 On 19 December, the last day of the operation, arrived in the Persian Gulf and VF-213 joined the air strikes, taking the F-14D into combat for the first time.In addition to performing strike missions, F-14s from both squadrons conducted escort combat air patrols for U.S. Air Force B-1B bombers that were committed to the operation beginning on 17 December.Many firsts for the F-14 were achieved during "Desert Fox", including the first GBU-24 "Paveway III" laser-guided bombs dropped in combat by the U.S. Navy, the first multiple GBU-24 drop by any platform in combat, the first combat use of the Low Altitude Navigation and Targeting Infrared for Night (LANTIRN) targeting pod system, the first autonomous delivery of a GBU-10/16/24 laser-guided bomb by an F-14, and the first use of night vision devices in combat.