Editing Grumman F-14 Tomcat (section)

===Iran===
{{See also|Air force history of Iran|Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force}}
Although attempts had been made to sell the Tomcat to the air forces of [[Royal Canadian Air Force|Canada]], [[German Air Force|Germany]], and [[Japan Air Self-Defense Force|Japan]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.anft.net/f-14/f14-history-f14a-export.htm|title=Export Tomcats|publisher=HOME OF M.A.T.S. - the most comprehensive Grumman F-14 Reference Work - by Torsten Anft!|access-date=September 19, 2023}}</ref> the [[Air force history of Iran|Imperial Iranian Air Force]] (IIAF) would ultimately be the sole foreign customer for the Tomcat. During the reign of the last [[Shah of Iran]], [[Mohammad Reza Pahlavi]], in the early 1970s, the IIAF was searching for an advanced fighter, specifically one capable of intercepting Soviet [[Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25|MiG-25]] reconnaissance flights. After a visit of U.S. President [[Richard Nixon]] to [[Pahlavi Iran]] in 1972, during which Iran was offered the latest in American military technology, the IIAF selected and initiated acquisition of the F-14 Tomcat, but offered McDonnell Douglas the chance to demonstrate its [[McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle|F-15 Eagle]].<ref name="Iranian F-14 Tomcat Units in Combat">Cooper, Tom and Bishop, Farzad, "Iranian F-14 Tomcat Units in Combat"</ref> The US Navy and Grumman Corporation arranged competitive demonstrations of the Eagle and the Tomcat at Andrews AFB for the Shah and high-ranking officers, and in January 1974 Iran placed an order for 30 F-14s and 424 [[AIM-54 Phoenix]] missiles, initiating Project ''Persian King'', worth US$300&nbsp;million. A few months later, this order was increased to a total of 80 Tomcats and 714 Phoenix missiles as well as spare parts and replacement engines for 10 years, complete armament package, and support infrastructure (including construction of the [[Isfahan International Airport|Khatami Air Base]] near [[Isfahan]]).<ref name="f14iran"/>{{rp|25}}

The first F-14 arrived in January 1976, modified only by the removal of classified avionics components, but fitted with the TF30-414 engines. The following year 12 more were delivered. Meanwhile, training of the first groups of Iranian crews by the U.S. Navy was underway in the US; one of these conducted a successful shoot-down with a Phoenix missile of a target drone flying at {{convert|50000|ft|km|abbr=on}}.<ref name="f14iran">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_MTvCwAAQBAJ|title=Iranian F-14 Tomcat Units in Combat|first1=Tom|last1=Cooper|first2=Farzad|last2=Bishop|isbn=978-1782007098|publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing|date=2012}}</ref>{{rp|11}}

Following the [[Iranian Revolution|overthrow of the Shah]] in 1979, the air force was renamed the [[Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force]] (IRIAF) and the post-revolution [[Interim Government of Iran]] canceled most Western arms orders. In 1980, an Iranian F-14 shot down an Iraqi [[Mil Mi-24|Mil Mi-25]] helicopter for its first air-to-air kill during the Iran–Iraq War (1980–1988).<ref name="Persian Cats">Cooper, Tom. [http://www.airspacemag.com/military-aviation/persiancats.html Persian Cats: How Iranian air crews, cut off from U.S. technical support, used the F-14 against Iraqi attackers."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120430123108/http://www.airspacemag.com/military-aviation/persiancats.html |date=30 April 2012}} ''Air & Space Magazine'', November 2006. Retrieved: 24 March 2012.</ref> According to research by Tom Cooper, Iranian F-14s scored at least 50 air-to-air victories in the first six months of the war against Iraqi MiG-21s, MiG-23s and some Su-20s/22s. During the same period, only one Iranian F-14 suffered damage after being hit by debris from a nearby MiG-21 that exploded.<ref name="Persian Cats – acig.org">{{cite web |url=http://www.acig.org/artman/publish/article_212.shtml |title=Persian 'Cats |last1=Cooper |first1=Tom |last2=Bishop |first2=Farzad |date=16 September 2003 |website=Arabian Peninsula & Persian Gulf Database |publisher=Air Combat Information Group |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120204042640/http://www.acig.org/artman/publish/article_212.shtml |archive-date=4 February 2012 |url-status=usurped}}</ref>

Iranian Tomcats were originally used as an early-warning platform assisting other less-sophisticated aircraft with targeting and defense. They were also crucial to the defense of areas deemed vital by the Iranian government, such as oil terminals on [[Kharg Island]] and industrial infrastructure in the capital [[Tehran]]. Many of these patrols had the support of [[Boeing 707#707-320C|Boeing 707-3J9C]] in-flight refueling tankers. As fighting escalated between 1982 and 1986, the F-14s gradually became more involved in the battle. They performed well, but their primary role was to intimidate the Iraqi Air Force and avoid heavy engagement to protect the fleet's numbers. Their presence was often enough to drive away opposing Iraqi fighters. The precision and effectiveness of the Tomcat's AWG-9 weapons system and AIM-54A Phoenix long-range air-to-air missiles enabled the F-14 to maintain air superiority.<ref name="Persian Cats – acig.org" /><ref name="Iran – National Interest">{{cite web|url=http://nationalinterest.org/blog/the-buzz/revealed-irans-air-force-flies-american-made-f-14-tomcats-16758|title=Fact: Iran's Air Force Flies American-Made F-14 Tomcats|last=Axe|first=David|date=28 June 2016|work=The National Interest|access-date=29 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160629084926/http://nationalinterest.org/blog/the-buzz/revealed-irans-air-force-flies-american-made-f-14-tomcats-16758|archive-date=29 June 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> In December 1980, an Iraqi MiG-21bis accounted for the only confirmed kill of an F-14 by that type of aircraft.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=http://www.acig.info/CMS/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=37&Itemid=47|title=Iraqi Air-to-Air Victories since 1967 - www.acig.org|date=19 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161219172206/http://www.acig.info/CMS/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=37&Itemid=47|archive-date=19 December 2016}}</ref> On 11 August 1984, a MiG-23ML shot down an F-14A using an [[R-60 (missile)|R-60 missile]].<ref name="auto"/> On 2 September 1986, a MiG-23ML using an [[R-23 (missile)|R-24T missile]] mistakenly shot down an F-14 that was defecting to Iraq.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Leone|first=Dario|date=6 July 2019|title=That time an IrAF MiG-23ML mistakenly shot down an IRIAF F-14A that was defecting to Iraq|url=https://theaviationgeekclub.com/that-time-an-iraf-mig-23ml-mistakenly-shot-down-an-iriaf-f-14a-that-was-defecting-to-iraq/|access-date=19 November 2020|website=The Aviation Geek Club|language=en-GB|archive-date=27 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201127110354/https://theaviationgeekclub.com/that-time-an-iraf-mig-23ml-mistakenly-shot-down-an-iriaf-f-14a-that-was-defecting-to-iraq/amp/|url-status=live}}</ref> On 17 January 1987, another Iranian F-14A was shot down; according to some sources it was shot down by a MiG-23ML.<ref name="auto"/> According to the latest data, the F-14A, which was shot down on 17 January, was destroyed by an [[R-40 (missile)|R-40 missile]] fired by an Iraqi MiG-25PDS (pilot Captain Adnan Sae’ed), and the MiG-23 pilot did not claim any victory.<ref>Cooper, Tom. ''MiG-23 Flogger in the Middle East''. Helion and Company, 2018. pp. 39, 40</ref>

[[File:Iranian F-14 Pilots.jpg|thumb|Iranian F-14 pilots standing in front of an Imperial Iranian Air Force F-14]]
Iraq also obtained [[Dassault Mirage F1|Mirage F.1EQ]] fighters from France in 1981, armed with [[Super 530|Super 530F]] and [[R.550 Magic|Magic Mk.2]] air-to-air missiles. The Mirage F.1 fighters were eventually responsible for four confirmed F-14 kills.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://theaviationgeekclub.com/the-story-of-the-giraffe-missions-and-how-iraf-mirage-f-1-fighter-bombers-were-able-to-shoot-down-four-iriaf-f-14-tomcats/ |title=The Story of the Giraffe Missions and how IrAF Mirage F.1 fighter bombers were able to shoot down four IRIAF F-14 Tomcats |website=theaviationgeekclub.com |last=Leone |first=Dario |date=12 July 2019 |access-date=1 September 2021 |url-status=live |archive-date=31 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210731122746/https://theaviationgeekclub.com/the-story-of-the-giraffe-missions-and-how-iraf-mirage-f-1-fighter-bombers-were-able-to-shoot-down-four-iriaf-f-14-tomcats/}}</ref> The IRIAF attempted to keep 60 F-14s operational throughout the war, but reports indicate this number was reduced to 30 by 1986 with only half fully mission-capable.<ref name="Persian Cats – acig.org" /><ref>Cooper, Tom and Farzad Bishop. ''Iranian F-14 Tomcat Units in Combat'', p. 70. Oxford: Osprey Publishing, 2004. {{ISBN|1 84176 787 5}}.</ref>

Based on research by Tom Cooper and Farzad Bishop, Iran claimed their F-14s shot down at least 160 Iraqi aircraft during the Iran–Iraq War, including 58 [[Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23|MiG-23]]s (15 of these are confirmed according to Cooper), 33 [[Mirage F1]]s, 23 [[MiG-21]]s, 23 [[Sukhoi Su-17|Su-20s/22]]s, nine [[MiG-25]]s (one of these are confirmed according to Iraqi sources), five [[Tu-22]]s, two [[Mikoyan MiG-27|MiG-27]]s, one [[Mil Mi-24]], one [[Dassault Mirage 5]], one [[Xian H-6|B-6D]], one [[Aérospatiale SA 321 Super Frelon|Aérospatiale Super Frelon]], and two unidentified aircraft. Despite the circumstances the F-14s and their crews faced during the war against Iraq – lacking support from [[Airborne early warning and control|AWACS]], [[List of airborne early warning aircraft|AEW aircraft]], and [[Ground-controlled interception|Ground Control Intercept]] (GCI) – the F-14 proved to be successful in combat. It achieved this in the midst of a confrontation with an enemy that was constantly upgrading its capabilities and receiving support from three major countries – France, the US, and the USSR. Part of the success is attributed to the resilient Iranian economy and IRIAF personnel.<ref name="Persian Cats"/><ref name="Persian Cats – acig.org" />

While Iraq's army claimed it shot down more than 70 F-14s, the Foreign Broadcast Information System in Washington DC estimated that Iran lost 12 to 16 F-14s during the war. Cooper writes three F-14s were shot down by Iraqi pilots and four by Iranian [[surface-to-air missile]]s (SAM). Two more Tomcats were lost in unknown circumstances during the battle, and seven crashed due to technical failure or accidents.<ref>Cooper and Bishop, p. 84.</ref> During the war, the Iranian Air Force F-14s suffered ten confirmed losses, one lost due to engine stall, one in unknown conditions, two by [[Friendly fire|Iranian]] [[MIM-23 Hawk|HAWK SAMs]], two by MIG-23s and four were shot down by Mirage F-1s. There are also unconfirmed reports of the downing of 10 more Tomcats.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.ejection-history.org.uk/country-by-country/Iran_F-14_.htm |title=Chronological Listing of Iranian Air Force Grumman F-14 Tomcat |website=ejection-history.org.uk |access-date=23 September 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090704124203/http://www.ejection-history.org.uk/country-by-country/Iran_F-14_.htm |archive-date=4 July 2009 |url-status=dead}} {{unreliable source?|date=September 2021}}</ref>

On 31 August 1986, an Iranian F-14A armed with at least one AIM-54A missile defected to [[Ba'athist Iraq|Iraq]]. Then again on 2 September 1986 another Iranian F-14A defected to Iraq.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-09-01-mn-12880-story.html |title=The World: 2 Iran Pilots Defect to Iraq |work=Los Angeles Times |date=1 September 1986 |access-date=1 September 2021 |url-status=live |url-access=subscription |archive-date=10 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210510143547/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-09-01-mn-12880-story.html}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ejection-history.org.uk/country-by-country/iranian_f_4_phantom_losses.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150710211447/http://www.ejection-history.org.uk/country-by-country/iranian_f_4_phantom_losses.htm |title=Chronological Listing of Iranian Air Force McDonnell-Douglas F-4 Phantom II |website=ejection-history.org.uk |archive-date=10 July 2015}} {{unreliable source?|date=September 2021}}</ref> In addition, one or more of Iran's F-14A was delivered to the Soviet Union in exchange for technical assistance; at least one of its crew defected to the Soviet Union.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Уголок неба ¦ Перехватчики Grumman F-14A "Tomcat" в Иране |url=https://airwar.ru/history/locwar/bv/f14iran/f14iran.html |access-date=2025-02-01 |website=airwar.ru}}</ref>

On 24 July 2002, an Iranian F-14A confronted two [[Azerbaijan]]i MiG-25s that were threatening an Iranian [[Lockheed P-3 Orion|P-3F]], securing a radar lock on one of the MiGs, which then turned away, during tensions over attempts by Azerbaijan to survey for oil in Iranian waters in the [[Caspian Sea]].<ref>Taghvaee ''Air International'' March 2021, pp. 39–41.</ref>

Iran had an estimated 44 F-14s in 2009 according to Combat Aircraft.<ref name="Combat Aircraft">Cooper, Tom and Liam Devlin. "Iranian Air Power Combat Aircraft". ''Combat Aircraft'', Vol. 9 No. 6, January 2009.</ref> ''Aviation Week'' estimated it had 19 operational F-14s in January 2013,<ref name=2013_Aero_Source>"World Military Aircraft Inventory". ''2013 Aerospace Source Book''. Aviation Week and Space Technology, 2013.</ref> and [[FlightGlobal]] estimated that 28 were in service in 2014.<ref>{{cite web |last=Hoyle |first=Craig |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/kings-of-the-swingers-top-13-swing-wing-aircraft-404176/ |title=Kings of the swingers: Top 13 swing-wing aircraft |work=[[FlightGlobal]] |publisher=Reed Business Information |date=26 September 2014 |access-date=27 September 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140927223525/http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/kings-of-the-swingers-top-13-swing-wing-aircraft-404176/ |archive-date=27 September 2014}}</ref>

[[File: A formation of Iranian Tomcats in flight.jpg|thumb|Formation flight of Iranian Tomcats, 2008]]
Following the US Navy's retirement of its Tomcats in 2006, Iran sought to purchase spare parts for its aircraft.<ref name="ai918p58">Taghvaee ''Air International'' September 2018, p. 58.</ref> In January 2007, the U.S. Department of Defense announced that sales of spare F-14 parts would be suspended over concerns of the parts ending up in Iran.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/6315957.stm "US halts sale of F-14 jet parts."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070202041805/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/6315957.stm |date=2 February 2007}} BBC News. Retrieved: 8 December 2009.</ref> In July 2007, the remaining American F-14s were shredded to ensure that any parts could not be acquired.<ref name="shred"/> Despite these measures, Iran managed to significantly increase its stocks of spare parts, increasing the number of airworthy Tomcats, although as it did not manage to obtain spare parts for the aircraft's weapon systems, the number of combat ready Tomcats was still low (seven in 2008).<ref name="ai918p58-9">Taghvaee ''Air International'' September 2018, pp. 58–59.</ref> In 2010, Iran requested that the U.S. deliver the 80th F-14 that it had purchased in 1974 but never received due to the Islamic Revolution.<ref>[http://www.tehrantimes.com/Index_view.asp?code=224172 "Iranian Air Force seeks return of F-14 bombers from U.S."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100902013625/http://www.tehrantimes.com/index_View.asp?code=224172 |date=2 September 2010}} ''[[Tehran Times]]''</ref><ref>Parsons, Gary. [http://www.airforcesmonthly.com/view_news.asp?ID=2378 "Iran wants its F-14 back."] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120308150857/http://www.airforcesmonthly.com/view_news.asp?ID=2378 |date=8 March 2012}} ''AirForces Monthly'', 5 August 2010.</ref> In October 2010, an Iranian Air Force commander claimed that the country overhauls and optimizes different types of military aircraft, mentioning their Air Force has installed Iran-made radar systems on the F-14.<ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20130530172630/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-255136166.html "Iranian Air Force Equips F-14 Fighter Jets with Hi-Tech Radars."]}} FARS News Agency, Iran, 5 January 2011. Retrieved: 9 September 2012.</ref> In 2012, the Iranian Air Force's Mehrabad Overhaul Center delivered an F-14 with upgraded weapon systems with locally sourced components, designated F-14AM.<ref name="ai918p59-0">Taghvaee ''Air International'' September 2018, pp. 59–60.</ref> Shortages of Phoenix missiles led to attempts to integrate the Russian [[R-27 (air-to-air missile)|R-27 semi-active radar-guided missile]], but these proved unsuccessful. An alternative was the use of modified [[MIM-23 Hawk]] missiles to replace the Tomcat's Phoenixes and Sparrows, but as the Tomcat could only carry two Hawks, this project was also abandoned, and the [[Fakour-90]] missile, which used the guidance system of the Hawk packaged into the airframe of the Phoenix, launched. Pre-production Fakour-90s were delivered in 2017, and a production order for 100 missiles (now designated AIM-23B) was placed in 2018, intending to replace the F-14s AIM-7E Sparrow missiles.<ref name="ai918p61-3">Taghvaee ''Air International'' September 2018, pp. 61–63.</ref>

On 26 January 2012, an Iranian F-14 crashed three minutes after takeoff. Both crew members were killed.<ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20120128065039/http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle-east/iranian-f-14-fighter-jet-crashes-in-countrys-south-both-pilot-and-co-pilot-killed/2012/01/26/gIQAhzESSQ_story.html "Iranian F-14 fighter jet crashes in country's south, both pilot and co-pilot killed."]}} ''Washington Post'', 26 January 2012. Retrieved: 24 March 2012.</ref>

In November 2015, Iranian F-14s were reported flying escort for Russian [[Tupolev Tu-95|Tu-95]], [[Tupolev Tu-160|Tu-160]] and [[Tupolev Tu-22M|Tu-22M]] bombers on [[Russian military intervention in the Syrian Civil War|air strikes]] in Syria against the [[Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Cenciotti |first1=David |title=Watch this video of Iranian F-14 Tomcats escorting a Russian Tu-95 bomber during air strike in Syria |url=https://theaviationist.com/2015/11/20/iriaf-f-14s-escort-ruaf-tu-95/ |website=[[The Aviationist]] |access-date=8 August 2018 |date=20 November 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180808043510/https://theaviationist.com/2015/11/20/iriaf-f-14s-escort-ruaf-tu-95/ |archive-date=8 August 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>[http://foxtrotalpha.jalopnik.com/new-video-of-f-14-tomcat-escorts-and-cruise-missiles-as-1743807778 "New Video Of F-14 Tomcat Escorts And Cruise Missiles As Russia Steps Up Syria Offensive"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151121151942/http://foxtrotalpha.jalopnik.com/new-video-of-f-14-tomcat-escorts-and-cruise-missiles-as-1743807778 |date=21 November 2015}}. foxtrotalpha.jalopnik.com, 20 November 2015. Retrieved: 21 November 2015.</ref>

On 14 May 2019, an Iranian F-14 crashed during landing at Isfahan-Shahid Beheshti Airport. Both crew members ejected and survived.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/225077|title=Incident Grumman F-14A Tomcat 3-6003, 14 May 2019|access-date=22 March 2022|archive-date=22 March 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220322180239/https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/225077|url-status=live}}</ref>