Iranian F-14 Fighter Jet Crashes During Training Flight

Last month, an Iranian F-16 fighter jet crashed in the east of Isfahan province, leaving two pilots dead.

An F-14 Tomcat fighter jet of the Iranian Air Force crashed near the central city of Isfahan on Saturday, a spokesman for the country's armed forces said, quoted by the official IRNA news agency.

Both pilots ejected before the crash and were hospitalised, the spokesman added.

According to the head of the Iranian Army's PR department, the accident was caused by a technical failure in the engine.

IRNA has shared a video showing columns of smoke rising from the remains of the aircraft.

Footage of the crash of the F-14 Tomcat fighter jet in Iran’s Isfahan. Both the pilot and co-pilot have ejected before the crash and are now hospitalized. pic.twitter.com/dLkSvonMRm

— Iran International English (@IranIntl_En) June 18, 2022

Iran has seen a series of similar jet crashes in recent months. The previous one took place in Isfahan province in late May, killing both pilots. In February, another fighter jet crashed into a football field in the city of Tabriz, killing both pilots and a civilian.

The Iranian Air Force's fleet comprises outdated aircraft, including jets purchased before the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Because of the burden of western sanctions, Tehran has not been able to upgrade its aircraft in a timely manner.