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| Have Iran and China been shopping at Penatgon surplus auctions? |
| 2007-01-16 |
| Sure looks like it. Federal investigators are increasingly anxious that Iran is within easy reach of a top priority on its shopping list: parts for the precious fleet of F-14 "Tomcat" fighter jets the United States let Iran buy in the 1970s when it was an ally. In one case, convicted middlemen for Iran bought Tomcat parts from the Defense Department's surplus division. Customs agents confiscated them and returned them to the Pentagon, which sold them again — customs evidence tags still attached — to another buyer, a suspected broker for Iran. That incident appalled even an expert on weaknesses in Pentagon surplus security controls. "That would be evidence of a significant breakdown, in my view, in controls and processes," said Greg Kutz, the Government Accountability Office's head of special investigations. "It shouldn't happen the first time, let alone the second time." A Defense Department official, Fred Baillie, said his agency followed procedures. "The fact that those individuals chose to violate the law and the fact that the customs people caught them really indicates that the process is working," said Baillie, the Defense Logistics Agency's executive director of distribution. "Customs is supposed to check all exports to make sure that all the appropriate certifications and licenses had been granted." The Pentagon recently retired its Tomcats and is shipping tens of thousands of spare parts to its surplus office — the Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service — where they could be sold in public auctions. Iran is the only other country flying F-14s. More, much more, at the link. |
| Posted by:Seafarious |
| #8 We do not sell front line equipment. Any F-16s. or F/A 18s on the block are early models and are subordinate to the current inventory. The A-6s in FMS have had the weapons computer and ancillary equipment pulled; they were listed one time as a daytime visual bomber or as a tanker. Any F-14 parts sold should only be for basic airframe or engine, any weapons system, especially related to the Phoenix should not be. That part is well within our scope regarding 'demilitarizing' equipment prior to sale. When the navy retired its A-7s we had to run a D-9 over the wing spar to ensure that they would never fly again. you could then buy the engine, and all the other parts, but unless you were a friendly (Greece at that time) you couldn't have a flyable asset. Still think its stupid to assist our enemy. |
| Posted by: USN, ret. 2007-01-16 22:37 |
| #7 We have to sell the parts by law : part of Congress's "Peace Dividend". Congress has passed laws mandating the sale of spares unless the US decides to give the equipment and spares to a friendly foreign power. |
| Posted by: Shieldwolf 2007-01-16 21:31 |
| #6 ed- the factory is a former Mcdonnell- Douglas one and the Tomcat was built by the fabled Grumman Iron Works (notice my subtle bias), the your premise is solid. Better question is: since Iran is the only other country w/Tomcats, then just why in the hell are we even selling any F-14 parts? The end user, no matter how circuitious is going to be the Iranians. These FMS guys are clear front runners in the "Today's Idiots" race. |
| Posted by: USN, Ret. 2007-01-16 14:23 |
| #5 Agreed all around. We sold the soviets purposely flawed chips in the 80s and it resulted in blown up oil pumping stations. I say - take their money, sell 'em junk spares for their junk aircraft and cash the checks immediately... |
| Posted by: M. Murcek 2007-01-16 12:17 |
| #4 Iran uses the F-14s as sort of an AWACS, due to their superior radar system. They are too precious to waste in air-to-air combat. On the other hand, the Navy's retiring of F-14s means no possible misidentification incidents. |
| Posted by: gromky 2007-01-16 08:50 |
| #3 Why settle for surplus parts when you can buy the factory? |
| Posted by: ed 2007-01-16 07:59 |
| #2 Are these guys retards? Do they have no pre-qualifications to do business with the pentagon? The iranians must really think we're dolts for selling them fighter parts to fight against us. |
| Posted by: bigjim-ky 2007-01-16 07:57 |
| #1 I'd sell them the parts - as long as they all have invisible flaws. Embrittled plastic, fatigued metal, overheated electronics. Stuff that looks ok & works now, but won't survive much stress. |
| Posted by: Glenmore 2007-01-16 07:04 |