IRIAF F-14 Tomcat MRO facility at Isfahan/Shahid Baba'ie TAB-8

One of three IRIAF Grumman F-14A Tomcat fighter aircraft depicted in a 14FEB15 FARS pictorial; above aircraft at recess of MRO facility hangar seen in a stage of overhaul, lifted at three jack points.

Aircraft with open access panel; attention provided to aircraft's ACM, water separation unit

Aircraft wing control surfaces, receiving attention from IRIAF ground crew technicians

Aircraft seen lifted at three jack points, wings removed 

Aircraft's Pratt & Whitney TF-30-414 turbofan engines removed

Second IRIAF F-14 fighter aircraft in FARS pictorial, depicted in the forward section of MRO hangar. Access panels open enabling service to (left to right): coolant, liquid oxygen and AN/AWG-9 radar electronics.

Two generations of IRIAF ground crew technicians. According to aviation write Babak Taghvaee, older technicians were brought back from retirement between 2006 to 2007, following a period between 1994 and 1998 where a large number were retired without transferring their knowledge to the younger generation, resulting in a dramatic increase of Not Operationally Ready, Maintenance (NORM) status aircraft.

Foreground: IRIAF ground crew technicians working at open lower aft access panels to F-14A. Visible inside left inlet is engine compressor face.

IRIAF ground crew technician seen working within F-14A cockpit. Visible is RIO instrument panel, upper shroud section removed.

Pan view of the MRO hangar, with first aircraft seen in the recess, and second aircraft being serviced appearing in photo foreground.

Second aircraft seen from behind, at the forward section of the MRO hangar

Aircraft upper fuselage panels removed

IRIAF second lieutenant providing attention to a Martin-Baker GRU-7A ejection seat

Elderly IRIAF technician performing work on electronics component of F-14A Tomcat. Note drawer containing segregated bench stock.

Third IRIAF F-14A aircraft depicted in FARS pictorial, seen operated on an apron at TAB-8 

IRIAF F-14A Tomcat, serial markings removed

Forwards fuselage view, IRIAF F-14A Tomcat

Aft fuselage view, IRIAF F-14A Tomcat

Photos: Hamed Jafarnejad at Fars News Agency

IRIAF commander of Isfahan/Shahid Baba'ie TAB-8

 

On 07FEB15 Fars News interviewed IRIAF Brig. Gen. 2C Massoud Rouzkhosh, commander of Isfahan/Shahid Baba'ie TAB-8.

During the interview, Rouzkhosh referred to the successful fitting and firing of an indigenously manufactured missile type on an overhauled IRIAF Chengdu F-7 Airguard (possibly attached to 85th TFS). He further stated: "When we bought the F7 fighters, they suffered operational and tactical weaknesses and now our experts have removed these weaknesses by the help of their experiences in [overhauling] other fighters."

Rouzkhosh's flight suit patches offer interesting details. On his right is seen a round patch bearing a tiger with the inscriptions "AGGRESSOR" and "TIGER II F-5," suggestive of a past or present Dissimilar Air Combat Training (DACT) instructor. On his upper right sleeve is seen a triangular patch bearing the likeness of a Northrop F-5.