Free Republic

...three (tragic) stories and a legendary plane Few days ago, Dario Leone, a long time reader and a huge F-14 Tomcat fan, sent me an email to point out what he had noticed about the date Tony Scott, the famous director of “Top Gun”, chose to commit suicide. He had observed that Aug. 19 was the 31th anniversary of the day when two F-14s downed two Libyan fighters in 1981 (something that Scott, most probably, didn’t even know) and provided some interesting news about the fate of the two Tomcats involved in the dogfight and their crew members. “Top Gun...

Iranian F-14 Tomcat’s “new” indigenous air-to-air missile is actually an (improved?) AIM-54 Phoenix replica Among the hardware on display during the annual military parade in Tehran, on Sunday Sept. 22, 2013, Iran not only displayed a new indigenous passive phased array radar system for detecting stealth targets and cruise missiles, but it also showed the country’s latest home-made missile productions, including the Fakour-90. The Fakour-90 missile is one of the latest “state-of-the-art productions” of the Iranian Armed Forces which can be mounted on F-14 fighter jets. It’s almost identical to the AIM-54 Phoenix and, more than a brand new missile,...

Spitfire vs Bf 109 and F-14 vs Su-27: the difference is always the pilot May 31, 2013 Not always the best aircraft is the one that wins in an air-to-air engagement. Most of the times it is the training the pilot has received and his/her skills, experience to make the difference: that’s why a well trained pilot with a less capable aircraft can defeat a more powerful plane piloted by a scarcely trained airman. During World War II two of the most successful fighters of aviation history faced one against the other, in a duel that began over the coasts...

Ten years ago today: the U.S. Navy F-14 Tomcat’s attack on Saddam’s yacht Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) was a huge success for the U.S. Navy’s F-14 squadrons: over Iraq, Tomcat pilots and radar intercept officers (RIO) flew different kinds of missions such as air defense, precision bombing, FAC (A) – forward air control airborne, strike coordination and reconnaissance (SCAR) and photo-reconnaissance. Among the squadrons that took part to OIF there was the VF-2 “Bounty Hunters” that were embarked on the USS Constellation (CV-64). Some of their Tomcats were equipped with the Tactical Airborne Reconnaissance Pod System (TARPS) for recce missions,...

Thirty minutes to choose your fighter jet: how the Shah of Iran chose the F-14 Tomcat over the F-15 Eagle February 11, 2013 Despite all the skepticism about the actual airworthiness of Iran’s new stealth fighter “Qaher 313″, one thing is certain: Iran is still flying the iconic Grumman F-14. More than 6 years after its last flight with the U.S. Navy, the Tomcat is still in service in a small number of examples with the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF), to such an extent, Iran has recently tested a brand new air-to-air missile dubbed “Fakour”, for the...

Isfahan Air Base handling maintenance, overhaul of Tomcats Isfahan, Nov. 6, IRNA – Isfahan's Shahid Babaie Air Base is unique in its kind worldwide in terms of maintenance and overhaul of F14 fighter jets (tomcat). Commander of the Air Base, Brigadier Ali-Reza Barkhor told IRNA on Sunday that his Base is the only center for training pilots for fixed wing planes of the Islamic Republic Army. He said his Base is also handling flights F14 planes after 33 years of sanctions which indicates high experience of Air Force technicians. The commander said the flight of such warplanes is of significance...

Iran Uses F-14 Squadrons for Air Defense TEHRAN (FNA)- Iran uses its F-14 fighter jets for air-defense missions, a senior Iranian air defense commander said, adding that the aircraft has gone under a relevant set of tests in the ongoing air drills in Northwestern Iran. Speaking to FNA, Deputy Commander of Khatam ol-Anbia Air Defense Base for Inspection Colonel Abolfazl Farmahini said that F-14 fighter jets participated in the 'Fadaeeyan-e Harim-e Vellayat III' air drills as part of the country's integrated air defense plan, "and that's why they are operating under the Khatam ol-Anbia base". "These planes are used as...

Iranian Air Force Equips F-14 Fighter Jets with Hi-Tech Radars TEHRAN (FNA)- The Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force has equipped all its F-14 fighter jets with highly advanced radars, Lieutenant Commander of the Iranian Army Rear Admiral Farhad Amiri announced on Sunday. "The radar system of these fighters are highly complicated because it consists of a set of separated parts which should be linked to each other when they are mounted on the fighter jet, and this is a very complex scientific and technological process," Amiri told FNA. "Our radars used to be mainly American and British in the...

This week marks the 100th birthday celebration of the late President Ronald Reagan. And his library in the southern California city of Simi Valley has been buzzing with celebrities, politicians and well wishers. I had the opportunity to travel there and learn the ties between one N.A.S. Lemoore squadron and Mr. Reagan's presidency. And how four members of today's Navy came to serve America's 40th president after his death. When the fighter jets are training over the skies above of the Naval Air Station those call the roar they make 'The Sound of Freedom'. And in this place that is...

Operation Desert Storm, 1 February 1991 -- A U.S. Navy F-14A Tomcat fighter jet (assigned to Fighter Squadron 211 (VF-211) at Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia) flies over burning Kuwaiti oil wells. Via http://ChamorroBible.org/gpw/gpw-20060914.htm (medium, large)  

A video release on YouTube shows that the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF) has a number of Grumman F-14 Tomcats operational with locally-produced parts. The Iranian news agency FNA reports that the aircraft have been fitted with a locally-produced radar system and could carry 2,000lb (900kg) GBU-78/A Qassed (Messenger) 'smart' bombs.

Iran was said to have encountered difficulties in modernizing its Air Force. The U.S. intelligence community has determined that the Iranian Air Force was hampered in several areas of modernization of its 1970s-era U.S.-origin platforms. The Defense Intelligence Agency assessed that the Air Force was blocked in such areas as airborne early-warning and control as well as precision-guided munitions. "The IRIAF [Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force] remains largely dependent on 1970's-era U.S. aircraft like the F-4 Phantom II, the F-14A Tomcat, and the F-5E Tiger II," DIA said in a report titled "Iran's Military Power." The report, released to...

An Iranian Air Force commander announced here on Tuesday that the country overhauls and optimizes different types of military aircraft, mentioning that Air Force has even installed Iran-made radar systems on the sophisticated F14 fighter jets. "Indeed, it can be said that most airplanes have the previous designs but all of their components, including systems and parts, are being optimized and upgraded on a continued and regular basis," Iranian Air Force Lieutenant Commander for Coordination General Aziz Nasirzadeh said in an interview with FNA on Tuesday. The commander stated that mounting optimized home-made 2,000-pound (900-kilogram) smart bombs, Qassed (Messenger), on...

April 2, 2009 Note: The following text is a quote: http://www.usdoj.gov/opa/pr/2009/April/09-nsd-297.html Defendant Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Export Military Aircraft Parts to Iran WASHINGTON – Traian Bujduveanu has pleaded guilty in the Southern District of Florida to a charge of conspiring to illegally export military and dual use aircraft parts to Iran. Bujduveanu appeared on behalf of himself and his now defunct corporation, Orion Aviation, in federal court in Miami today to announce his guilty plea. Bujduveanu’s co-defendant, Hassan Keshari, and his corporation, Kesh Air International, pleaded guilty in January 2009, and are awaiting sentencing. The guilty plea was announced...

<p>Someday you may be invited to fly in the backseat of one of your country's most powerful fighter jets. Many of you already have -- John Elway, John Stockton, Tiger Woods to name a few. If you get this opportunity, let me urge you, with the greatest sincerity....</p>

Two men were recently arrested on charges of conspiring to export military aircraft parts to Iran. The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency states Hassan Saied Keshari and Traian Bujduveanu are charged in a federal Criminal Complaint with conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, the United States Iran Embargo, and the Arms Export Control Act for their participation in a conspiracy to export US-made military aircraft parts to Iran. According to the affidavit filed in support of the Criminal Complaint, Keshari owns and operates Kesh Air International, a business located in Novato, CA. Bujduveanu owns and operates...

United States Navy Pilot Lieutenant Commander David Burnham and Radar Intercept Officer (RIO) Lieutenant Commander Bruce Defibaugh attached to Fighter Squadron Two (VF-2), bring their [transonic] F-14D "Super Tomcat" through the sound barrier during an air-power demonstration with USS Constellation (CV 64) battlegroup on 10 July 1999. Large or medium photo via http://ChamorroBible.org/gpw/gpw-20040818.htm (photo 10). Image ID: 990710-N-6483G-001 PhotographerEnsign John Gay, United States Navy

An Iranian-born United States citizen was sentenced here yesterday in US District Court to two years in prison and six months of home confinement for illegaly exporting US military aircraft parts to Iran via associates in Germany and the United Arab Emirates. Reza Tabib, 52, of Irvine, CA, pleaded guilty in June 2006 to violating the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), which prohibits the export and re-export to Iran of certain items of US origin. The prosecution is the result of a joint investigation by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS). In...

Iranian F-14s Fly Again January 31, 2008: The U.S. has now forbidden the sale of any F-14 aircraft components. This is to prevent Iran from getting any parts with which to keep its dwindling fleet of F-14s operational. All surplus F-14s, and F-14 components, must be destroyed. The U.S. Navy has been doing that, since last year, to the retired F-14s it has. It is believed that Iran has restored at least three of its three-decade old F-14A jets to operational status. More F-14As are to be restored this year. There is, however, the matter of credibility and capability. For...

WASHINGTON - President Bush signed legislation Monday prohibiting the Pentagon from selling leftover F-14 fighter jet parts, a move prompted by security gaps in the military's surplus auction. Those gaps made the surplus auction a prime place for Iran to shop for the spares it desperately needs for its Tomcat fleet. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., proposed the ban after The Associated Press reported last year that buyers for Iran, China and other countries exploited weaknesses in Pentagon surplus-sale security to obtain sensitive military equipment including parts for F-14s and other aircraft and for missile components....