The major problem with using third party planes is that later planes get extremely expensive, F-14D is about $220000 and if that ain't bad enough your mission payment probably won't even cover the cost of your missiles.
The crew got out fine, more info here; http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/7331740.stm
OT Sparkomatic, how did you manage to get -999,631 posts?
I grew up with the 80's reincarnation. I had absolutely tons of that stuff, including the F-14. Although it was called Action Force in the UK. I'm pretty sure it all got packed away with all the other attic junk and shipped to Australia when my parents moved.
Check wiki to find out who's paying roughly what: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F-35_Lightning_II
And what about the F-18 that seems fairly generalised.