|| Home | Links | Contact | Copyright | Chat ||

F-4 Phantom II

The F-4 Phantom developed by McDonnell Corporation enter service in 1961. It was one of the most extensivel used fighters in the South Asian war fought by America and her allies. The F-4 was initially developed in two versions. One for the USAF and the other for the US Navy for carrier based operations. Within two years of its induction, the F-4C Phantom II made its first flight.With improved payload and advancements in avionics. The F-4 was truly a multi role fighter. It carried out reconnaissance, air-to-air combat, bombing and electronic warfare in the 1990s. TheThe F-4 was also exported to many countries including UK, Israel, S. Korea, and others.

Initially the F-4 suffered losses in Vietnam because of the lack of an onboard cannon. This was because experts at that time thought that the days of the Dogfight. This was because of the extensive improvement in guided missile technology. The F-4 initially carried only AIM-9M Sidewinder and AIM-7 Sparrow. This made them a very good target for Soviet made MiG-17 and other fighters used by the North Vietnamese Air Force. Though the MiG-17s were not as advanced as the F-4s but they were good dog fighters with cannons.

In 1967 an improved version of the F-4, the F-4E was delivered to the USAF. The F-4E had increased maneuverability, additional fuel tanks and an internal 20mm multi barrel gatling gun.

A few years later, the F-4E was fitted with a target identification system. This is basicall a TV camera with a very high zoom capability. This allowed in the identification of air and ground targets at a long range. The F-4Es also had newer weapons guidance system and also better onboard navigation system. This increased the capability of the F-4 to a great extent.

Technical Specifications
Engines	Two GE Turbojet engines with after burners and 8,055 Kg thrust.
Contractor	McDonnel Corporation
Length	19.1m
Wingspan	11.8m
Top Speed	1,600 mph (Mach 2)
Ceiling	18,182m
Max Takeoff weight	27,900Kg
Range	1300 miles,2,092 km
Weapons	Air-to-Air : 4 - AIM-7 Sparrow AAMs and 4 - AIM-9M Sidewinder AAMs Air-to-Ground : AGM-65 Maverick missile, AGM-88 Harm missile, Bomb racks on fuselage and four pylons.
Bomb Payload	5,625 Kg
Radar	Huges APQ-120 Fire Control Radar
Target Identification	Northrop ASX-1 TISEO
Navigation	ASN-63 Inertial Navigation System
Radar Warning Reciever	APR-36
Electronic Counter Measure	Westinghouse ALQ-101, ALQ-119, ALQ-130, ALQ-131 ECM pods
Countermeasures	Sanders ALQ-140 IR countermeasure
Crew	2 (Pilot and Electronic Warfare Officer)