The F-4 Phantom and F-4 G Wild Weasel: Third Generation Fighters

One of the best fighter bombers of the day, the F-4 Phantom offered power and excellent weapons delivery that made it suitable for attacking surface to air missiles (SAM) in wild weasel missions.

F-4 Phantom: Big bruiser with power to spare

In October 1967, the Air Force received the first Phantom. The first F-4E was delivered to the Air National Guard in 1985 and the Air Force Reserve in 1987. This model has an internal mounted 20mm gun with an updated fire-control system, an extra fuselage fuel tank, leading-edge slats for increased agility, and an enhanced power plant, reported Fas Org.

The first Phantoms had no guns, only missiles corrected by teaching dogfighting techniques and arming it with a 20-mm cannon that made it a formidable fighter. Pilots of these planes used their inherent advantages to score many MiG kills over the skies of Vietnam.

Target-identification technologies were built-in on F-4Es beginning in 1973 for long-range visual identification of aerial or surface targets. The system is composed of a television camera with a zoom lens to aid in positive recognition, a Pave Tack system which provided day and night all-weather capability to acquire, track, and identify ground targets for laser, infrared, and electro-opaque aiming.

Adding a digital intercept computer with launch computations for all AIM-9 Sidewinder and AIM-7 Sparrow air-to-air missiles was included. A new optical ARN-101 navigation system succeeded the LN-12 inertial navigation system on F-4E/G models.

The F-4 Phantom mission was modified to specialize in suppressing adversary air defense as modern, more capable military equipment was introduced, noted Air Force Technology.

F-4G Phantoms belonging to the Idaho Air National Guard's 190th Fighter Squadron retired to the "boneyard," at Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz., after just a 90-day assignment assisting Operation Provide Comfort on December 15, 1995.

F-4G Wild Weasel

This operation was one of the most crucial missions in taking out air defenses that might hinder air superiority, and the Phantom Wild Weasel was good in its job of destroying SAMS in enemy territory.

It was one of the planes given the role of increasing the longevity of tactical strike forces by seeking out and disabling or destroying enemy radar-directed anti-aircraft air defenses and surface-to-air missiles (SAMS) until the F-16CJ/DJ succeeded it.

These F-4Gs were E models equipped with advanced electronic warfare systems installed instead of a gun in its nose for dogfighting. The F-4G could carry additional weapons and a wider variety of missiles than previous Wild Weasels, as well as conventional bombs. It used the ECM to fool the radars and destroy them.

One primary weapon is the AGM-88 HARM (high-speed anti-radiation missile) to take out enemy radars; chances of getting shot down were great for these missions. Other carried munitions are cluster bombs, and AIM-65 Maverick, and air-to-air missiles, mentioned US Airforce.

One way to defend against enemy interceptors is the sparse supply of air-to-air missiles, with some air support and the danger that included infantry and ground fire.

The F-4 Phantom G 'Wild Weasel got the E-variant's best features like early information links to the missiles. Both the F-4G hunter and F-16C were influential in many anti-radar defense missions.