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2008-07-29 Syria-Lebanon-Iran

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Posted by john frum 2008-07-29 16:08|| || Front Page|| [8 views ] Top

#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">DarthVader 2008-07-29 16:25|| 2008-07-29 16:25|| Front Page Top

#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|| 2008-07-29 16:28|| Front Page Top

#3 Oh, well, good for you!

There's a reason we quit using those, by the way.

Posted by mojo">mojo 2008-07-29 16:58|| 2008-07-29 16:58|| Front Page Top

#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|| 2008-07-29 17:03|| Front Page Top

#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|| 2008-07-29 17:08|| Front Page Top

#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|| 2008-07-29 17:55|| Front Page Top

#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|| 2008-07-29 18:22|| Front Page Top

#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">Glenmore 2008-07-29 19:17|| 2008-07-29 19:17|| Front Page Top

#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|| 2008-07-29 19:57|| Front Page Top

#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|| 2008-07-29 20:02|| Front Page Top

#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|| 2008-07-29 20:27|| Front Page Top

#12 Couple paperclips, couple playing cards, it'll sound great!

Posted by Mullah Richard 2008-07-29 22:00|| 2008-07-29 22:00|| Front Page Top

#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|| 2008-07-29 22:11|| Front Page Top

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