If you were wowed by laser-guided bombs and electronic warfare in the wee hours of 17 January 1991, then spare a thought for those who were fighting that kind of war from 1980-1988. This is what Cooper and Bishop have so expertly done.

Dr Michael Knights
Washington Institute for Near East Policy

www.amazon.com...

Anyway, I can positively confirm that IRIAF F-14s (armed with AIM-54s too) were encountered over the Persian Gulf by USN F-14s several times in winter and spring 2005. Also, AIM-54-armed Iranian F-14s are still very much on threat-lists of any decent Western air force - so also the USAF, USN, and the USMC.

Now, painting somebody with radar, or obtaining a lock-on, as you certainly know, is considered an aggressive act - especially when one is flying fighters with a reach of an F-14. But, there were other kinds of "confrontations".

www.tomcat-sunset.org...

Let's try to observe the situation from a standpoint that can be easily supported by evidence available in the public. There are photos (including whole series taken from only a few meters distance) clearly documenting that many more Iranian Tomcats are still operational. True enough, one can always paint fake serials and BuAerNos on any plane: this practice would be nothing new. But, there are ways to recognize this too (after all, nobody is stupid enough to repaint the whole aircraft when applying a fake serial) - which would result in the whole camouflage pattern being changed (then, at least in the case of IRIAF F-14s, this can be used as a kind of a "fingeprint"). Besides, it is certainly impossible to do so when one shows several planes at the same event - and it is not only a fact that the IRIAF has shown rows of 14-15 Tomcats recently, but also the USN tracked a formation of no less but 16 of them at the same time.

USN, USAF, and USMC crews do not sight IRIAF F-14s "sometimes" when underway along Iranian borders, but "frequently". This, despite the fact that Iranian sources admit that "recently" they have stepped down their F-14-CAPs, and keep them deeper inside own airspace....

So, they are operational, and obviously in larger numbers than usually reported.

www.tomcat-sunset.org...

Can't find my specific reference but as i understand Iran should still be credited with at least 40-50 operational F-14's, which rather obviously probably wont make a difference in the big scheme of things, that shows that this platform is very valuable and that they have succeeded at reverse engineering almost everything they needed to.

Stellar


[edit on 9-6-2008 by StellarX]

reply to post by StellarX


What are you trying to prove? That they "Have" recived official parts from the US?

No.

That only 20 are Airworthy?

Yes.

Apparently you're trying to prove that Iran's F-14s are a threat; and of course everyone would agree with you on that. I just said their poorly maintained and armed.

Originally posted by hpsfl
What are you trying to prove? That they "Have" recived official parts from the US?

No.

Never tried to prove that but as a matter of fact that probably happened as equipment were smuggled out...

That only 20 are Airworthy?

Yes.

It's certainly more than twenty so i am obviously trying to prove that much.

Apparently you're trying to prove that Iran's F-14s are a threat; and of course everyone would agree with you on that.

No they aren't as they are just far too badly outnumbered to affect the balance of power significantly.

I just said their poorly maintained and armed.

Says you but since their still flying more than half all these years later with phoenixes still on the rails i suppose that isn't true either. What are YOU trying to prove?

Stellar

Just for the sake of inclusion, i believe that the aircraft with the shoulder mounted engines is the AN-26 Coaler, a russian light-medium transport aircraft, i could be wrong though, it's not like the video footage is exactly 1080p . On the subject of the strength of their forces, i wouldn't say it would be that much of a threat to the Aussie Defence force, let alone the American Army, most of the equipment they have there is obsolete stuff jazzed up to look good, or examples of stuff they have issued to like 1/10 of their armed forces.

The Persians are an intelligent and resourceful people, and some of their copied and home produced military equipment is surprisingly good.

However, any nation that does not allow its children to enter school (at the age of 5) unless they first chant "Death to America !!" can only be regarded as evil and disturbed. Their statements with regard to Israel are of course even more hate filled.

I believe that one day Iran will once again be the jewel of the Arabian peninsula (even if their heritage is not truly Arabic), but they will first have to throw off the shackles of their hateful attitude towards Israel and much of the West.

Make no mistake, this is a truly evil regime, which is deliberately raising its young population to hate and kill.

Here is an Iranian training the Cavalry, I seriously think if I was an American soldier... marching into these conditions would be intimidating to say the least.





[edit on 15-7-2008 by mopusvindictus]

lol there are some pretty crazy Iranian propoganda videos on that tool bar if you look...

Originally posted by Now_Then
I watched this and tried to ID the aircraft in it, here's the list I made..

UH-1 (bell huey) (0.56)
F-14's (1.00)
cobras (lots!)
Su-25 Frogfoot 1:16
Il-76
An-72
MiG 29
F-111? [B] is an Su-24 Fencer(1.35)
F4 phantoms (1.50)
F5 (tiger/Freedom fighter)
Su-7 Fitter 2:25
Shafaq factory mock up 2:29
mig-25 Foxbat this is another F-4 (2.32)
CH-47's (Chinook) (3.08)
high engine transport? and again @ (8.40)this in an An-74
russian? troop chopper Mil Mi-8 Hip(5.31)
F-14 (Tomcat) (6.10)
MiG 29UB two seater 6:33 and 8:35
F-18?? (Hornet??)actually a Shaegh-80 (twin-fin F-5 local development) (6.35)
C-130 (Hurc) (8.21)
Seaking (8.47)

just added a few extras and corrections in bold, though there are no F-111's, Su-27's, F-18's or MiG 25's in the video and I would have expected to see a MiG 25 too!

The Su-24 and Su-25 are capable enough to worry about.

[edit on 27-4-2010 by waynos]

Iranian military capability is a bit lacking nowadays.

Right now Iran is only really deploying the F-14's, F-5's (plus all variants) and Su-25's. Their air fleet is really quite numbered and does not pose to be a significant portion of their IADS capability.

Right now the SA-15's they received are the biggest threat in country despite the systems only being of tactical use. The Iranians will no doubt attempt to deploy the SA-15's as a strategic SAM (despite its range limitations).

Keep watching the News and pay close attention to the status on the S-300's, those S-300's will be key in determining future politics in the area, the US has already stated that they will allow the completion of the S-300 sale for Iran. I find that interesting; as if Russia always needed the US' approval for such a transaction.

I'd be interested in seeing what Israel is going to do the moment those S-300 components board the train headed towards Tehran...

P.S. I know it's been a while since I've been on, good to see Waynos alive on the forums.

Shattered OUT...

If those S-300's become a problem, we can always send some SEAL's to deal with them. That is what they excel in for after all.

The thing is, those S-300's ARE a problem for the Israeli's. However sending in a SEAL team is a lot harder to do than actually saying we're going to do it.

There's a lot that goes into the planning of such an assault, also an assault such as that would incite war.

Shattered OUT...

Was the aircraft at 1:17 a frogfoot?

I took a screenshot and put it up here:

No, that is an An-74. Before that you see an Il-76 and before that is the Su-25 Frogfoot talking off, at 1:16. It is very fast cutting and you have to be quick on the pause button.



and this is the Su-24 Fencer that some were mistaking for an F-111



[edit on 26-5-2010 by waynos]