A Blast from the Past
Back when the Shah was the man in Southwest Asia, Iran was the Saudi Arabia of the 1960s and 70s. We literally sold him all the cool stuff we couldnt even afford.
Like a fully operational version of the Spruance destroyers (see the USS Kidd), upgraded Hawk missiles (the Patriots of the 1970s) and other goodies. They were the only other country to buy (and could afford to buy) the F-14 Tomcat.
We junked all of ours a few years ago and even shredded the ones that weren’t turned into hollowed-out museum pieces just so Iran couldn’t somehow get spare parts, but yet the Persians still fly them.
Observe these pics from when the Ukrainian Air Force exhibition team crossed over Iranian airspace after an airshow in the Persian Gulf to get back home. The escorts: F-14 Tomcats from 1979 and even older J79-engined F-4 Phantoms in good old Vietnam-style lizard camo.
I don’t support the Iranians and have a sneaky suspicion that we are going to make it rain bomblets over parts of her one day, but you have to admit that they have some halfway decent ground-crews that still love those old smokers!
The far off plane in the horizon....is that you Maverick?
See the F-4 Phantom's bringing up the rear of the escort box? If I didnt know better I would think these guys are fixing to drop some Mk82s in the Ia Drang valley...