Zephyr Net

I remember after the A-6's were retired that France wanted to buy them. Wouldn't be suprised if someone like Iran would want to pruchase 10 - 12 Tomcat's, atleast on Irans part, for parts.

Do you think that the United States would ever consider selling them?

- Chris

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"'I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country."
- Nathan Hale, 1776

Well we'd definitely not sell them to a hostile nation. But I doubt we'd sell them to allies even.

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Centurian

Yeah they arrested an Iranian guy who was hunting for F-14 parts in Florida (IIRC) the other day.

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allah no longer exists, for I have killed him. You must worship me instead.

IIRC from TRUD research they have like 12 in operational service and another like 17 in storage because they are running out of parts for them and such. When they have a revolution I doubt after that any of them as well as the rest of the Iranian AF will be operational.

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Centurian

No, they would never be sold. They are all slated for the desert...

Who would want them, who could maintain them?
Israel, would be the only customer considered, and that has more to do with the release of our Phoenix missile technology

But in reality, we have plans for those titanium box structures that is the backbone of that platform.

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"cool beanz"
D. "FETCH" Jordan

It's still a very good aircraft, and hasn't been in service as long as aircraft a lot of other countries employ - just look at the MiG-21.

Sure it's an expensive aircraft to maintain, but in the long run you do get the air domanince packedge in the end. A lot of people would be interested in that kind of a weapon, someone such as India - Pakistan - Taiwan.

Iran would defenitly like to get their hands on a few for parts to repair their aging fleet.

A small country like Taiwan, or maybe even India, would only need a squadron or two worth of aircraft, so somewhere between 20 - 30 Tomcats. So in the long run it would be worth the money to deter any kind of air threat. Especially if Northrop Grumman could update the aircraft to carry a larger assortment of air to ground weapons, or even to carry the AIM-120.

- Chris

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"'I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country."
- Nathan Hale, 1776

Do you really wanna see the F-14 in service with another country? I mean dude that'd be like sending the Mets to Jersey.

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Centurian

I thought you hated the Mets?

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allah no longer exists, for I have killed him. You must worship me instead.

I root for the Mets every year to get into the playoffs and get to the WS so that they can be beaten by the Yankees. I'd never get board of a Subway Series WS and neither will NY. We love that shit because thats how we tell the rest of MLB that we rule the diamond.

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Centurian

Well you're going to have to wait another 20 years because Atlanta aint gonna stop tearin through the division any time soon........

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allah no longer exists, for I have killed him. You must worship me instead.

Why buy used F-14s when you could buy new SU series aircraft? They can give you the same air dominace you would get out of the 40 year old technology that went into the design of these aircraft. I mean, the Russains are about 40 years BEHIND us, right? heh....

Nah not 40, about 10. They're doing okay with their technology especially with that R-77 and the R-73, those are some fine missiles (too bad they suck compared to the AIM-120C and the AIM-9X but hey whose counting). China is about 20 - 30 but they're catching up fast. It isn't everyday that a US president sells secrets, oh wait the 92 - 00 period is over, okay we're in the blue.

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Centurian

No one would want them but Iran, and we aren't selling them to Iran.

The same people could just as easily buy new, cheaper F-15s, F-16s, Rafales, Su-27s, J-11s, Su-30MKs, or Su-35s instead.

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AIM120S - The Electrician

Oh my, this thread is know as 'phoenix' now, because it have raisen from death while it were 'dead' about 7 months ago. Look at date, it said it were posted and discussed ended at Oct, and you just bought it back up!

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"Great pilots are made not born... A man may possess good eyesight, sensitive hands, and perfect coordination, but the end product is only fashioned by steady coaching, much practice, and experience."
Air Vice-Marshall J.E. "Johnnie" Johnson, RAF