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F14A

The first air-to-ground missions ever flown by US Navy F-14 Tomcat fighter jets

by Till Daisd March 22, 2024

‘The F-14s dropped while the F/A-18s lased. We egressed the target area having achieved absolutely superb results from direct hits, and there were impressive secondary explosions,’ Bob Brauer, F-14A Tomcat pilot and VF-41 CO

The United Nations established a no-fly zone over Bosnia and Herzegovina in response to the ensuing 1992 air conflict between the Croat Air Force, the Bosnian Muslim Air Force, and the self-proclaimed Serbian Krajina in Croatia. NATO started Operation Deliberate Force against the Serbian forces on August 30, 1995, marking the culmination of the subsequent military operations known as Operation Deny Flight.

According to Bojan Dimitrijević’s book Operation Deliberate Force: Air War Over Bosnia and Herzegovina, 1992-1995, the US Navy unit VF-41 Black Aces, which was outfitted with 20-year-old Grumman F-14A Tomcat interceptors that had been modified to use precision-guided munitions, was among the advanced assets deployed by NATO during Operation Deliberate Force. When this unit was instructed to reroute to the Adriatic Sea, it was actually en route back to the United States on the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71), which was nearing the end of its six-month deployment in the Persian Gulf.

Black-Aces-F-14A — An F-14 “Tomcat” assigned to the “Black Aces” of Fighter Squadron Four One (VF-41) makes its final approach, during an arrested landing aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71).

As part of the Deliberate Force, the carrier planned and carried out operations after it was on station, although inclement weather forced the cancellation of the majority of its airstrikes.

On September 5, 1995, however, two F-14As each carrying one AIM-7M Sparrow, two AIM-9M Sidewinders, one AIM-54C Phoenix air-to-air missile, and two GBU-16 454kg (1,000lbs) laser-guided bombs entered Bosnian airspace with the assistance of two F/A-18Cs, which were to designate their target. Commander Bob Brauer, the commanding officer of VF-41, remembered the first air-to-ground sortie that US Navy Tomcats had ever conducted:

‘On the day of the first strike, the weather was a big factor, and it continued to be a factor into the winter months. As we launched off the ship and headed in over the coast, it didn’t look like the strike was going to go ahead because of an undercast. But, about ten miles out from the target the weather cleared, and we could see the target well out. We rolled in at a very steep angle, from a high altitude, against some ammunition facilities. The F-14s dropped while the F/A-18s lased. We egressed the target area having achieved absolutely superb results from direct hits, and there were impressive secondary explosions.’

During an additional mission, a few of the squadron’s junior pilots dropped Mk.82 “dumb” bombs, reportedly also with excellent results. F-14As of VF-41 dropped 10,886 kg (24,000 lbs) of ordnance on targets in Bosnia and Herzegovina between September 5 and September 12, 1995.

About a week later, USS America (CV-66) took the place of USS Theodore Roosevelt. Over the next few days, the air wing of the latter carrier, CVW-1, saw a lot of action. However, while its F/A-18Cs were using more LGBs and even SLAM-ER guided missiles, the F-14Bs of the squadron VF-102 were not involved in any airstrikes; instead, they flew CAN, forward air control missions and reconnaissance with TARPS pods.

Operation Deliberate Force, Air War Over Bosnia and Herzegovina, 1992-1995 is published by Helion & Company and is available to order here.

Photo by Commander Brian G. Gawne / U.S. Navy

March 22, 2024 0 comment

Cold War

F-14’s first air-to-air kill was a gun kill but not scored by a US Navy Tomcat

by Till Daisd October 28, 2023

written by Till Daisd

According to a US Navy legend, a few veteran F-14 pilots pledged to build a monument honoring the first person to score a gun kill in combat

Every war begins with the realization that no plan can maintain contact with the enemy for very long. This maxim undoubtedly applied to the F-14A’s use in Iran. The aircraft was designed to counter massive formations of Soviet bombers and protect aircraft carriers from attack by employing long-range air-to-air missiles, as stated by the US Navy, which considered the F-14A a ‘fleet defender’.

According to Tom Cooper and Farzad Bishop’s book Iranian F-14 Tomcat units in combat, US Navy Tomcat operators never anticipated becoming “feet dry” and conducting prolonged over-land operations during conflicts, such as in 1986 or 1991 against Libya or Iraq. Nevertheless, this was a necessary aspect of the work for Iranian pilots, even though it negatively impacted the jet’s AWG-9 radar’s performance.

IRIAF-F-14-M61 — IRIAF F-14 Tomcat’s M61A1 Vulcan

Even more surprising was the nature of the first air-to-air battle that F-14s engaged in and won. On September 4, 1980, Iraq and Iran engaged in their first skirmishes. Soon afterward, the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF) began bringing back a growing number of F-14s to service. The majority of the 77 airframes that survived were either non-operational or had non-functional AWG-9s, and the crew members lacked up-to-date training and expertise. Ground control became increasingly important to F-14 units when it came to intercepting Iraqi aircraft because of malfunctioning radar and “green” crews. This quickly changed as conflicts increased because Tomcat and AWG-9 reliability improved and crew confidence grew with more sorties flown, which made it easier for crews to remember their training.

Soon after the initial battles with the Iraqis, about twelve F-14s were operational again, conducting combat air patrols (CAPs) along the border. Five attack helicopters—an export version of the Soviet Mi-24—from the 1st Combat Transport Helicopter Squadron, 4th Composite Wing, Iraqi Army Air Corps (IrAAC) attacked multiple border stations in the Zain al-Qaws region on September 7 in the afternoon after breaking into Iranian airspace. Two F-14As were vectored to intercept when the nearby IRIAF radar station detected their appearance.

After a short while, the lead Tomcat pilot detected the Mi-25s on his radar and swiftly dove to pursue them. The pilot released one of his Sidewinders and tried to lock-on despite the heat from the ground. Although they weren’t all that great, the AIM-9P Sidewinders were unquestionably a significant upgrade over the AIM-91B/Es of the Vietnam era. The first missile lost lock-on and flew into the ground behind the Iraqi who was furthest behind. The Iranian pilot launched another Sidewinder, turning around quickly to prevent the Mi-25s from having a chance to fire back. Once more, the missile hit the ground after losing track. Technically, the engagement should have now been over.

An expensive interceptor like an F-14A is not expected to engage a heavily armed helicopter in close-quarters conflict, per most tactical manuals and current rules of engagement. The Iranian pilot, however, did not think twice. After choosing “GUN” on his control column, he fired, covering the rearmost Mi-25 with the gunsight pipper. The M61A1 Vulcan gun installed on the aircraft fired 400 rounds. Numerous bullets struck its target, and the Iraqi attack helicopter burst into a dazzling ball of flames.

Therefore, the first kill of this type came from an Iranian F-14A, about a year before the US Navy did. It was also surprising what weapon was employed. According to Navy legend, a few veteran F-14 pilots pledged to build a monument honoring the first person to score a gun kill in combat. The pilot who shot down the Mi-25 that September afternoon in 1980 is unlikely to be revealed publicly, though.

Iranian F-14 Tomcat units in combat is published by Osprey Publishing and is available to order here.

Photo by U.S. Navy, Tasnim News via Wikipedia and U.S. Air Force

October 28, 2023 0 comment

History

Why the F-15 Eagle was chosen by the Israeli Air Force over the F-14 Tomcat

by Till Daisd September 15, 2023

written by Till Daisd

The Israeli Air Force (IAF) needed about 50 4th-generation fighters to last them into the 1990s and maybe beyond. The McDonnell Douglas F-15A/B Eagle and the Grumman F-14A Tomcat would be the two primary candidates for such a procurement

The US was constantly attempting to “tread carefully” in the Middle East throughout the 1970s. Even though it seems strange to us now, at the time, they were working to protect and preserve the balance of power in the area. Following the end of the Yom Kippur War in October 1973, the UN-backed agreement between Israel and Egypt in January 1974, the subsequent Israeli withdrawals, and the signing of the second disengagement agreement in September 1975, there was reason to believe that the US government would view Israel favorably regarding any potential purchase of 4th-generation fighters.

The Israeli Air Force (IAF) needed about 50 4th-generation fighters to last them into the 1990s and maybe beyond. Shimon Peres, the country’s defense minister, made the request in June 1974 for a limited group of seasoned IAF pilots to be permitted to test and assess the two primary candidates for such a purchase. These candidates would be the McDonnell Douglas F-15A/B Eagle and the Grumman F-14A Tomcat, as described by Bertie Simmonds in his book F-15 Eagle.

The Shah, a pilot himself, was impressed by the F-14A’s performance at this point, and the Iranian government had already examined it and placed an order before the 1979 Iranian Revolution. The AIM-54 Phoenix, a 100-mile missile that helped give the F-14A the reach to protect the fleet against long-range Soviet bombers and cruise missiles (since the Tomcat was designed around it), was one of the features that set the F-14 and F-15 apart from one another. It might even start a dogfight in the appropriate hands.

Yet, both would be carefully considered. The F-15, on the other hand, was built for air superiority over the battlefield, something the Israelis found appealing when you consider the battles they had fought since gaining independence in 1948.

One of the first TF-15s was flown by IAF commander Benny Peled in 1974, but because it was a preproduction model, it was lacking several of the systems that would have made it combat-ready. When visiting Naval Air Station Miramar, David Ivry, a former IAF P-51 Mustang and Dassault Ouragan pilot, also piloted a Tomcat. He is said to have been impressed by the F-14, if not a little let down by the need to take special care with the problematic TF-30 turbofans during air combat maneuvers with a US Navy A-4 Skyhawk.

While the US had not authorized the Israelis to actually pitch Tomcat against Eagle, a team was eventually established to independently analyze both machines. Amnon Arad, a former Mirage and F-4E pilot and squadron leader, would serve as the team’s leader. In addition to Israel Baharav, a former Mirage pilot and squadron leader during the most recent Yom Kippur War, Assaf Ben-Nun, an F-4E pilot, Omri Afek, and navigator Aharon Katz would be flying with him. The remaining members of the team were ground crew and employees from Israeli Aircraft Industries.

Operation Wooden Leg: how the F-15 Baz fighters became bombers and performed the longest air strike in IAF history

The evaluations, coming from the most seasoned and combat-tested jet fighter pilots at the time—these pilots had a combined total of about 24 kills—would have been fascinating to read at the time. They intended to mimic the annoying MiG-25Rs that were flying obtrusively over Israel, seeing how these teen-series jets handled everything from low and slow targets to fast targets.

The two-seat F-15, a full-scale development aircraft with the new systems on board, was flown around ten times, and the McDD F-15 simulator was used a lot. Sorties were conducted against A-4 and F-4 aircraft, and the Israelis were particularly taken by the F-15. They discovered the F-15 could easily outperform both aircraft, the weapons systems were “user-friendly,” the Eagle’s agility was astonishing, and the power allowed them to “sustain” like no other aircraft they had flown previously. Also, the cockpit provided unmatched visibility for dogfighting.

They were disappointed in the Tomcat’s dogfighting capabilities, which the IAF excelled in, compared to the two-seat F-14 that the team flew at Miramar. An air combat maneuver mission against the unassuming A-4 Skyhawk frequently ended in a deadlock. It was soon obvious that the F-15 Eagle was the finest option for the IAF, and even better, the plane was far more affordable per unit than the Tomcat.

However, political obstacles to an F-15 sale would not be resolved until that second disengagement agreement in September 1975, and a month later, the US decided to supply the Eagle in large quantities. In accordance with the provisions of the ‘Peace Fox I’ agreement, Israel started getting its new fighter in the form of four full-scale development aircraft in December 1976. Under the terms of ‘Peace Fox II,’ Israel then started receiving two F-15Bs and 19 F-15As.

Israel would have to pay roughly $625 million for this, which was replaced by Peace Fox III, for which 18 F-15Cs and eight F-15Ds were ordered. Also, in the early 1990s, the US government handed the IAF 10 early F-15A and B aircraft that had been refurbished as a thank you for Israel’s assistance during Desert Storm, when it was attacked by Iraqi Scud missiles.

F-15 Eagle is published by Mortons Books and is available to order here.

Photo by: Israeli Air Force and U.S. Navy

September 15, 2023 0 comment

History

The F-14 Tomcat was designed from the beginning to be a “Bombcat”

by Till Daisd July 16, 2023

written by Till Daisd

The F-14A Tomcat’s AWG-15 fire-control system was always configured in CCIP-mode, meaning the jet could always drop “dumb” bombs

For those who still don’t know: the F-14A Tomcat’s AWG-15 fire-control system was always configured in the CCIP-mode, and the jet was always capable of dropping “dumb” bombs. AWG-9 only refers to the radar, whereas AWG-15 is the entire fire-control system of the Tomcat.

As can be seen in the main image of this post (which features one of the 10+1 prototypes equipped with Mk.82s, AIM-7 Sparrows, and AIM-9 Sidewinders), Grumman actually oversaw the associated flight-testing in 1973–1974.

This is also the reason why, despite the fact that the Iranians were the first to use the F-14A as a “bomber” – either in 1982 or 1986, it appears even they cannot agree on this – all 80 F-14As made for Iran were built and delivered (aside from one that was never delivered) with the CCIP-mode as well as all the shackles and other equipment required to carry and deploy bombs in combat.

In fact, the USN’s VF-32 Squadron conducted several bombing exercises in the period between 1973 and 1974, just after switching to the new jet.

The idea that the F-14 is a “pure interceptor” was only established by modern Navy “flags” (admirals), and it was subsequently repeated in virtually all related English-language sources until it was accepted as dogma. It was a similar dogma like ‘AIM-54 is only good to kill bombers and cruise missiles’ – while the weapon was perfectly capable (and thoroughly tested, and then proven as such in combat) in deployment against ‘small and nimble’ fighters (which was no surprise: already the AIM-54’s predecessor, AIM-47 Falcon – which was to be armed with a nuke, and then installed on the stillborn YF-12A Mach-3-capable interceptor – scored 7 direct hits in 9 tests).

Unsurprisingly, a little over ten years later, when a new generation of flags realized their error, it was no problem for USN’s F-14-units to (re-)start “flight testing” and even do some training in the release of bombs, in the late 1980s. This paved the way for what eventually developed into the “Bombcat” of the late 1990s and early 2000s, as youngsters know it.

Iran was quite eager to get its F-14s outfitted with the Rockwell International AGM-53 Condor when it placed an order for them. A TV-guided missile with a range of approximately 60 km (nearly 30 miles), Condor was something of a “predecessor” of what we today refer to as “precision guided munition” (PGM). It was being developed for the USN since the late 1960s.

Well, on the surface it may appear to be “not much more than the modern AGM-62 Walleye,” but Condor was considerably more advanced and, as shown above, also had a significantly greater range (AGM-62 was, essentially, a glide-bomb).

Unfortunately, Condor was discontinued in 1976 before the Iranians could place any orders due to its prohibitive cost: a single round cost more than AIM-54A Phoenix.

Check out Helion & Company’s website for books written by Tom Cooper.

Photo by U.S. Navy

July 16, 2023 0 comment