Why aren't these aircraft sold?

used for parts

A large number of the aircraft simply are not in production anymore, and with the Soviet Superpower threat gone the need for a large number of specialized aircraft are no longer needed.

The F-14 has been completely phased out and the only other country whom has used them is Iran. Recently there has been a lot in the news about Iran attempting to acquire the parts for their now grounded F-14's.

Aircraft are only built to sustain so many flight hours and once that is up, they usually head to the bone-yard and occasionally have parts salvaged from them, that is why so many seem to look opened up. Normally when planes head to the bone-yard the vital equipment such as engines, electronics and radar are stripped from them either to be used or prevented from falling into civilian (or foreign) hands.

The "Boneyard" or Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Center at Davis-Monthan AFB has four levels of storage.

1. Long Term - Aircraft are kept intact for future use

2. Parts Reclamation - Aircraft are kept, picked apart and used for spare parts

3. Flying Hold - Aircraft are kept intact for shorter stays than Long Term

4. Excess of DOD needs - Aircraft are sold off whole or in parts

What level of storage the aircraft is given determines its fate.

We sale a large majority of our older aircraft or we use them for training.Yes other country's use theses air crafts and if we did sell them the could buy them for parts which is like buying a theater to get popcorn makes no sense.They would simple junk the older ones and uses the junk ones for parts for a used one they purchased. We have much more advanced aircraft then them so them having the parts isn't a big deal,alot is sold to other bases for training for targets and some sold to other country's. You can say we don't but we do.

Some are choped up an sent to the bone yeard any sensitive equment is taken out before they go to the bone yard or to other countrys.

As already stated, They don't want Iran getting F-14 parts. They have F14-As which are considered obsolete, but with modern parts they could be upgraded. Also, the other planes there that can be flown are surplus, and are used to replace planes taken out of service. The others are being scrapped for parts. Check the website below.

Those F-14s are currently being shredded for scrap metal by a defense contractor.

all that has been said about the F-14 is true and very well said, the cliped wings and tails of the B-52's are because of the START and simmaler treaties dealing with the old USSR and the US we said we would chop up so many Bombers and ICBM's if they did the same (which they have done ) the those B-52's are on display for that reason. the entire "Bone yard" is Quite a site to be hold google earth (or Maps ) it and see for your self

Well Iran is the last country in the world to use the F-14. They have had a major blackmarket operation to get spares for year's. I love beautiful airplanes and it breaks my heart to see them chopped up. And it will in the future make it one of the rarest aircraft in the world in museum's and airshow's. But I would a lot rather set fire to the whole pile of them than ever see them used in part against our services in war!

They were sold. However due to some loophole Iran was buying F-14 parts for their F-14 we sold them when they were ruled by the shah. So ask youself seeing how they are an enemy due you really want an enemy nation having airplanes like the F-14 to face us with. Why give real and potential enemies weapons that are better than what they have

The F-14 Tomcat carries the Phoenix missile system. With this, it can hit six different targets simultaneously from 100 miles away. Do you want another country to have this kind of technology?

They say that only Iran still uses the f-14 tomcat and is in desperate need for spare parts. Does that answer your question? It's better for us to chop the planes into scrap than sell them to the enemy.