July 2, 200719 yr Personally, I think they should be put up on Ebay. :lol: WASHINGTON - A mechanical monster grabs the F-14 fighter jet and chews through one wing and then another, ripping off the Tomcat's appendages before moving onto its guts. Finally, all that's left is a pile of shredded rubble — like the scraps from a Thanksgiving turkey. The Pentagon is paying a contractor at least $900,000 to destroy old F-14s, a jet affectionately nicknamed "the turkey," rather than sell the spares at the risk of their falling into the wrong hands, including Iran's. Within a workday, a $38 million fighter jet that once soared as a showpiece of U.S. airpower can be destroyed at the Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Ariz., the military's "boneyard" for retired aircraft. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070702/ap_on_re_us/shredding_tomcats
July 2, 200719 yr I'm not sure what the sense in destroying them is. Why not strip out the avionics (and the LANTIRN systems if they have them) and sell them. The F-14 is 35 years old, so its not exactly new. Besides, Iran already has them as their primary partner. Maybe they're trying to prevent them from bein used as spare parts.
July 2, 200719 yr On a side note, is anyone else crushed that the F-14, once considered the elite defense fighter jet in the world, has been put out to pasture? Makes me feel really old.
July 2, 200719 yr On a side side note, it is kinda cool that we apparently have the firepower to be able to trash what remains a world-class fighter. Maybe Bic should get into the fighter building industry...
July 2, 200719 yr I'm not sure what the sense in destroying them is. Why not strip out the avionics (and the LANTIRN systems if they have them) and sell them. The F-14 is 35 years old, so its not exactly new. Besides, Iran already has them as their primary partner. Maybe they're trying to prevent them from bein used as spare parts. Isn't that what the article stated or alluded to? If Iran is still using it as their primary fighter, and Iran is not what I'd call a friend of the U.S., why put the parts out there for Iran to buy and keep their aircraft operational? Shred them. Good decision.
July 2, 200719 yr On a side note, is anyone else crushed that the F-14, once considered the elite defense fighter jet in the world, has been put out to pasture?Yeah! Makes me want to go watch Top Gun again. :cry:
July 2, 200719 yr Isn't that what the article stated or alluded to? If Iran is still using it as their primary fighter, and Iran is not what I'd call a friend of the U.S., why put the parts out there for Iran to buy and keep their aircraft operational? Shred them. Good decision. Like I read the whole story. On a side note, is anyone else crushed that the F-14, once considered the elite defense fighter jet in the world, has been put out to pasture? Makes me feel really old. How old are you going to feel when they start replacing the F-16 (Falcon), F-18 (Hornet), A-10 (Thunderbolt) and A-6 (Harrier) with the F-35 Lightning II?
July 2, 200719 yr If there is the possibility of us fighting Iran I think it would be a good idea to keep some of them on hand for Red Flag and Top Gun exercises as OpFor.
July 2, 200719 yr Like I read the whole story. How old are you going to feel when they start replacing the F-16 (Falcon), F-18 (Hornet), A-10 (Thunderbolt) and A-6 (Harrier) with the F-35 Lightning II? The F-35 needs to come into service first. Frankly I don't see a good reason to replace the A-10 or AV-8B until there are comparable replacements. Of course I don't see us finding a more durable and effective close support aircraft than the A-10 anytime soon.
July 2, 200719 yr The F-35 needs to come into service first. Frankly I don't see a good reason to replace the A-10 or AV-8B until there are comparable replacements. Of course I don't see us finding a more durable and effective close support aircraft than the A-10 anytime soon. You're right about the Warthog. I just don't see the F-35 replacing it. The A-10 may be the best close support aircraft since the F4U Corsair of WWII.
July 2, 200719 yr You're right about the Warthog. I just don't see the F-35 replacing it. The A-10 may be the best close support aircraft since the F4U Corsair of WWII. The lead engineering test pilot in the Joint Strike Fighter program was at my parents home for Derby. He thinks they'll be online fairly soon. They are designed to replace the Harrier for the Marines, but apparently not the A-10. The A-10 is a great aircraft. Also one of the loudest aircraft I have ever heard. They had a couple at Thunder this year, and I needed earplugs when they came by.
July 2, 200719 yr The lead engineering test pilot in the Joint Strike Fighter program was at my parents home for Derby. He thinks they'll be online fairly soon. They are designed to replace the Harrier for the Marines, but apparently not the A-10. The A-10 is a great aircraft. Also one of the loudest aircraft I have ever heard. They had a couple at Thunder this year, and I needed earplugs when they came by. Actually where jets are concerned I felt as though the A-10 was the second quietest jet there. The B-2 being quieter of course. The loudest thing there, in my opinion, was the F-15.
July 2, 200719 yr Actually where jets are concerned I felt as though the A-10 was the second quietest jet there. The B-2 being quieter of course. The loudest thing there, in my opinion, was the F-15. Could've just been where I was standing. We were out at the observation area at the airport. Those suckers had those big circular engines and were roaring.
July 2, 200719 yr Yeah! Makes me want to go watch Top Gun again. :cry: Does this mean the Top Gun Roller Coaster at King's Island will be taken out of service?:irked:
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