List of units using the F-4 Phantom

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This is a list of nations which operated the McDonnell-Douglas F-4 Phantom II fighter jet, organized by unit.

Contents

[edit] United States Navy

List of F-4 Units (grouped in most common pairings, as Cold War era carrier air wings had two fighter interceptor squadrons) and known Air Wing Affiliations whilst operating the Phantom:


ATLANTIC FLEET


Carrier Air Wing: CVW-3 "AC"


Carrier Air Wing: CVW-1 "AB"


  • VF-33 "Tarsiers" (Also known as the "Starfighters")
  • VF-102 "Diamondbacks"

Carrier Air Wing: CVW-1 "AB"


  • VF-41 "Black Aces" (Deployed to NAS Key West, Florida during the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis)
  • VF-84 "Jolly Rogers" (Formerly known as the "Vagabonds")

Carrier Air Wing: CVW-6 "AE", CVW-7 "AG"


  • VF-74 "Bedevilers"
  • VF-103 "Sluggers" (Became VF-103 "Jolly Rogers" upon disestablishment of VF-84 in 1995)

Carrier Air Wing: CVW-3 "AC", CVW-8 "AJ", CVW-17 "AA"


  • VF-201 "Hunters" Atlantic Fleet Reserve Squadron
  • VF-202 "Superheats" Atlantic Fleet Reserve Squadron

Carrier Air Wing: CVWR-20 "AF"



PACIFIC FLEET


  • VF-21 "Freelancers" (With sister unit VF-154 the last active-duty F-4 squadron to convert to F-14 Tomcat)
  • VF-154 "Black Knights" (With sister unit VF-21 the last active-duty F-4 squadron to convert to F-14 Tomcat)

Carrier Air Wing: CVW-2 "NE", CVW-5 "NF"

NB: VF-21 made the first confirmed Navy MiG kill of the Vietnam War. VF-96 claimed a probable MiG kill but lost one aircraft to friendly fire (AIM-7 Sparrow fired by the victim's wingman).


  • VF-51 "Screaming Eagles"
  • VF-111 "Sundowners" (Transferred from Atlantic to Pacific Fleet upon transitioning from F-8 to F-4)

Carrier Air Wing: CVW-15 "NL", CVW-19 "NM"


  • VF-92 "Silver Kings" (Disestablished in the late-1970s. Replaced in CVW-9 by F-14-equipped VF-24)
  • VF-96 "Fighting Falcons" (Disestablished in the late-1970s. Replaced in CVW-9 by F-14-equipped VF-211)

Carrier Air Wing: CVW-9 "NG"

NB: VF-96 F-4J Phantom crew members Randall "Duke" Cunningham and Willie "Irish" Driscoll, the only USN aces of the conflict, with five MiG kills to their credit, were the squadron's most celebrated members.


Carrier Air Wing: CVW-11 "NH"

NB: VF-213 was the squadron that was equipped with the F-4G model (not to be confused with the F-4G Wild Weasel model) which was an F-4B modified with two-way datalink system, the workings of which was similar to SAGE (Semi-Automatic Ground Environment). Once the experimental program was completed all the aircraft were converted back to their original standard.


  • VF-142 "Ghostriders" (switched to Atlantic Fleet after transition to the F-14 Tomcat)
  • VF-143 "Pukin Dogs" (switched to Atlantic Fleet after transition to the F-14 Tomcat)

Carrier Air Wing: CVW-14 "NK"


  • VF-151 "Vigilantes" (Became VFA-151 upon transition to F/A-18 Hornet in the mid 1980s)
  • VF-161 "Chargers" (Became VFA-161 upon transition to F/A-18 Hornet in the mid 1980s)

Carrier Air Wing: CVW-5 "NF"


  • VF-191 "Satan's Kittens" (1 cruise with F-4J after transition from F-8 Crusader before disestablishment late 70's)
  • VF-194 "Red Lighnings" (1 cruise with F-4J after transition from F-8 Crusader before disestablishment late 70's)

Carrier Air Wing: CVW-15 "NL"


  • VF-301 "Devil's Disciples" Pacific Fleet Reserve Squadron
  • VF-302 "Stallions" Pacific Fleet Reserve Squadron

Carrier Air Wing: CVWR-30 "ND"


FLIGHT TRAINING AND TEST UNITS


  • VF-101 "Grim Reapers" Atlantic Fleet Replacement Squadron (FRS)

"AD"


  • VF-121 "Pacemakers" Pacific Fleet Replacement Squadron (FRS)

"NJ"


  • VF-171 "?" Atlantic Fleet Replacement Squadron (FRS)

NB: Took over VF-101's role as F-4 Training Unit when the Grim Reapers became the Atlantic Fleet's F-14 Tomcat FRS. Became sole USN F-4 Training unit after VF-121 was disestablished. "AD"?


  • VX-4 "Evaluators" Flight Test Unit (Disestablished 1994, replaced by VX-9 Vampires)

"XF"


  • VX-5 "Vampires" Flight Test Unit (Amalgamated with VX-4 to become the current VX-9 Vampires)


  • VX-30 "?" (QF-4N AND QF-4S models. Flew last sorties with the Phantom circa June 30, 2004)


  • VAQ-33 "Firebirds"

[edit] United States Marine Corps

Partial List:

[edit] United States Air Force

Partial List

Wings

Squadrons

[edit] Royal Air Force

[edit] Fleet Air Arm

  • No. 892 NAS

[edit] Royal Australian Air Force

The RAAF flew F-4 Phantom between 1970 and 1973. The RAAF ordered F-111 fighter bombers, but due to production delays, opted to temporarily take on F-4s to fill a hole in the national defense.

Under the Project name of “PEACE REEF”, Australia leased 24 brand new F-4E Block 43 and 44 aircraft. The US Air Force trained more than 100 ground and air crews and stationed personnel at RAAF Base Amberley to assist with maintenance and ongoing training. They supervised and maintained the aircraft.

In September and October 1970 the 24 new aircraft were flown via Hawaii and Guam to RAAF Amberley by the newly trained RAAF aircrews to serve with No 1 Squadron and No 6 Squadron.

The RAAF F-4E serial numbers were:

69-0304 to 69-0307 (Block 43 aircraft) 69-7201 to 69-7217 69-7219, 69-7220, 69-7234 (all Block 44 aircraft)

7234 crashed on landing during the ferry flight and had to undergo major repairs, but eventually entered service. 7203 was lost during a night bombing mission in June 1971.

Australia used its own tailcode/number for the aircraft. The last two digits reflects the last two of the US tailcode.

The delivery of the F-111C fleet began ahead of schedule in October 1972. By June 1973, the remaining 23 F-4s had been flown back to the USA (Hill AFB, Utah).

21 of these later were upgraded to F-4G "Wild Weasel" and some may have seen action over Baghdad during Desert Storm in Iraq, 20 years after their delivery to Australia.

[edit] Luftwaffe

Luftwaffe F-4 ICE
Luftwaffe F-4 ICE

The (West-)German Air Force ("Luftwaffe") received 175 F-4Fs between 1973 and 1975. They differed from the F-4Es mainly by their unability to fire medium range AAMs like the AIM-7 (out of political reasons). After 1986 40 F-4Fs were modified as F-4F "Improved Combat Efficiency" fighter-bombers. Another 110 F-4Fs were later equipped with the AN/APG-65 radar and are now able to fire AMRAAM missiles. JG 71 will decommission the last F-4Fs in 2012. The Luftwaffe's two reconnaissance wings AG 51 and AG 52 also used 88 RF-4Es between 1970 and 1994.

  • Jagdgeschwader 71 "Richthofen" (= 71st Fighter Wing)
  • Jagdgeschwader 72 "Westfalen" (former Jagdbombergeschwader 36 = 36th Fighter Bomber Wing) - (decommissioned 2002)
  • Jagdgeschwader 73 "Steinhoff" (former Jagdbombergeschwader 35, converting to the "Eurofighter")
  • Jagdgeschwader 74 (formerly "Mölders")
  • Aufklärungsgeschwader 51 "Immelmann" - (= 51st Reconnaissance Wing, now flying Tornadoes)
  • Aufklärungsgeschwader 52 - (decommissioned 1994)
  • Fliegerisches Ausbildungszentrum der Luftwaffe (German Air Force Flying Training Center) - (F-4 Phantom II part of the German Air Force Training Center, Holloman AFB, New Mexico, decommissioned 2005)

[edit] Israeli Air Force

The Israeli Air Force (Heyl Ha'Avir) obtained the F-4 Phantom beginning in 1969. The first F-4E entered service 5 September 1969, with the Israelis scoring their first aerial victory against an Egyptian Air Force MiG-21 on 11 November 1969.

Israeli eventually acquired 42 new-build F-4Es, 12 new-build RF-4Es, and 162 ex-USAF F-4Es. In Israeli service, the combat-capable Phantom was known as "Kurnass" (Sledgehammer). The RF recce aircraft was called "Orev" (Raven).

The IAF had five Phantom squadrons:

  • 201 Squadron ('The One') הטייסת האחת
  • 69 Squadron ('Hammers') טייסת הפטישים
  • 119 Squadron ('The Bat') טייסת העטלף
  • 105 Squadron ('Scorpion') טייסת הערב
  • 107 Squadron ('Knights of the Orange Tail') אבירי הזנב הכתום

The F-4 saw combat service in the War of Attrition between Israel and Egypt; in the Yom Kippur War of 1973, during which approximately 33 Phantoms fell in combat; and in Lebanon in 1982. Although the F-4 by that time was relegated to the ground-attack role (the air superiority mission taken up by Israeli F-15 and F-16 aircraft) it scored its final aerial kill in that conflict on 9 June 1982. All in all, the IDF/AF claimed more than 116 aerial kills with the Phantom.

Israeli F-4Es were equipped to carry a wide variety of weapons, including the AGM-84 Harpoon and Rafael Gabriel anti-ship missiles and later the Rafael Popeye air-to-surface missile. They were also used extensively in the SEAD role.

In the mid-1980s Israel upgraded its Phantoms to Kurnass 2000 configuration, with new avionics, structural refit, and radar, a revised nav/attack system, and HOTAS. A total of 55 aircraft were refitted to that standard. A planned Super Phantom 2000 upgrade, with new Pratt & Whitney PW1120 turbofan engines replacing the older J79, was not implemented for cost reasons.

The RF-4E also underwent several upgrades, with several modified to reach higher speeds (up to Mach 2.4) and altitude (23,800 m/78,000 ft). Three more were fitted with a HIAC (high-altitude camera system) in a rotary assembly in the nose under the Peace Jack program, re-designated RF-4E(S).

The last Israeli F-4s were retired 12 May 2004.

[edit] Egyptian Air Force

28 F-4E in services

[edit] Hellenic Air Force

In 117 combat wing Andravida 338 bomb sqaudron 'Aries' with F-4E AUP (avionics update program) 348 all weather squadron 'ajax' with F-4E AUP.They might be the most capable F-4s ever in service.

[edit] Iranian Air Force

Western Area Command: Noaheh (OIHH) Hamadan, Shahrokhi) 3rd Tactical Air Base 31st Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron: RF-4E Phantom II 32nd Tactical Fighter Squadron: F-4D Phantom II and F-4E Phantom II 33rd Tactical Fighter Squadron: F-4D Phantom II and F-4E Phantom II

Southern Area Command: Bushehr (OIBB) 6th Tactical Air Base 61st Tactical Fighter Squadron: F-4E Phantom II 62nd Tactical Fighter Squadron: F-4D Phantom II and F-4E Phantom Ii

Bandar Abbas Int'l (OIKB) 9th Tactical Air Base 91st Tactical Fighter Squadron: F-4E Phantom II 92nd Tactical Fighter Squadron: F-4E Phantom II

Chah Bahar (OIZC) (Chabahar) 10th Tactical Air Base 101st Tactical Fighter Squadron: F-4D Phantom II

[edit] Japanese Air Self Defence Force

The F-4EJ was ordered on November 1, 1968. Two F-4EJs (JASDF serials 17-8301 and 17-8302) were built by McDonnell in St Louis and tested beginning on January 14, 1971. The next eleven (JASDF serials 27-8303/8307, 37-8307/8310, and 47-8311/8313) were built by McDonnell in kit form and were assembled in Japan by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. The first Japanese-assembled aircraft (27-8303) flew on May 12, 1972. Subsequently, Mitsubishi built 127 F-4EJs under license, the last example being delivered on May 20, 1981. This was the last Phantom built.

JASDF F-4EJ(Kai)
JASDF F-4EJ(Kai)

As built, the Mitsubishi-built Phantoms were not fitted with in-flight refuelling receptacles because of the treaty restrictions that forbade Japan to acquire offensive weapons. However, the hardware needed for such a capability was delivered and stored. Eventually, the restrictions were relaxed and the standard F-4E boom receptacle was retrofitted to most F-4EJs. The JASDF is not known to have any midair refuelling aircraft, but the refuelling capabilities of the F-4EJ were used during training exercises with USAF KC-135s.

Fourteen unarmed reconnaissance versions of the F-4EJ were built by McDonnell and delivered to the JASDF between November 1974 and June 1975. They were designated RF-4EJ. They were virtually identical to the USAF RF-4C, with the only differences being the deletion of certain equipment such as the radar homing and warning suite.

The F-4EJ first entered service with the JASDF in August of 1972. In the JASDF, six interceptor squadrons (hikotai) have operated the F-4EJ. These were the 301st, 302nd, 303rd, 304th, 305th, and 306th. The RF-4EJ was operated by the 501st Hikotai.

Throughout the 1980s, the force of 140 F-4EJs gradually dwindled by attrition and reached 125 in 1992. Conversions to the F-15J began in the late 1980s. Since 1984, a major SLEP (Service Life Extension Program) was undertaken in which most JASDF F-4EJs were upgraded to F-4EJ Kai standards.

[edit] Republic of Korea Air Force

150 F-4D/Es in Service

[edit] Turkish Air Force

169 F-4E in services

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