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Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 7,989

So here's an idea I randomly had for a thread that I thought might be interesting as the intent is to pull the collective knowledge of those on the forum, at least based on what people have seen in photos (or in person) and/or read from a reliable source. This isn't an X vs Y thread so hopefully the bickering and nationalistic crap so often seen on this forum won't be present. In any case, as most of us are aware the F-4 Phantom is still flying in six different air forces around the globe as an operational combat aircraft. It remains active in the United States as a test aircraft, target tower, and drone. For those air forces that still utilize the aircraft in a combat role (recce variants certainly included), I thought it might be interesting to see what all we could gather is utilized on the aircraft by its various users today. For example, in Greece, the F-4E AUP's are fitted with the AIM-120 AMRAAM. Well..what else are they carrying? Bombs? Rockets? AGM's? ECM pods? External tanks? (I mention this because some nations utilize the F-15-style centerline tank while others do not)

I realize the chances of the thread taking off are slim, but I thought I'd give it a shot in the interest of variety and I figured people could come up with some interesting photos and stuff. If you claim something at least mention where you got the information (photos and/or book, magazine, etc.) If you have a photo then please by all means share it! Let's see what we can come up with. I'll start off...

Greece (Hellenic Air Force)

Variants still in service - F-4E (AUP), RF-4E

Stores - AIM-120B (A?) AMRAAM (based on photographs and widely disseminated information on the Peace Icarus upgrade...I admit i don't know for sure its the AIM-120B, but I thought I remembered reading that variant was the one utilized on the jet)
GBU-24 Paveway III (photos)
Litening II (III?) targeting pod
AIM-9L/P (M?) Sidewinder (photos)
Mk-82 500-lb. GP bomb (photos)
DWS 39 gliding bomblet dispenser
AGM-65B (D/G?) Maverick

F-4E AUP with Mk-82's & Litening II (III?)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c5/McDonnell-Douglas_F-4E_(AUP)_Phantom_II_339%C2%BA_Mira_Hellenic_Air_Force.jpg

F-4E AUP with external tanks, AIM-120B (A?), and AIM-9Ps
http://www.airpics.net/UserFiles/pics/medium/71759-McDonnell-Douglas-F-4E-AUP-Phantom-II-Hellenic-Air-Force/16200/16180m.jpg

F-4E AUP with Litening, DWS 39, AGM-65B, and a Paveway II(?)
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8231/8390422396_e1f5bf6a53_z.jpg

Original post

Member for

16 years 10 months

Posts: 806

Yes, PhantomII & Msphere... when you say 'Greece'... it means also .. Turkish ;
................................................a recent Turkish accident ; http://www.janes.com/article/27824/turkish-phantom-lost-in-accident

and most probably still in service in (wikipedia);
Egypt, Greece, Iran ,Israel , Japan, South Korea , Spain(?), and Turkey ...
(thus.... not really correct !, please tell us..)

...........friendly, Etienne

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 4,202

Israel no
Spain no
Egypt - kind of

Member for

16 years 10 months

Posts: 806

thanks for the info, Seahawk...

what do you mean for Egypt ?

for wikipedia /updated 22 oct 2013/ :

Two squadrons of F-4s are still in service with the 222nd Regiment.[9]

Units[edit]

Egyptian Air Force
222nd TFB (Wing) (Cairo West airport)

friendly, Etienne

(the full URL :http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McDonnell_Douglas_F-4_Phantom_II_non-U.S._operators )

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 657

Spain retired F-4C´s in 1989 and RF-4C´s in 2002.

Member for

14 years 1 month

Posts: 8,850

A rather well known pic of IRIAF F-4E with SM1-MR missile (also used on Babr class frigates)
[ATTACH=CONFIG]222435[/ATTACH]

Attachments

Member for

14 years 1 month

Posts: 8,850

Other Iranian weapons include:

AGM-379-20 Zoobin air-launched PGM
ASRE-67 LGB
GBU-67-9A Qadr air-launched precision guided munition
GBU-78/A Ghassed guided bomb
Ghassed-3 EO-homing glide bomb
Kowthar anti-ship missile
KITE-2000 glide bomb
YJ-81/C-801K Noor AShM
Yasser air-to-ground missile
Zoobin TV-guided air-to-ground missile
Sattar-2 and Sattar-3 laser guided bomb
TLS-99 rocket launcher

Member for

16 years 6 months

Posts: 115

turkish F4-2020 with SOM missiles
http://i.imgur.com/ITN982H.png
http://i.imgur.com/vJG45RF.jpg

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 7,989

Not a bad start!

Just to clarify for anyone who's not sure, the following are the types of F-4's still operational along with their operators.

Greece: F-4E AUP, RF-4E
Turkey: F-4E 2020, F-4ETM Simsek, RF-4ETM Isik
Iran: F-4D, F-4E, RF-4E
Egypt: F-4E
Japan: F-4EJ Kai, RF-4E, RF-4EJ Kai
South Korea: F-4E, RF-4C

If anyone has any corrections feel free to share them...

Oh, and those they aren't operational in a combat role, the United States operates both the QF-4E and QRF-4C as drones, banner towing aircraft, and test aircraft.

I noticed in that THK photo, the second aircraft is carrying what appear to be AGM-65B's while the third aircraft has AIM-9L's (M?).

MSphere,

Can you clarify if any of those Iranian weapons are based on a foreign weapon of some sort? I'm assuming most of them are. (Obviously the YJ-81's are already Chinese made, but the "indigenous" stuff is more what I'm asking about...I've heard of some of it, but if you have any information feel free to share.)

EDIT: I came across the following link..seems to explain a few of the Iranian made weapons that MSphere mentioned. Interestingly however it refers to the TLS-99 as a laser designator pod similar to the French ATLIS II as opposed to a rocket pod.

http://thearkenstone.blogspot.com/2011/06/irans-indigenous-precision-guided.html

Member for

16 years 6 months

Posts: 115

http://i.imgur.com/Sv8VnkQ.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/NIPCh7K.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/oC1gCLQ.jpg

Member for

16 years 6 months

Posts: 115

http://i.imgur.com/wj1BKIk.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/CYKgY3V.jpg

Member for

16 years 6 months

Posts: 115

http://i.imgur.com/nfM0kU6.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/qFeL4Nz.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/grIIDqE.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/K5x8OhS.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/OfF5Nb1.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/ufup2A6.jpg

i have some RoKAF pics,but these are older pictures,if you like i can share them

Member for

14 years 1 month

Posts: 8,850


MSphere,

Can you clarify if any of those Iranian weapons are based on a foreign weapon of some sort? I'm assuming most of them are. (Obviously the YJ-81's are already Chinese made, but the "indigenous" stuff is more what I'm asking about...I've heard of some of it, but if you have any information feel free to share.)

EDIT: I came across the following link..seems to explain a few of the Iranian made weapons that MSphere mentioned. Interestingly however it refers to the TLS-99 as a laser designator pod similar to the French ATLIS II as opposed to a rocket pod.

http://thearkenstone.blogspot.com/2011/06/irans-indigenous-precision-guided.html


Sorry, my bad, I was a bit lost in online translation. Yes, TLS-99 is a designator pod.
As for the rest, I will try to find time in the evening to share some views.

Member for

14 years 2 months

Posts: 694

So here's an idea I randomly had for a thread that I thought might be interesting as the intent is to pull the collective knowledge of those on the forum, at least based on what people have seen in photos (or in person) and/or read from a reliable source. This isn't an X vs Y thread so hopefully the bickering and nationalistic crap so often seen on this forum won't be present. In any case, as most of us are aware the F-4 Phantom is still flying in six different air forces around the globe as an operational combat aircraft. It remains active in the United States as a test aircraft, target tower, and drone. For those air forces that still utilize the aircraft in a combat role (recce variants certainly included), I thought it might be interesting to see what all we could gather is utilized on the aircraft by its various users today. For example, in Greece, the F-4E AUP's are fitted with the AIM-120 AMRAAM. Well..what else are they carrying? Bombs? Rockets? AGM's? ECM pods? External tanks? (I mention this because some nations utilize the F-15-style centerline tank while others do not)

I realize the chances of the thread taking off are slim, but I thought I'd give it a shot in the interest of variety and I figured people could come up with some interesting photos and stuff. If you claim something at least mention where you got the information (photos and/or book, magazine, etc.) If you have a photo then please by all means share it! Let's see what we can come up with. I'll start off...

Greece (Hellenic Air Force)

Variants still in service - F-4E (AUP), RF-4E

Stores - AIM-120B (A?) AMRAAM (based on photographs and widely disseminated information on the Peace Icarus upgrade...I admit i don't know for sure its the AIM-120B, but I thought I remembered reading that variant was the one utilized on the jet)
GBU-24 Paveway III (photos)
Litening II (III?) targeting pod
AIM-9L/P (M?) Sidewinder (photos)
Mk-82 500-lb. GP bomb (photos)
DWS 39 gliding bomblet dispenser
AGM-65B (D/G?) Maverick

The litening pod is also used in air-to-air combat.
Armed with AIM-9Ls.
No AIM-9Ms in Greek inventory.
AIM-9Ps only used to simulate weight, drag.
Centerline tank never used in peacetime.

Member for

10 years 11 months

Posts: 2,040

how about we divide down which AFs are using them as bomb trucks and which as interceptors/fighters?

im guessing

A2A:
Germany
Greece
Egypt
Iran

A2G:
Turkey
Japan
Iran

Recon:
Germany
Greece

Member for

14 years 2 months

Posts: 694

how about we divide down which AFs are using them as bomb trucks and which as interceptors/fighters?

im guessing

A2A:
Germany
Greece
Egypt
Iran

A2G:
Turkey
Japan
Iran

Recon:
Germany
Greece

We also use F-4s as A2G platforms; one of the sqns is dedicated to that with AFDS dispensers, AGM-65s, paveways an iron bombs. There are plenty of spares around, so despite their age they will probably stay with us for a while.