Israeli Desert Lion F-14 Bombcats

[andyreb3]

Late 2005: The Israeli Ambassador to the US is taken ill while attending a State Department Dinner and is admitted to Walter Reed for treatment and observation. Approxiametly 2hours later the Ambassador is covertly removed from Walter Reed and taken to the White House for an Intelligence Breifing  with President Bush, The Joint Chiefs of Staff, The Heads of the CIA, DIA, NSA . The Ambassador is at this meeting to deliver a report compiled by Israeli Intelligence concerning the Iranian Nuclear Power Program. the report indicates that the Iranian Nuclear weapons Program is farther along than I.A.E.A. are mislead to believe about the Iranian "Peaceful" Nuclear Power Program. Israeli Intelligence also reports that Iran is getting technical help with both the missile program and nuclear weapon program from China & North Korea, also from Unemployed Russian Nuclear Weapons Techs, and from several Pakistani Nuclear weapons personnel, also the reports indicate attempts to acquire Russian NUke Weapons from the Black Market both Warheads and Suitcase Nukes as well. American Intelligence Agencies verify the report and indicate that Iran is looking to possibly launch nuke missles on Israel and several other Mideast Targets as well. The Ambassador makes the request to the President for the purchase of 24 F-14 Tomcats and several KC130 Aerial Tankers.

Meanwhile the US Navy is submitting a request to The Pentagon to upgrade the F-14 with Afterburner Turbofan Engines, advanced avionics , structural improvements as well, to provide a bridge while both the F-22 Raptor & F-35 JSF are brought into service.


2006: Iran makes it known that they are missile testing claiming that they are devloping a Rocket to launch commerical satellites only. Meanwhile both China & North Korea continue to deliver both missile & nuclear technology to Iran along with providing technical help as well. Several Russian Nuclear Techs are thought to be in Iran masquerading as Russian Businessmen.

The Pentagon determines that the F-14 upgrades are not fiscally worth the cost even with their performance in Iraq & Iran and order the phase out of the F-14 as their duties will be taken over by the F-18 Super Hornets. The last units will be phased out as of 2008.

Israel orders 7 C-130 aricraft from Lockheed Martin, one of the Aircraft is rumored to be outfitted as a Command & Control aircraft. Israel denies the C&C rumour, they state it is to be an Air Ambulance.

October 2006: North Korea detonates a Nuclear Warhead which fizzles out when detonated. Rumour indicate the weapon is actually for Iran and that North Korea is the building site for Iranian Nuclear Warheads.

President Bush authorizes that 12 F-14 Bombcats along with advanced avionics, and other classified productions be shipped to Israel as musuem materials. The 12 are to be listed as Hangar Queens on the Pentagon & Navy Records. Several Instructors are also TDY'd to the US Embassy in Jerusalem as pilots for the Embassy Staff.

[Taiidantomcat]

I have been planning an F-14I for a while now...needless to say I love this

[andyreb3]

Glad to see that someone like the scenario so far.

Errata Corrections: for 2006 it should be classifed weapons and aircraft materials and not productions, and it should be Iraq & Afghanistan and not Iraq & Iran.

So sorry for the errors will now severly threaten laptop with becoming my DIY microwave ove, need to figure out why neighbors popcorn in the box keeps popping when I use homebuilt microwave oven.

[GTX]

Whilst I like the idea of Israeli Tomcats, I have to question the validity of the story - why would Israel ask for aircraft about to be retired when they already have F-15Is?

Regards,

Greg

[andyreb3]

The Iranian Airforce does not fly F-15, they fly F-14's when they are operational, and in this case the F-15 does not look like the F-14. And no matter how you disguise it an F-15 is still an F-15.

[andyreb3]

Nov-Dec 2006: Iran is still receiving Nuke & Missle technologies from China & North Korea. Also there are rumours that some of the Somolian Pirate Raids are actually a diversion for Iran to received embargoed weapons & technical support. The Israeli Airforce is starting to chose Pilots and EWO/Bombadiers among the requirements for the mission must speak & write Farsi fluently. The Israeli Airforce also issues to the vetted candidates single use PC's and over the counter flight control systems for the pc to begin running misson simulations, program used is Microsoft Flight Simulation 10.

Israel begins to receive the F-14D's and other materials and equipment, The original request was changed from 24 to12 due to tactical issues, and the complications from getting IFF Codes for working Iranian F-14 flight groups this recommendation is made by both US & Israeli Intelligence services and approved by Israel & the US Governments. Israel begins to modify the F-14s by adding more efficent and powerful Turbofan Engines with afterburner capability, the aircraft are lengthed by approx 5 feet, to accomidate the advance avionics and increased fuel tanks and increased weapons load and powerplants. The wings are proportional to the new length and CG & CP of the modified aircraft. The aircraft also sports a front canard winglets and each aircraft is painted as an Iranian F-14 and in Farsi each individual aircraft is named after one the 12 tribes of Israel.

Early 2007: Iran claims to have launched a rocket which supposed used to loft and Iranian TV Satellite in to orbit. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad & the hardline military begins planning Operation: Hand of Allah which will deliver a nuclear weapons strikes to Israel and Egypt and Saudi Arabia among other targets. However the nuclear weapons development is still slow due to intensive pressure by US , Russia, Great Britian among others. North Korea is also coming under intense pressure and halts a Silkworn antiship missle system to Iran.

Interpol & The Mossad, FSB each unknown to the other photograph a known Eastern European Arms Dealer having a cup of tea with the Iranian Military Attache in Paris several times and each both are photographed passing info to the other.  interpol attempts to apprehend the Arms Dealer but he claims to have Diplomatic Immunity by being attached to the Iranian Embassy as a Iranian Diplomatic Misson Employee.

Spring 2007: Israel begins flight testing and mission training  with the modifed F-14s in the Israeli desert .

[Jschmus]

I agree with Greg.  The F-14 in Israeli service makes a lot more sense if the IDF had been an original customer, buying the Tomcat when it was new, as Iran did.  Then they could progressively upgrade them until they were equivalent to the latest F-14D mods.  He's right, though.  The IDF already have the F-15I, a Strike Eagle built to their specs.

[andyreb3]

 The Israeli Airforce was considered to be a foreign buyer of it when the plane was developed in the 70's till the US decided that Iran would be a better buyer based upon economic means and not tactical.  That was one of the reasons that Israel decided to go ahead with their own aircraft program, that and the French Embargo of the Mirage IV Aircraft, However Israel was able thru their Intelligence network to access plans, drawings and technical specfications of Mirage IV to back engineer the aircraft. their version of the aircraft is the Kfir C-1 and later modifications to the same plane brought about the Kfir C-2. So the plausibility for the US to sell outdated or no longer service qualified aircraft was policy from the 40's to the mid 70's, check your history, Mexico and most of South America were sold outdated prop and early jet aircraft. Germany was still purchasing F-104's into the Late 60's.  And since again Iran has F-14's and one of the things learned From the Furnace One Operation was to use Stealth & Guile & Deception. So again when one is planning to raid the chicken coop one should wear the chicken costume instead of the fox custome even if you are getting a bargain on the fox costume. Henceforth it makes sense for th Israeli's to backdoor purchase F-14s.

Will continue the scenario soon.

[lancer]

And so starts World War 3!!!! There is no way russia qwould sit back qanf do nothing if thier Tech people were killed as a result of US./Israeli air attacks!! Also it is more than hypocritical of Israel Who actulaay have nukes 200+ warheads, they want to be the only nuclear power in the middle east - oh and have made veiled threats to many European countries too. Leaves a nasty taste in my mouth!!!

[Geoff]

I like the idea of an upgraded F-14 to "D plus" standards.

[andyreb3]

First Off any Eatern European Techs both Nuclear & Missle Tech are all the have FORMER members of the Soviet Nuclear Forces, A.K.A. UNEMPLOYED meaning they have No Job in Russia or ther respective country and in Russia & Eastern Europe there is No Unemployment Benefits, giving the Russian President & Prime Minister Putin & the other respective governments heads plausible deniability if these people are captured or killed, (just like Misson Impossible). Considering the fact that Iran has been providing rebel support to stir up the Muslims in Chechneya, Russia will not say anything or even step in.

Secondly have not made any mention of Israel using nukes at all, an as much as Israel does have them, but they know that to use them would be suicide on a massive scale.

Just let the scenario continue to see how it go.

[GTX]

The Iranian Airforce does not fly F-15, they fly F-14's when they are operational, and in this case the F-15 does not look like the F-14. And no matter how you disguise it an F-15 is still an F-15.

Well duh!!!!

And since again Iran has F-14's and one of the things learned From the Furnace One Operation was to use Stealth & Guile & Deception. So again when one is planning to raid the chicken coop one should wear the chicken costume instead of the fox custome even if you are getting a bargain on the fox costume. Henceforth it makes sense for th Israeli's to backdoor purchase F-14s.

That would be the only valid reason for this scenario - the aircraft are made to look like Iranian aircraft.  Though given Israel hasn't woried about doing similar for their attacks on Iraq in '81 and Syria more recently, I can't see them doing so for Iran.

hat was one of the reasons that Israel decided to go ahead with their own aircraft program, that and the French Embargo of the Mirage IV Aircraft, However Israel was able thru their Intelligence network to access plans, drawings and technical specfications of Mirage IV to back engineer the aircraft. their version of the aircraft is the Kfir C-1 and later modifications to the same plane brought about the Kfir C-2.

Err check your facts - IIRC it was either the Mirage III or Mirage 5 that was the basis for the Kfir , certainly not the Mirage IV (thought an Israeli Mirage IV certainly makes a cool whiff idea).

check your history, Mexico and most of South America were sold outdated prop and early jet aircraft. Germany was still purchasing F-104's into the Late 60's.

And look at the reasons why:

Germany kept buying F-104s because they were already the largest operator and it was still a relatively new design then!
Mexico and most of South America buy what they have because a) that's what they can aford and b) that's all they actually need for the most part.

As I said, I have no problem with an Israeli F-14, it's just that the story put forward doesn't make any sense as it currently is.

Regards,

Greg

[andyreb3]

Thanks to GTX for the showing the mistake in data it was the Mirage III/5 airframes on which the Kfirs were based.

Note to Greg in medicine as well as war not all the time is it good to cut off the arm due to a a small cyst, sometimes you have to just cut out the cyst and leave the arm, othertimes you may lose the arm to save your life. In this case due to  specific isuues I do not see the use of nuclear weapons.

And while the F-15I is a good bomber in this case it would be slightly impractial for it to be involved due the fact the scenario in question is designed be a Dr. Strangelove scenario, and I'm also trying to incorporate some of the current news events to make the scenario a little more relevant. so keep an open mind and see what my fetile imagination comes up with.

[andyreb3]

And considering the events currently happening I would say to Greg, looks like Iran is going to start a war, and so far my backstory is possible so as they say Greg all things are probable, it may just take 5 minutes more.

[elmayerle]

Actually, I can see the Israelis using some "surplus" airframes that have been "reconditioned" to meet their needs as a sort of plausible deniability.  "You were attacked and your nuclear facilities destroyed by F-14s?  What a shame!  You can't blame us, though, we don't operate the F-14 and never have."  Paint to match the current Iranian scheme and have *very* low vix markings, if any national markings, and you've got a possible approach.  The fact that they appear at first glance to be Iranian F-14s might also allow them to approach closer to the targets before having to fight. 

The trick for would be to use aircraft that are not associated with Israel.  I won't say it's an impossible concept but it's improbable enough to be plausible (can you magine the ruckus if a way was found to accomplish this mission with Flankers?).  The re-engining would be simply to, while overhauling the engines, incorporate the necessary hardware changes tor the more powerful F110 in the F-16E/F.  *chuckle* I can just see one or two aircraft carrying an Israeli-developed and built equivalent to a GBU-28.  I think I'd stay away from doing too many airframe changes as the necessary fab time is going to be a driver.  What I'd be tempted to do is pay for assistance in replacing the glove vanes with the recontoured lLERX, and fuel tankage in that area, from the Super Tomcat 21.  You really don't want to go mucking around with adding too many new systems and structure when you're doing this as a crash program such as described here.