Little to nothing is known about Iran's use of its seventy-nine F-14A Tomcats (delivered prior to 1979) in most western outlets, the exception being a book released by Osprey Publishing titled "Iranian F-14 Tomcats in Combat" authored by Tom Cooper and Farzad Bishop
[1]. Most of the following accounts are based on the research contained in this book, possibly the only book devoted solely to the topic of Iranian F-14s.
Reports on the use of the 285 missiles supplied to Iran
[2], during the
Iran-Iraq War, from 1980–88 vary. It is rumoured that US technical personnel sabotaged the aircraft and weapons before they left the country following the 1979
Iranian Revolution, making it impossible to fire the missile. However, the IRIAF was able to repair the sabotage and the damage only affected a limited number of planes; not the entire fleet. In reality, it is extremely unlikely that any sabotage was commited, as Iranian F-14s were continually operational throughout the Iran-Iraq war and scored many kills with their Phoenix missiles.
Some western sources claim that it is unlikely that the Phoenix was used operationally. First, as difficult as the missile and fire control systems were to operate, Iran had hired many American technicians. Upon leaving, they took most of the knowledge about how to operate and maintain these complex weapon systems with them. Also, without a steady supply of engineering support from Hughes Aircraft Missile Systems Group and corresponding spares and upgrades, even a technically competent operator would have extreme difficulty fielding operational weapons. Iran had, indeed, aggressively pursued spares for their planes in the years following the revolution.
Most less informed sources claim that the primary use of the
F-14 was as an
airborne early warning aircraft, guarded by other fighters.
However, in reality the IRIAF used the F-14s actively as a fighter-interceptor and at times escort fighter with the AIM-54 scoring 60-70 kills. F-14s were often used to protect IRIAF tankers supporting strike packages into Iraq, and scanned over the border with their radars, often engaging detected Iraqi flights. Also, some F-14s were modified into specialized
airborne early warning aircraft.
Supporters of these claims point to the fact that, in the
1991 Gulf War, Iraqi fighter pilots consistently turned and fled as soon as American F-14 pilots turned on their fighters' very distinctive
AN/AWG-9 radars, which suggests that Iraqi pilots had learned to avoid the F-14. The counter-argument is that virtually all Iraqi fighters turned and fled when confronted, regardless of the type of aircraft facing them, although the USAF had much better success engaging Iraqi fighters with their
F-15 Eagles in the same vicinity where Tomcats operated.
During the entry of the F-14 and AIM-54 into Iranian service, the Shah (king) ordered live-firing exercises with AIM-54s. The exercise was targeted against the Soviet Union, who was flying
MiG-25 reconnaissance sorties over Iran. Five AIM-54s were shot at AQL-34 target drones, two flying Mach 2 at 60,000 feet. Four missiles hit the targets.
On 16th September 1980, Iranian F-14s were vectored against a fast-moving contact, approaching Khark oil terminals at Mach 3. The MiG-25 was shot down by an AIM-54. This was the first confirmed kill by an F-14 against a MiG-25.
On the same day, another MiG-25RB was shot down in extremely hard conditions. The MiG-25 was approaching fast and was already within 113 km, yet the F-14 RIO was unable to acquire the target. A positive lock-on was made at a distance of only 70 km, almost inside the minimum range for this type of look-up shot against a high-speed target. A single AIM-54 was launched in snap-up engagement mode at 64 km. The missile worked perfectly and the MiG was downed.
On 2nd December 1980 one of the closest range shoot-downs by an AIM-54 occurred. Captain F. Dehghan of the 8th TFS was flying on patrol covering Khark Island oil teminals, when a number of approaching bogies were detected. Lock-on was attained only from a distance of 10 miles, too close to the minimum range of the missile. The F-14 had to use the Phoenix, though, as otherwise the plane would have been too heavy for dogfighting. The Phoenix was launched in short-range active mode and it managed to hit a MiG-21.
At 20th November 1982, two Iraqi generals boarded an Mi-8 helicopter to visit the front lines. The Mi-8 was escorted by two other Mi-8s, an Mi-25, four MiG-21s and four MiG-23s, that were replaced by additional fighters when they ran low on fuel. The formation was spotted by two Iranian Tomcats escorting an IRIAF KC-707 tanker, which was waiting for an Iranian F-4 strike to refuel. The F-14s were flying a race-track pattern, scanning over the front line with their AWG-9 radars. Captain Khosrodad spotted a large number of targets approaching slowly from the west, already within AIM-54 range. Khosrodad ordered his wingman to keep with the tanker and attacked, first firing two AIM-54s, then two AIM-7E-4s some 10 seconds later. According to Iraqi reports, one MiG-21 and two MiG-23s were shot down within a minute, forcing the Iraqi generals to abandon their mission.
On 20th February 1987, an IRIAF F-4 lured an Iraqi strike force into a trap, which was ambushed by two F-14s of the 81st TFS. An AIM-54 was launched at very long range, hitting the lead Mirage flown by IrAF Brig. General Hekmat Abdul-Qadr. The Iranian listening posts recorded the leader of the accompanying Su-22 flight scream "F-Arba-Ashara! Yalla! Yalla!" with the seven remaining fighters turning and fleeing. In English the leader had called "F-14! Run! Run!"
During late 1987, the Soviet Union supplied Iraq with MiG-25BM "Wild Weasel" aircraft. The planes tested the ECM systems against Iranian Tomcats and attacked Iranian targets with new anti-radar weapons. The MiG-25BMs proved they could operate with impunity at up to 69,000 ft, until on the night of 11th November a MiG-25BM was intercepted by an F-14. The Tomcat fired a single AIM-54 in Home-On-Jam mode. The missile guided flawlessly but failed to detonate. Yet, the missile clipped the MiG-25's fin and forced the pilot to bail out.
During March 1988, Iraq launched a major attack against Iranian oil exports. On 19th March, at 0100, the first wave of Iraqi Tu-22B heavy bombers and Mirage fighters, attacked Khark island and the tankers. Half an hour later, a second wave arrived without losses. The Iranian F-14s had arrived on scene for the third wave, though. The US Navy warships patrolling on the area recorded several AIM-54 launches, with at least one Tu-22B bomber and a MiG-25RB being destroyed. According to the US Navy, it is probable that other Iraqi bombers were shot down as well.
During the ending phase of the Iran-Iraq war, a mini war developed between the Iraqi Mirage F1 EQ-5/6 units and the Iranian F-14s between February and July 1988. The F1 pilots hunted the Tomcats aggressively and attacked the Iranians at any occasion. The F1EQ-6s were equipped with good ECM systems, and the Iraqi pilots could deny the F-14s from using their AIM-54 missiles. For example on 19th July 1988 four Mirages attacked two F-14s and downed both, suffering no losses.
The Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force was able to keep its F-14 fighters and AIM-54 missiles in regular use during the whole of the Iran-Iraq war, though periodic lack of spares grounded at times large parts of the fleet. - At worst, during late 1987, the stock of AIM-54 missiles was at its lowest, with less than 50 operational missiles available. The missiles needed fresh thermal batteries that could only be purchased from the USA. Iran managed finally to find a clandestine buyer that supplied the Iranians with batteries - though those did cost up to 10,000 USD each. Iran did receive spares and parts for both the F-14s and AIM-54s from various sources during the Iran-Iraq war, and has received more spares after the conflict. [
citation needed] Iran started a heavy industrial program to build spares for the planes and missiles [
citation needed] and although there are claims that it no longer relies on outside sources to keep its F-14s and AIM-54s operational, there is evidence that Iran continues to procure parts clandestinely.
[1]
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