Tomcat May Not Be Ready For Retirement Just Yet, page 2

You would have to do some digging, but the Iranian's had excellent success with their F-14A's. Reports vary and indicate from 4 to over 100 air to air kills, mostly Iraqi during the 80-88 war. Some hits with the AIM-54 did occur. However, prior to the Iraq war, the Shah ordered Tomcats to test fire pheonix missiles on the Iranian-Soviet border, because they got tired of the MIG-25 overflights. The flights stopped, but I don't think it was ever reported if any Soviet planes were actually shot down. After the Ahatollah took over, support and spare parts ceased to exist, and Iran's 79 F-14's fell into disrepair. Also it is rumured some of the avionics were sabatoged by the American contractors.

It is beleived that perhaps 15-20 or so are still flying, canabalizing the rest for spare parts. There was a bust a few years back on black market Tomcat parts going to Iran. The Iranian's were nice enough to give one to the Soviets as well.

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