GAO: Pentagon mistakenly sold F-14 parts

[TomInTib]

Source: Associated Press

By SHARON THEIMER, Associated Press Writer
The Pentagon accidentally sold to the public more than a thousand aircraft parts that could be used on the F-14 fighter jet — a plane flown only by Iran — after saying it had halted such sales, government investigators say.

In a report obtained Wednesday by The Associated Press, the U.S. Government Accountability Office, the investigative arm of Congress, says the Defense Department has greatly improved security in its surplus sales program to prevent the improper selling of sensitive items.

However, GAO investigators found that roughly 1,400 parts that could be used on F-14 "Tomcat" fighter jets were sold to the public in February. That occurred after the Pentagon announced it had suspended sales of all parts that could be used on the Tomcat while it reviewed security concerns.

Iran, trying to keep its F-14s flyable, is aggressively seeking U.S. components for the jets.



Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070801/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/military_surplus_stings&printer=1;_ylt=ArtO8.C2YmoXwABAq7xjAouWwvIE

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Just imagine what the consequences would have been if one of us had done that.

[CottonBear]

1. Was it really a mistake? n/t

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

3. No.

[billyoc]

2. Fighter Planes?! I thought they ordered Felt-tip Pens! n/t

[daleo]

12. I thought they said "don't sell any F-13 parts"

Slaps head and says "doh"!

[underpants]

4. Why is the Pentagon selling things?

Did Milo finally get to be in charge?

[Tab]

5. Oopsie!

(sheesh)

[spanone]

6. war without end, amen.

[Octafish]

7. Did they invoice Ollie North?

Not that it's Iran-Contra redux.

[benld74]

8. DUMB ASS!

[ohio2007]

9. maybe the mullahs will swallow the MSM bait after they read this ?

F14-A parts gotta be" good to go" on install..... right?

Wonder if the part #'s of those "thousand" parts sold will be released ? Bald tires and burned out actuators couldn't have slipped by the inspectors could they?
The stuf should be good for a couple flight hours before they fail.

[Supersedeas]

14. we have always been at war with EastAsia

[GoddessOfGuinness]

10. Oh dear.

I guess we'll have to bomb them now. :eyes:

[SalmonChantedEvening]

11. And I mistakenly got stoned

When I lit that joint. Riiiiiiight.

[ovidsen]

13. The joke's on Iran

The US Navy retired the F-14 earlier this year because, simply put, it was obsolete and no match for modern day carrier fighter jets.

Here's the funny part. The Grumman made F-14 was exclusively designed for aircraft carriers. How Ford and/or Carter convinced the Shah 30 years ago to buy them for land based use is a mystery.

It's original purpose accounts for it's unique design. It's one of the few "swing wing" jets ever made. It's wings are almost perpendicular to the fuselage for better lift from short carrier decks. Once airborne, old fashioned electric motors and hydraulics "swing" the wings back, enabling the aircraft to attain supersonic speed more quickly.

And there's the rub. Those wings are a BITCH to maintain. Lots more parts to wear out or break. With the Shah's overthrow in 1979, the US cut off all replacement parts, leaving the Ayatollah and his crew scrambling for the widgets to keep the fleet airworthy.

In addition, the F-14's avionics and weapons systems were constantly upgraded by the US until it was taken out of service. No doubt Iranian engineers have devised some modifications of their own, but I'll bet they're more cosmetic than anything else.

In other words, what Iran has is a bunch of antiques that would be no match for the modern, mostly US supplied jets flown by Saudi Arabia, Israel and other mideast "friends", and I wouldn't lose any sleep over this "oopsie".

If Iran's President Mahmoud "let's nuke Israel" Ahmadinejad wants to waste money on parts for a fighter that his neighbors could down with one hand tied behind their backs and one eye closed, let 'em. Keeps him busy and off the streets.

[arikara]

15. And the pentagram did this in error...

...yah, right.