F-4 Phantom II
IOC: 1961
Total Production: 5,195
F-4E Phantom II
IOC: 1967
Production: 1,500
Unitary Cost: USD$18.0 million
Also Known As
F-4B Phantom
F-4C
F-4D
F-4EJ
F-4F
F-4G Wild Weasel
F-4H Phantom II
F-4J
F-4K
F-4M
F-4N
F-4S
Kurnass 2000
QF-4N
RF-4B
RF-4C
RF-4E
Origin
United States of America
Contractor/s
Boeing
Air-to-Air Missiles:
AIM-120A AMRAAM (4)
AIM-7M Sparrow (4)
AIM-7P Sparrow (4)
AIM-9M Sidewinder (4)
Guided Missiles:
AGM-45A Shrike (4)
AGM-65A Maverick (6)
AGM-88A HARM (4)
Sensors & Communications:
AN/ALR-46
AN/ALR-69
AN/APG-65
AN/APG-66
Guns & Missile Launchers:
M61A1
Protection Systems:
AN/ALQ-126B
AN/ALQ-131
AN/ALQ-184
AN/ALR-66B
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Description:
F-4 Phantom II is a twin-engine, all weather, tandem twin-seat, heavy fighter-bomber developed to meet the requirements of the United States Navy. The initial model/prototype rolled out in the mid-1950s as the F-4H Phantom II. In 1961 the F-4B Phantom II fleet air defense fighter achieved Initial Operational Capability (IOC) with the US Navy. F-4s are powered by two General Electric J79 engines rated at 17,900 pounds of thrust each with afterburning allowing to achieve Mach 2.4 top speed. F-4s purchased by the United Kingdom were powered by Spey in lieu of J79. Despite its air defense primary role, they may be equipped with both air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons.
In the early 1960s, the United States Air Force (USAF) ordered the F-4 aircraft with the F-4C as the first model which was followed by F-4D, F-4E and F-4G. The F-4G, an F-4E derivative, was designed for Suppression of Enemy Air Defense (SEAD) role and was known as the F-4G Wild Weasel. Wild Weasels were deployed successfully during the Gulf War in 1991. The US Marine Corps also ordered the F-4 aircraft in the following models: F-4J, F-4N and F-4S. F-4E was the most capable variant equipped with APQ-120 radar and a 20mm M61A1 internal cannon. Several upgrade programs have replaced APQ-120 by APG-65, -66 or -76. F-4s were widely deployed during the Vietnam.
All in, McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) built more than 5,000 F-4s for the United States Armed Forces and many international customers. Japan built under license the F-4EJ variant and Israel purchased the F-4E which was upgraded to Kurnass 2000 to continuing operating in the 21st century. RF-4 aircraft were modified existing F-4 models to conduct reconnaissance flights. German F-4F is equipped with the AMRAAM missile. QF-4N is an unmanned variant utilized as flying target. In 1996 the United States retired its last F-4/G aircraft. Currently, export customers are the only operators for the aircraft type.
Specifications
Accommodation: Crew 2
Guns: Main Gun Caliber 20 mm
Dimensions: Height 5 m, Length 19.1 m, Wingspan 11.8 m
Weights: Max Weight 28,000 kg (61,728 lb), Min Weight 13,800 kg (30,423 lb), Payload 7,257 kg (15,999 lb)
Engine/s Performance: Thrust 35,800 lb (16,239 kg)
Performance: Ceiling 18,000 m (59,055 ft), Max Range 2,000 km (1,080 nm), Top Speed 664 mps (Mach 2)
Other: Number of Engines 2
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Australia / 
Egypt
Germany
Greece
Iran
Israel
Japan
South Korea
Spain
Turkey
United Kingdom / 
United States of America / 4,138 / 