Israel Is Destroying Iran’s F-14 Tomcat Fighters on the Ground

Key Points – As part of its ongoing “Operation Rising Lion,” Israel has demonstrated its air dominance over Iran by destroying at least two Iranian F-14 Tomcat fighters on the ground with drone strikes on June 16 and 17.

-Video released by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) shows one of the iconic jets being destroyed at an airbase near Tehran.

-This attack on Iran’s last remaining F-14s, though they are aging and likely non-operational, serves as a significant symbolic blow.

-It highlights the inability of Iran’s air force and air defenses to protect even their most famous assets from Israeli strikes.

Iran Blasts Defenseless F-14 Tomcats on the Ground

In another sign that the Israelis are dominating the skies over Iran, video from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) portrayed an Iranian F-14 Tomcat blown up gloriously by drones on June 16. This shows that the Iranian air force is just not able to react in time to intercept Israeli fighter jets and unmanned craft. The Iranian air force has performed poorly during the clashes. One of its most famous warplanes did not even make it into the air before the Israelis brought down doom.

Another F-14 was destroyed by drone attacks on Monday. This happened at an air base near Tehran. IDF Spokesperson Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said during a news conference that the Israelis confirmed the successful strikes against the Iranian jets as a part of a broader pre-emptive action.

No Iranian Target Is Safe

X user Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian of the Times of Israel wrote, “Additionally, the IDF airs footage of a strike on Iranian soldiers who were preparing to launch drones at Israel. Another video shows a strike on containers where drones were stored. The military also publishes a video of the strike on Iran’s state broadcaster building in Tehran earlier.”

The IDF also said that it, “Eliminated a [drone] launch cell minutes before launch toward Israel after intelligence tracked and identified its launch team deploying UAV launchers and weapons.”

Symbolic Value of Knocking Out F-14s and Attacking Other Facilities

The Aviationist believes the F-14 that were taken out were non-operational and likely had been known by IDF intelligence analysts for a long time. However, this is quite a blow to the Iranians who have been slow to answer Israeli air strikes during the battles.

The attack against the Iranian F-14s is significant because these were some of the only Tomcats still in service. Iran’s air force tried to upgrade them and make them airworthy over the years because of arms embargoes that kept Tehran from buying newer airplanes. The blasts against the warplanes also are evidence that the Iranians are just not up to answering the ferocity of the Israeli air strikes that have been going on for days.

Iran Is Trying to Keep More Modern Warplanes Intact

Iran also flies MiG-29s and Su-24s out of Mehrabad Airport. Israel may have targeted Iranian drones that were in crates stored at the airport. Israeli strikes also hit a state-run media building that took out one of the sources of Iranian propaganda and disinformation. This is an important action that will allow Israel to win the public relations war.

But it is the F-14s being knocked out that is the most important message that Israel could send to the world. There appears to be no way that Iran can escape from Israeli military and intelligence might. Even if the F-14s were not airworthy, this is evidence that their air force is powerless to protect its airplanes from the intrepid Israeli use of unmanned craft and loitering munitions.

More Details About Iranian F-14s

The U.S. Navy retired the much-loved F-14 in 2006. The Iranians ordered 80 of the Tomcats in 1979. It is amazing their air force has kept them flying for the last several decades. Iran still has around 40 F-14s still in the fleet, but only two dozen can fly missions. Iran has updated them extensively over the years with indigenously produced radar and avionics. The Iranian F-14 can fire Fakour-90 air-to-air missile, similar to the AIM-54 Phoenix, and the MIM-23 Hawk.

Iran uses F-14s for air policing and quick reaction sorties to intercept enemy fighter jets. But two are scratched from duty now after the Israeli strikes. The F-14’s older weapons are not likely to make much of a difference against Israeli F-35Is, F-16Is, and F-15Is. All of these Israeli airplanes have been upgraded beyond modern standards. The F-35I could be the best fighter jet in the world.

Israel Sends Messages in Real Time 

Israel must be happy with the way its drones are attacking the Iranians. This video of the blown-up F-14s shows the reach that Israeli armaments have against targets near Tehran. Israel is winning the social media war too. Every day that the IDF can brief reporters and show how effective its weapons are, is a day that Iran cannot get its own messages of good news to its citizenry without telling outright lies for propaganda effect.

Look for more drone strikes against Iranian airplanes stored outside hardened hangars. Iran must do a better job defending against Israeli drones and keep their more modern fighters inside air base facilities. The Iranians are just too good at finding fat targets on the ground.

Iran must improve its aerial campaign against Israel. The attackers are bringing the fight to the enemy in many ways and the Supreme Leader of Iran Ali Khamenei can not be happy now if he knows the truth behind the power of Israel. The Iranians have no answer against Israeli strikes that show just how weak the country’s defenses are.

About the Author: Dr. Brent M. Eastwood

Brent M. Eastwood, PhD is the author of Don’t Turn Your Back On the World: a Conservative Foreign Policy and Humans, Machines, and Data: Future Trends in Warfare plus two other books. Brent was the founder and CEO of a tech firm that predicted world events using artificial intelligence. He served as a legislative fellow for U.S. Senator Tim Scott and advised the senator on defense and foreign policy issues. He has taught at American University, George Washington University, and George Mason University. Brent is a former U.S. Army Infantry officer. He can be followed on X @BMEastwood.

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