What keeps Iran still using F-14 Tomcats?

What keeps Iran still using F-14 Tomcats? The F-14 is still in service with the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force and is one of Iran's most capable fighter aircraft. Iran operates an upgraded version of the F-14 Tomcat known as the F-14AM and the letters "M" stands for modernized. Iran acquired a fleet of F-14A Tomcats from the United States before the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

[@Marsamsung]

The F14 despite being almost 50yrs old still looks quite modern aesthetically, reminds me of macross spaceship fighters.

[@gigginbig3]

Veritech fighters yes that fighter was inspired by the F-14. By the way Macross is still one of the best enemies ever. I’m happy to know not everybody forgot about it.

[@drgonzo305]

I think they confused “upgrading” with “Ghetto Rigging”

[@Escapecheesebot]

😂😂😂😂

[@chimpswag3492]

Say the word

[@hogneck3357]

Why won't you say it?

[@chimpswag3492]

@@hogneck3357 nigga rigging

[@jeffmays1755]

​@hogneck3357 my my my you would go there

[@1ual]

1st of the "Super-Flyers." Late 1960s technology. If I remember, for every hour in the air, it was 3hrs of maintenance. These things are 43yrs old and still flying! Hats off to the ground crews that make this happen daily.

[@KGoBang]

"Upgraded version" is rather generous.

[@domcamp3313]

My exact thought, And when he said the M stands for “modernized” I thought more like the m stands for “merely airworthy”💀

[@s.h.hoseini2926]

​@@domcamp3313well, they use what they've got. Soon Iran will receive su-35. Are u satisfied with that?😉

[@bigswordlittleman3770]

​​@@s.h.hoseini2926 no they won't the US isn't able to sell them. Because they're too advanced to sell to other nations. Same with the 22 (we do loan them to our allies tho)

[@AstonishLogiicEdits]

@@bigswordlittleman3770SU-35 !!! Not F-35 🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️

[@bigswordlittleman3770]

@@AstonishLogiicEdits oh my bad.

[@andrewringuette4426]

By far the coolest looking jet aircraft ever built! Also I believe they still fly F 4’s. The aircraft the Tomcat replaced.

[@royjaber571]

They also fly F5 and manufacture locally their own F5 variation. On top of Soviet jets like the mig 29

[@dennisstorie4604]

Even a few European NATO nations were flying F-4 into the 2010s like Greece and Turkey

[@staceymoss7029]

Tomcat and tornado 2 badass looking planes

[@antwanematteo6238]

@@staceymoss7029ewww no especially not the tornado. I remember a Brit used to park his tornado right next to the mission room like the tornado was a bicycle or a car or something

[@TheKingTywinLannister]

Say about Iran what you want but we have to take our hat off for keeping this legend alive

[@rtx-2099]

It belongs in a museum!

[@TheKingTywinLannister]

@@rtx-2099 you are

[@richlo8887]

It's not alive. It's more like in a coma.....🤷🏻‍♂️

[@TheKingTywinLannister]

@@richlo8887 that’s just stupid

[@anthonystark3959]

​@@richlo8887 Funny joke. Too bad i forget to laugh

[@sasejaneski3789]

Necessity is the mother of invention !!!!!

[@olechristianhenne6583]

Solid snake..

[@davidhoffman1278]

When the Shah of Iran decided to purchase the F-14 it wasn't because he needed to deploy them on an Iranian aircraft carrier, since those didn't exist. He bought them because of the AIM-54 guided missile capabilities. The USSR was flying Mig-25s over Iran and the existing Iranian AF interceptor aircraft couldn't go fast enough or high enough to successfully shoot the Mig-25s down. The Mig-25s being used were often the photo reconnaissance versions and it irritated the heck out of the Shah that the Soviet Union was able to do those missions without anything even mildly causing the Soviet flight crews to become concerned about getting shot down. After the F-14 acquisition and initial training the IAF was able to scramble multiple F-14s in an attempt to successfully intercept and shoot down the Migs. The IAF Tomcats launched multiple AIM-54s and the flock of Phoenixs coming down from above the Mig-25s caused the Soviet flight crews to flee as rapidly as they could from the attacking AIM-54s. After a couple of repeat performances like that from the IAF the Soviets stopped overflying Iranian territory with the Mig-25s. The Shah was somewhat satisfied with that result although he really wanted some successful shoot downs of the Mig-25s. From what I've read and heard the Shah wasn't really interested in killing the Soviet flight crews, he just wanted the Mig-25s to be so badly damaged so that the flight crews had to bail out so that the Shah's Army could capture the Soviet flight crews and hold them as prisoners . Showing off the remains of the shot down Mig-25s and showing off the Soviet prisoners would possibly have significantly humiliated the Soviets worldwide. Why kill the Soviet fight crews if you can accomplish your goals with the Soviet flight crews staying alive?

[@lordhosseinlh]

Oh that's quite interesting. Where did you read that?

[@lou_hubcity8168]

Sounds credible!

[@Edgeverse]

Can't wait for F-14PM.

[@lluzeliv]

And F14FM

[@Edgeverse]

@@lluzeliv Forgot about the radio stations there. That's a good one!

[@nerradus]

Is that the night fighter variant 😄

[@Bjowolf2]

Persian Mod? 😂

[@joeyseclipse3117]

"F14NM" Premieres when??!

[@TedAlba-v8p]

It's known... A front company bought the wholesale F-14 parts from an auction. After going through a few shell companies the updates made there way to Iran. Say- thanks State Department.

[@Syd_Music]

come see them from 10 to 13th of December 2024 on Kish Island's airshow !

[@rihadalif]

"Iran's most capable fighter aircraft" The Mig 29 and Su-35: 🤨

[@doodskie999]

Not kidding, im at work right now while danger zone is playing in spotify while watching this lol

[@NoName-tz5ji]

Because even though it’s old,it’s still one of the best and better than anything anyone else makes.

[@whclcdr]

They come in as the avionics and weapons all they want but the air frame has to be checked items replaced and I’m sure pulling G’s is very limited in that aircraft since I can’t get machine parts necessary to replace overstressed items

[@jbroer4782]

Still keeps tom cat in its high killing power is incredible

[@andrewkall7458]

F22: Breathes heavily

[@olechristianhenne6583]

Lol 🤣😆😆🤣😅

[@weeeetry]

Fighter jets in Iran: I still got it. Fighter jets in North Korea: Just let me die here.

[@tonyfknb3896]

Because it literally does everything. Air to air, air to ground, can support troops, drop bombs and can be a fighter

[@rogerhouptjr154]

Because they are still bad ass

[@78.BANDIT]

My friends father was in the Navy for 12 yrs. He worked on the F14 Tomcat. He said there are things the F14 had he couldn't talk about. And said These F14's have nothing compared to what the US NAVY had with the last version of the F14.

[@dahyun_love]

Good thing he remained silent up til now. Don't let him talk now that's it's 2023. cheers ro your old man 🎉🎉

[@ayethe4603]

Because the f14 is a badass plane

[@sunshine7453]

Where do they get parts for maintenance after 40 years?

[@ford289cid7]

As someone said in this discussion, the Chinese reverse engineer and clone parts on Russian planes, why not the same for American planes?

[@vipmammad7763]

the real story is They completely disassemble an F-14 and attach its parts to other F-14s that are needed😂😂😂

[@patriot1234100]

F-22 Raptor snack😁

[@Cccp731]

No one asked joker

[@patriot1234100]

@@Cccp731 Just like all Russian aircraft are Raptor snacks. How is life as a Russian troll?

[@Cccp731]

@@patriot1234100 how is life as a sad nato puppet who pays tax money for Ukraine ? keep talking about your raptors , you won’t need them when whole America is a nuclear bonfire

[@semuapenuh]

Just an illusion without evidence😂

[@patriot1234100]

@@semuapenuh Let's see now. F-15 Eagle 104 to zip in air to air combat. In war games 1 F-22 Raptor defeated 5 F-15s. Piloted by Raptor pilots multiple times. US Navy & Air Force would beat Iran's or Russia's Air Force like a red headed step child. Love to see them come out to play😂😂😂😂

[@justinmarlow7478]

If China can reverse engineer stuff, why couldn't Iran with China's help? Of course they can.

[@dadidadida123]

China has far better planes why waste time on those junk?

[@drgonzo305]

China doesn’t “reverse engineer” technology they just put right steal the plans to make them. They can’t make them as good but it’s better than starting from the bottom. Iran doesn’t have the capability or reach to steal information on that level nor could they build it

[@nczioox1116]

Why would china help Iran update a 40 year old American platform instead of them or Russia just selling Iran some mig or sukhoi or some other fighter aircraft?

[@drgonzo305]

@@nczioox1116 because the F-14 is still a way superior fighter jet than any jet Russia or even china has come up with since except maybe the J-20 and I doubt they’d sell that to Iran.

[@nczioox1116]

@@drgonzo305 its quite telling that a decades old American platform is superior to a lot of newer Russia or china stuff

[@tokrot]

The upgrades are so good that it shot down two SU57...

[@freedomsstudio4402]

Top Gun Maverick reference?

[@ford289cid7]

LOL, good one!

[@MegaEvoluzione]

They rigged them to accept Russian R73, R77 and R27 air to air missiles and KAB500 bombs as well as their own Iranian made missiles, I think they got good results

[@BigDaddyG1738]

I don't care for the country but the aircraft is incredible❤

[@PaulJohnson-vn7eh]

It makes you wonder if there's Russian technology involved.

[@SiriusMined]

That'd be a downgrade

[@olechristianhenne6583]

​@@SiriusMined😂 not really

[@SiriusMined]

@@olechristianhenne6583 it seriously would be

[@mcmmx]

No

[@olechristianhenne6583]

​@@SiriusMinedno it won't Americans can't win wars anymore that's why they destroyed those f14s dumb ass! Infact Russians have good technology I mean SU 57 HELLO 😂😂😂😂

[@Eis_]

TLDR: It's their most advanced aircraft, that's why they're keeping it.

[@andrewclement4547]

F14 tomcat is a beautiful fighter/interceptor that can still reach out and touch most jets. Phoenix missiles hit you before you see it. F22 will hit you from off range or pull alongside you and give you heart attack. 😊

[@stuartwiner7920]

Phoenix missiles, produced before 1979.. That means they kept them unused during the Iraq-Iran war, and that they're still serviceable after 40+ years. That's very unlikely.

[@andrewclement4547]

I didn't know the missiles had a shelf life. Figured some new jets would out perform them but they would still be good.

[@stuartwiner7920]

@@andrewclement4547 The reliability of the electronics and sensors is suspect. And the rocket-fuel is very possibly expired. They can fire it off, but it may not perform.

[@TheLondonForever00]

This is why kill switches were invented

[@JAlucard77]

TECHNICALLY YES THEY STILL USE IT BUT THEYRE UNABLE TO GET SPECIFIC PARTS FOR THE PLANES. THEY HAVE TO CANNIBALIZE OTHER PLANES TO KEEP A VERY SMALL NUMBER OF PLANES

[@luisborba5239]

Radar upgrade is great idea That is the best why you know when you are going to blow up

[@chetank552]

Feels proud to see F-14 Still in service somewhere in the world even now... 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🦾🦾🦾🦾👌👌👌👌❤❤❤❤

[@superd7479]

The F-14A the A is the first F-14’s made when I was in the Air Force back in the 70’s the base I was stationed at received the first F-15’s in Air Force inventory which was the F-15A & the TF-15A!

[@ronhaworth5808]

I wonder where they are getting engine parts? The Pratt & Whitney engines the A model had were only used in F-14A's and F-111's and I'm sure parts from those engines are very restricted.

[@dennisstorie4604]

With enough money you can hire engineers to reverse engineer the aircraft to manufacture parts for maintenance

[@olechristianhenne6583]

Yup those f-14 tomcats got their manufacturing jobs from Russia and china funny how the Americans get pissed off when they destroyed their own tomcats big mistake

[@robertborglund5783]

I as a Navy HT was working on the IINS KUSSEE. An Iranian submarine in Groton while crew went through Sub School, till that morning in November 79.

[@rickylacardojohnson2543]

The tomcat is the heaviest fighter-bomber at 35 tons when loaded down.

[@mtrest4]

Mig-31 is heaviest at 50+ tons.

[@rickylacardojohnson2543]

@@mtrest4 I should have added American fighter 👈

[@joonalavonen5929]

"The M stands for modernized" good sale speech

[@TheLastRenaissanceMan]

Why do we keep selling our great aircraft to these countries?

[@redspurwanto5948]

Its not about the plane...Its the pilot

[@cristianfrey6459]

Hace años que los rusos tuvieron acceso a revisar los F14 iraníes... la influencia del diseño se ve en el su 27 y en los misiles que emplea el MIG 31.... asumo que las mejoras vienen de la colaboración de los iraníes con los ingenieros rusos ...

[@givemeabreak8784]

Clear copy 👍

[@georgecurious2248]

This is like asking why people in Cuba still drive pre 60s cars

[@williamdawson3792]

Barely get them to use toilet paper. How modernized could it be really ?

[@wr6392]

Upgrades include a paint job and a window wash.

[@raymondlowry8564]

Which in fact make this aircraft a flying target with no realistic chance against modern weapon systems.

[@ShortyTW867]

As great as the F14 was in the 70s, 80s, and 90s it is just an older airframe that would not stand the test of time, even if Maverick was behind the stick.

[@Soulreaver6]

They just added cup holders

[@MAXIMUSLOK]

I thinking that all military museums or airforces will pay a shit loads of money just to have one

[@dantheman9881]

No way amazing fighter jet

[@lostnotfound6969]

When we were in Iraq and Afghanistan we had them surrounded. We should've ended them then.

[@mtrest4]

how?

[@rickmills4801]

My favorite jet fighter, and the fact that my enemy is still using it, hurts my heart.

[@thaknobodi]

Your own politicians are your enemy. Not a religion

[@jmorrison5206]

“Improvements”

[@coreymacpherson5891]

Iranian brothers

[@TheScandoman]

Seriously where are they getting the parts?!? 😮

[@TNOCV]

The question is, who supplies the spare parts?

[@BritishParliament1707]

Iran figured out how to make parts

[@shawncoventry5377]

The coolest sitting ducks ever.

[@magicconchy]

Just put some Velcro on that bad boy and boom you got an f-16V

[@barryross8382]

New cup holders

[@toddgatien7203]

and wont last 5 min against our fighters today

[@glennoropeza3545]

Like all weapons it's only as good as it's operator!

[@davidav8orpflanz561]

Locally produced weapons systems...curved sword in the cockpit...incase the pilot ejects towards the enemy....

[@banggobang5148]

Iranian war thunder players... please do your "magic" *wink wink wink*

[@keithd5181]

MODERNISED

[@johngotti1953]

Duct tape an upgrade are two different things

[@BK-gc1jm]

Upgrading a 1979 aircraft ...oh I watched maverick

[@robmx2324]

They don’t have to land on an Aircraft Carrier. So they can last longer.

[@terrychittum3009]

That’s a quality F22 practice drone!

[@BigBossIvan]

I don't see a balloon anywhere?

[@edwardbrophy9749]

Where in hell do spare part's come from??

[@BritishParliament1707]

Iran makes them

[@ManessDC]

They are down one since Maverick and Rooster jacked it.

[@BernardWilson-yi7og]

The f-14 tomcat was my favorite

[@cdizzle99z]

It should be fine that airframe was designed for carriers

[@sumdumguy6449]

Cus is fucking cool

[@hoghogwild]

"What keeps Iran still using F-14 Tomcats"? The fact that it bothers the US.

[@EmpireTower]

So they strapped a couple goat's under the wing. 😅

[@pete2376]

When I see one of these plane's I think of the animated series robo tech where the planes transformed into a robot fighter 😮😅😊

[@joebarber4030]

Upgrade ! What upgrade I don’t think camal hair seats qualify as a upgraded F14.

[@jackpippenstock1104]

So it's getting drones instead of missiles. Good Job.

[@rodneyspaulding8834]

Old doesn't mean it not dangerous

[@sardonicspartan9343]

They have like 3 working ones...lol

[@whataname01]

It's like a flying camel compare to a F-35

[@stephenvo5655]

Navy has won every contest against the Air Force. F-14 vs F-15 and that is a fact. Because of these competition Air Force kept upgrading the F-15 until they finally beat the F-14.

[@stuartwiner7920]

F-14 upgrade was too expensive and supposedly a tech dead-end. So said SecDef Cheney in @ 91'. Cheney frequently made bad decisions, but he was the decider at that time so that's what happened. They switched to the F-18, which was somewhat less capable, so they enlarged it to the Super-Hornet, which is what is still in active service today.

[@allenseeallendo5844]

Yeah that’s cool and all but have they met MR.F35 yet?

[@ReiMonCoH]

They’re going to have NO F14’s shortly

[@4Tugboats]

I hope the Iranians don't really believe that an F-14 Tomcat can shoot down an American 5th Grneration Fighter like the F-22 Raptor. That was just a Movie. This is real life.

[@mtrest4]

5th gen aircraft come with a bunch of downsides.

[@cergeyivanov7566]

They are waiting for the new war thunder update

[@kevinstacey2231]

I can't believe we sold them.

[@mtrest4]

why?

[@mtrest4]

@@Creative_maker At the time they were sold, they were new. 80 x planes were sold with 10 year maintenance for a heafty price tag.

[@neldiokno7862]

SOME CAME FROM IRAQ FOR SAFEKEEPING.REASON WHY THERE WERE NO FIGHTER JETS RESISTANCE FROM IRAQ DURING THE IRAQ ATTACKS FROM US. THOUGH THEY WERE FORMER ADVERSARIES IRAN READILY ACCEPTED IRAQ'S LANDING ON THEIR SOIL.IRAQ HAD THAT BITTER EXPERIENCE OF AN ALLY OF USA.IRANIANS JUST SADLY WATCHED DOWNFALL OF SADDAM THAT TIME.

[@davidmerchant4321]

U.S. never sold F-14's to Iraq , they were a Soviet ally ....

[@neldiokno7862]

@@davidmerchant4321 NAH! THAT WAS BEFORE DESERT STORM WHEN SADDAM WAS STILL A PUPPET OF USA AGAINST IRAN. SMILING IRANIAN FRIENDS TOLD ME SUCH.

[@DavidBrown-yd9le]

The mostly use it as an AWACS

[@Jry088]

It's weird that our enemy has our planes

[@steelnail1917]

United states had kicked out its F-14s like a helpless dog because they got a newer jets so the F-14 definitely deserve a new owner that won't kick them

[@strawhat9319]

Engine ?

[@toddgraham6961]

Upgrading is when they added puke bags in cockpit

[@madsfrederiktoft5808]

They blackmailed Israel to sell them the parts.

[@mrdashin8323]

Still a very capable air craft, unless your going up against the f22 or something stealth.

[@marksias6764]

Best fighter ever!

[@jamesholden5664]

For there day but wouldn't stand a chance against 5 gen aircraft.

[@danielgregory7200]

Hardly the best. The 104-0 record. Would make that distinction go to the F-15.

[@aclearlight]

Puzzling...do they have an actual carrier to go with?

[@jsigala50]

They refuse to upgrade

[@akashbanerjee6272]

Okay they upgraded them but how are the airframes still functional? I mean those are obviously more than 44years old.