If any of you think for a minute that Iranian’s don't have the know how to employ the weapons systems we gave them , you sirs are kidding yourself. Sure the Grumman reps disabled sections of the radar and other systems as they left but the Iranians reverse engineered the systems and got them operational again. Collectively we underestimate thier technical ability, like thy're hillbillies. Yes, the number of flyable aircraft is reduced but they are still out there. They used teh Tomcats as mini-AWACs against the Iraqis the whole time.
BTW every couple years you hear of an arrest of someone more than willing to sell Irianian sources Tomcat parts from the Boneyard. What they can't buy the manufacture themselves, or use parts they can get to replace it. They have a lot of European/Russian equipment that they have figured out how to shoe horn into American F-4s, F-14s and other equipment.
The problem with the Phoenix is it's large and fairly unsophisticated by todays standards. It was designed to be used against bomber formations outside of cruise missile range. We don't fight those wars anymore (although we should still have the capability too, but that's another thread). The Tomcat could carry 6 AIM-45 and 2 AIM-9s for a long range combat load. When they took them off the ship they were carrying 2 AIM-9 and 6 AIM-7/AIM-120 . A Super Hornet can carry 2 AIM-9 and 12 AIM-120 for a strictly air defense role. Legacy Hornets 2 AIM-9, 6 AIM-120.