a 24-page celebration as the mighty grumman f-14 hits the

A 24-page celebration as the mighty Grumman F-14 hits the big fi ve-oh!

F-14 TOMCAT // SPECIAL SECTION

January 2021 // www.Key.Aero26

Loaded with live AIM-9M Sidewinder and AIM-54C Phoenix air-to-air missiles, a Grumman F-14D Super Tomcat, XF 254 BuNo 164599 of the VX-9 ‘Vampires’, patrols over the Pacifi c Ocean Ted Carlson

27www.Key.Aero // January 2021

SINCE WORLD WAR One, the aircraft carrier has been the United States’ go-to tool for force projection. As naval aviation technology has advanced, the size of naval

aircraft has increased, leading in turn to larger, more vulnerable carriers. By the 1960s Soviet long-range bombers and cruise missiles posed a serious threat to America’s fl at tops, requiring a fl eet defense fi ghter with a detection and engagement range greater than the current mainstay, the F-4 Phantom II.

Secretary of Defense, Robert McNamara, aspired to reduce the development and procurement costs of defense programs by adapting single platforms for use by multiple branches of the US military. This led to the development of the General

Dynamics/Grumman F-111B, a navalized version of the F-111 Aardvark strike aircraft under development for the US Air Force. The aircraft was intended to carry the combination of AWG-9 radar and the 1,000lb long-range AIM-54 Phoenix missile, allowing it to engage targets upto 100 miles away.

The Navy were quick to voice their concerns about the suitability of the F-111B for use as an all-round fi ghter. After learning tough lessons at the hands of highly-maneuverable MiGs in the skies over Vietnam, the Navy was keen to ensure their new fi ghter could continue the fi ght beyond the merge (the point in air-to-air combat when the fi ght becomes visual – a dogfi ght). At 85,000lbs the F-111B ‘Sea Pig’ was simply too heavy and underpowered to survive in the visual

arena. The aircraft proved challenging to fl y, described by former test pilot George Marrett as: “the worst aircraft I had ever fl own.” Its safety record left a lot to be desired too; of the seven built, three were lost in crashes resulting in four fatalities.

Weight would prove an insurmountable obstacle. During a Senate Armed Services Committee Hearing, Vice Admiral Tom Connolly told Senator John Stennis:“There isn’t enough power in all Christendom to make that airplane what we want!” The fate of the struggling ‘Sea Pig’ was sealed, and in July 1968 Congress voted to cease funding the project.

The termination of the F-111B gave the Navy the opportunity to pursue a clean-slate, purpose-built design. In the summer of 1968, the VFX (Naval Fighter Experimental) procurement program

An F-14A, BuNo 162698, attached to VF-32 ‘Swordsmen’ fl ies over the Arizona desert during a WTI (Weapons Tactics Instructors) exercise. A variety of platforms are integrated inthese joint exercises and the Tomcat was no exception Ted Carlson

Maverick and Goose. Two characters who, thanks in part to one legendary

aircraft, became household names overnight. But, as we trace its

development and history, we shall discover the Grumman F-14 Tomcat is

far more than just a movie star REPORT BY CHRIS CROOT


was launched, calling for a twin-engine, highly-maneuverable Mach 2-capable fi ghter with a limited air-to-ground ability. Grumman took lessons learnt from the failed F-111B and applied them to their Design 303, one of two proposals (McDonnell Douglas submitting the other) that made it to the fi nal round. Grumman was awarded the contract in January 1969 with their refi ned Design 303E, but we of course know it as the F-14 Tomcat.

Penalty clausesGrumman was keen to get their new fi ghter to the fl eet as soon as possible, while the Navy wanted to ensure it stayed on budget. Financial penalties were used

as incentives to keep the project on target including US$440,000 for each 100lbs overweight, US$1million for each knot over target carrier approach speed and US$450,000 for any extra maintenance man-hours per fl ight hour.

The fi rst F-14A fl ew on December 21, 1970, from Grumman’s Calverton facility, less than two years after the contract award. Grumman had to get the aircraft in the air before year end to avoid a program delay penalty. Sadly, the development aircraft was lost only nine days later after a catastrophic hydraulic failure; the two crew were able to eject safely.

The company used 14 F-14As to complete an intensive fl ight test program

that included carrier acceptance trials and fi ring of the AIM-54 Phoenix missile. The weapons delivery trials called for the F-14 to be capable of carrying and fi ring six Phoenix missiles in a continuous salvo, to intercept six targets fl ying between sea level and 100,000ft.

Two years of testing completed, in 1972 the aircraft entered full-scale production. The initial Tomcat arrived at VF-124, the Fleet Replacement Squadron, on October 8 the same year. The fi rst front-line squadrons, VF-1 and VF-2, received their fi rst aircraft the following July. Grumman had taken the project from drawing board to production in a remarkable four years.

Although the F-14 would undergo a

Above: NASA’s F-14 research aircraft (tail number 991) fl ying over Rogers Dry Lake, accompanied by a Navy F-14. A joint NASA/Navy program from 1979 to 1985 looked at improving the F-14’s handling at high angles of attack, increasing spin resistance, reducing ‘wing rocking’ and improving aircraft recovery when it departed from controlled fl ight. A number of F-14 accidents were the catalyst for the program, which was an unqualifi ed successNASA

LCDR John Einhorn of VX-9 ‘Vampires’ checks six from the helm of F-14B. For its day, the Tomcat afforded a fairly decent view, with both crew members sitting highTed Carlson

F-14A Tomcat BuNo 160903 ‘AJ-107’ of VF-41 ‘Black Aces’ refuels from a KC-135 Stratotanker over Colorado. During turbulent fl ights, the drogue can effectively become a ‘wrecking ball’ Ted Carlson

F-14 TOMCAT // DEVELOPMENT


number of upgrades during its life, the most substantial was in the early 1990s, to F-14D standard. Upgrades included more powerful engines, eliminating the needfor afterburner during catapult launches, new AN/APG-71 radar – with twice the range of the original AWG-9 – and an upgraded glass cockpit.

More than 700 Tomcats would leave the ‘Grumman Ironworks’, but, despite possible export sales to West Germany, UK, Canada, Israel and Japan, only Iran would make a purchase. The Shah of Iran, keen to procure aircraft capable of engaging Iraqi and Soviet MiGs, placed an order for 80 F-14s and 700+ AIM-54 missiles in the mid-1970s. A total of 79 aircraft were delivered

before the Islamic Revolution overthrew the Shah, shattering Iranian-US relations. Despite US sanctions, Iran was successful in putting a large number of aircraft into an operational state, many of which would see action in the eight-year long Iran-Iraq War. (See page 36 for the full story)

Today, an unconfi rmed number of aircraft remain operational with the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force. Some claims cite as many as 40, but a more realistic fi gure is somewhere in the mid-20s. Understandably, the US has done all it can to prevent Iran sourcing spare components, forcing local industry to manufacture parts from scratch. Credit must be given to Iranian engineers and

technicians for keeping a fl eet of now 40-year-old aircraft combat ready.

Design solutionsThe F-14 inherited the AWG-9 radar and AIM-54 Phoenix missiles originally planned to equip the F-111B, along with the two-crew confi guration. Rather than side-by-side seating of the F-111B, Tomcat crews sit in a tandem, bubble canopy cockpit, with the pilot seated in the front and a RIO (Radar Intercept Offi cer) in the rear. While the pilot is responsible for fl ying the aircraft, it is the RIO who operates the radar, tracks contacts and identifi es them as threats for engagement.

The AWG-9 is an X-band pulse-Doppler

An F-14D Super Tomcat, BuNo 159630 ‘NE-101’ of VF-2 ‘Bounty Hunters’ launches off the USS ‘Constellation’ in the Pacifi c Ocean. All pilots understandably fear a ‘cold shot’ – essentially a loss of pressure in the catapult, which can place an aircraft into ‘the drink’Ted Carlson


radar system capable of tracking at a theoretical range of 460 miles – though the construction of the radar array limits this to roughly 230 miles. The radar is capable of identifying and tracking 24 airborne targets, displaying 18 of those to the RIO and engaging six all at the same time. To ensure the aircraft’s avionics were up to the job, the F-14 was one of the earliest, if not the fi rst, fi ghter aircraft to be equipped with microprocessor power.

Both front and rear cockpits are a mix of analogue and digital displays. F-14A pilot cockpits were fi tted with two centrally-positioned screens – a Vertical Display Indicator sitting above the Horizontal Situation Display Indicator. The RIO’s panel is dominated by a large Tactical Information Display, showing contacts and tracks identifi ed by the radar, helping the crew build situational awareness and of course, lock on to and prosecute targets. Later upgrades to F-14D standard added MFD (Multi-Function Displays) to both cockpits, reducing the number of ‘steam gauges’ and increasing crew eff ectiveness.

To solve the Navy’s performance and payload requirements for its new fi ghter, Grumman adopted a distinctive design feature, the ‘swing wing’. A movable wing allows an aircraft to take off and land at much lower speeds, ideal for carrier operations, while also off ering the high speed and economy of a swept wing.

Variable geometry wings were not a

new concept; the F-111B sported the same feature, but, rather than manual operation, the F-14s wing-sweep is controlled automatically. This automation greatly reduces pilot workload during high-intensity operations, for example when landing back at the carrier or during air-to-air combat. Another advantage of the F-14’s computer-operated system is that the wings can be adjusted during turns, reducing the amount of energy lost through high-G maneuvering. Balancing actAircraft design is all about compromise and, despite the handling advantages they bring, swing-wings have some signifi cant drawbacks: weight and size.The mechanism to move the wings typically takes up a large portion of the fuselage, which requires a larger overall aircraft to accommodate fuel and stores. To combat the increase in weight and ensure the aircraft could safely be launched and recovered to the carrier, titanium and aluminum alloys made up the bulk of the Tomcat’s construction. The dieting worked, the aircraft is 40,000lbs lighter than the troubled F-111B but, with a max take-off weight in excess of 70,000lbs, the F-14 is still the heaviest fi ghter to launch from an aircraft carrier.

Speed is key to intercepting threats such as long-range cruise missiles aimed at US carriers. The Navy wanted the Tomcat

Above: A VF-2 ‘Bounty Hunters’ F-14D Super Tomcat taxies into position for a cat shot on the USS Constellation. Nighttime landings are more hair-raising for the crews than fl ying in combatTed Carlson

Below: Grumman F-14A Tomcat NSAWC 12, Buno 162608, shows off its extended swing wing. Not only did the extended wings give it slower landing speeds on the boat, but also greatly increased maneuverability in lower airspeed dogfi ghts Ted Carlson



powerful engines in fact. Pratt & Whitney’s TF30 was selected as the original motor, but it failed to deliver a suffi cient thrust-to-weight ratio, and a string of aircraft losses owing to engine failures resulted in a search for a replacement. General Electric’s F110-GE-400 after-burning turbofan, which generates 28,000lbs of thrust in reheat, was the answer, as it delivered a marked increase in economy and performance, the thrust-to-weight ratio increasing signifi cantly from 0.56 to 0.88 at normal take-off weight.

One of the most prominent design features of the F-14 is the almost 9ft of empty space between the aircraft’s engines. They are mounted this way for a number of reasons, one being to avoid

the complexity of adding wing-mounted pylons that would need to rotate as the wings sweep. The increased space under the fuselage can accommodate four AIM-54 Phoenix or 2,000lb bombs. Additional stores and fuel tanks can be carried on hardpoints under and next to the engine intakes. The wider fuselage also generates a signifi cant amount of lift, benefi cial when the aircraft’s wings were fully swept and less lift-effi cient.

Another notable feature of the F-14 are its twin vertical stabilizers. Due to the Tomcat’s size, a very large single stabilizer would be required, too large for the aircraft to be accommodated in the hangar deck of a carrier. Instead, Grumman fi tted two smaller stabilizers,

WHAT’S IN A NAME? The F-14 was the fi rst in the “Teen Series” of US fi ghter aircraft (F-15, F-16 and F-18 would follow) and was named in part to honor Admiral Thomas Connelly who lobbied Congress to fund a new carrier-based fi ghter for the Navy. The name also continued Grumman’s theme of naming their aircraft after felines, from the Hellcat, Wildcat, Tigercat of World War Two to Panther, Cougar and Tiger of the Korean War.

to be fast, very fast. F-14 test pilot Charlie Brown explained: “The specs called for Mach 2.34. We actually tested the airplane for Mach 2.5.” The Tomcat’s outright speed surpasses today’s state-of-the-art F-35 and would certainly have the F-22 looking over its shoulder. Not bad for an aircraft created in the 1960s! Comparing fl ying at high speed in the F-14 with the type it was set to replace, the F-4, Brown said: “When you fl y a Phantom, it’s built for (Mach) 2.0, but when you fl y it that fast, you know it. In an F-14 it’s like sitting in a Cadillac.”

Getting the giant F-14 (almost 63ft long and 64ft wide with wings fully forward) into the air, and to achieve those blistering speeds, requires a powerful engine. Two

Above: US Navy Grumman F-14D Super Tomcats, BuNo 164604 ‘XF-1’ (known as Vandy 1) and BuNo 164599 ‘XF-254’, from VX-9 Vampires, maneuver over the Pacifi c Ocean Ted Carlson

Right: Grumman F-14A Tomcat BuNo 162589 ‘ NJ-452’ from VF-124 ‘Gunfi ghters’ fl ies in a knife edge over California. Tomcats originally were equipped with glove vanes (small triangular panels that were actuated from the wing roots), but they were later deactivated in order to reduce maintenance and no substantial aerodynamic benefi t was gained Ted Carlson


a feature that was common to large fighter aircraft such as the F-15 Eagle, F-18 Hornet and Su-27 Flanker.

The Tomcat at WarThe F-14 entered service too late to play a significant role in the Vietnam War, although VF-1 and VF-2 did deploy to the region from September 1974 to May 1975 on board the USS Enterprise. It flew combat air patrols over South Vietnam during this period, remaining on station until the end of Operation Frequent Wind, the evacuation of US personnel from the country on April 30, 1975.

Tomcats would score their first air-to-air kills six years later during an action known as the Gulf of Sidra incident. In the early 1970s, Libyan leader, Muammar Gaddafi, declared an extension of territorial waters in the Mediterranean Sea, to create an exclusive fishing zone, effectively sealing off the Gulf of Sidra. The international community did not recognize this extension, prompting the United States to conduct Freedom of Navigation exercises in the area. Libyan aircraft were regularly scrambled to intercept US reconnaissance flights and although shots were fired, no aircraft were lost. In August 1981, with tensions continuing to build, President Reagan authorized a large-scale naval exercise, involving two carrier groups,

to take place in the disputed area. On the morning of August 19, two VF-41

F-14s flying a Combat Air Patrol (CAP) over the USS Nimitz were directed towards two Libyan Su-22s that had scrambled to intercept a US Navy S-3 Viking probing Libyan airspace. The two Su-22 Fitters were detected as they took off from their base near Sirte by a E-2 Hawkeye, which vectored the Tomcats in to protect the now fleeing S-3. As the two formations approached the merge, one of the Su-22s fired an AA-2 Atoll heat-seeking missile that missed both F-14s. With the rules of engagement allowing the Tomcats to act in self-defense, the fight was now on. The Su-22s split, most likely running for home. Both F-14s were able to maneuver behind the Fitters and successfully downed both aircraft using AIM-9 Sidewinders.

A further engagement in Libya was in 1989, when two MiG-23 Floggers were downed by F-14s from VF-32 ‘Fighting Swordsmen’. Again, the Libyan aircraft were detected by an E-2 heading towards a flight of A-6 Intruders conducting exercises south of Crete. While two F-14s covered the withdrawal of the A-6s, the VF-32 jets, callsigns Gypsy 202 and Gypsy 207, moved into a position to deter the Floggers from closing in. Illumination by the F-14’s radar and the threat of the AIM-54 had previously been deterrent

enough to force Libyan pilots to turn away, but not this time. The Floggers began to actively turn into the US aircraft, apparently positioning themselves into an optimal firing position. Trying to ascertain the Flogger pilot’s intentions, the US crews turned their aircraft away no fewer than five times; each time the Libyans maintained a firing solution. With their aggressive posturing now deemed hostile, the F-14s fired two radar-guided AIM-7 Sparrows at the Floggers, but both failed to hit their targets. As the two flights merged, the F-14s performed a defensive split; both MiGs turned to chase Gypsy 202. In the ensuing dogfight the 202 crew were able shake their pursuers off and release an AIM-7, destroying the first MiG. The second was downed when Gypsy 207 fired an AIM-9 from more than a mile away.

The Grumman F-14 Tomcat now had four confirmed kills to its name.

Gulf War heroicsThe 1991 Gulf War stands out as a conflict dominated by air power. Providing vital air defense to the US and Coalition naval fleet was, of course, the Tomcat. Aircraft flew CAP over the Red Sea and Persian Gulf using, once again, their powerful AWG-9 radar to deter Iraqi fighters. Despite the large number of aerial victories scored by

Above: F-14B Tomcat BuNo 161862 ‘XF-240’ of VX-9 ‘Vampires’ flies over the Pacific Ocean in a ‘Whiskey’ warning area. This particular aircraft had a very light gray paint scheme, making it almost appear white at a distance. It is carrying an AIM-7M Sparrow, an AIM-54C Phoenix, a TACTS pod and two bags of gas Ted Carlson

Right: A VX-9 F-14A creates an impressive vapor spike in burner, while flying at just under Mach 1. Tomcats could easily exceed Mach 2, but pilots tried to refrain from going that fast, as it could burn the paint from the radome NASA



the coalition, only one is attributed to the F-14, when an Iraqi Mi-8 Hip was downed with an AIM-9. This marked the fi nal air-to-air kill for the Tomcat. Only one US F-14 was lost as a result of hostile fi re, a VF-130 jet was shot down by an SA-2 surface-to-air missile in January 1991, while escorting a strike package against an Iraqi airfi eld. Both crew members ejected safely.

In Europe, F-14s fl ew multi-role missions over the former Yugoslavia, providing close air support and forward air control, as well as being the only manned US photo reconnaissance asset in the region. The jets would perform similar roles during the Kosovo Crisis four years later.

In 2001, the Tomcat was given the ability to drop the Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM), a weapon it would deploy during its involvement in Operation Enduring Freedom over Afghanistan a year later.In the skies over Iraq, the F-14 would have its fi nal swansong, again using the JDAM to deliver precision air strikes. The fi nal combat sortie was on February 8, 2006, when a fl ight of two F-14s returned to the USS Theodore Roosevelt after conducting a precision strike over Iraq. Capt William Sizemore, who fl ew the last combat trap

(arrested carrier landing) said: “This is one of the best airplanes ever built and it’s sad to see it go away. It’s just a beautiful airplane. It’s powerful, it has presence and it just looks like the ultimate fi ghter.”

The mighty Tomcat was retired from US Navy service on September 22, 2006, making way for the F/A-18 Hornet, which could perform the same tasks, but at around one third of the cost. However, the Hornet cannot carry the AIM-54, something critics feared would leave carriers exposed. Indeed, it is only the most recent iterations of the AIM-120 AMRAAM that come close to matching the Phoenix’s range.

While some aircraft found their way into museums, the majority of the retired fl eet were fl own to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base for storage. In 2007, the US Navy announced that they would be destroyed to prevent any spare parts fi nding their way to Iran. The Tomcat served with the US Navy with distinction for more than 30 years, securing its place in the hearts of aviation professionals and enthusiasts worldwide. It is testament to the people of the ‘Grumman Ironworks’ that these rugged jets continue to fl y today.

F-14D Super Tomcat, NE 106 of the VF-2 ‘Bounty Hunters’ performing what’s dubbed a ‘controlled crash’, on USS Constellation. The impact is signifi cant, so carrier aircraft need beefy landing gear Ted Carlson

Grumman F-14B Tomcat BuNo 161433 ‘AG-200’ of VF-11 ‘Red Rippers’ lands at NAS Fallon, Nevada. Fallon was a haunt for F-14s, because it is where Air Wings deploy for training and work-ups, before going on cruise Ted Carlson


The only country left fl ying Grumman F-14s is the troublesome Middle East nation of Iran. Combat Aircraft Journal explores the past, present and future of the Persian Tomcat

REPORT BY CHRIS CROOT

ONLY TWO COUNTRIES in the world have ever operated the mighty F-14 Tomcat. The fi rst is obvious, but given the current state of international aff airs, the second seems

far less likely. US-Iran relations have deteriorated over the past decades, but in the mid-1970’s the situation couldn’t have been more diff erent. This is the story of the Persian big cats and how, despite the odds, the Iranians are keeping this aviation legend fl ying.

Iran-Iraq relationsThe Middle East has long been the fulcrum in East-West relations. In the 1970s, this balancing point sat over Iraq and Iran. Iraq experienced a somewhat turbulent relationship with the Soviet Union: a military coup in 1958 saw relations bloom, yet another in February 1963 (which resulted in a purge of perhaps as many as 5,000 communists) threatened to derail everything. The Soviets agreed to start

re-supplying the now Baathist-controlled nation with fi ghter aircraft, surface-to-air missiles and military advisors. Relations peaked on April 9, 1972, when the two nations signed a historic treaty of friendship and co-operation leading to deliveries of the latest Soviet military hardware. The agreement gave the Soviets both infl uence over the region, as well as direct access to one of the world’s largest oil exporters. At the time, Iran’s largely Shia Muslim population was directly opposed to Iraq’s Sunni government and the two contrasting ideologies led to a fractious relationship between the neighboring nations. A year before the Iraq-Soviet treaty was signed, the Iraqi government had broken off all relations with the Iranians, while Iran harboured and armed Kurdish rebels. The arrival in Iraq of the latest Soviet military equipment forced the then (and ultimately last) Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, to act.

3-6029 and 3-6052 can be seen during the Kish Airshow on November 28, 2018 Keyvan Tavakkoli


Tomcats vs Eagles The Shah wanted aircraft which would deter any Iraqi aggression and allow the Iranians to project power across the entire Persian Gulf region. High-fl ying Soviet MiG-25 Foxbats, which were making regular reconnaissance fl ights over Iran, were a major headache for the military and the Shah needed something to repel them. He approached the United States, seeking to purchase a fl eet of fi ghter aircraft, the McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) F-15 Eagle and the GrummanF-14 Tomcat being key contenders. In 1971, the two aircraft were displayed to the Shah at Andrews AFB by company test pilots. The F-15 piloted by Irv Burrows fl ew fi rst, with the Grumman test crew, Don Evans and Dennis Romano, getting airborne straight after. Grumman knew the Tomcat’s weight and engines (Pratt & Whitney TF30) gave the Eagle a signifi cant

thrust-to-weight advantage, so in an attempt to close the performance gap Don and Dennis started their aircraft as the F-15 began its display. Parking their jet in the ‘last chance area’ (a hardstanding near the runway where technicians give aircraft a fi nal pre-departure check), Don and Dennis ran up their engines to burn down the aircraft’s fuel load. By the time the F-15 landed they were down to around 2,500lbs of fuel, just enough for their display but, crucially, a fi gure that signifi cantly narrowed the thrust-to-weight margins.

To allow the Iranian delegation to make a direct comparison, the display profi le was the same for both aircraft: a max performance take-off into an Immelman turn and climb, a high-speed pass, low altitude high-G turns, a slow pass and a landing. Don and Dennis were keen to utilise the Tomcat’s variable-geometry

wings to their full advantage – wings forward to highlight the aircraft’s manoeuvrability, and fully swept to demonstrate its impressive turn of acceleration. To conclude their display, the crew performed a touch-and-go into a vertical climb followed by a carrier-type landing, stopping the aircraft in a remarkably short distance. Both aircraft were fl own exceptionally, but the Shah was sold on the F-14.

This was good news for Grumman, which needed to sell the F-14 abroad. The US Congress was threatening to suspend funding for the program, an act which could spell the end for the company, however any overseas sale of such a potent and advanced aircraft would be subject to Presidential and Congressional approval. As the US government was keen to prevent the Soviets developing a strong foothold in the Middle East, President

Above: F-14A serial number 3-6077 (US Navy Bureau Number 160375) taxiing after landing during a Military Day parade rehearsal on April 16, 2012 Danial Behmanesh

Below: F-14A with serial number 3-6054 after a post-overhaul FCF at Mehrabad in June 2018 M Motahari


MIDDLE-EAST // F-14s

Richard Nixon and National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger reportedly off ered the Shah carte blanche to buy whatever US arms he desired, short of nuclear weapons, during a visit to Tehran in 1972.

With the sale approved, Iran became the fi rst and only export customer for the Tomcat, with other close US allies instead being off ered the F-5 family of fi ghters or the lightweight F-16. The fi rst $300m order for 30 F-14s and 424 long-range AIM-54 Phoenix air-to-air missiles was signed in January 1974. A few months later, this was expanded to 80 aircraft, along with 714 missiles, spare parts, engines and major infrastructural work at Khatami Air Base.

Deliveries and training Despite a potential market of other friendly nations in the early 1970s – West Germany, Canada, Japan and even the UK – no export version of the Tomcat

was ever developed. As a result, the aircraft which began arriving in Iran in 1976 were modifi ed US Navy production aircraft, with classifi ed avionics equipment removed. Prior to the delivery fl ights, the aircraft were given their distinctive Iranian camoufl age paint scheme and US military markings. These markings were quickly removed when the aircraft landed, revealing the Iranian titles beneath.

Former US Navy pilot John R Chesire recalls the long journey from the Grumman facility in Long Island to Isfahan, Iran, and some interesting complications at their destination: “The ferry to Iran involved two legs. The fi rst leg was from Calverton on Long Island to Torreón Air Force Base in Madrid, Spain. The second was from Madrid to Isfahan. It should have taken a couple of days. It didn’t.

“We needed to be ‘topped-off ’ with fuel for most of the seven-hour fl ight, in case

we had to divert to an emergency fi eld. This meant at least six in-fl ight refueling events for each leg, plus there was some [inclement] weather conditions and the KC-135s diffi cult type of refueling hose to deal with.” (US Navy aircraft refuel using the probe and drogue method vs the Air Force’s boom and receptacle system.)

After being stuck in Spain for two weeks thanks to tanker trouble, John was able to resume his journey out to the Gulf: “The fl ight to Iran was just as long as our fl ight had been to Madrid. Although we had another six KC-135 tankers en-route, this fl ight was near some unfriendly territory. We had been forewarned as to the possibility of trouble, and, sure enough, we were ‘locked-up’ with some serious Soviet fi re-control radar at one point.

Then later, fl ying past Mount Ararat in eastern Turkey, we looked in vain for the biblical Noah’s Ark.”

Above: F-14A serial number 3-6029 (US Navy Bureau Number 160327) departing 8th TFB to take part in the mission exercise ‘Devotees of Velayat’s Territory-8’ on January 10, 2019 Keyvan Tavakkoli

Below right: Tomcat 3-6054 (US Navy Bureau Number 160352) armed with AIM-9Js and AIM-7Es taxiing after landing at 8th TFB during the exercise ‘Devotees of Velayat’s Territory-8’ on January 10, 2019 Majid Eslamdoust


When John and his colleagues landed in Iran, their passports and documents were seized by the authorities and wouldn’t be returned until the end of a religious holiday. The American airmen spent around fi ve days exploring parts of Iran and absorbing local culture, ironically just a couple of years before American diplomats would be held captive during the embassy hostage crisis.

Training for the initial cadre of Iranian pilots and RIOs (radar intercept offi cers) took place in the United States. Bizarrely, the US State Department contracted

the US Air Force to conduct the training, despite the fact that the only US aviators with F-14 experience belonged to the Navy. Eventually the Navy seconded some of its instructors to the Air Force, no doubt after some inter-service rivalry.

Instruction later moved to Khatami Air Base with the arrival of the fi rst aircraft on Iranian soil and, by 1979, the Iranians had about 60 trained crews with another 50 in the pipeline. Training for technicians and engineers was conducted at the Pratt & Whitney and Hughes facilities in the United States.

While deliveries continued, waves of public unrest were starting to rock the Iranian monarchy. Calls for political reform and a need to narrow the diff erence in the social classes led to violent street protests. The result was the Iranian Revolution and eventually the overthrow and exile of the Shah. With anti-western sentiment strong among the revolution’s leaders, many arms deals with western nations were halted, including the F-14.

In the end, only one Tomcat never made it to Iran, with the 79th on order arriving just in time. Of the 714 AIM-54s

Below left: An AIM-54A Phoenix missile under fuselage of an F-14A Tomcat during an exhibition in Isfahan in February 2014 Keyvan Tavakkoli

Below right: AIM-9J, AIM-7E and AIM-54A missiles loaded on an F-14A during an exhibition in Isfahan in February 2014 Keyvan Tavakkoli



by the US and 15 new recruits. Also heading out of Iran with the pilots were many of the skilled technicians required to actually get and keep the Tomcats in the air. Those pilots who remained, along with many members of the wider former Imperial Iranian Air Force, were arrested, imprisoned and even executed, further hindering F-14 operations.The mass exodus and later arrest of personnel meant that, when war broke out with neighbouring Iraq, as few as 12 Tomcats were serviceable.

The Iran-Iraq WarTensions between the Iraqis and the new Islamic government in Iran escalated and, by 1980, the two nations were fi ghting minor skirmishes along their border. With Iraq becoming more and more aggressive and now fearing a full-blown invasion, the new Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF) began to work tirelessly to get more Tomcats airworthy. One of the major headaches for the Iranian technicians was getting the complex AWG-9 radar operational, leading to a heavy dependence on ground-based radar controllers guiding crews towards hostile aircraft. The Iranians used the few aircraft

they had available to fl y patrols along the border, deterring Iraqi aircraft before they became a threat.

When the Tomcats were fi rst delivered to Iran, the US had yet to integrate the radar-guided, medium-range AIM-7 Sparrow, and short-range, heat-seeking AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles on to the F-14. This meant that the only weapons available to use against Iraqi targets were the aircraft’s internal 20mm M61 Vulcan cannon and the AIM-54 Phoenix missile. Despite being designed for very-long-range interceptions (in excess of 100 miles), the Phoenix was successfully employed on medium and short-range targets.

War was declared on September 22, when Iraqi forces moved across the border in conjunction with a series of air strikes aimed at destroying as much as possible of the Iranian Air Force on the ground.

The opening six months of the war saw the most intense aerial action for the Iranians as they attempted to repel and drive back the Iraqis. Both sides were short of allies that could supply them with replacement aircraft lost in combat, forcing the more conservative use of air-power than in other major modern confl icts. With such a fi nite number of

ordered, only 274 were delivered, with the remainder embargoed or cancelled. For decades, Iran would continue to insist the US deliver the 80th and fi nal Tomcat – as recently as 2010 it was still being requested, but its delivery was fi rmly rejected by the White House.

As well as preventing further US equipment coming into the country, the Revolution meant American engineers and instructors would have to leave, taking with them the knowledge to maintain and operate the Tomcats. Hughes technicians sabotaged 16 AIM-54 missiles before departing the country, but the remainder of the arsenal was safely secured in bunkers at Khatami. In a display of the Iranian military’s determination and ingenuity, the 16 sabotaged missiles were returned to service using parts ‘acquired’ from the US Navy. The US also made changes and updates to both the AIM-54 and the aircraft’s powerful AWG-9 radar to ensure that any data the Iranians might acquire would be of no use against US Navy aircraft.

However, it wasn’t just Americans who fl ed after the Revolution, 27 Iranian Tomcat pilots left with them, including all but two of the initial groups trained

Above: Three F-14As of 81st TFS (3-6001, 3-6067 and 3-6071) perform a fl ypast during Iran’s Military Day paradeon April 18, 2014 Shahram Sharifi


Tomcats available, the Iranians operated the aircraft tactically, making use of the AWG-9 radar to serve as an early-warning platform, guiding aircraft into battle. Tomcats were also positioned to guard against strategically-valuable locations such as major oil installations on Kharg Island, and the capital Tehran.

Despite trying to keep their F-14s out of direct action, it is believed more than 50 victories were scored against Iraqi aircraft in the opening six months of the war. Incredibly, despite action against MiG-21s and 23s and Su-20s and 22s, only one Tomcat was damaged when it struck wreckage of an exploding MiG-21. As the fi ghting escalated, more and more F-14s were drawn into battle, greatly increasing the strain on engineers and an already limited spares pool. The intensive fl ying started to take its toll, with more and more Tomcats being withdrawn from service,

leaving an estimated 40 operational by 1984, and as few as 25 two years later.

During the course of the eight-year war, Iranian Tomcats reputedly downed in excess of 160 Iraqi aircraft for the loss of only three jets in air-to-air combat. Tomcats were able to engage Iraqi aircraft long before they could return fi re, which in part explains the high kill-ratio. The fear of being shot down at such a distance was often enough to force entire Iraqi strike packages to turn and run for home.

Today’s Tomcats and the future By the time the confl ict drew to a close in 1988, around 30 Tomcats were believed to be airworthy, however those with a working radar and therefore combat-ready was signifi cantly fewer. The Iranians were also struggling to fi eld a signifi cant number of AIM-54 missiles – the weapons’

thermal batteries had exceeded their shelf life around 1986 and, without fresh supplies available from the US, the Iranians were forced to use clandestine sources to seek replacements.

In the early 1990s, Iran was able to secure a spares package from the US in return for Iranian assistance in securing US hostages held captive in Lebanon. This aid package, along with additional items sourced on the black market, kept the jets in the air for a few more years, but by the late 1990s a Tomcat replacement was being considered. With only the Chinese willing to sell combat aircraft to Iran, the Shenyang F-8 (similar in appearance to the MiG-21) was evaluated but deemed inferior in performance to the F-14, so the Iranians returned to the black market to source spare parts. Alarmingly, residents in the US were arrested by the FBI after attempting to purchase engine spares and intake seals and ship them to Iran.

In 2006, the US Navy retired its F-14s, potentially releasing an enormous number of spare parts onto the market. Indeed, the Iranian government formally requested to purchase items, but this was swiftly rejected by the US Department of Defense. With US-Iranian relations in decline, the American government announced that any aircraft currently stored in the ‘boneyard’ at Davis-Monthan AFB would be destroyed, to prevent any parts making their way to Iran.

In order to reduce the dependency on

Above and right: One of the three F-14As in the QRA facility of 8th TFB armed with a pair of AIM-9Js and a pair of AIM-7Es on February 3, 2020 Alireza Bayat

Left: An afterburner take-off by 3-6066 for a post-overhaul FCF on July 23, 2019, at Mehrabad M Motahari

42 January 2021 // www.Key.Aero


some way into Iraqi airspace for their weapons to reach.

It is unclear how many Tomcats are currently operational, with online reports varying from as few as four or fi ve through to as many as 40.

F-14s are regular participants in parades over Tehran and, in 2015, a video emerged of the aircraft escorting Russian Tu-95 Bears on strike missions against Daesh. A 2015 announcement made by Colonel Asqar Shafi yee, the deputy commander of Air Force 8th Air Base, praised Iran’s capability to overhaul F-14s, along with claims of modernisation: “We have equipped the F-14 fi ghters with air-to-ground missiles and with bombing capability.” The Colonel also suggested the aircraft had received a new radar, which was undergoing trials work at the time. Military analysts have suggested Russia may be helping to modernise the fl eet, assisting with the fabrication of some spare parts, although this has never been confi rmed.

It is unlikely the true number of serviceable F-14s or their capabilities will ever be known, adding in part to their potency. It is remarkable that the IRIAF is able to keep any of these legendary aircraft in the air, nearly 15 years after the last US aircraft was withdrawn from service. While the aircraft’s future is a mystery, even the most skeptical of western observers must surely owe a tip of the hat to the engineers keeping these Persian Tomcats prowling.

sourcing parts from the US, the Iranians began a series of projects to modernise the F-14 and its weapons. Attempts were made to integrate the Russian-built, semi-active radar-guided R-27 – replacing its US-built AIM-7 equivalent – and the MIM-23 Hawk surface-to-air missiles, but these ultimately proved unsuccessful.Progress was fi nally made with the development of the Fakour-90, an indigenously-designed missile based

on the AIM-54. Iranian claims that the weapon has a range almost 100km further than that of the Phoenix and a top speed of Mach 5 was met with some skepticism, but credit must be given for developing a new weapon in the face of severe sanctions. If the fi gures are accurate, the Fakour-90 would allow Iranian Tomcats to engage targets fl ying over Saudi Arabia from within their own airspace. Aircraft over Israel could also be at risk, but the F-14s would have to cross

Below: One of the three F-14As in QRA facility of 8th TFB armed with a pair of AIM-9Js and a pair of AIM-7Es on February 3, 2020 Alireza Bayat



Developed for the US Navy’s Naval Fighter Experimental program, the iconic and multi-talented Tomcat is a two-seat, twin-engine, twin-tail fi ghter. It turns 50 this month, yet still looks as tough and, dare we say it, stunning as the day it rolled off the Grumman Aerospace production line.The US Navy retired the Tomcat nearly 15 years ago, but as arguably its most famous fi ghter aircraft ever, we thought we’d celebrate with a selection of incredible images by Ted Carlson


Two F-14B Tomcats, BuNo 162701 ‘AG-111’ of VF-143 ‘Pukin' Dogs’ and BuNo 162925 ‘AG-206’ of VF-11 ‘Red Rippers’, fl y over California with GBU-31 2,000-pound JDAMs.This mission marked the fi rst-ever fl eet JDAM weapon release


A Grumman F-14D Super Tomcat, ‘NE-103’ of VF-2 ‘Bounty Hunters’, inches into position on the ‘Connie’ operating in the Pacific. Note the offset blade antennas

An NSAWC F-14A breaks away over the Nevada desert. The single tube just aft of the radome started out as an IR seeker, but later became the TCS on the A and B models. The F-14D has two tubes side-by-side that include both the IR seeker and TCS – an easy way to distinguish a D-model from the A/B


A US Navy Grumman F-14D Super Tomcat, BuNo 159630 ‘NE-101’ of VF-2 ‘Bounty Hunters’ chained down on the USS ‘Constellation’. The F-18 replaced the Tomcat, and one is noteworthy on the downwind leg behind, off in the distance

A US Navy Grumman F-14D Super Tomcat, ’NE-106’ of VF-2 ‘Bounty Hunters’, on the USS ‘Constellation’ patrolling the Pacific. It appears to be catching the number 2 wire, although number 3 is the wire of choice

F-14 // APPRECIATION


A NSAWC F-14A Tomcat, BuNo 162608, modex ‘12’, lights the burners and departs for a mission out of NAS Fallon, Nevada. An inert AIM-9L Sidewinder and TACTS range instrumentation pod are noteworthy

A Grumman F-14B Tomcat, BuNo 163226 ‘XF-241’ of VX-9 ‘Vampires’, fires an AIM-7M Sparrow air-to-air missile in a Pacific Ocean range. VX-9 is an operational test unit and validates upgrades, designs and new aircraft prior to fleet introduction

A US Navy Grumman F-14A Tomcat, BuNo 161272 ‘NH-114 ‘ of VF-213 ‘Black Lions’, refuels from a KC-135 tanker over the Pacifi c Ocean during carrier air wing work ups. The extended refueling probe is on the starboard side


Two US Navy Grumman F-14B Tomcats break away over the Pacifi c at sunset. The F-14 soldiered on for many years, although it saw only minimal combat during its tenure. Nevertheless, it proved to be a worthy deterrent against aggressors, helping to keep the peace

a 24-page celebration as the mighty grumman f-14 hits the

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