Miami Herald
September 25, 2003

Iranian Tried To Buy Fighter Jet Parts, Customs Agents Say

The jailed man is charged with trying to export U.S. military equipment
without a license.

By Tere Figueras

U.S. Customs agents arrested an Iranian man they say flew to Miami to buy parts for F-14 fighter jets and ship them back to Tehran.

Serzhik Avassapian made his first appearance in federal court Wednesday, five days after he was taken into custody at an Embassy Suites in Fort Lauderdale on charges of trying to export U.S. military equipment without a license. He remains in jail.

Avassapian, 40, had met with undercover customs agents the day of his arrest, agreeing to purchase a test shipment of F-14 parts for $38,000, according to the criminal complaint.

The arrest came after a 20-month undercover operation that began when a confidential informant began negotiating with Avassapian, who said he was buying aviation parts on behalf of the Iranian government.

If the test purchase -- 120 aircraft parts for the F-14 -- was satisfactory, the Iranian national promised an additional purchase totaling $750,000.

During the course of the negotiations, Avassapian had also discussed buying helicopters and electronic and avionic parts and upgrades for the C-130 cargo plane, also ostensibly bound for Iran.

The undercover informant brokering the bogus deal mentioned on more than one occasion to Avassapian that the items were controlled items, wrote Special Agent Ronald Kriske of the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the criminal complaint.

Avassapian flew in to Miami International Airport on Sept. 16 aboard a KLM flight originating in London. He told immigration officials he was here on business to buy medical equipment and ``equipment related to chemical protection.

The charges carry a maximum prison term of 10 years and a maximum fine of $1 million.

President Bush has labeled Iran, along with North Korea, as part of an axis of evil that threatens world order. Iran is alleged to be conducting a secret nuclear weapons program.

Tomcat 21

雄貓21是F-14D的大幅升級改良型，其緣於格魯曼集團對F-14D的航電次系統升級的雄貓快打計劃，主要用於當作NATF計劃的低成本備選替代方案。在換裝可使內載燃油增加1,134公斤的新型可變翼套，改良型襟翼（using a single slotted Fowler type flap），改良Slats與Spoilers，加大全動式tailplanes等等之後，雄貓21的升力估計可提升33%，而擁有在加裝額外航電與增加內載燃料後仍能順利在航艦上操作起降的本錢。

雖然內載燃料大增（7,348KG --> 8,482KG)外加許多航電升級改裝，雄貓21的空重據估計僅比F-14D重上454公斤左右（18,951KG --> 19,405KG），而全備起飛重量則由F-14D的33,070kg (72,900lb)略增至34,470kg (76,000lb)。

如同雄貓快打，其將可攜帶 LANTIRN 或Night Owl之類的FLIRS夾蒼，AN/APG-71雷達也會進行升級，例如增添ISAR (Inverse Synthetic Aperture Radar)模式，強化於陸地上空俯視俯射能力以及增加約20%的目標獲得距離。

當時AST-21計劃換裝兩具29,000磅級的奇異集團F110-GE-129發動機，預期這將使AST-21擁有1.3馬赫級的超音速巡航能力（難以想像，如果能再換裝成推力級數32,500∼34,000磅級的F110-GE-132的話，AST-21的超音速巡航能力更會是何等驚人…..），向量推力設計也在考慮採用範圍內，不過由於元祖雄貓光靠超優異的氣動結構，已經能在使用TF-30咒怨式渦扇發動機的狀況下還能達到77度攻角了，因此葛魯曼集團認為此乃錦上添花的非必須品。

在座艙航電方面，AST-21也打算採用全彩MFD、HMD等新時代時髦品，同時改採single piece forward canopy 以獲得完整的360度清晰視野。