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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| Iran Overhauls F-14 Fighter Jets |
| 2008-07-29 |
| TEHRAN (FNA)- Iran's Air Force commander said the country's military experts are capable of overhauling F-14 Tomcat fighter jets in a matter of 40 days. Brigadier General Ahmad Miqani was quoted by press tv as saying on Monday that Iran's Air Force has achieved self-sufficiency in the repair, maintenance and overhaul of its equipment. He added that Iranian military experts are capable of overhauling F-5 two-seaters, F-14 Tomcat fighter jets, 707 and 747 aircrafts with only forty days of work. "We have upgraded our air force fleet, state-of-the-art radar-systems, and rocket launchers over the past few years," Brig. Gen. Miqani said, adding that the country would continue its efforts to reach the peak of its military capability. The Iranian Air Force chief announced that the country is mass producing different types of drones used in reconnaissance missions, pinpointing enemy bases, and carrying explosives. Iran has recently started the production of superior 'Quick Reaction' tanks to increase the country's defense self-sufficiency. Iran has also developed an electro-optical surveillance system that can act as a viable alternative when radars fail to cover a particular range. Brig. Gen. Miqani described recent enemy threats as mere psychological warfare but added that Iran is fully prepared to deliver a devastating blow to the enemy in the event of an attack on the country. Israel and its close ally the United States accuse Iran of seeking a nuclear weapon, while they have never presented any corroborative document to substantiate their allegations. Both Washington and Tel Aviv possess advanced weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear warheads. Iran vehemently denies the charges, insisting that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only. Tehran stresses that the country has always pursued a civilian path to provide power to the growing number of Iranian population, whose fossil fuel would eventually run dry. Iran has also insisted that it would continue enriching uranium because it needs to provide fuel to a 300-megawatt light-water reactor it is building in the southwestern town of Darkhoveyn as well as its first nuclear power plant in the southern port city of Bushehr. Tel Aviv and Washington have recently intensified their threats to launch military action against Iran to make Tehran drop what they allege to be a non-peaceful nuclear program, while a recent report by 16 US intelligence bodies endorsed the civilian nature of Iran's nuclear plans and activities. Following the US National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) and similar reports by the IAEA head - one in November and the other one in February - which praised Iran's truthfulness about key aspects of its past nuclear activities and announced settlement of outstanding issues with Tehran, any effort to impose further sanctions or launch military attack on Iran seems to be completely irrational. The February report by the UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, praised Iran's cooperation in clearing up all of the past questions over its nuclear program, vindicating Iran's nuclear program and leaving no justification for any new UN sanctions. The UN nuclear watchdog has so far carried out at least 14 surprise inspections of Iran's nuclear sites, but found nothing to support the allegations. Following the said reports by the US and international bodies, many world states have called the UN Security Council pressure against Tehran unjustified, demanding that Iran's case must be normalized and returned from the UNSC to the IAEA. |
| Posted by:john frum |
| #13 Glenmore is right, Iraq is well on its way to being a regional military superpower. No other country in the region or the Arab world will be able to challenge them (Turkey excluded). |
| Posted by: phil_b 2008-07-29 22:11 |
| #12 Couple paperclips, couple playing cards, it'll sound great! |
| Posted by: Mullah Richard 2008-07-29 22:00 |
| #11 I saw a postcard one time that had showed pictures of two ball peen hammers on it. They were of different sizes, probably 4 oz and 12 oz, hanging on a tool board. The caption under the small one was "Tuneup." The caption under the big one was "Overhaul." For some reason, when the topic of Iranian fighter jet maintenance came up, that postcard came to mind... |
| Posted by: Sheba Sheamble5056 2008-07-29 20:27 |
| #10 Interesting point Glenmore. I noticed today that Iraq is going to get some C-130J's (latest variant). This is just the start of the Iraqi Air Force. Notice that the focus is on logistic capability...establishing the foundation first. Wonder if any of these will have a tanker capability...probably not as that might be a bit sensitive at this point. But capability is certainly going to increase and quickly. No doubt the Iranians see this and are puckering. |
| Posted by: remoteman 2008-07-29 20:02 |
| #9 Iran has the original F-14A with the Kapton wiring and the analog avionics, right? These things were basically hanger queens 20 years ago. 40 days to overhaul and repair is total BS. |
| Posted by: Bin thinking again 2008-07-29 19:57 |
| #8 I suspect the Iranian military still has a number of reasonably rational and, competent officers who have to be getting really nervous watching the improvement of the Iraqi armed forces. They have to know that they would be hard-pressed to fight Iraq to a draw if it came to war now, and they have to know that their religious nutcase leaders are capable of trying anything. They, more than Ahmanidiot and his cohorts, are the natural allies of the current Maliki branch of Iraqi Shiites. Could be a way towards regime change in Iran? The product might be a little too powerful in the region for our tastes though. And such an alliance would seriously raise the pucker factor in KSA. |
| Posted by: Glenmore 2008-07-29 19:17 |
| #7 Overhaul a jet engine military is no work for amateurs. I don't see how they could even fixing smal stuff. Salt, grain off applies here |
| Posted by: T800 2008-07-29 18:22 |
| #6 I'd mention the F-18 for two more than that, but I don't want to get you-know-who started! (teehee) |
| Posted by: SteveS 2008-07-29 17:55 |
| #5 F-14's huh? Well we have F-16's and that's two bigger than yours! /childish taunt |
| Posted by: bigjim-ky 2008-07-29 17:08 |
| #4 THey can overhaul the aircraft in 40 days. Whether they will be servicable is an entirely different question. |
| Posted by: OldSpook 2008-07-29 17:03 |
| #3 Oh, well, good for you! There's a reason we quit using those, by the way. |
| Posted by: mojo 2008-07-29 16:58 |
| #2 From Strategy Page... Why You Should Never Fly In An Iranian Aircraft July 9, 2008: On July 7th, an Iranian F-5 fighter crashed during a training exercise. One could understand that, as the F5 was an American built jet fighter Iran bought over three decades ago. Spare parts have been hard to come by, but Iran has managed, sort of. The big problem is not the loss of three decade old U.S. jet fighters, but the many other older transports and airliners that have been going down. In the last six years, there have been at least a dozen crashes, leaving about 700 passengers and crew dead. Most of the downed aircraft were not American. Many of the lost aircraft were Russian, a nation that has no problems selling Iran aircraft parts. So what's the problem? Simple. Iranian aircraft maintenance sucks. That's because a lousy economy and a really bothersome lifestyle police have caused many technically skilled people to flee the country. Plenty of competent Iranian aircraft mechanics and engineers in southern California, not so many in Iran. To make matters worse, anything involving aviation in Iran, gets a lot of attention from the secret police. Anyone of questionable loyalty to the clerical theocracy (that runs the country) is not suitable for key jobs (be they technical or managerial.) As a result, many organizations in Iran, especially government controlled ones, are poorly run. That can be fatal for passengers in Iranian aircraft. There are plenty of dead bodies and aircraft wreckage to prove it. It also says a lot about the readiness and capabilities of the ships and aircraft of the Iranian armed forces. |
| Posted by: tu3031 2008-07-29 16:28 |
| #1 Iran's Air Force commander said the country's military experts are capable of overhauling F-14 Tomcat fighter jets in a matter of 40 days. AKA... they will become targets in a war and blown up on the ground. See? Overhauled! |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2008-07-29 16:25 |