ZfrkS62
05-18-2007, 01:40 AM
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18728779/
For those that don't know, Iran and the US at one point were allies. This was back in the 70's when the Navy was just getting out of it's break in period of it's first Grumman F-14A Tomcats.
At this time, Iran was concerned about the Soviet's fighters (Migs, but i can't remember which model) playing chicken with Iranian airspace. At the time, their air force did not have the speed, or maneuverability to chase down the Soviets, should they break airspace and attack.
Iran's president came to the US asking if we had anything that could go head to head with the Soviet planes. A fly off was arranged between the Tomcat, and another plane. Both pilots had a short amount of time to display the plane's speed and handling.
Both pilots put on a spectacular display, but in the end, the F-14's ability to acquire, and track 6 different targets at a time, and fire and forget missle capabilities, sold the Iranian leader. 25 of the Mach 2+, sweep wing fighters were ordered. Also bear in mind, that the Tomcat was the ONLY fighter at the time capable of being armed with the 90+ mile range, self guided Phoenix missile.
Grumman sent a crew of techs with the planes to Iran, so that the techs could train the Iranian ground crew in maintaining the aircraft, which required 50 hours of maintenance after each mission (Something that would ultimately seal the F-14's fate 30 years later in the US). Their pilots trained with our pilots until they were just as good.
While all this was going on, the situation in Iran was degrading. Frustrations were mounting, and while on a foreign trip, Iran's president was over thrown in favor of the government we now know today.
The Grumman teams split. And it was soon after they left, that it was discovered that all 25 aircraft, were incapable of firing their missiles. Whether the Grumman teams neglected to install the weapons systems, or sabotaged the fighters, is unknown. But once Iran and the US were enemies, parts supplies were cut off, and the planes eventually were reduced to billion dollar paperweights.
Now that the US has retired the last squadron of F-14 Tomcats, spare parts are rapidly amassing as the planes are dismantled. This is where the article comes in.
For those that don't know, Iran and the US at one point were allies. This was back in the 70's when the Navy was just getting out of it's break in period of it's first Grumman F-14A Tomcats.
At this time, Iran was concerned about the Soviet's fighters (Migs, but i can't remember which model) playing chicken with Iranian airspace. At the time, their air force did not have the speed, or maneuverability to chase down the Soviets, should they break airspace and attack.
Iran's president came to the US asking if we had anything that could go head to head with the Soviet planes. A fly off was arranged between the Tomcat, and another plane. Both pilots had a short amount of time to display the plane's speed and handling.
Both pilots put on a spectacular display, but in the end, the F-14's ability to acquire, and track 6 different targets at a time, and fire and forget missle capabilities, sold the Iranian leader. 25 of the Mach 2+, sweep wing fighters were ordered. Also bear in mind, that the Tomcat was the ONLY fighter at the time capable of being armed with the 90+ mile range, self guided Phoenix missile.
Grumman sent a crew of techs with the planes to Iran, so that the techs could train the Iranian ground crew in maintaining the aircraft, which required 50 hours of maintenance after each mission (Something that would ultimately seal the F-14's fate 30 years later in the US). Their pilots trained with our pilots until they were just as good.
While all this was going on, the situation in Iran was degrading. Frustrations were mounting, and while on a foreign trip, Iran's president was over thrown in favor of the government we now know today.
The Grumman teams split. And it was soon after they left, that it was discovered that all 25 aircraft, were incapable of firing their missiles. Whether the Grumman teams neglected to install the weapons systems, or sabotaged the fighters, is unknown. But once Iran and the US were enemies, parts supplies were cut off, and the planes eventually were reduced to billion dollar paperweights.
Now that the US has retired the last squadron of F-14 Tomcats, spare parts are rapidly amassing as the planes are dismantled. This is where the article comes in.