Iran Air Force to stage large-scale maneuvers nationwide

[SalarHaqq]

Iran claims that 24 of them are active in their inventory and the actual numbers must be around 12-15. Even there were 24, they can do nothing. That's why Iran needs a newer fleet of a fighter which has easier maintenance.

This claim is not by Iran my brother, and Iran does not publish numbers like that, especially of one of its most strategic assets. The IRIAF in all probability has some 60 F-14s in its inventory and in times of war, I would guess they can all be made airworthy.

The 24 figure originates from the Flight Global website, as indicated in this July 2019 article below:
https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/send-f-22s-why-irans-f-14s-are-no-joke-68772

It was then attributed by mistake to Iran itself in another subsequent paper:

F-14 Tomcat: Iran's best fighter jet used to be America's Top Gun

Iran's top of the line fighter is none other than the U.S. Navy's F-14 Tomcat. Here's how they got there, and why they no longer pose a threat.

www.sandboxx.us

In 2013 The Aviationist released a plausible estimate of 60 units:

Thirty Minutes To Choose Your Fighter Jet: How The Shah Of Iran Chose The F-14 Tomcat Over The F-15 Eagle

Why the F-14 Tomcat won over the F-15 Eagle in Iran. Despite all the skepticism about the actual airworthiness of Iran's new stealth fighter "Qaher 313",

theaviationist.com

 

[Dariush the Great]

Suicide drones in action

https://twitter.com/x/status/1451084990616416256

 

[One_Nation]

Suicide drones in action

https://twitter.com/x/status/1451084990616416256

The noise of the drone in-flight was too high. Was it using a two stroke engine by any chance?

 

[sanel1412]

It's not only about that. F-14 is indeed faster and it'll show dust to F-35 in a drag race. But combat isn't only about that. F-14 leaves heavy radar signature. SU-30 or the newer blocks of F-16 will smoke it up. Also, its extremely difficult and expensive to maintain F-14 fleet. Iran claims that 24 of them are active in their inventory and the actual numbers must be around 12-15. Even there were 24, they can do nothing. That's why Iran needs a newer fleet of a fighter which has easier maintenance.

Yeah sure it must be 12-15 even with simple sat images it is verified there was more than 30 10 yrs ago...and no F-16 dont have even chance against F-14..no matter what block we are talking about,even in close range combat F-14 turn angle,climb rate ,and every other ascpect is better than even F-16...F-14 can make 7G turn at mach 2..while in same time can fly at extremly low speed and turn at far better angle than F-16..ofcourse in practice F-5 can take out MIG-25 but those are extremly rare cases..if we talk about some situation where pilots with same capabilities are on both side and with similar assets on ground,nope..F-16 is ittle child for big boys..F-18 would never replace F-14 if they didnt fake some test documents,and main reason F-14 is retired in 2006 was Dick Cheney obsesion with Iran F-14 fleet after they find out some civilian contractors shiped F-14 parts and AIM54C components to Iran...Yes price was high and US was already planed to replace F-14 but only because they thought threat that required them is not any more there..but as I said,that beast was 40-50$ bilion in 1979..when F-4 cost was 2-3$ bilion..you cant put F-16,no matter which block in same basket....F-16 can lunch 2 AIM-120 in same timeand older variant have to wait till first AMRAAM became active to lunch second...few 14 overall capability is better than 12 F-16..but you people just dont get it,I would like to put you on battlefied for few days..to see how 3 T-34-85 + 1 T-55 eat alive 2 M-84 with only one lost T-34 (M-84 MBT is made in Yugoslavia on T-72 basis,with little better perfomance than T-72A)..those are 3 85mm gun + one 100mm gun vs two 125mm guns with autoloader..even M-84 was at that time MBT few years old,it simple doesnt matter because on battlefield it is overall capability of whole battle group is what matters,it would eat alive any of those old MBTs 1 on 1...But thing is F-14 is better even on 1 on 1,and if you go to any US military you will find out more about any of those platforms...You think one super power like US,would scrap whole its F-14 fleet and all parts..if it is not such big threat?? Even in museums there is just few F-14 left...I dont have a link,but I would point you to You Tube where you can find F-14 presentation,it is new presentation few years old where now some declasified documents are available.people who speak are cheef of F-14 project and few other people that worked on F-14 and some other platforms,it is interesting because they compare F-14 and few different platform...They used new and revolutionary tech on F-14,so that it could serve more 20 yrs without been obsolete in any aspect. They had to built titanium welding facility just for 14,and 6 materials used on F-14 was not used ever before..I will try to find...

 

[Enigma SIG]

Yeah sure it must be 12-15 even with simple sat images it is verified there was more than 30 10 yrs ago...and no F-16 dont have even chance against F-14..no matter what block we are talking about,even in close range combat F-14 turn angle,climb rate ,and every other ascpect is better than even F-16...F-14 can make 7G turn at mach 2..while in same time can fly at extremly low speed and turn at far better angle than F-16..ofcourse in practice F-5 can take out MIG-25 but those are extremly rare cases..if we talk about some situation where pilots with same capabilities are on both side and with similar assets on ground,nope..F-16 is ittle child for big boys..F-18 would never replace F-14 if they didnt fake some test documents,and main reason F-14 is retired in 2006 was Dick Cheney obsesion with Iran F-14 fleet after they find out some civilian contractors shiped F-14 parts and AIM54C components to Iran...Yes price was high and US was already planed to replace F-14 but only because they thought threat that required them is not any more there..but as I said,that beast was 40-50$ bilion in 1979..when F-4 cost was 2-3$ bilion..you cant put F-16,no matter which block in same basket....F-16 can lunch 2 AIM-120 in same timeand older variant have to wait till first AMRAAM became active to lunch second...few 14 overall capability is better than 12 F-16..but you people just dont get it,I would like to put you on battlefied for few days..to see how 3 T-34-85 + 1 T-55 eat alive 2 M-84 with only one lost T-34 (M-84 MBT is made in Yugoslavia on T-72 basis,with little better perfomance than T-72A)..those are 3 85mm gun + one 100mm gun vs two 125mm guns with autoloader..even M-84 was at that time MBT few years old,it simple doesnt matter because on battlefield it is overall capability of whole battle group is what matters,it would eat alive any of those old MBTs 1 on 1...But thing is F-14 is better even on 1 on 1,and if you go to any US military you will find out more about any of those platforms...You think one super power like US,would scrap whole its F-14 fleet and all parts..if it is not such big threat?? Even in museums there is just few F-14 left...I dont have a link,but I would point you to You Tube where you can find F-14 presentation,it is new presentation few years old where now some declasified documents are available.people who speak are cheef of F-14 project and few other people that worked on F-14 and some other platforms,it is interesting because they compare F-14 and few different platform...They used new and revolutionary tech on F-14,so that it could serve more 20 yrs without been obsolete in any aspect. They had to built titanium welding facility just for 14,and 6 materials used on F-14 was not used ever before..I will try to find...

Without OEM support, this is gonna happen when these aircraft are pushed to their limit in a combat situation:

 

[WudangMaster]

 

[SalarHaqq]

Without OEM support, this is gonna happen when these aircraft are pushed to their limit in a combat situation:

Iran developed the capability to produce many F-14 spare parts indigenously. Otherwise Iranian Tomcats wouldn't have survived for this long under the prevailing US embargo.

 

[Enigma SIG]

Iran developed the capability to produce many F-14 spare parts indigenously. Otherwise Iranian Tomcats wouldn't have survived for this long under the prevailing US embargo.

Maybe. Doesn't take away from the fact that it still isn't OEM certified. I wouldn't bet on the availability of these aircraft for a high stress sortie.

 

[SalarHaqq]

Maybe. Doesn't take away from the fact that it still isn't OEM certified. I wouldn't bet on the availability of these aircraft for a high stress sortie.

Alright. But don't underestimate Iranian meticulous insight into the machine. Iran's been operating the F-14 longer than the US Navy, employing it extensively in war and knows it in and out. Then there's Iran's proficiency at engineering, which proved more than one contrarian estimate wrong. Personally, I'd wholeheartedly trust Iran's ability to keep the F-14 on a very dangerous level for any potential adversary. Iran pretty much indigenized that fighter jet over these four and a half decades.

 

[925boy]

If Iran does not change it's dying fleet of Jets, the only thing that can save Iranian skies are the Iranian AD systems.

Iranian AD is already saving the skies, so this is already a misnomer.

no matter how good AD is fighter jets and must . iran need to upgrade rusty airforce ASAP

rusty airforce has kept NATO airforce deterred- FACT.

Proof of pudding is in the eating. i know some of u Pakistanis will come to this thread to troll but if Iran's airforce is weak and irrelevant, then tell us why no country has attacked Iran yet? a bunch of weak scarecrows i guess.

 

[Big Tank]

Yeah sure it must be 12-15 even with simple sat images it is verified there was more than 30 10 yrs ago...and no F-16 dont have even chance against F-14..no matter what block we are talking about,even in close range combat F-14 turn angle,climb rate ,and every other ascpect is better than even F-16...F-14 can make 7G turn at mach 2..while in same time can fly at extremly low speed and turn at far better angle than F-16..ofcourse in practice F-5 can take out MIG-25 but those are extremly rare cases..if we talk about some situation where pilots with same capabilities are on both side and with similar assets on ground,nope..F-16 is ittle child for big boys..F-18 would never replace F-14 if they didnt fake some test documents,and main reason F-14 is retired in 2006 was Dick Cheney obsesion with Iran F-14 fleet after they find out some civilian contractors shiped F-14 parts and AIM54C components to Iran...Yes price was high and US was already planed to replace F-14 but only because they thought threat that required them is not any more there..but as I said,that beast was 40-50$ bilion in 1979..when F-4 cost was 2-3$ bilion..you cant put F-16,no matter which block in same basket....F-16 can lunch 2 AIM-120 in same timeand older variant have to wait till first AMRAAM became active to lunch second...few 14 overall capability is better than 12 F-16..but you people just dont get it,I would like to put you on battlefied for few days..to see how 3 T-34-85 + 1 T-55 eat alive 2 M-84 with only one lost T-34 (M-84 MBT is made in Yugoslavia on T-72 basis,with little better perfomance than T-72A)..those are 3 85mm gun + one 100mm gun vs two 125mm guns with autoloader..even M-84 was at that time MBT few years old,it simple doesnt matter because on battlefield it is overall capability of whole battle group is what matters,it would eat alive any of those old MBTs 1 on 1...But thing is F-14 is better even on 1 on 1,and if you go to any US military you will find out more about any of those platforms...You think one super power like US,would scrap whole its F-14 fleet and all parts..if it is not such big threat?? Even in museums there is just few F-14 left...I dont have a link,but I would point you to You Tube where you can find F-14 presentation,it is new presentation few years old where now some declasified documents are available.people who speak are cheef of F-14 project and few other people that worked on F-14 and some other platforms,it is interesting because they compare F-14 and few different platform...They used new and revolutionary tech on F-14,so that it could serve more 20 yrs without been obsolete in any aspect. They had to built titanium welding facility just for 14,and 6 materials used on F-14 was not used ever before..I will try to find...

Iranian AD is already saving the skies, so this is already a misnomer.

rusty airforce has kept NATO airforce deterred- FACT.

Proof of pudding is in the eating. i know some of u Pakistanis will come to this thread to troll but if Iran's airforce is weak and irrelevant, then tell us why no country has attacked Iran yet? a bunch of weak scarecrows i guess.

No one is trolling. Calm your patriotism. It is a fact that Iran itself is worried about it's air force's dying fleet. No matter how much you upgrade, you can't simple maintain F-14 which was even hard to keep when US was producing it's own parts. I hope IRIAF finds some good deals. JF-17 Blk 3 would be a good choice but Iranians are more interested in dual engine jets.

The reason that no country attacked Iran is because a major role is played by land forces. The fact is that US can wipe out both Iran and Pakistan but it'll be paying a huge cost for that. Nobody is scared of Pakistan's or Iran's Air Force. They're scared of the land forces, the Pakistani nukes, the Iranian missiles and of course the people, local resistance. If you think US is scared of Iran's F-14s then you're weak on your argument.

 

[One_Nation]

Iranian AD is already saving the skies, so this is already a misnomer.

rusty airforce has kept NATO airforce deterred- FACT.

Proof of pudding is in the eating. i know some of u Pakistanis will come to this thread to troll but if Iran's airforce is weak and irrelevant, then tell us why no country has attacked Iran yet? a bunch of weak scarecrows i guess.

If you are telling us that Iran hasn't been attacked because of its air force, that cannot be true.
Iran may have good missiles and air defense but air force itself is more like an encouragement for USA and Israel.

 

[Falconless]

The Iran Air Force and airline industry looks like a heritage fleet, a flying museum.

 

[MH.Yang]

Why cant iran buy planes from China and Russia? Whats the hold up?

I suggest Iran consider JF17, Su30SM2 and J31 aircraft at the same time. And introduce the assembly lines of JF17 and Su30.
Iran should not use only one country's weapons. It is wise to equip Chinese and Russian fighters at the same time.
Iran can even consider participating in AZM projects in Turkey and Pakistan. Cooperation can eliminate misunderstandings and bring more mutual trust.
Iran's aircraft in the hangar all can now be eliminated.

 

[gambit]

Alright. But don't underestimate Iranian meticulous insight into the machine. Iran's been operating the F-14 longer than the US Navy, employing it extensively in war and knows it in and out. Then there's Iran's proficiency at engineering, which proved more than one contrarian estimate wrong. Personally, I'd wholeheartedly trust Iran's ability to keep the F-14 on a very dangerous level for any potential adversary. Iran pretty much indigenized that fighter jet over these four and a half decades.

I read post 19 and yours and laughed.

When I was active duty, my first jet was the F-111. Now, the 'Vark is more agile than most people, including those in the Air Force, realized. Wings swept, both the 'Vark and the 'Cat are very similar in performance, with the 'Cat a slight advantage because it was designed with more air-air mission than the 'Vark. Then when I transferred to the F-16, it was like moving from a limo to an open wheeled racer. For most pilots, their initial exposure to 9g was in training, then they get assigned to whatever aircraft. Those who are assigned to tankers/transports will not see 9g again. But for those who moved to the F-16 from other jets, they found out quickly enough that to get 9g in instantaneous turn was as simple as flicking the right wrist. Or just thinking about moving the right wrist. In BFM, how quickly can a jet change heading is more important than how long it can sustain a particular g in a turn. Nobody want to fight a Viper. Sure, everybody talk smack about their fighters. But there is always that slight hesitancy when they look at their schedule and see that little jet as adversary training. When I was on the F-111 and stationed in the UK, our squadron gone up against NATO F-16s and the best we can do is go low and pushed the throttle. Nothing else. Post 19 was hilarious. You guys talk about BFM as if it is two-dimensional. And we hope Iranian pilots continues to think like you guys do here on PDF.

So for you and your pal in post 19, did you guys know that there are biplanes that can out turn the F-16? How long and how well Iran maintains the F-14 is irrelevant. Too much time passed the same way the Sopwith Camel and the P-51. I have no problems betting the house on the F-16 against Iranian F-14s any day. And all the bookies in Vegas, Atlantic City, and Macao will back me up.