Tomcats really gone for good

[HeyJoe]

You can ask, and I will tell

I certainly hope there is a resonable explanation for Steve following you...... Don't ask.......?

Hardly, last fall during his impending transition, I hosted him at Pax (with his lovely bride) and then led him to Ward Carroll's (editor, Military.com) home for dinner and a chat about Internet job market, etc. I don't I quite made it to 90, but I did a lot of Blackberry action during the "follow the leader" caper.

 

[HAL Pilot]

and then led him to Ward Carroll's (editor, Military.com) home for dinner

When's the next Punk book out?

 

[HeyJoe]

What's next for Ward???

When's the next Punk book out?

For latest on Ward, check out his cutting edge website

Don't miss out Photo Gallery 4 in which he's sitting in with Cheap Trick (photos by yours truly) during Tomcat Sunset. He was awesome! (kinda like Buckaroo Banzai)

 

[Single Seat]

Lets disect:

Ok guys calm down, the basic premise was that I don't believe the Iranians could put up much of a fight, even with their full fleet of f-14s at a mission capable rate.

Never mind most Iranian pilots have more combat time than any US pilot. 10 years of war with Iraq?

As far as those Adversary F-5s go: If the Navy Adversary squadrons are anything like the AF Aggressor squadrons, they are well trained top pilots. Could the Iranians train their pilots to fly at that level? Maybe, but I'd put my paycheck on no.

Agressor pilots are trained to fly like just that, foreign adversaries. And an IR only F-5 strip launched using nothing but GCI can raise total hell with a strike package.

Perhaps I'm performing a cardinal sin and underestimating the enemy, but from what I have seen and heard (and I'm not talking about about the internet here) I don't think Iran could compete with our Legacy fighters, much less the new 4.5 and the 5th gen stuff that is/will be coming off of the line.

The cardinal sin here (that you don't realize) is the level of comprehension here is way over your head, and security clearance. They have more than they need to defend their country, the persian warrior lineage, and experience.

The rest of your post basically goes on to reiterate that you don't really know what you're talking about. On the surface, ya a broke dick air force of marginally maintained third gen fighters wouldn't pose much of a challenge for very long, however if that's your "educated" analysis of Iran you're very very wrong.

 

[narfmasta]

Perhaps I'm performing a cardinal sin and underestimating the enemy, but from what I have seen and heard (and I'm not talking about about the internet here) I don't think Iran could compete with our Legacy fighters, much less the new 4.5 and the 5th gen stuff that is/will be coming off of the line.

What if they get a lucky shot? What if a pilot commits an error (they are human after all) and somehow ends up getting shot down by an Iranian F-14? Why would you want to give the enemy better equipment to use against OUR military? It just doesn't make any sense.


And correct me if I'm wrong, but don't the Iranians have a reverse-engineered AIM-54?

and I found some Iranian F-14 stories, don't know how accurate these are though Those of you in the know of these incidents feel free to chime in.

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 F-14 against MiG-25s.

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.

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.

That would suck if those were our bombers and fighters getting shot down huh? I kind of see your reasoning, but I'm going to have to side with the guys w/ the wings underneath their names... I'm probably crazy for thinking this, but I'll bet they know what they're talking about.