U.S. Navy F-14 Tomcats flew strike, close-air-support, reconnaissance, and sensor-support missions during Operation Iraqi Freedom, from the opening 2003 air campaign through late-war Tomcat deployments over Iraq.
| Claim | Sources |
|---|---|
| U.S. Navy F-14s were used in Operation Iraqi Freedom from the opening 2003 air campaign. | Sources: VF-31 Squadron History |
| F-14s were documented in the 2004 Fallujah phase of the 2003 Iraq War. | Sources: USS John F. Kennedy Fallujah Archive |
| Late-war Tomcats flew Operation Iraqi Freedom missions with ROVER video-downlink equipment for ground-force support. | Sources: NAVAIR ROVER Upgrade |
Timeline
VF-31 and its battle group were turned around to prepare for the start of Operation Iraqi Freedom after returning from earlier operations.
Sources: VF-31 Squadron History
VF-31's history records Tomcat missions from the first night of combat over Baghdad through the end of the initial campaign.
Sources: VF-31 Squadron History
NHHC archive material ties VF-103 F-14 Tomcats from USS John F. Kennedy to the Second Battle of Fallujah and the squadron's final F-14 cruise.
Sources: USS John F. Kennedy Fallujah Archive
NAVAIR reported that the first ROVER-download-equipped Tomcat flight occurred after the systems reached USS Theodore Roosevelt during the final F-14 deployment.
Sources: NAVAIR ROVER Upgrade
The F-14 Tomcat was used by U.S. Navy squadrons in the 2003 Iraq War as a strike and support aircraft. VF-31's official squadron history states that the unit was turned around in January 2003 to prepare for Operation Iraqi Freedom and flew from the first night of combat over Baghdad through the end of the initial campaign.
The Tomcat's use continued after the initial invasion. Naval History and Heritage Command archive material documents VF-103 F-14 Tomcats launching from USS John F. Kennedy during the 2004 deployment tied to the Second Battle of Fallujah and the final F-14 cruise, while NAVAIR reported in December 2005 that VF-31 and VF-213 Tomcats aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt were flying Operation Iraqi Freedom missions with newly installed ROVER video-downlink equipment.
Sources: VF-31 Squadron History, USS John F. Kennedy Fallujah Archive, NAVAIR ROVER Upgrade
In January 2003, VF-31 and its battle group were directed back toward deployment preparations for the start of Operation Iraqi Freedom. During the initial air campaign, VF-31 flew F-14D missions over Baghdad from the first night of combat.
In 2004, VF-103's final F-14 deployment from USS John F. Kennedy placed Tomcats over Iraq during Operation Phantom Fury and the Second Battle of Fallujah. In December 2005, NAVAIR described a rapid field modification that equipped Tomcats from VF-31 and VF-213 with ROVER downlink capability during their last Tomcat deployment, supporting ground troops and election-period operations in Iraq.
Sources: VF-31 Squadron History, USS John F. Kennedy Fallujah Archive, NAVAIR ROVER Upgrade
In Iraq, the late-service Tomcat was no longer only a fleet-defense fighter. The documented missions place it in air-to-ground strike, close air support, reconnaissance, and forward sensor-support roles. VF-31's official history ties its F-14D combat work to Baghdad-area operations in the opening campaign, and the John F. Kennedy archive identifies F-14 activity during the Fallujah fighting the following year.
The 2005 ROVER installation shows how the type was adapted for ground-force support near the end of its U.S. Navy career. NAVAIR described the modification as a way for troops to view imagery from the aircraft's point of view, with 22 Tomcats equipped and more Operation Iraqi Freedom aircraft able to send video to ROVER receivers.
Sources: VF-31 Squadron History, USS John F. Kennedy Fallujah Archive, NAVAIR ROVER Upgrade
