The

McDonnell Douglas McDonnell Douglas was a major American aerospace manufacturing corporation and defense contractor, formed by the merger of McDonnell Aircraft and the Douglas Aircraft Company in 1967. Between then and its own merger with Boeing in 1997, it produ ...

F-4 Phantom II variants were numerous versions and designations of the F-4 and are described below.

Production numbers for major versions

asterisk indicates converted from other version

Variants

McDonnell XF4H-1 Phantom II being launched from USS Independence (CVA-62), circa in 1959

F-4Bs VF-213 in flight over Vietnam c1967

;XF4H-1 :Two prototypes for the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

, first flown 1958. ;F4H-1F (F-4A) :Two-seat all-weather carrier-based fighter for the US Navy, J79-GE-2 and -2A engines with 16,100 lbf (71.6 kN) of afterburner thrust each. Named Phantom II in 1959 and redesignated F-4A in 1962; 45 built.Francillon 1979, p.559. ;TF-4A :A small number of F-4As converted into two-seat training aircraft. ;F4H-1 (F-4B) :Two-seat all-weather carrier-based fighter and

ground-attack aircraft An attack aircraft, strike aircraft, or attack bomber is a tactical military aircraft that has a primary role of carrying out airstrikes with greater precision than bombers, and is prepared to encounter strong low-level air defenses while pres ...

for the US Navy and Marine Corps. J79-GE-8A or -8B engines with 16,950 lbf (75.4 kN) of afterburner thrust each. Redesignated F-4B in 1962; 649 built.Francillon 1979, pp.559-560. ;DF-4B :F-4Bs converted into

drone Drone most commonly refers to: * Drone (bee), a male bee, from an unfertilized egg * Unmanned aerial vehicle * Unmanned surface vehicle, watercraft * Unmanned underwater vehicle or underwater drone Drone, drones or The Drones may also refer to: ...

control aircraft. ;EF-4B :One F-4B converted into an ECM training aircraft. ;NF-4B :The redesignation of one F-4B for testing purposes. ;QF-4B :F-4Bs converted into unmanned supersonic target drones; 25 converted. ;F4H-1P (RF-4B) :Tactical reconnaissance version of F-4B for

United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...

, nose stretched 4 ft 9 in (1.4 m), smaller AN/APQ-99 radar. Three camera bays typically carried KS-87 forward oblique/vertical camera on Station 1, KA-87 low-altitude camera on Station 2, and KA-55A or KA-91 high-altitude panoramic camera on Station 3. Also carried AN/APQ-102 reconnaissance

SLAR Side-looking airborne radar (SLAR) is an aircraft- or satellite-mounted imaging radar pointing perpendicular to the direction of flight (hence ''side-looking''). A squinted (nonperpendicular) mode is possible also. SLAR can be fitted with a sta ...

, AN/AAD-4 infrared reconnaissance system, and ALQ-126 ECM suite. The KS-72 or KS-85 cameras were on rotating mounts and could be aimed in flight which improved upon the earlier RF-4C which could only be aligned on the ground.Sweetman 1987, p. 531. In 1975, modernized under Project SURE (Sensor Update and Refurbishment Effort); 46 built. Retired in 1990. 4 lost in Vietnam.Dorr 1987, p. 39. First flown 12 March 1965.Eden 2004, p. 278. EF-4C 67th TFS over Vietnam Dec 1972

;F-110A :The original US Air Force designation for the F-4C. ;F-4C :Two-seat all-weather tactical fighter, ground-attack version for the

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...

; supported a wide spectrum of weapons including

AIM-4 Falcon The Hughes AIM-4 Falcon was the first operational guided air-to-air missile of the United States Air Force. Development began in 1946; the weapon was first tested in 1949. The missile entered service with the USAF in 1956. Produced in both heat ...

AGM-12 Bullpup The AGM-12 Bullpup is a short-range air-to-ground missile developed by Martin Marietta for the US Navy. It is among the earliest precision guided air-to-ground weapons and the first to be mass produced. It first saw operational use in 1959 on the ...

, and nuclear weapons; wider main wheel tires resulted in distinctive wing bulges; J79-GE-15 engines with provision for cartridge start;

boom refueling Aerial refueling, also referred to as air refueling, in-flight refueling (IFR), air-to-air refueling (AAR), and tanking, is the process of transferring aviation fuel from one aircraft (the tanker) to another (the receiver) while both aircraft ...

instead of Navy's probe and drogue refueling; AN/APQ-100 radar; duplicated flight controls in the rear cockpit. The aircraft exceeded Mach 2 during its first flight on 27 May 1963; 583 built. ;EF-4C Wild Weasel IV :F-4Cs converted into

Wild Weasel Wild Weasel is a code name given by the United States Air Force (USAF) to an aircraft of any type equipped with anti-radiation missiles and tasked with the suppression of enemy air defenses (SEAD): destroying the radar and surface-to-air mis ...

ECM aircraft. Equipped with AN/APR-25 RHAWS, AN/APR-26 missile launch warning system, ER-142 ECM receiver, and AN/ALQ-119 external ECM pod. Armed with

AGM-45 Shrike AGM-45 Shrike is an American anti-radiation missile designed to home in on hostile anti-aircraft radar. The Shrike was developed by the Naval Weapons Center at China Lake in 1963 by mating a seeker head to the rocket body of an AIM-7 Sparrow. ...

anti-radiation missiles and cluster bombs but unable to carry the

AGM-78 Standard ARM The AGM-78 Standard ARM was an anti-radiation missile developed by General Dynamics, United States. It was built on the airframe of the RIM-66 Standard surface-to-air missile, resulting in a very large weapon with considerable range, allowing it ...

missile. A total of 36 were converted.Francillon ''Air International'' July 1994, pp. 15–17, 20. Many survivors were reverted to F-4C. RF-4C Kentucky ANG landing in Germany 1983

RF-4C Kentucky ANG landing in Germany 1983

;RF-4C :All-weather tactical reconnaissance version for the US Air Force, AN/APQ-99 (later AN/APQ-172) radar. Equipped similar to RF-4B but with a wider choice of camera fits, including a centerline pod for the gigantic HIAC-1 LOROP (Long Range Oblique Photography) camera, capable of taking high-resolution images of objects 100 miles (160 km) away. Many aircraft were refitted with a more spacious bulging streamlined nose. A sub-variant, to be designated RF-4C(H) was proposed as a night "hunter" aircraft using infrared equipment instead of cameras under

Operation Shed Light Operation Shed Light was a crash development project in aerial warfare, initiated in 1966 by the United States Air Force to increase the ability to accurately strike at night or in adverse weather. During the 1960s the United States military w ...

. In the end, none were converted. While usually unarmed, RF-4Cs retained the ability to carry a nuclear weapon on the centerline pylon. Additionally, the RF-4Cs of the Alabama, Nevada and RF-4 Fighter Weapons School were modified to carry the AIM-9 Air to Air Missile. These modernized RF-4Cs of the Alabama and Nevada Air National Guard extensively participated in the

Gulf War The Gulf War was a 1990–1991 armed campaign waged by a 35-country military coalition in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Spearheaded by the United States, the coalition's efforts against Iraq were carried out in two key phases: ...

; 503 built. :Two RF-4Cs shot down by USSR during

Project Dark Gene Project Dark Gene was an aerial reconnaissance program run by the Central Intelligence Agency and Imperial Iranian Air Force from bases inside Iran against the Soviet Union. The program was run in conjunction with Project Ibex, which was a more tra ...

whilst being flown by USAF pilots. ;YRF-110A (YRF-4C) :Two prototypes were used in the development of the RF-4C reconnaissance version. F-4D 301st TFW landing at Nellis AFB 1985

F-4D 301st TFW landing at Nellis AFB 1985

;F-4D :F-4C with updated avionics, AN/APQ-109 radar. First flight June 1965. One USAF pilot and two USAF WSOs became

aces ACeS (PT Asia Cellular Satellite) was a regional satellite telecommunications company based in Jakarta, Indonesia. It offered GSM-like satellite telephony services to Asian market. The coverage area included Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Phili ...

in F-4Ds; 825 built.Dorr and Donald p.194. ;EF-4D Wild Weasel IV :F-4Ds converted into Wild Weasel ECM aircraft. Unlike the EF-4C, the EF-4D had the capability to use the larger

. Only 2 converted.Francillon ''Air International'' July 1994, p.17. F-4Es 86th TFW in flight 1985

;F-4E :USAF version with an integral

M61 Vulcan The M61 Vulcan is a hydraulically, electrically, or pneumatically driven, six-barrel, air-cooled, electrically fired Gatling-style rotary cannon which fires rounds at an extremely high rate (typically 6,000 rounds per minute). The M61 and its ...

cannon in the elongated RF-4C nose, AN/APQ-120 radar with smaller cross-section to accommodate the cannon, J79-GE-17 engines with 17,900 lbf (79.379 kN) of afterburner thrust each. Late-series aircraft equipped with leading-edge slats to improve maneuverability at the expense of top speed under the Agile Eagle program. Starting with Block 53, aircraft added

AGM-65 Maverick The AGM-65 Maverick is an air-to-ground missile (AGM) designed for close air support. It is the most widely produced precision-guided missile in the Western world, and is effective against a wide range of tactical targets, including armor, air ...

capability and smokeless J79-GE-17C or -17E engines. First flight 1 August 1965. The most numerous Phantom variant; 1,370 built. ;F-4E Kurnass 2000 :Modernized Israeli F-4Es,

AN/APG-76 The AN/APG-76 radar is a pulse Doppler Ku band multi-mode radar developed and manufactured by Northrop Grumman. AN/APQ-92 The first radar of the radar family AN/APG-76 belongs to is AN/APQ-92, which equipped A-6A. AN/APQ-92 is a search and navig ...

radar,

AGM-142 Popeye Popeye (Hebrew: פופאי) is a family of air-to-surface missiles developed and in use by Israel, of which several types have been developed for Israeli and export users. A long-range submarine-launched cruise missile variant of the Popeye Turb ...

capability. Entered service in 1989, retired in 2004. ;F-4E Peace Icarus 2000 (AUP) :In 1998 the

Hellenic Air Force , colours = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = 8 November , equipment = , equipment_label ...

decided, in collaboration with the German Aerospace Industry (DASA) and the Hellenic Aerospace Industry (HAI/EAB), to upgrade 39 F-4E Phantom II fighters. The first aircraft was delivered at

Andravida Air Base Andravida Air Base ( el, Αεροπορική Βάση Ανδραβίδας) is a military airport operated by the Hellenic Air Force, located 2.5 kilometres from the town of Andravida in Elis, Greece, housing the 117th Combat Wing (117 Πτέρυ ...

in December 2002. All upgraded F-4s were equipped with the new AN/APQ-65YG radar similar to that of the

F/A-18 Hornet The McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet is an all-weather, twinjet, twin-engine, supersonic aircraft, supersonic, carrier-based aircraft, carrier-capable, Multirole combat aircraft, multirole combat aircraft, designed as both a Fighter aircraft, ...

, a new onboard Mission Control Computer (MCC), a

Head Up Display A head-up display, or heads-up display, also known as a HUD (), is any transparent display that presents data without requiring users to look away from their usual viewpoints. The origin of the name stems from a pilot being able to view informa ...

, the

IFF In logic and related fields such as mathematics and philosophy, "if and only if" (shortened as "iff") is a biconditional logical connective between statements, where either both statements are true or both are false. The connective is bicon ...

Interrogator, Multi Function Displays and were also capable of carrying a variety of advanced Air-to-Air and

Air-to-Ground Air-to-ground weaponry is aircraft ordnance used by combat aircraft to attack ground targets. The weapons include bombs, machine guns, autocannons, air-to-surface missiles, rockets, air-launched cruise missiles and grenade launchers. See also * ...

missiles. These included the

AIM-120 AMRAAM The AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile, or AMRAAM (pronounced ), is an American beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM) capable of all-weather day-and-night operations. It is 7 inches (18 cm) in diameter, and employs ...

(although only the -B edition), the

AIM-9M The AIM-9 Sidewinder (where "AIM" stands for "Air Intercept Missile") is a short-range air-to-air missile which entered service with the US Navy in 1956 and subsequently was adopted by the US Air Force in 1964. Since then the Sidewinder has prove ...

missile, the AFDS and the entire family of the

Paveway Paveway is a series of laser-guided bombs (LGBs). ''Pave'' or PAVE is sometimes used as an acronym for ''precision avionics vectoring equipment''; literally, electronics for controlling the speed and direction of aircraft. Laser guidance is a ...

(I, II and III)

laser-guided bomb A laser-guided bomb (LGB) is a guided bomb that uses semi-active laser guidance to strike a designated target with greater accuracy than an unguided bomb. First developed by the United States during the Vietnam War, laser-guided bombs quickly p ...

s. Although gradual retirement of F-4 units started in 2017, a number of aircraft are still operational in multi-role missions with the 338 Squadron ”

Ares Ares (; grc, Ἄρης, ''Árēs'' ) is the Greek god of war and courage. He is one of the Twelve Olympians, and the son of Zeus and Hera. The Greeks were ambivalent towards him. He embodies the physical valor necessary for success in war b ...

” and the 339 Squadron "Ajax” based in Andravida Air Force Base. The F-4E Phantom II PI2000 (AUP) has also been certified for use of

GBU-27 Paveway III The GBU-27 Paveway III (Guided Bomb Unit) is a laser-guided bomb with bunker buster capabilities, it is a GBU-24 Paveway III (fitted on the warhead of the BLU-109 bomb body) that has been redesigned to be used by the F-117A Nighthawk stealth groun ...

laser-guided Laser guidance directs a robotics system to a target position by means of a laser beam. The laser guidance of a robot is accomplished by projecting a laser light, image processing and communication to improve the accuracy of guidance. The key ide ...

bombs. ;F-4E Terminator 2020 Lechfeld Elite 2008 136 (2662886427)

:The latest in a long line of F-4 variants, the Terminators are a batch of

Turkish Air Force The Turkish Air Force ( tr, ) is the aerial warfare service branch of the Turkish Armed Forces. The Turkish Air Force can trace its origins back to June 1911 when it was founded by the Ottoman Empire, however, the air force as it is known t ...

F-4Es, modernized by Israel on the pattern of the Kurnass 2000. They differ from the existing F-4E airframe in a number of key areas, including new attachment fittings to better handle modern weaponry, stronger wing fold ribs, an updated canopy sill bar, and the replacement of some 20 km of wiring (reducing weight by 750 kg) as well as most hydraulic and pneumatic lines and hoses.F-4 Phantom on the "warriorsoul"
, Turkish Armed Forces website, Retrieved: 8 February 2008 A plan to increase the turn-rate and longitudinal stability of the Kurnass/Terminator derivatives through the installation of fuselage strakes over the engine inlets was abandoned after testing, and never saw installation on operational aircraft. :The most radical changes occurred in the avionics department. All 2020s have been fitted with vastly updated suite, including MFDs (multifunction displays) as standard, and incorporating a number of new technologies, such as the new Kaiser El-OP 976 wide-angle

HUD Hud or HUD may refer to: Entertainment * ''Hud'' (1963 film), a 1963 film starring Paul Newman * ''Hud'' (1986 film), a 1986 Norwegian film * ''HUD'' (TV program), or ''Heads Up Daily'', a Canadian e-sports television program Places * Hud, Fa ...

and

HOTAS HOTAS, an acronym of hands on throttle-and-stick, is the concept of placing buttons and switches on the throttle lever and flight control stick in an aircraft's cockpit. By adopting such an arrangement, pilots are capable of performing all vita ...

system, high performance

Elta ELTA may mean one of the following: Broadcasting * ELTA 1 HD, the first commercial HD cable television channel in Bosnia and Herzegovina * ELTA 2, a commercial music television channel in Bosnia and Herzegovina * , a television channel in Taiwan O ...

EL/M-2032 The EL/M-2032 is an advanced pulse Doppler, multimode planar array fire-control radar intended for multi-role fighter aircraft originated from the Lavi project. It is suitable for air-to-air and air-to-surface modes. As of 2009, Elta has integra ...

ISAR The Isar is a river in Tyrol, Austria, and Bavaria, Germany, which is not navigable for watercraft above raft size. Its source is in the Karwendel range of the Alps in Tyrol; it enters Germany near Mittenwald and flows through Bad Tölz, Munic ...

-capable high-resolution SAR/GMTI (ground moving target indicator) multi-mode fire control radar (developed for the

IAI Lavi The IAI Lavi (Hebrew: לביא, "Young Lion") was a single-engined fourth-generation multirole jet fighter developed in Israel, by Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI), during the 1980s. The decision to develop the Lavi was controversial, both with ...

), IAIC mission computer, new navigation equipment including

GPS The Global Positioning System (GPS), originally Navstar GPS, is a Radionavigation-satellite service, satellite-based radionavigation system owned by the United States government and operated by the United States Space Force. It is one of t ...

INS INS or Ins or ''variant'', may refer to: Places * Ins, Switzerland, a municipality * Creech Air Force Base (IATA airport code INS) * Indonesia, ITF and UNDP code INS Biology *'' Ins'', a New World genus of bee flies * INS, the gene for the insul ...

connected to mapping mode, dual MIL-STD-1553B databus managing avionics package, Astronautics Central Air Data Computer, new UHF and IFF packages, airborne video tape recorder (AVTR), Elta EL/L-8222 active ECM pod, Mikes (Aselsan) AN/ALQ-178V3 passive embedded SPEWS, and RWR.Donald and Lake 1996 :Additionally, they received AGM-142 Popeye/Have Nap integration, Litening-II targeting pods, and the capability to launch AGM-65D/G Maverick,

AGM-88 HARM The AGM-88 HARM (High-speed Anti-Radiation Missile) is a tactical, air-to-surface anti-radiation missile designed to home in on electronic transmissions coming from surface-to-air radar systems. It was originally developed by Texas Instruments as ...

, GBU-8 HOBOS, GBU-10/12 Paveway II LGBs, general purpose and

cluster bomb A cluster munition is a form of air-dropped or ground-launched explosive weapon that releases or ejects smaller submunitions. Commonly, this is a cluster bomb that ejects explosive bomblets that are designed to kill personnel and destroy vehicl ...

s for air-to-ground missions, while retaining the capability to launch

AIM-7 Sparrow The AIM-7 Sparrow (Air Intercept Missile) is an American, medium-range semi-active radar homing air-to-air missile operated by the United States Air Force, United States Navy, and United States Marine Corps, as well as other various air forces ...

and

AIM-9 Sidewinder The AIM-9 Sidewinder (where "AIM" stands for "Air Intercept Missile") is a short-range air-to-air missile which entered service with the US Navy in 1956 and subsequently was adopted by the US Air Force in 1964. Since then the Sidewinder has prov ...

air-to-air missiles. It is also possible to install

Pave Spike The Westinghouse AN/ASQ-153\AN/AVQ-23 Pave Spike is an electro-optical laser designator targeting pod used to direct laser-guided bombs to target in daylight, visual conditions. It contained a laser boresighted to a television camera, which disp ...

targeting pods and rocket pods of all sizes. :These upgraded F-4 Phantoms are referred to as the F-4E-2020 Terminator. 54 were modernized and 30+ of them will be in service until at least 2030. They first entered service on 27 January 2000 with deliveries to 111 and 171 Filo.Phantom for Turkey
, J Baugher, May 20, 2000. ;QF-4E :Remote-controlled target

. ;F-4EJ :Two-seat all-weather air defense fighter version of F-4E, initially lacked ground attack capability. Built under licence in

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

, by

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries is a Japanese multinational engineering, electrical equipment and electronics corporation headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. MHI is one of the core companies of the Mitsubishi Group and its automobile division is the predecessor of Mitsubishi Mo ...

for the

Japan Air Self-Defense Force The , , also informally referred to as the Japanese Air Force, is the air and space branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces, responsible for the defense of Japanese airspace, other air and space operations, cyberwarfare and electronic warfa ...

; 140 built (138 by Mitsubishi). ;F-4EJ Kai :Upgraded version of the F-4EJ with improved avionics, including

AN/APG-66 The AN/APG-66 radar is a solid state medium range (up to 150 km) pulse-Doppler planar array radar originally designed by the Westinghouse Electric Corporation (now Northrop Grumman) for use in the F-16 Fighting Falcon. This radar was employ ...

J pulse-doppler radar, and ground attack capability, including

ASM-1 Type 80 Air-to-Ship Missile (80式空対艦誘導弾, ASM-1) is an air-launched anti-ship missile developed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. It entered service with the Japan Air Self-Defense Force in 1980. The major launch platforms for the Type ...

anti-ship missile. ;EF-4EJ :Small number of F-4EJs were converted into ECM training aircraft. ;F-4E(S) :Three

Israel Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...

i F-4E modified for high-speed reconnaissance as a cheaper alternative to the ambitious F-4X. Fitted with a new nose containing the HIAC-1 LOROP long-range camera with a 66-in (168 cm)

focal length The focal length of an optical system is a measure of how strongly the system converges or diverges light; it is the inverse of the system's optical power. A positive focal length indicates that a system converges light, while a negative foca ...

as well as a vertical KS-87 camera. The aircraft had a false radome painted on the nose to resemble conventional F-4Es. The fate and service record of these aircraft is unknown. ;RF-4E McDonnell Douglas RF-4EJ Kai Phantom II, Japan - Air Force AN2185150

McDonnell Douglas RF-4EJ Kai Phantom II, Japan - Air Force AN2185150

:Unarmed reconnaissance version for export only. Retrofitted to carry weapons by most customers. Several

German Air Force The German Air Force (german: Luftwaffe, lit=air weapon or air arm, ) is the aerial warfare branch of the , the armed forces of Germany. The German Air Force (as part of the ''Bundeswehr'') was founded in 1956 during the era of the Cold War a ...

aircraft were modified for

ELINT Signals intelligence (SIGINT) is intelligence-gathering by interception of ''signals'', whether communications between people (communications intelligence—abbreviated to COMINT) or from electronic signals not directly used in communication ( ...

missions under Peace Trout program; 149 built. ;RF-4EJ :Modified Japanese F-4EJ to operate reconnaissance equipment. Unlike RF-4E, M61 Vulcan is mounted in the nose. 15 converted. McDonnell Douglas YF-4E Phantom II USAF

;YF-4E :One of the original YRF-4C prototypes was converted into the YF-4E. The YF-4E was used in the development of the F-4E fighter as well as in

fly-by-wire Fly-by-wire (FBW) is a system that replaces the conventional manual flight controls of an aircraft with an electronic interface. The movements of flight controls are converted to electronic signals transmitted by wires, and flight control co ...

Precision Aircraft Control Technology Precision, precise or precisely may refer to: Science, and technology, and mathematics Mathematics and computing (general) * Accuracy and precision, measurement deviation from true value and its scatter * Significant figures, the number of digi ...

(PACT) and Control Configured Vehicle (CCV) test programs. Three conversions. ;F-4F :F-4E for German Air Force with simplified equipment, no Sparrow capability; 175 built. ;F-4F ICE :(Improved Combat Efficiency) Upgraded F-4F with AN/APG-65 radar and AIM-120 AMRAAM capability. ;TF-4F :German trainer aircraft, with pilot instructor aft station and appropriate controls. ;F-4G :US Navy version, 12 F-4Bs were fitted with the AN/ASW-21 data link digital communications system for automatic carrier landings, one shot down by enemy ground fire, the surviving 11 returned to F-4B configuration.Francillon ''Air International'' July 1994, pp. 17–20. F-4G Phantom II wild weasel

;F-4G Wild Weasel V :F-4E converted to SEAD aircraft for the US Air Force. AN/APQ-120 radar, their cannon replaced by the APR-38 RHAW and later the AN/APR-47, several ECM pods including the ALQ-87, ALQ-101, ALQ-119, ALQ-130, ALQ-131, and the ALQ-140 IR jammer, the ability to carry

AGM-78 Standard The AGM-78 Standard ARM was an anti-radiation missile developed by General Dynamics, United States. It was built on the airframe of the RIM-66 Standard surface-to-air missile, resulting in a very large weapon with considerable range, allowing i ...

, and

anti-radiation missiles. Widely used during the

Operation Provide Comfort Operation Provide Comfort and Provide Comfort II were military operations initiated by the United States and other Coalition nations of the Persian Gulf War, starting in April 1991, to defend Kurdish refugees fleeing their homes in northern ...

, and

Operation Southern Watch Operation Southern Watch was an air-centric military operation conducted by the United States Department of Defense from Summer 1992 to Spring 2003. United States Central Command's Joint Task Force Southwest Asia (JTF-SWA) had the mission of mon ...

; 116 converted initially, with a further 18 F-4E's converted as attrition replacements for a total of 134. ;QF-4G :Remote-controlled target drone. ;F-4H :Designation not used to avoid confusion with the pre-1962 F4H.Francllion 1979, p.568. F-4J VF-21 on cat USS Ranger (CV-61)

;F-4J :Improved F-4B version for US Navy and Marine Corps, with emphasis on air-to-air combat capability improvement, which include: J79-GE-10 engines with 17,844 lbf (79.374 kN) of afterburner thrust each, AN/APG-59 pulse doppler radar coupled with the AN/AWG-10 Fire Control System for look-down shoot-down capability, larger main landing gear wheels resulting in wing bulges similar to F-4C, slatted tailplane, ailerons drooped 16.5° when landing gear and flaps were deployed to decrease the landing speed, zero-zero

ejection seat In aircraft, an ejection seat or ejector seat is a system designed to rescue the aircraft pilot, pilot or other aircrew, crew of an aircraft (usually military) in an emergency. In most designs, the seat is propelled out of the aircraft by an ex ...

s, expanded ground attack capability, no

IRST An infrared search and track (IRST) system (sometimes known as infrared sighting and tracking) is a method for detecting and tracking objects which give off infrared radiation, such as the infrared signatures of jet aircraft and helicopters. IR ...

sensor under the nose; One USN pilot and one USN Naval Flight Officer became aces in F-4Js. First flight May 1966; 522 built. ;F-4J(UK) :Designation of 15 low airtime F-4J aircraft purchased by the

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...

from the US Navy in 1984, upgraded to F-4S standard with some British equipment. Referred to in the UK as F-4J(UK) rather than F.3 to avoid confusion with the Tornado F.3 that was in service at the same time. Used until 1991 by

No. 74 Squadron RAF Number 74 Squadron, also known as "Tiger Squadron" from its tiger-head motif, was a squadron of the Royal Air Force. It operated fighter aircraft from 1917 to the 1990s, and then trainers until its disbandment in 2000. It was the Royal Air Forc ...

only for UK air defense in lieu of Phantoms sent to Falklands. ;DF-4J :One F-4J converted into a drone control aircraft. ;EF-4J :Two F-4Js converted into ECM training aircraft. ;YF-4J :Three F-4Bs were converted into YF-4J prototypes. The YF-4Js were used in the development of the F-4J. ;F-4K :F-4J version for

Fleet Air Arm The Fleet Air Arm (FAA) is one of the five fighting arms of the Royal Navy and is responsible for the delivery of naval air power both from land and at sea. The Fleet Air Arm operates the F-35 Lightning II for maritime strike, the AW159 Wil ...

of the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...

to replace the

De Havilland Sea Vixen The de Havilland DH.110 Sea Vixen is a British twin-engine, twin boom-tailed, two-seat, carrier-based fleet air-defence fighter flown by the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm during the 1950s through to the early 1970s. The Sea Vixen was designed by ...

. Operated as the Phantom FG.1 (Fighter/Ground attack). Folding nose and extending nosewheel leg. Re-engined with the more powerful British

Rolls-Royce Spey The Rolls-Royce Spey (company designations RB.163 and RB.168 and RB.183) is a low-bypass turbofan engine originally designed and manufactured by Rolls-Royce that has been in widespread service for over 40 years. A co-development version of the ...

202

turbofan The turbofan or fanjet is a type of airbreathing jet engine that is widely used in aircraft engine, aircraft propulsion. The word "turbofan" is a portmanteau of "turbine" and "fan": the ''turbo'' portion refers to a gas turbine engine which ac ...

engines which required an enlarged fuselage but gave more power taking off from smaller carriers and was already in use with

Blackburn Buccaneer The Blackburn Buccaneer is a British carrier-capable attack aircraft designed in the 1950s for the Royal Navy (RN). Designed and initially produced by Blackburn Aircraft at Brough, it was later officially known as the Hawker Siddeley Buccanee ...

on RN carriers. Delivered from 1968, with cancellation of planned carriers order cut and 20 diverted to the

before going into service; 50 built. RN aircraft withdrawn by 1978 and passed to RAF. ;YF-4K :Two prototypes, used in the development of the F-4K. ;F-4L :Designation applied to several proposals for an advanced version, including Model 98FOA with RR Spey turbofan engines and

AIM-54 Phoenix The AIM-54 Phoenix is an American radar-guided, long-range air-to-air missile (AAM), carried in clusters of up to six missiles on the Grumman F-14 Tomcat, its only operational launch platform. The Phoenix was the United States' only long-range ...

missiles. ;F-4M :Tactical fighter, ground-attack, and reconnaissance aircraft developed from F-4K for the

, UK designation Phantom FGR.2, ordered after cancellation of the

Hawker Siddeley P.1154 The Hawker Siddeley P.1154 was a planned supersonic vertical/short take-off and landing (V/STOL) fighter aircraft designed by Hawker Siddeley Aviation (HSA). Development originally started under P.1150, which was essentially a larger and fas ...

supersonic V/STOL aircraft. RR Spey turbofan engines; 116 built. Replaced

English Electric Canberra The English Electric Canberra is a British first-generation, jet-powered medium bomber. It was developed by English Electric during the mid- to late 1940s in response to a 1944 Air Ministry requirement for a successor to the wartime de Havil ...

and

Hawker Hunter The Hawker Hunter is a transonic British jet-powered fighter aircraft that was developed by Hawker Aircraft for the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It was designed to take advantage of the newly developed Rolls-R ...

. Replaced in turn by

SEPECAT Jaguar The SEPECAT Jaguar is an Anglo-French jet attack aircraft originally used by the British Royal Air Force and the French Air Force in the close air support and nuclear strike role. It is still in service with the Indian Air Force. Originall ...

in ground-attack mission; replaced

English Electric Lightning The English Electric Lightning is a British fighter aircraft that served as an interceptor during the 1960s, the 1970s and into the late 1980s. It was capable of a top speed of above Mach 2. The Lightning was designed, developed, and manufa ...

in air defense role. ;YF-4M :Two prototypes used in the development of the F-4M. F-4N VMFA-531 CV-43 Apr80

;F-4N :F-4B modernized under project Bee Line, the same aerodynamic improvements as F-4J, smokeless engines. First flight 4 June 1972; 228 converted. ;QF-4N :F-4Ns converted into remote-controlled supersonic target drones. ;F-4S :F-4J modernized with smokeless engines, reinforced airframe, leading-edge slats for improved maneuverability. First flight July 1977; 302 converted. ;QF-4S :F-4S converted into supersonic target drones. ;F-4E/TM Şimşek (Lightning) :F-4E modernised by ASELSAN for the Turkish Air Force, with structural and avionics upgrades. Sixteen upgraded from 2010. ;RF-4E/TM Işık (Light) :RF-4E modernised by ASELSAN for Turkish Air Force, with structural strengthening, improved avionics and a new reconnaissance pod. Eighteen upgraded from 2009.

Proposals

;F4H :Proposed ground attack variants Model 98DA and Model 98DB for US Army to take off from grass field/forward air base powered by Allison Spey (AR-168), modified from F4H-1; none built. ;F-4E(F) :Proposed single-seat simplified version of F-4E for the German Air Force; none built. ;F-4L :Proposed

capable advanced Phantom variant (Model 98FOA) offered to the US Navy in 1963/64 as a replacement for the

F-8 Crusader The Vought F-8 Crusader (originally F8U) is a single-engine, supersonic, carrier-based air superiority jet aircraft built by Vought for the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps (replacing the Vought F7U Cutlass), and for the Frenc ...

in the fleet defense role The F-4L had an increased wingspan and powered by

Allison TF41 The Allison TF41 (Company designations RB.168-62 and Model 912) is a low-bypass turbofan engine. Design and development The TF41 was jointly developed by Allison Engine Company and Rolls-Royce from the latter's RB.168-25R Spey. Allison manufac ...

-A-2 turbofans for quicker acceleration taking off

Essex class The ''Essex'' class was a class of aircraft carriers of the United States Navy. The 20th century's most numerous class of capital ship, the class consisted of 24 vessels, which came in "short-hull" and "long-hull" versions. Thirty-two ships we ...

carriers. ;RF-4M :Proposed, dedicated reconnaissance variant of the F-4M for the RAF; intention to fit equipment internally rather than through carriage of external reconnaissance pod. Not proceeded with. ;F-4T :Proposed lightweight air superiority-only fighter version; none built. ;F-4 (FVS) :Proposed version with airframe modified by

Grumman The Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation, later Grumman Aerospace Corporation, was a 20th century American producer of military and civilian aircraft. Founded on December 6, 1929, by Leroy Grumman and his business partners, it merged in 1994 ...

to use variable geometry wings; none built. ;F-4X :Proposed high-performance reconnaissance version with HIAC-1 LOROP camera for Israel developed under the Peace Jack program in conjunction with General Dynamics. Water injection was projected to give the aircraft a top speed in excess of Mach 3 (over 2,000 mph (3,200 km/h) at high altitudes). The water would be contained in a pair of 2,500 US gal (9,600 L) conformal tanks on the sides of the fuselage spine. The US State Department became worried about developing an aircraft with performance similar to the

SR-71 Blackbird The Lockheed SR-71 "Blackbird" is a long-range, high-altitude, Mach 3+ strategic reconnaissance aircraft developed and manufactured by the American aerospace company Lockheed Corporation. It was operated by the United States Air Force ...

and offensive capability beyond anything in domestic inventory for a foreign customer and forbade its export. The proposal was then modified to the RF-4X standard with the camera in the nose and removal of weapon carriage. However, the US Air Force withdrew from the project over concerns that a high-performance Phantom would jeopardize funding for the anticipated

McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle The McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle is an American twin-engine, all-weather tactical fighter aircraft designed by McDonnell Douglas (now part of Boeing). Following reviews of proposals, the United States Air Force selected McDonnell Douglas's ...

. Without United States financial support, Israel settled for the simpler, less expensive F-4E(S), which was given the nickname 'Shablool', or 'Snail'.Miller 1985, pp.19-25. ;Boeing Super Phantom :A 1984 joint venture between Boeing and Pratt & Whitney for a Phantom variant with Pratt & Whitney PW1120

engines, giving a significant performance gain over J79 Phantoms. The aircraft would also have an 1,100 US gal (4,230 L) conformal fuel tank under the fuselage.Spick 1985, pp. 289-90. Cancelled early in development. ;IAI Super Phantom :A separate

Israel Aircraft Industries Israel Aerospace Industries (Hebrew: התעשייה האווירית לישראל ''ha-ta'asiya ha-avirit le-yisra'el'') or IAI (תע"א) is Israel's major aerospace and aviation manufacturer, producing aerial and astronautic systems for both mi ...

project was proposed for a PW1120-powered Phantom,Spick 1985, pp. 290-291. and one prototype built. IAI's F-4 "Super Phantom" or F-4-2000, which could exceed Mach 1 without afterburners, was displayed at the 1987 Paris Air Show.

References

Notes

Citations

Bibliography

* Baugher,
"McDonnell F-4 Phantom II"
American Military Aircraft * Donald, David and Lake Jon, eds. ''Encyclopedia of World Military Aircraft''. London: AIRtime Publishing, 1996. . * Dorr, Robert J. and Donald, David. ''Fighters of the United States Air Force''. London:Temple Press/Aerospace, 1990, . * Dorr, Robert F. ''Phantoms Forever''. London: Osprey Publishing Limited, 1987. * Eden, Paul ed. ''The Encyclopedia of Modern Military Aircraft''. London: Amber Books Ltd, 2004. * Francillon, René J. ''McDonnell Douglas Aircraft since 1920''. London:Putnam, 1979. . * Francillon, René J. ""Wild Weasel Phantoms". ''

Air International ''AIR International'' is a British aviation magazine covering current defence aerospace and civil aviation topics. It has been in publication since 1971 and is currently published by Key Publishing Ltd. History and profile The magazine was fir ...

'', July 1994, Volume 47 No 1. Stamford, UK: Key Publishing. pp. 15–21. * Mevlutoglu, Arda. "Anatolian Phantoms". ''

'', January 2011, Volume 80, No. 1. pp. 40–45. . * Miller, Jay. "Peace Jack: An Enigma Exposed". ''

'', July 1985, Volume 29, No. 1. Bromley, UK: Fine Scroll. pp. 18–23. * Spick, Mike. "2001 Phantom Odyssey". ''Air International''. December 1985, Volume 29, No. 6.Bromley, UK: Fine Scroll. pp. 287–292. * Sweetman, Bill and Bonds, Ray. ''The Great Book of Modern Warplanes''. New York, New York: Crown Publishers, 1987. {{ISBN, 0-517-63367-1

Variants Variant may refer to: In arts and entertainment * ''Variant'' (magazine), a former British cultural magazine * Variant cover, an issue of comic books with varying cover art * ''Variant'' (novel), a novel by Robison Wells * " The Variant", 2021 e ...

McDonnell Douglas F-004 Phantom II