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Originally Posted by ABBAFAN
Could the F-4 or F-5 or F-14 take on Sea Harriers(notwithstanding their recent withdrawal)with any chance?
Is the phoenix misile superior to the AMRAAM?
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The Phoenix missile (which is only on the F-14) has a much longer range than the AMRAAM.
However the Phoenix was designed as a missile to kill bombers with. I'm not sure if it's maneuverable enough to take down a modern fighter as nimble as the Sea Harrier. The AMRAAM is much more maneuverable. The Phoenix is also an American weapon, so the Americans and their allies would have a leg up in designing an ECM package to defeat it.
Anyways, I'm not sure if Iran's Phoenix missile arsenal is serviceable. I know the Hughes technicians sabotaged the missiles when they were kicked out. I've read that Iran managed to fix them, but I'm not sure if they've kept them in service or not. None of the recent pictures I've seen of Iranian F-14's have shown Phoenix missiles.
As far as the strict plane vs. plane engagement, the Sea Harrier would be at a huge speed disadvantage. If they wanted to, the F-4 and the F-14 could simply avoid the Harriers by hitting the afterburner and flying away. However, you don't protect your country by flying away. The Iranians would also have the advantage of flying over their own territory, whereas the Harriers would probably be near the edge of their range.