THE 456th FIGHTER INTERCEPTOR SQUADRON

THE PROTECTORS OF  S. A. C.

 

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The  RF-4 Recon "Phantom"

 

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RF-4C

The RF-4 was an unarmed photographic reconnaissance version of the USAF's F-4C which carried a variety of film-based and side-looking radar [SLAR] sensors for the Air Force [RF-4C] and the Marine Corps [RF-4B].

In February 1963 the Marine Corps agreed to acquire the first 9 of what would eventually amount to a fleet of 46 RF-4Bs, a photographic reconnaissance version of the basic F-4 Phantom. The RF-4B was generally similar to the more numerous Air Force RF-4C, with a lengthened nose designed for reconnaissance applications. Three separate camera bays in the nose were designated Stations 1, 2, and 3, and carried a variety of cameras, which unlike the cameras of the RF-4Cs were on rotating mounts so they could be aimed at targets off the flight path.

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RF-4C

The film could be developed in flight, with film cassettes ejected at low altitude to facilitate rapid processing and exploitation. The RF-4B also carried an AN/APQ-102 [subsequently replaced by the AN/APD-10B SLAR] reconnaissance SLAR antenna faired into the lower fuselage sides. The AN/AAD-4 infrared reconnaissance system was fitted in the fuselage just behind the SLAR.

Marine Corps RF-4B aircraft were retired in August of 1990, coinciding with the outset of the Gulf War, a move that was subsequently judged ill-timed by many.

The Air Force RF-4C was an unarmed photographic reconnaissance aircraft, with a longer more pointed nose than the standard F-4, accommodating three camera stations:

The RF-4C was equipped with an ejectable film cassette system, which subsequently proved impractical in field use. Initially the RF-4C carried a Goodyear AN/APQ-102 side-looking mapping radar antennae on either side of the lower nose aft of the camera, which on some aircraft was later replaced by the AN/APD-10 with a podded extended range antenna.  

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RF-4C

The first production RF-4Cs entered service in September 1964, and the last of 503 production RF-4C was delivered in December 1973. In 1988 the Air Force decided to replace the aging RF-4C Phantom fleet with RF-16s, which would carry an ATARS centerline pod carrying various sensors, including an electro-optical system to transmit images via digital data link to a ground station. The RF-4C remained in service at the time of the Gulf War with the Alabama Air National Guard, with the last RF-4C leaving service in 1994.

Late in the afternoon of January 27, 1991, only ten days after the war between Iraq and the Allied Coalition Forces began, aircrews of the 192nd Reconnaissance Squadron, 152nd Reconnaissance Group, Nevada Air National Guard, were called upon to fly north to Kuwait. Their mission was to take pictures of open oil manifolds which were draining crude oil into the Persian Gulf at the order of Saddam Hussein. Equipped with special sensors which provide highly detailed photographs from long distances, the two RF-4 aircraft from the 192nd took off from Sheik Isa Air Base, Bahrain, without fighter escorts. Relying only on their speed and the skills of the aircrews, the "Phantoms" had to enter enemy territory alone and unarmed. The target area was a 40 Kilometer strip of heavily defended coastline adjacent to Kuwait City. Arriving in the target area, the flight leader determined that due to the heavy smoke cover from burning oil wells, the planned high altitude photo run would not work. To obtain usable photos of the area, the flight would have to approach the target area parallel to the coast and below the smoke cover. As the RF-4s approached the objective, they were fired on by anti-aircraft artillery and surface-to-air missiles. Low visibility required the flight to make another pass at the target to insure adequate coverage. Clear photographs were obtained by both aircraft which were forwarded the same night to U.S. Central Command. The following day, these photos were used by Allied fighter-bombers to attack the oil manifolds and stop the flow of crude oil into the Persian Gulf. During the Persian Gulf War, the "High Rollers" of the 192nd Reconnaissance Squadron added to its record of service in four wars and carried on the Air National Guard's proud tradition of service to the nation. 

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The Japan Air Self-Defense Force received 154 Japanese F-4EJ Phantoms including the final Phantom built worldwide. All Japanese F-4EJs are optimized for the air defense role and used to equip six interceptor squadrons. In total 96 F-4EJs have been upgraded to the F-4EJ "Kai" (new) standard and will serve the JASDF well into the next millennium. Fourteen unarmed reconnaissance versions of the F-4EJ were built by McDonnell and delivered to the JASDF between November 1974 and June 1975. They were designated RF-4EJ. They were virtually identical to the USAF RF-4C, with the only differences being the deletion of certain equipment such as the radar homing and warning suite. This was later boosted with 17 F-4EJs converted to reconnaissance Phantom as RF-4EJ-Kai. The JASDF upgraded 11 of its RF-4Es to RF-4E Kai standards. The modifications included the replacement of the AN/APQ-99 radar by an AN/APQ-172 unit with digital image processing. The J/APR-2 RWR was replaced by J/APr-5. Seventeen of the remaining 29 F-4EJs that were not scheduled to be converted to F-4EJ Kai status were to be converted to the reconnaissance role under the designation RF-4EJ, with the remaining 12 to be retired. At least nine F-4EJs have been converted to RF-4EJ standards. These aircraft differ from the RF-4E/RF-4E Kai in not having any internal reconnaissance equipment. However they can carry three types of sensor pods -- the TACER (an electronic reconnaissance pod with datalink), the TAC (carrying KS-135A and KS-95B cameras, plus a D-500UR IR system) and the LOROP (with KS-146B camera).

Sources and Methods

 

 

McDonnell Douglas RF-4 Phantom II

 

The reconnaissance version of the Phantom II was first flown as the YRF-4C on August 8th 1963 and entered production in May 1964 as the RF-4C. The new aircraft had all its bomb and missile delivery systems removed and its nose lengthened to accommodate a new radar. Extensive modifications were also made to the avionics suite and the plane can be fitted with a comprehensive array of alternative camera fittings. The RF-4C served in Vietnam from 1965 onwards has also been supplied to Germany, Australia, Iran, Japan, Spain, Greece, Turkey and South Korea.

When Israel was finally permitted to purchase the F-4E Phantom in 1968, it lost no time in also ordering six photo reconnaissance RF-4Es, an export version of the RF-4C with a reduced electronic fit. The RF-4Es however, did not arrive in Israel until February 1971, and the earliest Phantom reconnaissance missions were flown by regular F-4s. Even when the first RF-4s arrived, these were not the RF-4Es but rather a pair of RF-4Cs loaned to Israel under operation "Night Light". These were in service between August 1970 and March 1971 and were retired with the arrival of the RF-4Es. Upon its arrival, the RF-4E replaced the Dassault Mirage in the reconnaissance role, carrying a far more sophisticated suite of cameras than the Mirage. Unlike other RF-4Es that were unarmed, the IAF insisted that it's photo reconnaissance Phantoms carry the AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles.

The RF-4s were quickly pressed into service and proved their worth immediately, flying increasingly bold missions beyond Israel's borders. While most flights were conducted by a single aircraft, certain missions were flown by two or three aircraft simultaneously in order to get the maximum return on the undertaking while also swamping enemy defenses. The earliest missions, during the early 1970s, were conducted to monitor Egypt's and Syria's dense air defenses. These air defenses were so lethal that RF-4E over flights would be flown at 1,100km/h at such low heights that the major hazards were bird strikes and fishing boat masts. Arab air defenses would eventually become too dangerous and the IAF ceased RF-4 flights over the Suez Canal region in late 1970 and over the Syrian Golan in the summer of 1972. Furthermore, despite losing a number of aircraft, Arab air forces became more and more aggressive in challenging the reconnaissance sorties and infiltrations of enemy air space became very rare during the 1970s. An RF-4E reconnaissance flight over Syria was the probable cause of a large air battle which took place on September 13th 1973 and resulted in the downing of 12 Syrian MiGs for the loss of a single Israeli Mirage.

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Artist's impression of 69th "Hammers" squadron RF-4E

The lack of timely intelligence was a costly hindrance to IAF operations during the Yom-Kippur War of 1973 and six more RF-4Es were procured after the war. Sometime in 1971 or 1972 the USA finally agreed to sell Israel its KA-90 HIAC-1 Long Range Oblique Photography (LOROP) camera, carried within the G-139 pod. These giant pods however, greatly reduced the RF-4E's performance and an internal camera installation was sought. Subsequently, During the early 1970s General Dynamics together with the USAF and IAF greatly advanced the reconnaissance Phantom formula in the 'Peace Jack' program. Three IAF F-4Es were modified to carry a smaller HIAC-1 camera inside a lengthened Phantom nose and also featured modified engine inlets and other modifications for enhanced performance. Known as the F-4E(S) (S=special), F-4X or RF-4X, the first of these aircraft was delivered sometime in late 1975.

Israeli RF-4s were also fitted with an in-flight refueling probe for use with the IAF's tanker fleet. Although there is no definite knowledge of long range missions, the reconnaissance Phantoms have probably undertaken a great many such missions. Reconnaissance missions might have taken place some time before the June 7th 1981 raid on the Iraqi Osirak nuclear plant in Baghdad, one apparently having taken place in October 1980. Similar missions might have also been flown before the October 1st 1985 raid on the PLO headquarters in Tunis, as well as in search of Iraqi Scud missiles and warheads. In a reported 1982 mission, two Iraqi MiG-21s attempted to intercept two RF-4s en route to photograph H-3 airfield. One of the MiGs crashed from fuel starvation and one of the RF-4s has carried an Iraqi kill marking ever since. The RF-4 pilot might have also received a citation for the 'downing' of the Iraqi MiG.
Although no concrete information exists, there are reports of at least four RF-4s having fallen in the line of duty. Reliable sources claim the loss of only a single reconnaissance Phantom, RF-4E '194' brought down by a Syrian SAM in 1974. The aircraft navigator / WSO (Weapons System Officer) was supposedly killed, while the pilot managed to eject at a record Mach 1.7 and 48,000ft. Other reports are of RF-4 '198' being shot down over the Nile Delta on November 9th 1973, and an Iraqi claim of an RF-4 shot down while photographing ballistic missile facilities near Mosul in 1986. An F-4E(S) or RF-4E is rumored to have been shot down by a Syrian SAM over Lebanon on July 24th 1982. Because of the sensitive nature of the aircraft's avionics the IAF mounted a raid to destroy the downed plane. The attacking aircraft arrived in time to catch a group of Soviet nationals going through the wreckage, but the attack was pressed home regardless, killing 11 of them. Over the years, Egypt and Syria have also made various other claims of RF-4 kills.

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119th "Bat" squadron RF-4E (top) and F-4E(S) (bottom)

The RF-4s are still the mainstay of Israel's tactical and strategic reconnaissance, as they have been for the last 30 years. Israeli RF-4s have been distributed among the various F-4 Phantom II squadrons, although the 119th "Atalef" (Bat) squadron has been especially noted for operation the reconnaissance Phantoms. Over the years the IAF has upgraded and modified the aircraft's original reconnaissance systems with Israeli-produced apparatus. Some RF-4s may have also been fitted for synthetic aperture radar mapping and an infra-red line scan (IRLS) capacity to augment the optical reconnaissance systems.

 

Specification: McDonnell Douglas RF-4E Phantom II
Type: two seat reconnaissance aircraft.
Powerplant: two General Electric J79-GE-17A afterburning turbojets.
Performance: max speed - mach 2.25 at 40,000 ft, rate of climb - 49,800 ft per minute, service ceiling - 62,250 ft, un-refueled combat radius - 958 km.
Weights: empty - 13397 kg, maximum takeoff - 27964 kg.
Dimensions: span - 11.71 m, length - 19.20 m, height - 5.03 m.
Armament: AIM-9 Sidewinders.

 

This section is based mainly on an article from "Air International" January 1999, but also on various Israeli publictions, most notably the IAF magazine, volumes 171 and 220, and "50 years of Air Superiority" by Danny Shalom.

 

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The RF-4C Phantom II

Air War College converted text/photo from Nov 1996 Defense Image Digest CD-ROM
 

SERVICE:

U. S. Air Force and Air National Guard

 

DESCRIPTION: The F-4 Phantom II is an all weather, tactical fighter bomber, now specializing in the suppression of air defenses. While F-4 models previously in the force could perform three tactical air roles air superiority, interdiction and close air support its mission has been narrowed to specializing in the defense suppression role. The F-4G "Advanced Wild Weasel," the only model still in the active Air Force inventory, seeks out and suppresses or destroys enemy radar directed, anti-aircraft artillery batteries and surface-to-air missile sites. The RF-4C is a multi-sensor, long-range, reconnaissance version of the F-4C.

FEATURES: F-4Gs are E models modified with sophisticated electronic warfare equipment in place of the internally mounted 20mm gun. The F-4G can carry more weapons than previous Wild Weasel aircraft and a greater variety of missiles as well as conventional bombs. The primary weapon of the F-4G, however, is the AGM-88 high speed anti-radiation missile (HARM). Other munitions include cluster bombs and AIM-65 Maverick and air-to-air missiles. The RF-4C has multiple optical and infrared systems that are operated from the rear seat. The infrared sensor locates targets under cover or at night by detecting heat sources and heat differentials. The sensor is especially suited for night reconnaissance tasks in high threat areas.

INVENTORY:
There are 134 F-4Gs in the active duty force and 24 F-4Gs and 84 RF-4Cs in the Air National Guard.

BACKGROUND:
The F-4C first flew for the Air Force in May 1963. The Air National Guard began flying the F-4C in January 1972. The Air Force Reserve received its first Phantom II in June 1978. The first F-4E was delivered to the Air Force in October 1967. The Air National Guard received its first F-4E in 1985, the Air Force Reserve in 1987. This model, with an additional fuselage fuel tank, leading edge slats for increased maneuverability, and an improved engine, also has an internally mounted 20mm multi-barrel gun with improved fire control system. Starting in 1973, F-4Es were fitted with target identification systems for long range visual identification of airborne or ground targets. Each system is basically a television camera with a zoom lens to aid in positive identification, and a system called Pave Tack Stem, which provides day and night all weather capability to acquire, track and designate ground targets. The F-4G "Advanced Wild Weasel," which inherited most of the features of the F-4E, passes target information to the aircraft's missiles. Working in "hunter-killer" teams of two aircraft, such as F-4G and F-16C, the F-4G "hunter" can detect, identify, and locate an enemies radar and then direct weapons to the site. The technique was effectively used during Operation Desert Storm against enemy surface-to-air missile batteries. Primary armament includes Shrike (AGM-45) and HARM (AGM-88). F-4Gs deployed to Saudi Arabia also were equipped with ALQ-131 and ALQ-184 electronic countermeasures pods. RF-4Cs also deployed in support of Desert Storm.

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The RF-4C was based on the current fighter version with a 33" plug inserted into the nose section to house the cameras and other sensors. This gave rise to the characteristic slim nose of this type of Phantom. In turn, the slimmer, more streamlined shape gave the "Photo-Phantom" a performance advantage over the standard types, albeit with a shorter range.

 

 

The Phantom RF-4C

 

 

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The RF-4C is a multi-sensor, long-range aircraft capable of all-weather day and night reconnaissance in a high or low threat environment.

 The RF-4C (Model 98DF) was the unarmed photographic reconnaissance version of the USAF's F-4C. The armament and radar of the fighter version was removed and replaced with equipment specialized for photographic reconnaissance. Perhaps the most readily-noticeable difference between the F-4C and the RF-4C was the presence of a new, longer, and more pointed nose in which the fire control radar of the fighter was replaced by cameras, mapping radar, and infrared imaging equipment for the reconnaissance role.

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The RF-4C can carry a variety of cameras in three different stations in its nose section. It can take photos at both high and low altitude, day or night.

 Multiple optical and infrared systems make the RF-4C one of the most versatile reconnaissance aircraft in the world. All of its reconnaissance systems are operated primarily from the rear seat. The optical cameras are used generally for day, low-altitude photography, but also produce high-quality imagery at higher altitudes. These cameras can generate forward-looking and side-looking oblique photography, vertical and mapping photography, and horizon-to-horizon panoramic photography.

 

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Initially, the RF-4C carried no weapons, and the under fuselage Sparrow missile slots of the F-4C were omitted. However, in an emergency the RF-4C could carry a nuclear weapon on the centerline position, but this was rarely done in practice. Aircraft from the European-based 10th TRW were eventually fitted with AJB-7 low-altitude bombing system equipment just in case the delivery of nuclear weapons ever became necessary. In later years, RF-4Cs were armed with AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles carried on the inner underwing pylon for self-defense.

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In the early 1960s, the USAF recognized the need for more tactical reconnaissance aircraft to reinforce the RF-101s then in service. The Air Force chose a modification of the F-4C fighter. The RF-4C development program began in 1962, and the first production aircraft made its initial flight on May 18, 1964. A total of 499 RF-4Cs were eventually accepted by the Air Force.

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The first production RF-4Cs went in September 1964 to the 33rd TRTS, a training unit based at Shaw AFB in South Carolina. The first operational unit to receive the RF-4C was the 16th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron of the 363rd TRW at Shaw AFB, achieving initial combat-readiness in August of 1965. Even then, early RF-4Cs continued to fly without their full sets of operational equipment, and many of the components that they did carry were still unqualified.

 The aircraft's specifications and design are similar to the F-4 Phantom II. Two crew members sit in tandem on ejection seats under individual rear-hinged canopies. The plane's cantilever wings are swept back 45 degrees. Its tricycle landing gear hydraulically retracts into the wings and fuselage.

 

GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS

Span: 38 ft. 5 in.
Length: 62 ft. 10 in.
Height: 16 ft. 6 in.
Armament: None. Some later equipped with 4 sidewinder missiles
Engines: Two General Electric J-79-GE-15s of 17,000 lbs. thrust each with afterburner
Crew: Two
Cost: $2,260,000

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PERFORMANCE

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Maximum speed: 1,384 mph
Cruising speed: 575 mph
Range: 1,632 miles without aerial refueling
Service Ceiling: 55,200 ft.



The following outfits flew the RF-4C:

10th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing
26th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing
( was deactivated in April 1991 and its RF-4C's were relagated to storage )
66th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing
75th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing
363rd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing
432nd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing
460th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing
 

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 The RF-4C was the first version of the Phantom to reach the squadrons of the Air National Guard. The first ANG unit to receive the RF-4C was the 106th TRS of the 117th TRW of the Alabama ANG, which received its RF-4Cs in February of 1971, replacing that unit's RF-84F Thunderflashes.

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 As part of the 460th TRW, the 16th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron was deployed to Southeast Asia to Tan Sun Nhut in South Vietnam in October of 1965 to provide photographic reconnaissance of the growing conflict in South Vietnam. The second RF-4C squadron in action in Southeast Asia was the 15th TRS, which entered combat in February of 1967.

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The RF-4C flew day and night missions over South Vietnam and Laos until 1972. The aircraft posted an impressive record during the most intense years of the war. Heavy ground fire resulted in numerous losses, but considering the total number of missions flown, the loss rate was relatively low.

 Since then RF-4Cs have been involved in reconnaissance missions around the world, including the Desert Shield/Desert Storm operation in Iraq in 1990-1991. The last of 503 production RF-4C was delivered in December of 1973. The RF-4C had been in production for over ten years, longer than any Phantom variant except the F-4E.

 

Primary Text by Joe Baugher

 

 

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