On Fri, 26 Sep 2003 14:12:50 GMT, "Matt Wiser"
wrote:

Grumann and the Navy put on an air show at Andrews AFB in 1973 for the
Shah, where he was viewing the F-15 also. The test crew broke some of the
flight rules, but impressed the Shah enough for him to order the aircraft
(not on the spot, but within days). Also, the AIM-54 was seen as a perfect
anti-Foxbat weapon, as Iran was being constantly overflown by Soviet AF MiG-25Rs
in the early and mid 1970s. Check Tom Cooper's Iran-Iraq War in the air for
more info.
(It's a good read, BTW)

Foxbat was a problem during the period. The F-4 community was
practicing head-on snap-up intercepts to try to counter the high
altitude/high-speed overflights. It required a near perfect head-on
run at high speed, then a pull-up to reach Rmax for the Sparrow at the
apex. Firing then gave the missile a chance to meet the target before
Rmin at the altitude. If not perfect, the missile missed. The AIM-54
clearly gave the better shot at a Foxbat.

Maybe of greater importance was the "prestige" factor for Iran. They
would be the only nation to receive this high technology system. Not
even Israel had them. It demonstrated a great confidence by the US in
both the Shah and Iran.

Interesting anecdote related to the purchase. The aircraft were to be
ferried to Iran where they were to be met and greeted by a parade of
US and Iranian high rollers. They transited Torrejon for an overnight,
then took off at dawn for the final leg, with tanker support, into
Teheran. The tankers, from the 98th Strat Wg at Torrejon, took off
about an hour earlier to be positioned down the Med for the refueling.
When the F-14s pulled up for gas, they discovered someone had failed
to note that the Toms were probe/drogue and no basket was fitted. The
-14s aborted and returned to Torrejon. The parade and dignitaries at
destination were disappointed (and embarrassed) and the DO of the 98th
was fired.