The F-22: Prince of Persia?

pants3204 · by **pants3204** » 21 Mar 2012, 22:50

In the event of a military conflict in Iran, will we see the F-22 score its first kills on some Iranian F-14's/dinghies, or will the Raptor be preserved for bigger and better conflicts?

pants3204 · by **pants3204** » 21 Mar 2012, 22:57

Clear up those pesky S-300's maybe?? :crazypilot:

count_to_10 · by **count_to_10** » 21 Mar 2012, 23:24

Does Iran still have functional F-14's?
Last I heard, they were towing them out to the shore line and trying to fire their missiles from the ground.

pants3204 · by **pants3204** » 21 Mar 2012, 23:42

Word on the street is that Iran has 204 F-14's ready to take to the skies.

1st503rdsgt · by **1st503rdsgt** » 22 Mar 2012, 00:11

pants3204 wrote:Word on the street is that Iran has 204 F-14's ready to take to the skies.

The planes must be breeding as they started out with just 79.

pants3204 · by **pants3204** » 22 Mar 2012, 00:15

1st503rdsgt wrote:
pants3204 wrote:Word on the street is that Iran has 204 F-14's ready to take to the skies.

The planes must be breeding as they started out with just 79.

Pardon me, the correct number is 49, thanks to the Chinese.

That_Engine_Guy · by **That_Engine_Guy** » 22 Mar 2012, 00:48

pants3204 wrote:Word on the street is that Iran has 204 F-14's ready to take to the skies.

204, WOW!?!.... Guess they've been busy backward engineering the Tomcat?

Funny they only purchased something like 80.

Last good intel (public intel that is) indicated only about 2 squadrons (~24 aircraft) of Tomcats were still 'operational' with the IRIAF.

Even at that, how capable would 20 some "embargoed" F-14As from 1976 actually be in a fight with a technologically superior 4th or 5th Gen fighter with 100% logistics and OEM support?

I'd put my money on late block Vipers being able to handle them just fine.

Keep 'em flyin' :thumb:

TEG

popcorn · by **popcorn** » 22 Mar 2012, 02:59

Several years back one US general stated that the UAE Viper fleet could take on and defeat the Iranian Air Force by it's lonesome. Good thing for the aerospace companies no one was listening and the countries in the region keep buying billions in new aircraft.