Latest news with #F-14s
Yahoo
24-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Aviation nerds are mourning Iran's F-14 Tomcats
Israel's attacks on Iran, starting with the killing of an Iranian nuclear negotiator, have proven controversial in the U.S. They also triggered a debate on whether to risk American blood in yet another Middle Eastern war. But some Americans are already mourning the loss of elderly Americans, specifically the remaining F-14 Tomcats in Iranian service. The plane became most famous for its starring role in 'Top Gun.' Tom Cruise was also in it, but the supersonic, swing-wing fighter used by nearly every pilot in the movie was certainly the star. It's like the fighter version of a convertible, if you could launch your convertible off a carrier. The F-14 Tomcat retired from American service in 2006, following the Navy's long transition to the F/A-18s and, later, the F-35 fighters currently in service. It was only exported once. That was to the Imperial Iranian Air Force of the American-backed Shāhanshāh Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, usually known as the Shah of Iran. Originally, the plan had been for America to send Iran 80 F-14s and over 700 Phoenix air-to-air missiles, allowing the American ally a huge advantage when fighting anti-American adversaries in the region, mostly Iraq. But when the Shah was deposed in 1979, America obviously didn't want to send its resources to an Islamic Republic built on rhetoric that demonized America and its allies. That proved prescient since Supreme Leader Ruhollah Khomeini immediately instituted Sharia law and took a more hostile stance toward the U.S. and Israel, which had also formerly allied with the Shah. So the new Islamic Republic of Iran was left with 79 Tomcats and about 200 Phoenix missiles. That was enough to make a serious difference in the Iran-Iraq War of 1980-1988, but the Iranians lacked spare parts and additional missiles for the aircraft. Iran only ever got shipments of F-14 parts during the Iran-Contra Affair, a secret deal between Ronald Reagan's Administration and the Islamic Republic that sent arms and supplies to Iran through Israel. Iran's F-14s have been struggling to stay airborne ever since. So it was actually a pleasant surprise in 2022 when a single F-14 Tomcat took part in a flyover. For planes over 40 years old with nearly a decade of combat use and no spare parts, one out of 79 was a good showing. For F-14 nerds, the Iranian fleet represents the only chance of seeing one of these birds in action. To prevent further smuggling of spare parts to the Islamic regime, America locked down all of its own remaining F-14s in museums and at Davis Monthan Air Force Base. In 2007, it even made the decision to destroy all of its F-14 wing boxes, the linchpin of the Tomcat's sweep-wing design. And the Navy further shredded the entirety of most F-14s to prevent black market sales. Put simply, an F-14 without an intact wing box will never fly again; the wings would fall off. The tooling to manufacture new ones is no longer available, and none are known to exist outside of Iran. Few other parts for the F-14 exist outside of Iran and museums. So even though Iran could only muster one F-14 for the 2022 flyover, it still remains the greatest hope of any and all aviation nerds who wish to see the F-14 fly again. And that hope got a whole lot dimmer this week when Israel released footage of it hitting Iranian F-14s on the ground. The planes probably couldn't have flown anyway, but the direct hits in the video put the wing box and the rest of the components at serious risk. It's quite possible that the last flight of an F-14 was the last ever flight of an F-14. One possibility does gleam from inside the ash clouds, though it would take a few minor miracles in a row for it to work out for F-14 geeks. If the Islamic Republic of Iran falls due to the current violence, and if one or more F-14s survive the war, and if the missing components are replaceable with museum pieces or new manufacture, then there is a chance that the U.S. Navy could ask for key components from Iranian salvage and put back together a working F-14. With no foreign operators remaining, there would be little reason to keep the current, fairly extreme, safeguards around the F-14 in place. One or more F-14s could appear in air shows as a legacy flier. But that's a remote possibility. Again, the U.S. intentionally destroyed components so no smuggler could get the necessary parts to Iran. And any hope of reversing that damage will come in finding the exact components, in workable condition, in the flaming wrecks left behind by the Israelis. We Are The Mighty is a celebration of military service, with a mission to entertain, inform, and inspire those who serve and those who support them. We are made by and for current service members, veterans, spouses, family members, and civilians who want to be part of this community. Keep up with the best in military culture and entertainment: subscribe to the We Are The Mighty newsletter. 'Day of the Jackal' author Frederick Forsyth dies at age 86 Ukraine's new, drone-delivered weapon is basically a phallic claymore A self-taught snake expert's 200 snake bites may lead to a universal 'cure' for snake venom
News18
23-06-2025
- Politics
- News18
IDF Strikes Six Airfields Across Iran, Says 15 Aircraft Destroyed
By damaging infrastructure and neutralizing key assets, the Israeli Air Force effectively hindered takeoff capabilities from the targeted airports. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched coordinated airstrikes on six Iranian regime airports located across western, eastern, and central Iran, destroying 15 aircraft and helicopters. The strikes, conducted using remotely manned aircraft, targeted runways, underground bunkers, and multiple aircraft including F-14s, F-5s, AH-1 helicopters, and a refueling plane, all reportedly intended for counter-operations against Israeli Air Force missions. According to the IDF, the operation was aimed at deepening Israeli air superiority in Iranian airspace by disrupting Iran's ability to launch air attacks and support its aerial operations. By damaging infrastructure and neutralising key assets, the Israeli Air Force effectively hindered takeoff capabilities from the targeted airports and reduced the operational strength of the Iranian army's air power. The Israeli military on Monday announced it was conducting airstrikes on military infrastructure in Kermanshah, located in western Iran, as hostilities between the two countries entered their 11th consecutive day. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) carried out a series of airstrikes targeting launch and storage sites for surface-to-surface missiles in the Kermanshah region of Iran, which were aimed at Israeli territory. According to the military, the strikes were executed by more than 15 Air Force fighter jets, guided by precise intelligence provided by the IDF Intelligence Directorate. The IDF stated that the operation is part of its broader effort to weaken the Iranian regime's military capabilities and achieve air superiority, vowing to continue its operations to ensure the security of the State of Israel. Israel launched large-scale attacks on Iran on June 13 targeting its missile and nuclear facilities, as well as military leaders and security services. Aerial assaults raged between the two foes early Monday, while Tehran vowed retaliation over the bunker-buster bombs American warplanes unleashed at the weekend on three nuclear sites. US President Donald Trump insisted the attack had 'obliterated" Iran's nuclear capabilities, but other officials said it was too soon to determine how significantly Tehran's nuclear programme had been impacted. First Published: June 23, 2025, 12:26 IST
Business Insider
20-06-2025
- Politics
- Business Insider
Satellite image of an Iranian airport shows an American-made F-14 Tomcat that Israel turned into a burned wreck
The Israeli military said it bombed two Iranian F-14 Tomcats in Tehran earlier this week. A new satellite image shows that one of the fighter jets is destroyed while the other looks damaged. The US sold dozens of F-14s to Iran in the 1970s when the two countries still had ties. New satellite imagery of an Iranian airfield shows two US-made F-14 fighter jets — one of which looks to be totally destroyed — after they were hit by Israeli airstrikes earlier in the week. The image, captured on Friday by US commercial satellite imaging company Maxar Technologies and obtained by Business Insider, shows the two F-14s at a facility at Mehrabad International Airport in Tehran. One of the F-14s appears to have taken a hit near the nose, although the full extent of the damage is unclear. However, the other jet directly next to it was reduced to a burned wreck. Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin, a spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces, said on Monday that an IDF drone struck two Iranian F-14s, marking "another loss of strategic weaponry for the enemy." The military published footage showing a direct hit on each aircraft. RECAP of Our Recent Operations Over Tehran: 🛫 Strike on two F-14 fighter jets that were located at an airport in Tehran. These jets were intended to intercept Israeli aircraft. ❌ Thwarted a UAV launch attempt toward Israel. 🎯 Eliminated a launch cell minutes before launch… — Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) June 16, 2025 The F-14 Tomcat is a multi-role fighter jet made by the US aerospace corporation formerly known as Grumman Aerospace Corporation, now Northrop Grumman. Designed to be launched from aircraft carriers, the plane was introduced by the US Navy in the 1970s and participated in combat missions around the world over the next few decades. The Navy stopped flying the F-14 in 2006, after replacing it with the F/A-18 Super Hornet made by US defense manufacturer Boeing. However, the F-14 has remained a celebrated aircraft, in part because of its spotlight in the "Top Gun" blockbusters. The US sold nearly 80 F-14s to Iran, once an American partner, before the 1979 Iranian Revolution ended relations between the two countries. Washington cut support and supplies of spare parts for the Tomcats, and Tehran's inventory slowly declined over time as maintenance and logistical challenges mounted. Iran still has its jets, though, and is the only remaining operator. Iran's F-14s, like much of its air force, are relatively obsolete due to international sanctions and embargoes that prevent the country from modernizing its fleet. Tehran also operates other aging aircraft, including Soviet-era Su-24s and MiG-29s and US-made F-5s. The limitations of its airpower have forced Iran to rely on building a large arsenal of ballistic missiles and attack drones. Tehran was said to have purchased newer Su-35 aircraft from Russia, although it's unclear if any have been delivered. Israel has struck additional aircraft beyond the two F-14s, including at least one aerial refueling tanker and eight attack helicopters, since beginning a new operation last Friday aimed at degrading Iran's nuclear program, a longtime goal of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Over the past week, Israeli fighter jets have carried out widespread airstrikes across Iran, targeting its nuclear facilities, top scientists, senior commanders, missile launchers, air defenses, and other high-profile military infrastructure. The Iranians have responded by launching hundreds of missiles and drones at Israel. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump is weighing whether to use US assets to strike Iran's most hardened nuclear sites. Iran has said that it will retaliate if American forces intervene in the conflict.
Business Insider
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Insider
Iran's F-14 Tomcats are the last of their kind. Israel's been blowing some of them up.
The F-14 Tomcat, made famous by the "Top Gun" films and its storied history with the US Navy, is a dying breed. Long since retired by the US military, Iran is the only remaining operator. Israel, however, has been blowing some of them up lately as it targets Iran's military capabilities and nuclear and missile programs. In the 1986 "Top Gun" film, Lt. Pete "Maverick" Mitchell, played by actor Tom Cruise, buzzes the tower, launches off aircraft carriers, and dogfights hostile MiGs in an F-14. And in the 2022 sequel, the jet returns for an intense fight against advanced enemy jets. Hollywood hype for the aircraft aside, the Tomcat, an air superiority fighter made by US aerospace and defense company Northrop Grumman, is a celebrated combat aircraft within the Navy. First introduced in the 1970s, it was a highly capable aircraft that saw use in conflicts from Vietnam to the Middle East. The US Navy retired the last of its F-14s in 2006 following the introduction of Boeing's carrier-based F/A-18 Super Hornet, a multi-role aircraft considered easier to maintain. Once allies, the US sold F-14s to Iran in the mid-1970s, before revolution upended relations and support. Iran has managed to keep some operational despite US sanctions and attempts to stop Iran from obtaining parts. These jets are now coming under fire, though. On Monday, the Israel Defense Forces shared footage of a strike on two F-14s at an airport in Tehran. 🛫 Strike on two F-14 fighter jets that were located at an airport in Tehran. These jets were intended to intercept Israeli aircraft. ❌ Thwarted a UAV launch attempt toward Israel. 🎯 Eliminated a launch cell minutes before launch… — Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) June 16, 2025 Just how many Iran F-14s Iran has left is unclear, though the fleet is believed to be fairly limited. The jets hit by Israel appear to have been unflyable, but their parts may have been key to keeping Iran's remaining ones in the sky. Canibalization of parts is not uncommon when logistics and supply lines are strained. An iconic American jet Richard Aboulafia, an aviation expert and the managing director of AeroDynamic Advisory, told Business Insider that when the F-14 was introduced, it was "incredibly cutting edge and held numerous records for years to come." Iran's jets, he said, are "kind of a time capsule." Aboulafia characterized them as "ghosts of the Cold War." The US wanted interceptor aircraft that could counter the Soviet Union's long-range bombers and the increasing threat of long-range missiles. That need gave birth to the F-14, built to replace the F-4 Phantom II made by McDonnell Douglas. The new jet came with an advanced radar, the ability to track multiple targets, and adjustable wings. The Tomcat was also the only aircraft at the time that could carry the AIM-54 Phoenix long-range air-to-air missile, which could hit targets at 100 nautical miles, far beyond visual range. Being able to make long-range air-to-air kills was critical at a time when the US needed to protect aircraft carriers from bombers. The US first deployed the F-14 during Operation Frequent Wind, flying combat air patrols during the evacuation of Saigon at the end of the Vietnam War in 1975. The Tomcat scored its first combat kills with the US Navy in 1981 against Libyan Su-22s. It conducted air defense missions during Operation Desert Storm in 1991. The fighter later saw more combat in Iraq and Afghanistan as well. The jet's advanced features and use in some of the US's most important campaigns makes them a key piece of US military aviation history. The "Top Gun" films then elevated the plane in popular culture. The US Tomcats that didn't last The Tomcats were impressive planes, but the F-14s faced problems with expensive spare parts and high maintenance needs. The Navy also wanted a more versatile aircraft. The Super Hornet that succeeded the Tomcat was intended to bring improved features, reduced maintenance load, and the ability to execute air-to-ground strikes, as well as engage in air-to-air combat. The US Navy had many of the jets scrapped, but it has some inoperable models on display at Florida's National Naval Aviation Museum and New York's Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum. The end of the US F-14 program left Iran as the only nation that had them in service. The US went out of its way to cripple Iran's F-14 program, destroying aircraft, implementing sanctions, and choking off the supply of F-14 parts that it needed to keep the jets flying. Iran's F-14s Iran acquired a total of 79 F-14 Tomcats from the US before the 1979 Islamic Revolution, so Iran had the jets when the Iran-Iraq War started in 1980, with Iran using them in pursuit of air superiority and for air defense. Iran said its F-14s shot down more than 100 Iraqi aircraft. When the US cut off support and spare parts for Iran's F-14s. Iran developed its own maintenance capabilities and found black market solutions, but Iran's F-14 numbers dwindled as time went on. Aboulafia said that Iran uses the jets almost as Airborne Warning and Control System aircraft, which help air forces with surveillance and command and control, "because of the power of that radar." He called it "the best tool they had to see aerial threats." Iran does not have a strong air force, with its force made up of obsolete Western, Soviet, and Chinese aircraft. The Tomcat "was really the only thing that Iranians could have flown to have threatened some of the Israeli airstrikes," retired US Army Maj. Gen. Gordon "Skip" Davis, the former deputy assistant secretary-general for NATO's defense-investment division, told Business Insider. "Not really the F-35s, but the F-15s," he said. "And so I think it was a very, to me, brilliant move to focus on them early on." With limited airpower, Iran is heavily dependent on ground-based air defenses, which the Israelis are also systematically wiping out. Israel says that it has achieved air superiority over Iran, meaning that Iran's ability to stop Israel in its airspace is limited. Israel flies advanced jets like its unique F-35Is. Iran said earlier this year that it had purchased Russian-made Sukhoi-35 fighter jets, but when, and if, those could arrive is unclear.
Time of India
17-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Israel Claims Destruction Of Two Iranian F-14; Tehran Counters With 'F-35 Downed' Claim
Iran claims its air defense downed a fourth Israeli F-35 near Tabriz, though no evidence was shared and Israel denies any loss. Israel says it destroyed two Iranian F-14s, but Iran insists those were decoys meant to waste missiles. As strikes continue, Israel is reportedly seeking a ceasefire through Western mediators. Watch Read More
