The F-14 Tomcat Was the Ultimate Combat Aircraft

Summary and Key Points: The F-14 Tomcat, made famous by the "Top Gun" film series, enjoys a cult-like following and is one of the most recognizable military aircraft. Though it had limited combat engagements with the U.S. Navy, including notable incidents with Libyan fighters, the F-14's air combat legacy is largely credited to Iran, which used the jet extensively during the Iran-Iraq War.

-Iran's F-14s reportedly achieved 150 air-to-air kills, though only 55 are confirmed.

-Originally sold to Iran before the Iranian Revolution, the F-14 proved crucial in Iran's defense against Saddam Hussein's forces.

The F-14 Tomcat: From "Top Gun" Fame to Combat Legend

The F-14 Tomcat enjoys an almost cult-like following. It also made a transcendent impact as one of the few military airframes commonly recognized among the general public. The reason, of course, is the F-14’s prominence in the Top Gun film series. The first film, from 1986, features the F-14 extensively. The Tomcat is the jet that the Top Gun students depicted by Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer, and Anthony Edwards fly throughout the film. It is quickly recognizable thanks to its large, flat fuselage and its sweep-wings. 

The F-14 is also featured in the Top Gun sequel in a last-minute cameo, when Tom Cruise and Miles Teller sneak into an enemy airbase and jumpstart an exported F-14. The enemy is never named – but the only country the F-14 was ever exported to is Iran. And Iran claims the majority of the F-14’s air-to-air combat experience.

The F-14 and the Need for Speed

The Americans did put their F-14 fleet to use in air-to-air combat. In 1981, two F-14s from VF-41 shot down two Libyan Su-22 fighters over the Gulf of Sidra in the Mediterranean. The Su-22s opened fire on the F-14s, but they were woefully outmatched. In 1989, two F-14s from VF-32 shot down two Libyan MiG-23s. The F-14s believed that the MiGs were attacking much as the Su-22s had a few years prior, and they intercepted accordingly. 

The F-14 was deployed extensively during the Gulf War, despite the fact that the Air Force is credited with running the air war against Saddam’s forces. Despite the extensive deployment, the F-14 is credited with just one air-to-air kill against an Mi-8 helicopter.

While the Americans built the F-14, and naturally are the nation most commonly associated with the airframe, Iran earned far more air-to-air kills with the Tomcat. The Iranians are credited with 150 F-14 air-to-air kills, although only 55 are confirmed. Still, the Iranians have at least ten times as many Tomcat kills as the Americans. 

Indeed, the F-14 was crucial in helping the Iranians prevail against Saddam Hussein. This is a historical oddity given that U.S.-Iranian relations had soured so sharply by the 1980s. The F-14s were sold to Iran before the Iranian Revolution, when the regime that America had helped install after the 1953 coup was still in power. 

In all, the F-14 was a successful aircraft. Across 30 years of service, the F-14 flew 2,547 combat sorties for the Americans, dropping 1,452 GBU, JDAM, and MK-82 bombs, and losing just one jet to engine failure along the way. 

About the Author: Harrison Kass 

Harrison Kass is a defense and national security writer with over 1,000 total pieces on issues involving global affairs. An attorney, pilot, guitarist, and minor pro hockey player, Harrison joined the US Air Force as a Pilot Trainee but was medically discharged. Harrison holds a BA from Lake Forest College, a JD from the University of Oregon, and an MA from New York University. Harrison listens to Dokken.

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