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Nightwatch2 wrote:

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Gunnersmate04 wrote:

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Surely, they wouldn't use these to try and dogfight with a 22 or even a 15......are these to be used I would assume to knock out our AWACS.

How did they fare against the IRAQ boys?
GUNNER

they use their remaining F-14's AS an AWACS, not go after ours.

They did reasonably well against the Iraqi AF during the First Gulf War and by some accounts got a fair number of Phoenix kills. Impossible to verify of course.

Agree with Nightwatch on more than one account;

- Would be very suprised if the Iranians managed to get 44 Tomcats (or even only half of that) in the air, let alone "fully operational" as ObiWan Russell posts. By halfway '80s they managed to get 10/20ish in the air for a parade and was generally thought they had cannabilized the remainder. If the Iranians had more planes they would've showed them. I also think that rebuilding previously cannibalized airplanes is either not worth the hassle or beyond the Iranian's capabilities, even with Israëli/Russian/French whoever's help.

- The F-14's did reasonably well during Iran/Iraq war but exactly how good will never be known. At least one was lost IIRC to Iraqi Mirage F-1 but they downed at least 4ish Iraqi airplanes. I thought the Phoenix missiles didn't do that good; some sources say none of the Phoenix missiles hit something and others indicate up to 25 kills with the AIM-54's, so again no certainty.

- If the Iranians get into any conflict more likely than not they'll use the F-14's as AWACS with it's radar and tv cam (if the Iranian's one are all fitted with these). Probably because of lack of Phoenix missiles (Sparrows or other AAM's can also be carried by other, cheaper airplanes), relative value of the Tomcats for the Iranians and perhaps trouble with it's maintenance.

Smartest thing the Iranians can do IMHO is try to keep as many of these beasts airborne for as little costs as possible. Let the Israëli's/Americans/etc worry about their state but I would rather spend my money on something newer, those airframes are more than 30 years old by now...
Sure B-52's are still around and a lot older, but trying to keep attrition down has to be practically impossible on 32-year old American airframes which you try to keep flying with limited indiginous industry (Iran Aircraft Industries) and limited Russian/whoever's help.