In 1984, during the NATO exercise TEAMWORK 84, a Soviet Bear D
reconnaissance aircraft got a little too Ivan and a USMC AV-8 Harrier
jet from the amphibious assault ship USS Inchon (LPH-12) was sent up to
intercept and escort it out of the area. THis is the first such
interception by a USMC Harrier.

What about the F-14 Tomcat? When was it first interception?

Thanks
Mike
My late uncle Lee Volet was an A-1 Skyraider pilot.

First I wonder why did you put Tomcat in a thread with "USMC" in
title;-)

As far as I remember - concerning Marine F/A-18 Hornets - I saw some
photos of VMFA-323 or VMFA-314's F/A-18As intercepting Soviet-made
Libyan MiG-25s or strictly Soviet IL-38 May over Gulf of Sidra in 1986.

Best regards,
Jacek

Mike wrote:

> What about the F-14 Tomcat? When was it first interception?

See: http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/j3/john_f_kennedy.htm

It's possible the period was when JFK was homeward bound from the Med
in January 1976.

This part however is interesting:

"The highlight of John F. Kennedy's voyage to Rota occurred on
Independence Day, 4 July 1975, when an E-2C Hummer from VAW-125
detected two Soviet Tu-95 Bear-Ds. They overflew the ship approximately
400 nautical miles west of the coast of Spain. Ironically, with all of
CVW-1's Tomcats temporarily "down" due to engine problems, the
lot of interception fell to Corsairs, two A-7Bs from VA-46 and two from
VA-72 ..."

There's nothing mentioned in Enterprise's O/L expanded DANFS history
indicating any Soviet intercepts by VF-1 or -2 during her 74-75
deployment.

MW