The 1970s 70年代
這年代F-14參加了越戰的最後期, 作戰術巡邏任務, 但沒有任何戰積記錄過. 70年代中期正是冷戰時期,多次攔截蘇聯熊式長程轟炸機, 後期在伊朗人質事件時期在波斯灣作戰術巡邏任務展示武力.
F-14A of VF-84 Jolly Rogers, in a 1970s color scheme.
Operation Frequent Wind
The F-14 made its first combat debut flying cover during Operation Frequent Wind in April 1975. VF-1 and VF-2 deployed on board USS Enterprise (CVN-65) with Carrier Air Wing 14. The cruise began on September 17, 1974 and ended May 20, 1975. The two squadrons flew combat air patrols over South Vietnam during the operation but did not encounter any North Vietnamese MiGs, though they were fired upon by enemy anti-aircraft guns.
An F-14A Tomcat from VF-114 intercepting a Soviet Tu-95RT "Bear-D" maritime patrol aircraft.
Soviet Intercepts and American Hostages In Iran
During the rest of the 1970’s the F-14 did not see any combat, F-14s primarily intercepted Soviet aircraft coming too close to the carrier groups, and VF-142 was the first Atlantic Fleet F-14 squadron to intercept a Soviet Tu-95 Bear bomber on April 23, 1976. In 1979, VF-111 and VF-51 participated in efforts to free the American hostages in Iran. VF-41 and VF-84 were on station during the crisis in 1980 as well.
The 1980s 八十年代是輝煌的開始
80年代西方盟國為制裁利比亞包庇恐怖份子在英國上空炸毀泛美航空公司Pan Am 747, 在地中海錫德拉灣 Gulf of Sidra，封鎖利比亞行動,
Gulf of Sidra incident (1981)
First Kill
In the 1970’s, Libya had claimed a 12 mile extension zone of its territorial waters in the Gulf of Sidra, which had prompted US Naval Forces to conduct Freedom of Navigation operations in the area, the so called "line of death". These operations further increased when Ronald Reagan came to office; in August 1981 he authorized a large naval force, led by USS Forrestal and Nimitz, to deploy off the Libyan coast. The Libyan Air Force responded by deploying a high number of interceptors and fighter-bombers, and early on the morning of August 18 when the US exercise began, at least three MiG-25 'Foxbats' approached the US Carrier groups but were escorted away by F-4 Phantom IIs from Forrestal and F-14s from VF-41 and VF-84 from Nimitz. The Libyans tried to establish the exact location of the US Naval Force. 35 pairs of MiG-23 'Floggers', MiG-25s, Sukhoi Su-20 'Fitter-Cs', Su-22M 'Fitter-Js' and Mirage F.1s flew into the area, and were soon intercepted by seven pairs of F-14s and F-4s. The situation was tense, but neither side fired any weapons, even in at least two cases when MiG-25s tried to breach through the American fighters by flying high and fast.
Incident
On the morning of the 19th, two VF-41 Black Aces F-14As, Fast Eagle 102 (CDR "Hank" Kleeman/LT "DJ" Venlet) and Fast Eagle 107 (LT "Music" Muczynski/LTJG "Amos" Anderson), were flying combat air patrol to cover aircraft engaged in a missile exercise. An E-2A Hawkeye from VAW-124 gained radar contact with two Sukhoi Su-22 'Fitters' which had left Okba Ben Nafi Air Base near Tripoli.
The two F-14s from VF-41 Black Aces were ordered to intercept the two Libyan aircraft. Only few seconds before the crossing, at an estimated distance of 300 m one of the two Libyans fired an AA-2 "Atoll" at one of the F-14s, which missed. Then the two Sukhois flew right past the Americans and tried to escape. The Tomcats evaded and were cleared to return fire by their "rules of engagement" (ROE), which mandated self defense on the initiation of hostile action. The F-14’s turned hard port and came behind the Libyan jets. The American pilots fired AIM-9L Sidewinders, and the first kill is credited to “Fast Eagle 102”, and the second Libyan was downed by “Fast Eagle 107”. Both Libyan pilots ejected.
The official United States Navy report states that both Libyan pilots ejected and were safely recovered, but listening to the official audio recording of the incident taken from USS Biddle one of the F-14 pilots states that he saw a Libyan pilot eject but his parachute failed to open.[1]
Less than an hour later, while the Libyans were conducting a Search and Rescue operation of their downed pilots, two fully armed MiG-25s entered the airspace over the Gulf and headed towards the US carriers at Mach 1.5 and conducted a mock attack in the direction of USS Nimitz. Two VF-41 Tomcats and one VF-84 Tomcat headed towards the Libyans, who then turned around. The Tomcats turned home but had to turn around again when the Libyans headed towards the US carriers once more. After being tracked by the F-14's radars, once again the MiGs finally headed home. One more Libyan formation ventured out into the Gulf towards the US forces later that day.[2]
The international tensions and dogfighting incidents seen in the movies Top Gun and Iron Eagle were drawn in part from this incident.[
Computer recreation of Fast Eagle 107's AIM-9 Sidewinder about to hit a Libyan Su-22
Kleeman and Venlet's F-14 Tomcat from the incident is on display at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California. 當年擊落SU22的原機現在列根博物館展出
Less than an hour later, while the Libyans were conducting a Search and Rescue operation of their downed pilots, two fully armed MiG-25s entered the airspace over the Gulf and headed towards the US carriers at Mach 1.5 and conducted a mock attack in the direction of USS Nimitz. Two VF-41 Tomcats and one VF-84 Tomcat headed towards the Libyans, who then turned around. The Tomcats turned home but had to turn around again when the Libyans headed towards the US carriers once more. After being tracked by the F-14's radars, once again the MiGs finally headed home. One more Libyan formation ventured out into the Gulf towards the US forces later that day.
(哈哈太多了給我一些時間來整體翻譯, 先留數帖空位後加補充用)
