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Iran was the only foreign country to purchase and operate the F-14A Tomcat. During the early 1970s Iran was frustrated by their inability to stop continued overflights of their territory by Russian MiG-25s. Following a fly-off between the F-14 Tomcat and F-15 Eagle, held for the benefit of the Shah (King) of Iran, a decision was made to purchase 30 F-14As. That order was later increased to 80 Tomcats. The first was delivered in January 1976. Grumman delivered a total of 79 of the 80 Tomcats ordered. The last Iranian Tomcat, 160378, remained in the US and was embargoed following the Islamic Revolution. During the Iran-Iraq War, 1980 – 1988, Iranian Tomcats accumulated an unofficial tally of at least 160 aerial victories. Today, approximately 24 Iranian Tomcats remain airworthy.
On August 19, 1981, F-14A Tomcats shot down two Libyan Air Force Su-22 Floggers. This engagement took place in a region of the Mediterranean known as The Gulf of Sidra. The USS Nimitz (CVN-68) was taking part in a Freedom of Navigation exercise in the Gulf. A pair of F-14As assigned to VF-41, 160390 and 160403, were engaged and fired upon by a pair of Libyan Su-22 Fitters. The F-14As responded with AIM-9L Sidewinders, destroying both Libyan aircraft.
Commencing October 25, 1983, F-14s assigned to VF-14 and VF-32, flying from the deck of the USS Independence (CV-62), flew Combat Air Patrol and Reconnaissance missions, with TARPS, in support of OPERATION URGENT FURY, the Invasion of Grenada. (Continued on Page 30)
In flight shot of F-14B 163220 assigned to VF-143 on 21 October 2004. The Puking Dogs Final Tomcat cruise, which was to the Persian Gulf, was aboard the USS Washington (CVN-73) from January 20, 2004 to July 26, 2004. VF-143 bid farewell to their Tomcats on March 15, 2005. This example was delivered to AMARG on March 17, 2005, and was scrapped on June 18, 2008.