How many F-14 does Iran have?

The aircraft was immortalized in the 1986 film Top Gun. Even today, the F-14 Tomcat isn’t something you’d want to see your potential adversaries flying – and yet around 40 of the aircraft are in service with the Iranian Air Force.

Why did the F-14 retire?

The high prices associated with maintaining the complicated sweep-wing systems is often cited as one of the most pressing reasons for the Tomcat’s early retirement when compared to its American fighter peers,” Hollings concluded.

Does Iran still have f14s?

The Grumman F-14 Tomcat was originally designed to serve aboard U.S. Navy carriers, where they would be the first line of defense against Soviet nuclear bombers. However, Iran contends that they currently have 24 F-14s that are still operational and flight ready, with two that have been upgraded to F-14AMs.

Does Iran fly the F-14?

The Tomcat was retired by U.S. Navy on 22 September 2006, having been supplanted by the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. Several retired F-14s have been put on display across the US. The F-14 remains in service with Iran’s air force, having been exported to Iran under the Pahlavi regime in 1976.

Was the F-14 a good plane?

If the mission is strictly fleet defense, the F-14 was a perfect platform. Indeed, the Tomcat is known to be a very fast airplane, with great sustained energy performance and, since it carried a great quantity of fuel which gave it a good endurance, the F-14 was also very good for high speed strike missions.

Why does Iran have F-14 Tomcats?

FIVE YEARS BEFORE THE 1979 Islamic Revolution transformed Iran, Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, a pilot who had earned his wings in 1946 flying a British Tiger Moth, arranged for Iran to purchase 80 Grumman F-14A Tomcats and 633 Hughes AIM-54 Phoenix missiles for $2 billion.

What replaced the F-14?

The US Navy operated 338 F-14 aircraft of all three variants, but the aircraft was replaced by the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. In July 2006, the F-14 made its last carrier launch and, on 22 September 2006, the US Navy officially retired the F-14 Tomcat. The F-14 is currently in service with Iran Air Force.

How many kills did the F-14 have?

Western sources estimate four kills against four to five losses; the official Iranian estimate is 35–45 kills, and 12 losses, all reportedly due to engine failure during combat.

Why is the F-14 so big?

One of the reasons the plane is so big is to fit such a huge radar system. When the F/A-18 first became the F-14’s replacement, everything had to be scaled back.