Some Info on F14A operated in Iran
Having received permission from the US government, Iran
decided to purchase the F-14 Tomcat over a competing F-15 Eagle
offer. An intial order for 30 F-14s was signed in January 1974, and
this number was later increased to 80. The first of these aircraft
arrived in Iran in January 1976, differing only from their American
counterparts in the removal of certain classified avionics systems.
These aircraft were also fitted with the improved TF30-414 engine,
standard on later production models. Twelve aircraft were delivered
by May 1977, and one of these was used to shoot down a BQM-34E
target drone flying at 50,000 feet with an AIM-54 Phoenix missile
in August of that year. This successful demonstration quickly
convinced the Soviets to end the MiG-25 overflights. Deliveries
continued until 1978 when the 79th unit was delivered, one example
remaining in the US as a testbed (this plane was later transferred
to US Navy flight test duties at the Point Mugu Naval Air Station
following the Revolution). Some 714 Phoenix missiles were also
ordered, but only 284 of these were delivered by the time of the
Iranian Revolution in 1979.
http://www.aerospaceweb.org/question/planes/q0077.shtml
