Misplaced Pages

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150-636: Pave Tack was developed in the late 1970s and entered service in 1982, and was initially used by the USAF McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II and General Dynamics F-111C Aardvark strike aircraft. Its combat debut came in 1986 during Operation El Dorado Canyon 's air raid against Libya by F-111F aircraft stationed at RAF Lakenheath, England. F-111s used it to great effect in the Gulf War of 1991, both against fixed targets and against tanks . F-4 crews called Pave Tack "Pave Drag" because it

300-532: A friendly-fire incident . USAF F-15Cs shot down four Yugoslav MiG-29s using AIM-120 and AIM-7 Radar guided missiles during NATO's 1999 intervention in Kosovo, Operation Allied Force . All F-15s were grounded by the USAF after a Missouri Air National Guard F-15C came apart in flight and crashed on 2 November 2007. The newer F-15E fleet was later cleared for continued operations. The USAF reported on 28 November 2007 that

450-436: A leading edge sweep of 45° and was equipped with blown flaps for better low-speed handling. Wind tunnel testing had revealed lateral instability, requiring the addition of 5° dihedral to the wings. To avoid redesigning the titanium central section of the aircraft, McDonnell engineers angled up only the outer portions of the wings by 12°, which averaged to the required 5° over the entire wingspan. The wings also received

600-565: A ring-laser gyro inertial navigation system. For low-altitude, high-speed penetration and precision attack on tactical targets at night or in adverse weather, the F-15E carries a high-resolution APG-70 radar and LANTIRN pods to provide thermography . The F-15E would be developed into the F-15 Advanced Eagle family, which features fly-by-wire controls; the Advanced Eagle is currently

750-723: A strike fighter version of the F-15. This version competed in the Air Force's Dual-Role Fighter competition starting in 1982. The F-15E strike variant was selected for production over General Dynamics' competing F-16XL in 1984; it is a two-seat, dual-role, totally integrated fighter for all-weather, air-to-air, and deep interdiction missions. The rear cockpit is upgraded to include four multipurpose cathode-ray tube displays for aircraft systems and weapons management. The digital, triple-redundant Lear Siegler aircraft flight control system permits coupled automatic terrain following , enhanced by

900-464: A Chinese MiG-17. The Phantom was then shot down, probably by an AIM-7 Sparrow from one of its wingmen. There continues to be controversy over whether the Phantom was shot down by MiG guns or, as enemy reports later indicated, an AIM-7 Sparrow III from one of Murphy's and Fegan's wingmen. On 17 June 1965, an F-4B from VF-21 Freelancers piloted by Commander Louis Page and Lieutenant John C. Smith shot down

1050-451: A Mach 1.22, 3.8 g climb at 65° to release the ASAT missile at an altitude of 38,100 ft (11,600 m). The flight computer was updated to control the zoom-climb and missile release. The third test flight involved a retired P78-1 solar observatory satellite in a 345-mile (555 km) orbit, which was destroyed by kinetic energy . The pilot, USAF Major Wilbert D. "Doug" Pearson , became

1200-548: A U.S. Navy-initiated refurbishment program called "Project Bee Line" with 228 converted by 1978. The F-4S model resulted from the refurbishment of 265 F-4Js with J79-GE-17 smokeless engines of 17,900 lbf (79.379 kN), AWG-10B radar with digitized circuitry for improved performance and reliability, Honeywell AN/AVG-8 Visual Target Acquisition Set or VTAS (world's first operational Helmet Sighting System), classified avionics improvements, airframe reinforcement and leading edge slats for enhanced maneuvering. The USMC also operated

1350-545: A basic range of 100 miles (87 nmi; 160 km). The radar feeds target information into the central computer for effective weapons delivery. For close-in dogfights , the radar automatically acquires enemy aircraft, and this information is projected on the head-up display. The F-15's electronic warfare system provides both threat warning ( radar warning receiver ) and automatic countermeasures against selected threats. The improved APG-63(V)2 and (V)3 active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar upgrade included most of

1500-687: A central digital computer . The HUD projects all essential flight information gathered by the integrated avionics system. This display, visible in any light condition, provides the pilot information necessary to track and destroy an enemy aircraft without having to look down at cockpit instruments . The F-15's versatile APG-63 and 70 pulse-Doppler radar systems can look up at high-flying targets and look-down/shoot-down at low-flying targets without being confused by ground clutter . These radars can detect and track aircraft and small high-speed targets at distances beyond visual range down to close range, and at altitudes down to treetop level. The APG-63 has

1650-561: A cost of 73 Phantoms lost in combat (seven to enemy aircraft, 13 to SAMs and 53 to AAA ). An additional 54 Phantoms were lost in mishaps. In 1984, all Navy F-4Ns were retired from Fleet service in deployable USN squadrons and by 1987 the last F-4Ss were retired from deployable USN squadrons. On 25 March 1986, an F-4S belonging to the VF-151 Vigilantes , became the last active duty U.S. Navy Phantom to launch from an aircraft carrier, in this case, Midway . On 18 October 1986, an F-4S from

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1800-455: A critical location in the upper longerons on the F-15C was the failure's suspected cause, causing the fuselage forward of the air intakes, including the cockpit and radome, to separate from the airframe. F-15A through D-model aircraft were grounded until the location received detailed inspections and repairs as needed. The grounding of F-15s received media attention as it began to place strains on

1950-426: A friendly F-14 Tomcat . In addition, the F-15E achieved its first-ever air-to-air kill on 14 February 1991, destroying an Iraqi Mi-24 "Hind" helicopter with a GBU-10 laser-guided bomb. Air superiority was achieved in the first three days of the conflict; many of the later kills were reportedly of Iraqi aircraft fleeing to Iran, rather than engaging American aircraft. Two F-15Es were lost to ground fire, and another

2100-431: A full weapons load, conformal fuel tanks, and three external fuel tanks to be carried. The APG-63 radar uses a programmable signal processor (PSP), enabling the radar to be reprogrammable for additional purposes such as the addition of new armaments and equipment. The PSP was the first of its kind in the world, and the upgraded APG-63 radar was the first radar to use it. Other improvements included strengthened landing gear,

2250-515: A gun on the aircraft." For a brief period, doctrine held that turning combat would be impossible at supersonic speeds and little effort was made to teach pilots air combat maneuvering . In reality, engagements quickly became subsonic, as pilots would slow down in an effort to get behind their adversaries. Furthermore, the relatively new heat-seeking and radar-guided missiles at the time were frequently reported as unreliable and pilots had to fire multiple missiles just to hit one enemy fighter. To compound

2400-532: A gun. The canonical example was the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II , used by the USAF, USN, and U.S. Marine Corps to provide air superiority over Vietnam, the only fighter with enough power, range, and maneuverability to be given the primary task of dealing with the threat of Soviet fighters while flying with visual engagement rules. In practice, due to policy and practical reasons, aircraft were closing to visual range and maneuvering, placing

2550-441: A high-speed, high-altitude interceptor aircraft, and made many performance tradeoffs to excel in this role. Among these was the requirement for very high speed, over Mach 2.8, which demanded the use of stainless steel instead of aluminum for many parts of the aircraft. The added weight demanded a much larger wing to allow the aircraft to operate at the required high altitudes. However, to observers, it appeared outwardly similar to

2700-591: A major part of U.S. military air power throughout the 1970s and 1980s, being gradually replaced by more modern aircraft such as the F-15 Eagle and F-16 Fighting Falcon in the U.S. Air Force, the F-14 Tomcat in the U.S. Navy, and the F/A-18 Hornet in the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps. The F-4 Phantom II remained in use by the U.S. in the reconnaissance and Wild Weasel ( Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses ) roles in

2850-541: A maximum speed further reduced to Mach 2.3, a weight of 40,000 pounds (18,000 kg), and a wing loading of 80 pounds per square foot (390 kg/m ). By this time, the Navy had decided the F-111 would not meet their requirements and began the development of a new dedicated fighter design, the VFAX program. In May 1966, McNamara again asked the forces to study the designs and see whether

3000-618: A new digital central computer, and an overload warning system (OWS), which allows the pilot to fly up to 9  g at all weights. The F-15 Multistage Improvement Program (MSIP) was initiated in February 1983 with the first production MSIP F-15C produced in 1985. Improvements included an upgraded central computer; a Programmable Armament Control Set, allowing for advanced versions of the AIM-7 , AIM-9 , and AIM-120A missiles; and an expanded Tactical Electronic Warfare System that provides improvements to

3150-423: A rated Air Force Navigator qualified as a weapon/targeting systems officer (later designated as weapon systems officer or WSO) in the rear seat instead of another pilot. On 10 July 1965, F-4Cs of the 45th TFS, 15th TFW, scored the USAF's first victories against North Vietnamese MiG-17s using AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles. On 26 April 1966, an F-4C from the 480th Tactical Fighter Squadron scored

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3300-597: A report on light tactical aircraft suggested the Air Force purchase the F-5 or A-7, and consider a new higher-performance aircraft to ensure its air superiority. This point was reinforced after the loss of two Republic F-105 Thunderchief aircraft to obsolete MiG-17s attacking the Thanh Hóa Bridge on 4 April 1965. In April 1965, Harold Brown , at that time director of the Department of Defense Research and Engineering , stated

3450-448: A request for proposals was released to major aerospace companies. These requirements called for single-seat fighter having a maximum take-off weight of 40,000 pounds (18,000 kg) for the air-to-air role with a maximum speed of Mach 2.5 and a thrust-to-weight ratio of nearly 1:1 at mission weight. It also called for a twin-engined arrangement, as this was believed to respond to throttle changes more rapidly and might offer commonality with

3600-495: A skilled pilot to engage and disengage from the fight at will. MiGs usually could outturn the F-4 because of the high drag on the Phantom's airframe; as a massive fighter aircraft designed to fire radar-guided missiles from beyond visual range , the F-4 lacked the agility of its Soviet opponents and was subject to adverse yaw during hard maneuvering. Although the F-4 was subject to irrecoverable spins during aileron rolls, pilots reported

3750-557: A smaller and more maneuverable design known as VFX, later becoming the Grumman F-14 Tomcat . VFX was considerably closer to the evolving F-X requirements. The Air Force in-fighting was eventually ended by the worry that the Navy's VFAX would be forced on them; in May 1968, it was stated that "We finally decided – and I hope there is no one who still disagrees – that this aircraft is going to be an air superiority fighter". In September 1968,

3900-416: A successful fighter design and these were more important than outright speed. Through tireless championing of the concepts and good timing with the "failure" of the initial F-X project, the " fighter mafia " pressed for a lightweight day fighter that could be built and operated in large numbers to ensure air superiority. In early 1967, they proposed that the ideal design had a thrust-to-weight ratio near 1:1,

4050-475: A system called "Intelligent Flight Control System". A multimission avionics system includes a head-up display (HUD), advanced radar, AN/ASN-109 inertial guidance system , flight instruments, ultra high frequency communications, and tactical air navigation system and instrument landing system receivers. It also has an internally mounted, tactical electronic warfare system, Identification friend or foe system, an electronic countermeasures suite, and

4200-461: A top speed of Mach  1.97. On 19 September 1953, McDonnell approached the United States Navy with a proposal for the "Super Demon". Uniquely, the aircraft was to be modular, as it could be fitted with one- or two-seat noses for different missions, with different nose cones to accommodate radar, photo cameras, four 20 mm (.79 in) cannon, or 56 FFAR unguided rockets in addition to

4350-528: A top speed of over Mach  2.2. It can carry more than 18,000 pounds (8,400 kg) of weapons on nine external hardpoints , including air-to-air missiles , air-to-ground missiles , and various bombs. The F-4, like other interceptors of its time, was initially designed without an internal cannon. Some later models incorporated an internal M61 Vulcan rotary cannon. Beginning in 1959, it set 15 world records for in-flight performance, including an absolute speed record and an absolute altitude record. The F-4

4500-604: Is derived from low wing loading (weight to wing area ratio) with a high thrust-to-weight ratio , enabling the aircraft to turn tightly at up to 9 g without losing airspeed . The F-15 can climb to 30,000 feet (9,100 m) in around 60 seconds. At certain speeds, the dynamic thrust output of the dual engines is greater than the aircraft's combat weight and drag, so it has the ability to accelerate vertically. The weapons and flight-control systems are designed so that one person can safely and effectively perform air-to-air combat. The A and C models are single-seat variants; these were

4650-403: Is mounted high in the forward fuselage with a one-piece windscreen and large canopy for increased visibility and a 360° field of view for the pilot. The airframe consists of 37.3% aluminum, 29.2% honeycomb, 25.8% titanium, 5.5% steel, and 2% composites and fiberglass; the structure began to incorporate advanced superplastically formed titanium components in the 1980s. The F-15's maneuverability

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4800-562: The 1989 Philippine coup attempt . The F-4s were ordered to buzz the rebel planes at their base, fire at them if any tried to take off, and shoot them down if they did. The buzzing by the US F-4s soon caused the coup to collapse. On December 2, President Bush reported that on 1 December, US fighter aircraft from Clark Air Base assisted Aquino repel a coup attempt. On 15 August 1990, 24 F-4G Wild Weasel Vs and six RF-4Cs were deployed to Isa Air Base , Bahrain , for Operation Desert Storm . The F-4G

4950-452: The 33rd Tactical Fighter Wing provided air cover alongside U.S. Navy F-14 Tomcats for Marines and the 82nd Airborne Division for contingency operations in Grenada. Royal Saudi Air Force F-15C pilots reportedly shot down two Iranian Air Force F-4E Phantom IIs in a skirmish on 5 June 1984. The ASM-135 missile was designed to be a standoff antisatellite (ASAT) weapon, with

5100-753: The Black Knights of VMFA-314 at Marine Corps Air Station El Toro , California becoming the first operational squadron. Marine Phantoms of VMFA-323 , flying from Puerto Rico , provided air cover during Operation Power Pack for the evacuation of US citizens from the Dominican Republic and assisted the 508th Infantry Regiment in taking and securing a position east of the Duarte bridge. Marine Phantoms from VMFA-531 Grey Ghosts were assigned to Da Nang Air Base on South Vietnam 's northeast coast on 10 May 1965 and were initially assigned to provide air defense for

5250-540: The Douglas A-4 Skyhawk and LTV A-7 Corsair II , which were pure attack aircraft , while the Air Force was more interested in the Northrop F-5 fighter with a secondary attack capability. The A-4 and A-7 were more capable in the attack role, while the F-5 less so, but could defend itself. If the Air Force chose a pure attack design, maintaining air superiority would be a priority for a new airframe . The next month,

5400-450: The F-105 force underwent severe attrition between 1965 and 1968, the bombing role of the F-4 proportionately increased until after November 1970 (when the last F-105D was withdrawn from combat) it became the primary USAF tactical ordnance delivery system. In October 1972 the first squadron of EF-4C Wild Weasel aircraft deployed to Thailand on temporary duty. The "E" prefix was later dropped and

5550-698: The F-22 Raptor by the 2010s, but the severely reduced procurement pushed the F-15C/D retirement to 2026 and forced the service to supplement the F-22 with an advanced Eagle variant, the F-15EX , in order to retain an adequate number of air superiority fighters. The F-15 remains in service with numerous countries, and the Strike Eagle variant is expected to continue operating in the USAF into the 2030s. The F-15 can trace its origins to

5700-764: The Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System . Lockheed Martin developed an infrared search and track (IRST) sensor system for tactical fighters such the F-15C, eventually resulting in the AN/ASG-34(V)1 IRST21 sensor mounted in the Legion Pod; the AN/AAQ-33 Sniper XR pod was also integrated as a makeshift interim IRST solution. A follow-on upgrade called the Eagle Passive/Active Warning Survivability System (EPAWSS)

5850-669: The USS ; Coral Sea participated in Operation Eagle Claw , the attempted rescue of American hostages from Iran, with orders to shoot down any Iranian aircraft. The Phantoms were painted with an orange stripe enclosed by two black stripes in order to distinguish the American F-4s from the Iranian F-4s. The operation was called off in the early stages of execution. The VMCJ-1 Golden Hawks (later VMAQ-1 and VMAQ-4 which had

6000-670: The United States Air Force (USAF) selected McDonnell Douglas's design in 1969 to meet the service's need for a dedicated air superiority fighter . The Eagle took its maiden flight in July 1972, and entered service in 1976. It is among the most successful modern fighters, with over 100 victories and no losses in aerial combat, with the majority of the kills by the Israeli Air Force . The Eagle has been exported to many countries, including Israel , Japan , and Saudi Arabia . Although

6150-529: The United States Marine Corps and the United States Air Force , and by the mid-1960s it had become a major part of their air arms. Phantom production ran from 1958 to 1981 with a total of 5,195 aircraft built, making it the most produced American supersonic military aircraft in history , and cementing its position as a signature combat aircraft of the Cold War . The Phantom is a large fighter with

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6300-730: The VF-202 Superheats , a Naval Reserve fighter squadron, made the last-ever Phantom carrier landing while operating aboard America . In 1987, the last of the Naval Reserve-operated F-4S aircraft were replaced by F-14As. The last Phantoms in service with the Navy were QF-4N and QF-4S target drones operated by the Naval Air Warfare Center at NAS Point Mugu , California. These were subsequently retired in 2004. The Marine Corps received its first F-4Bs in June 1962, with

6450-416: The arresting gear as he (mistakenly) reduced thrust to idle. He then slammed the throttle to full afterburner, the engine's response time being enough to return to full thrust quickly, and he was able get the Phantom airborne again successfully ( bolter ). The J79 produced noticeable amounts of black smoke (at mid-throttle/cruise settings), a severe disadvantage in that it made it easier for the enemy to spot

6600-631: The fall of the Shah , in the Iran–Iraq War . The F-4 remains in active service with the air forces of Iran , Greece , and Turkey . The aircraft has most recently been in service against the Islamic State group in the Middle East. In 1952, McDonnell's Chief of Aerodynamics, Dave Lewis , was appointed by CEO Jim McDonnell to be the company's preliminary design manager. With no new aircraft competitions on

6750-845: The "Rivet Haste" program in early 1968, and by 1972 the AIM-7E-2 "Dogfight Sparrow" had become the preferred missile for USAF pilots. Like other Vietnam War Phantoms, the F-4Ds were urgently fitted with radar warning receivers to detect the Soviet-built S-75 Dvina SAMs. From the initial deployment of the F-4C to Southeast Asia, USAF Phantoms performed both air superiority and ground attack roles, supporting not only ground troops in South Vietnam, but also conducting bombing sorties in Laos and North Vietnam. As

6900-461: The 1962 United States Tri-Service aircraft designation system. The USAF quickly embraced the design and became the largest Phantom user. The first Phantoms that the USAF operated were F-4Bs loaned from the Navy, with 27 jets delivered to the 4453rd Combat Crew Training Wing at MacDill Air Force Base , Florida, in November 1963. The first operational unit was the 12th Tactical Fighter Wing , who received

7050-597: The 1991 Gulf War , finally leaving combat service in 1996. It was also the only aircraft used by both U.S. flight demonstration teams: the United States Air Force Thunderbirds (F-4E) and the United States Navy Blue Angels (F-4J). The F-4 was also operated by the armed forces of 11 other nations. Israeli Phantoms saw extensive combat in several Arab–Israeli conflicts , while Iran used its large fleet of Phantoms, acquired before

7200-730: The 2010s, USAF F-15C/Ds were regularly based overseas with the Pacific Air Forces at Kadena AB in Japan and with the U.S. Air Forces in Europe at RAF Lakenheath in the United Kingdom. Other regular USAF F-15s are operated by ACC as adversary/aggressor platforms at Nellis AFB , Nevada, and by Air Force Materiel Command in test and evaluation roles at Edwards AFB , California, and Eglin AFB , Florida. All remaining combat-coded F-15C/Ds are operated by

7350-527: The 57 FIS, the F-15E is the only variant to carry them on a routine basis. CFTs have also been sold to Israel and Saudi Arabia. The largest operator of the F-15 is the United States Air Force . The first Eagle, an F-15B, was delivered on 13 November 1974. In January 1976, the first Eagle destined for a combat squadron, the 555th TFS , was delivered. These initial aircraft carried the Hughes Aircraft (now Raytheon ) APG-63 radar. The first kill by an F-15

7500-448: The A-7 lacked any credible air-to-air capability. Eight companies responded with proposals. Following a downselect, four companies were asked to provide further developments. In total, they developed some 500 design concepts. Typical designs featured variable-sweep wings , weight over 60,000 pounds (27,000 kg), included a top speed of Mach 2.7 and a thrust-to-weight ratio of 0.75. When

7650-578: The A/B/C/D models, have not suffered any losses to enemy action. Over half of F-15 kills have been achieved by Israeli Air Force pilots. On 16 September 2009, the last F-15A, an Oregon Air National Guard aircraft, was retired, marking the end of service for the F-15A and F-15B models in the United States. With the retirement of those early models, the F-15C and D models continued operational service to supplement

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7800-721: The ALR-56C radar warning receiver and ALQ-135 countermeasure set. The final 43 F-15Cs included the Hughes APG-70 radar developed for the F-15E (see below); these are sometimes referred as Enhanced Eagles. Earlier MSIP F-15Cs with the APG-63 were upgraded to the APG-63(V)1 to improve maintainability and to perform similar to the APG-70. Existing F-15s were retrofitted with these improvements. Also beginning in 1985, F-15C and D models were equipped with

7950-622: The APG-63(V)3 AESA radar, long-range Legion IRST pod, and EPAWSS electronic warfare suite. The 2040C upgrade for the F-15C/D was not pursued, owing to the airframes' age that made it not economically sustainable, but many of the components such as EPAWSS and AESA radar were continued for F-15E upgrades as well as new-build F-15EX Eagle II ordered by USAF in 2020; the F-15EX took advantage of existing Advanced Eagle production line for export customers to minimize lead times and start-up costs to replace

8100-503: The Air Force officially ended use of the type. To show off their new fighter, the Navy led a series of record-breaking flights early in Phantom development: All in all, the Phantom set 16 world records. Five of the speed records remained unbeaten until the F-15 Eagle appeared in 1975. The F-4 Phantom is a tandem-seat fighter-bomber designed as a carrier-based interceptor to fill the U.S. Navy's fleet defense fighter role. Innovations in

8250-466: The Air Force that would also serve as a long-range interceptor aircraft for the Navy. In January 1965, Secretary McNamara asked the Air Force to consider a new low-cost tactical fighter design for short-range roles and close air support to replace several types like the F-100 Super Sabre and various light bombers then in service. Several existing designs could fill this role; the Navy favored

8400-706: The Corps." VMFP-3 disestablished in August 1990 after the Advanced Tactical Airborne Reconnaissance System was introduced for the F/A-18D Hornet . The F-4 continued to equip fighter-attack squadrons in both active and reserve Marine Corps units throughout the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s and into the early 1990s. In the early 1980s, these squadrons began to transition to the F/A-18 Hornet, starting with

8550-451: The F-15 acting as a first stage . The Soviet Union could correlate a U.S. rocket launch with a spy satellite loss, but an F-15 carrying an ASAT would blend in among hundreds of F-15 flights. From January 1984 to September 1986, two F-15As were used as launch platforms for the ASAT missile. The F-15As were modified to carry one ASM-135 on the centerline station with extra equipment within a special centerline pylon. The launch aircraft executed

8700-694: The F-15 as "the first dedicated USAF air-superiority fighter since the North American F-86 Sabre ". The F-15 was favored by customers such as the Israel and Japan air arms. Criticism from the fighter mafia that the F-15 was too large to be a dedicated dogfighter and too expensive to procure in large numbers, led to the Lightweight Fighter (LWF) program, which led to the USAF General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon and

8850-410: The F-15 single-seat variant and TF-15 twin-seat variant. (After the F-15C was first flown, the designations were changed to "F-15A" and "F-15B"). These versions would be powered by new Pratt & Whitney F100 engines to achieve a combat thrust-to-weight ratio in excess of 1:1. A proposed 25-mm Ford-Philco GAU-7 cannon with caseless ammunition suffered development problems. It was dropped in favor of

9000-493: The F-15 was originally envisioned as a pure air superiority fighter, its design included a secondary ground-attack capability that was largely unused. It proved flexible enough that an improved all-weather strike derivative , the F-15E Strike Eagle , was later developed, entered service in 1989 and has been exported to several nations. Several additional Eagle and Strike Eagle subvariants have been produced for foreign customers, with production of enhanced variants ongoing. The F-15

9150-627: The F-15. An automated weapon system enables the pilot to release weapons effectively and safely, using the head-up display and the avionics and weapons controls located on the engine throttles or control stick. When the pilot changes from one weapon system to another, visual guidance for the selected weapon automatically appears on the head-up display. The Eagle can be armed with combinations of four different air-to-air weapons: AIM-7F/M Sparrow missiles or AIM-120 AMRAAM advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles on its lower fuselage corners, AIM-9L/M Sidewinder or AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles on two pylons under

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9300-556: The F-4 included an advanced pulse-Doppler radar and extensive use of titanium in its airframe. Despite imposing dimensions and a maximum takeoff weight of over 60,000 lb (27,000 kg), the F-4 has a top speed Mach 2.23 and an initial climb rate of over 41,000 ft/min (210 m/s). The F-4's nine external hardpoints have a capability of up to 18,650 pounds (8,480 kg) of weapons, including air-to-air and air-to-surface missiles , and unguided, guided, and thermonuclear weapons . Like other interceptors of its day,

9450-412: The F-4 was designed without an internal cannon. The baseline performance of a Mach 2-class fighter with long-range and a bomber-sized payload would be the template for the next generation of large and light/middle-weight fighters optimized for daylight air combat. "Speed is life" was F-4 pilots' slogan, as the Phantom's greatest advantage in air combat was acceleration and thrust, which permitted

9600-419: The F-4 would remain in the target role with the 82d ATRS until at least 2015, when they would be replaced by early versions of the F-16 Fighting Falcon converted to a QF-16 configuration. McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle The McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle is an American twin-engine , all-weather fighter aircraft designed by McDonnell Douglas (now part of Boeing ). Following reviews of proposals,

9750-494: The F-4. USAF F-4C/D/E crews claimed 107.5 MiG kills in Southeast Asia (50 by Sparrow, 31 by Sidewinder, five by Falcon, 15.5 by gun, and six by other means). On 31 January 1972, the 170th Tactical Fighter Squadron , 183d Tactical Fighter Group of the Illinois Air National Guard became the first Air National Guard (ANG) unit to transition to Phantoms from Republic F-84F Thunderstreaks . Phantoms would eventually equip numerous tactical fighter and tactical reconnaissance units in

9900-637: The F-4E. Note: Original amounts were in 1965 U.S. dollars. The figures in these tables have been adjusted for inflation to the current year. On 30 December 1960, VF-121 Pacemakers at NAS Miramar became the first Phantom operator with its F4H-1Fs (F-4As). The VF-74 Be-devilers at NAS Oceana became the first deployable Phantom squadron when it received its F4H-1s (F-4Bs) on 8 July 1961. The squadron completed carrier qualifications in October 1961 and Phantom's first full carrier deployment between August 1962 and March 1963 aboard Forrestal . The second deployable U.S. Atlantic Fleet squadron to receive F-4Bs

10050-404: The F-X, but lowered the required performance from Mach 3.0 to 2.5 to lower costs. An official requirements document for an air superiority fighter was finalized in October 1965, and sent out as a request for proposals to 13 companies on 8 December. Meanwhile, the Air Force chose the A-7 over the F-5 for the support role on 5 November 1965, giving further impetus for an air superiority design as

10200-418: The F-X. Thus, an effort to improve the F-X followed. Both Headquarters USAF and TAC continued to call for a multipurpose aircraft, while both Disosway and Air Chief of Staff Bruce K. Holloway pressed for a pure air-superiority design that would be able to meet the expected performance of the MiG-25. During the same period, the Navy had ended its VFAX program and instead accepted a proposal from Grumman for

10350-414: The F4H " Satan " and " Mithras ". In the end, the aircraft was given the less controversial name "Phantom II", the first "Phantom" being another McDonnell jet fighter, the FH-1 Phantom . The Phantom II was briefly given the designation F-110A and named "Spectre" by the USAF and the Tri-Service aircraft designation system , F-4, was adopted in September 1962. Early in production, the radar was upgraded to

10500-405: The F4H was declared the winner. Delays with the J79-GE-8 engines meant that the first production aircraft were fitted with J79-GE-2 and −2A engines, each having 16,100 lbf (71.8 kN) of afterburning thrust. In 1959, the Phantom began carrier suitability trials with the first complete launch-recovery cycle performed on 15 February 1960 from Independence . There were proposals to name

10650-492: The Navy's VFX program. However, details of the avionics were left largely undefined, as whether to build a larger aircraft with a powerful radar that could detect the enemy at longer ranges was not clear, or alternatively a smaller aircraft that would make detecting it more difficult for the enemy. Four companies submitted proposals, with the Air Force eliminating General Dynamics and awarding contracts to Fairchild Republic , North American Rockwell , and McDonnell Douglas for

10800-494: The Pave Tack pod on a rotating carriage in its internal bomb bay , retracting it when not in use to reduce drag and protect the sensors from damage. About 150 AVQ-26 pods were built, substantially less than originally planned. The last USAF Pave Tacks were withdrawn with the retirement of the F-111 in 1996. The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) purchased ten Pave Tack pods in 1980 for its F-111 fleet. All 24 F-111Cs were wired for

10950-512: The RF-4B with reconnaissance cameras with 46 built; the RF-4B flew alone and unarmed, with a requirement to fly straight and level at 5,000 feet while taking photographs. They relied on the shortcomings of the anti-aircraft defenses to survive as they were unable to make evasive maneuvers. Phantom II production ended in the United States in 1979 after 5,195 had been built (5,057 by McDonnell Douglas and 138 in Japan by Mitsubishi). Of these, 2,874 went to

11100-650: The US Navy's focus on air-to-air interception in the Fleet Air Defense (FAD) mission, the USAF emphasized both an air-to-air and an air-to-ground fighter-bomber role. With McNamara's unification of designations on 18 September 1962, the Phantom became the F-4 with the naval version designated F-4B and USAF F-4C. The first Air Force Phantom flew on 27 May 1963, exceeding Mach 2 on its maiden flight. The F-4J improved both air-to-air and ground-attack capability; deliveries begun in 1966 and ended in 1972 with 522 built. It

11250-573: The USAF active, ANG, and Air Force Reserve (AFRES). On 2 June 1972, a Phantom flying at supersonic speed shot down a MiG-19 over Thud Ridge in Vietnam with its cannon. At a recorded speed of Mach 1.2, Major Phil Handley's shoot down was the first and only recorded gun kill while flying at supersonic speeds. In early December 1989, USAF F-4s, from Clark Air Base , participated in Operation Classic Resolve, President Bush's response to

11400-600: The USAF's first F-4Cs in January 1964, achieving initial operational capability (IOC) in October 1964. The first USAF Phantoms to participate in the Vietnam War were F-4Cs from the 45th Tactical Fighter Squadron , who deployed to Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base , Thailand, in April 1965. Unlike the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps, which flew the Phantom with a Naval Aviator (pilot) in

11550-477: The USAF, 1,264 to the Navy and Marine Corps, and the rest to foreign customers. The last U.S.-built F-4 went to South Korea, while the last F-4 built was an F-4EJ built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in Japan and delivered on 20 May 1981. As of 2008, 631 Phantoms were in service worldwide, while the Phantoms were in use as a target drone (specifically QF-4Cs) operated by the U.S. military until 21 December 2016, when

11700-525: The USMC. They soon began close air support missions (CAS) and VMFA-314, VMFA-232 Red Devils , VMFA-323 Death Rattlers and VMFA-542 Bengals soon arrived at the primitive airfield. Marine F-4 pilots claimed three enemy MiGs (two while on exchange duty with the USAF) at the cost of 75 aircraft lost in combat, mostly to ground fire, and four in accidents. Marine Phantoms from VMFA-323 and VMFA-531 operating from

11850-579: The VFAX would meet the Air Force's F-X needs. The resulting studies took 18 months and concluded that the desired features were too different; the Navy stressed loiter time and mission flexibility, while the Air Force was now looking primarily for maneuverability. In 1967, the Soviet Union revealed the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25 at the Domodedovo airfield near Moscow . The MiG-25 was designed as

12000-708: The Westinghouse AN/APQ-72 , an AN/APQ-50 with a larger radar antenna, necessitating the bulbous nose, and the canopy was reworked to improve visibility and make the rear cockpit less claustrophobic . During its career the Phantom underwent many changes in the form of numerous variants developed. The USN operated the F4H-1 (re-designated F-4A in 1962) with J79-GE-2 and -2A engines of 16,100 lbf (71.62 kN) thrust and later builds receiving -8 engines. A total of 45 F-4As were built; none saw combat, and most ended up as test or training aircraft. The USN and USMC received

12150-444: The affected models. The accident review board report, which was released on 10 January 2008, stated that analysis of the F-15C wreckage determined that the longeron did not meet drawing specifications, which led to fatigue cracks and finally a catastrophic failure of the remaining support structures and breakup of the aircraft in flight. In a report released on 10 January 2008, nine other F-15s were identified to have similar problems in

12300-557: The aircraft to be very responsive and easy to fly on the edge of its performance envelope . In 1972, the F-4E model was upgraded with leading edge slats on the wing, greatly improving high angle of attack maneuverability at the expense of top speed. The J79 had a reduced time lag between the pilot advancing the throttle, from idle to maximum thrust, and the engine producing maximum thrust compared to earlier engines. While landing on USS  Midway  (CV-41) John Chesire's tailhook missed

12450-559: The aircraft was simply known as the F-4C Wild Weasel. Sixteen squadrons of Phantoms were permanently deployed to Indochina between 1965 and 1973, and 17 others deployed on temporary combat assignments. Peak numbers of combat F-4s occurred in 1972, when 353 were based in Thailand. A total of 445 Air Force Phantom fighter-bombers were lost, 370 in combat and 193 of those over North Vietnam (33 to MiGs, 30 to SAMs and 307 to AAA). The RF-4C

12600-534: The aircraft. Two decades after the aircraft entered service this was solved on the F-4S, which was fitted with the −10A engine variant with a smokeless combustor . The lack of an internal gun "was the biggest mistake on the F-4", Chesire said; "Bullets are cheap and tend to go where you aim them. I needed a gun, and I really wished I had one." Marine Corps General John R. Dailey recalled that "everyone in RF-4s wished they had

12750-566: The basis of all current F-15 production. Beginning in 2006, with the threat of curtailed procurement of the F-22 that was to replace all air superiority F-15s, USAF planned to modernize 179 F-15Cs in the best material condition in order to maintain fighter fleet size by retrofitting the AN/APG-63(V)3 AESA radar and updated cockpit displays; the first upgraded aircraft was delivered in October 2010. A significant number of F-15s were equipped with

12900-400: The catapult portion of a takeoff. On 25 July 1955, the Navy ordered two XF4H-1 test aircraft and five YF4H-1 pre-production examples. The Phantom made its maiden flight on 27 May 1958 with Robert C. Little at the controls. A hydraulic problem precluded the retraction of the landing gear, but subsequent flights went more smoothly. Early testing resulted in redesign of the air intakes, including

13050-952: The command of Robin Olds , executed Operation Bolo , a response to heavy losses sustained during Operation Rolling Thunder . Olds' and his flight flew out of Ubon in Thailand and simulated an F-105 strike force. In response, the VPAF sent up MiG-21s to shoot down the Phantoms. The ensuing battle resulted in the VPAF losing half of their MiG-21 fleet with no losses from the American side. Early aircraft suffered from leaks in wing fuel tanks that required re-sealing after each flight and 85 aircraft were found to have cracks in outer wing ribs and stringers. There were also problems with aileron control cylinders, electrical connectors, and engine compartment fires. Reconnaissance RF-4Cs made their debut in Vietnam on 30 October 1965, flying

13200-487: The company received a letter of intent for two YAH-1 prototypes. Then on 26 May 1955, four Navy officers arrived at the McDonnell offices and, within an hour, presented the company with an entirely new set of requirements. Because the Navy already had the Douglas A-4 Skyhawk for ground attack and F-8 Crusader for dogfighting, the project now had to fulfill the need for an all-weather fleet defense interceptor. A second crewman

13350-453: The decision was made to remove them, resulting in a 3% aerodynamic drag increase. The F-15 was shown to be capable of controlled flight with only one wing after an Israeli F-15D suffered a mid-air collision with an A-4 Skyhawk that removed most of the right wing, in the 1983 Negev mid-air collision . While the A-4 was instantly disintegrated with the pilot being automatically ejected, the F-15

13500-636: The definition phase in December 1968. The companies submitted technical proposals by June 1969. The Air Force announced the selection of McDonnell Douglas on 23 December 1969; like the Navy's VFX, the F-X skipped much of the prototype phase and jumped straight into full-scale development to save time and avoid potential program cancellation. The winning design resembled the twin-tailed F-14, but with fixed wings ; both designs were based on configurations studied in wind-tunnel testing by NASA. The Eagle's initial versions were

13650-440: The distinctive " dogtooth " for improved control at high angles of attack . The all-moving tailplane was given 23° of anhedral to improve control at high angles of attack, while still keeping the tailplane clear of the engine exhaust. In addition, air intakes were equipped with one fixed ramp and one variable geometry ramp with angle scheduled to give maximum pressure recovery between Mach 1.4 and Mach 2.2. Airflow matching between

13800-463: The distinctive addition of 12,500 holes to "bleed off" the slow-moving boundary layer air from the surface of each intake ramp. Series production aircraft also featured splitter plates to divert the boundary layer away from the engine intakes. The aircraft was soon in competition with the XF8U-3 Crusader III . Due to cockpit workload, the Navy wanted a two-seat aircraft and on 17 December 1958

13950-466: The early Vietnam War , when the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy fought each other over future tactical aircraft. Defense Secretary Robert McNamara was pressing for both services to use as many common aircraft as possible, even if performance compromises were involved. As part of this policy, the USAF and Navy had embarked on the TFX (F-111) program, aiming to deliver a medium-range interdiction aircraft for

14100-400: The favored position was to consider the F-5 and begin studies of an "F-X". These early studies envisioned a production run of 800 to 1,000 aircraft and stressed maneuverability over speed; it also stated that the aircraft would not be considered without some level of ground-attack capability. On 1 August, General Gabriel Disosway took command of Tactical Air Command and reiterated calls for

14250-416: The first North Vietnamese MiG of the war. On 10 May 1972, Lieutenant Randy "Duke" Cunningham and Lieutenant (junior grade) William P. Driscoll flying an F-4J, call sign Showtime 100 , shot down three MiG-17s to become the first American flying aces of the war. Their fifth victory was believed at the time to be over a mysterious North Vietnamese ace, Colonel Nguyen Toon , now considered mythical. On

14400-709: The first Phantom combat sortie of the Vietnam War on 5 August 1964, flying bomber escort in Operation Pierce Arrow . Navy fighter pilots were unused to flying with a non-pilot RIO, but learned from air combat in Vietnam the benefits of the GiB "guy in back" or "voice in the luggage compartment" helping with the workload. The first Phantom air-to-air victory of the war took place on 9 April 1965 when an F-4B from VF-96 Fighting Falcons piloted by Lieutenant (junior grade) Terence M. Murphy and his RIO, Ensign Ronald Fegan, shot down

14550-428: The first aerial victory by a U.S. aircrew over a North Vietnamese MiG-21 "Fishbed" . On 24 July 1965, another Phantom from the 45th Tactical Fighter Squadron became the first American aircraft to be downed by an enemy SAM , and on 5 October 1966 an 8th Tactical Fighter Wing F-4C became the first U.S. jet lost to an air-to-air missile, fired by a MiG-21. On 2 January 1967, F-4Cs of the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing, under

14700-587: The first definitive Phantom, the F-4B which was equipped with the Westinghouse APQ-72 radar (pulse only), a Texas Instruments AAA-4 Infrared search and track pod under the nose, an AN/AJB-3 bombing system and powered by J79-GE-8,-8A and -8B engines of 10,900 lbf (48.5 kN) dry and 16,950 lbf (75.4 kN) afterburner (reheat) with the first flight on 25 March 1961. 649 F-4Bs were built with deliveries beginning in 1961 and VF-121 Pacemakers receiving

14850-539: The first examples at NAS Miramar . The USAF received Phantoms as the result of Defense Secretary Robert McNamara 's push to create a unified fighter for all branches of the US military. After an F-4B won the "Operation Highspeed" fly-off against the Convair F-106 Delta Dart , the USAF borrowed two Naval F-4Bs, temporarily designating them F-110A in January 1962, and developed requirements for their own version. Unlike

15000-463: The front seat and a naval flight officer as a radar intercept officer (RIO) in the back seat, the USAF initially flew its Phantoms with a rated Air Force Pilot in front and back seats. Pilots usually did not like flying in the back seat; while the GIB, or "guy in back", could fly and ostensibly land the aircraft, he had fewer flight instruments and a very restricted forward view. The Air Force later assigned

15150-600: The hardware from the APG-63(V)1, but added an AESA to provide increased pilot situation awareness . The AESA radar has an exceptionally agile beam, providing nearly instantaneous track updates and enhanced multitarget tracking capability. The APG-63(V)2 and (V)3 are compatible with current F-15C weapon loads and enable pilots to take full advantage of AIM-120 AMRAAM capabilities, simultaneously guiding multiple missiles to several targets widely spaced in azimuth , elevation, or range. A variety of air-to-air weaponry can be carried by

15300-850: The hazardous post-strike reconnaissance missions. The USAF Thunderbirds used the F-4E from the 1969 season until 1974. Although the F-4C was essentially identical to the Navy/Marine Corps F-4B in-flight performance and carried the AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles, USAF-tailored F-4Ds initially arrived in June 1967 equipped with AIM-4 Falcons . However, the Falcon, like its predecessors, was designed to shoot down heavy bombers flying straight and level. Its reliability proved no better than others and its complex firing sequence and limited seeker-head cooling time made it virtually useless in combat against agile fighters. The F-4Ds reverted to using Sidewinders under

15450-484: The horizon, internal studies concluded the Navy had the greatest need for a new and different aircraft type: an attack fighter. In 1953, McDonnell Aircraft began work on revising its F3H Demon naval fighter, seeking expanded capabilities and better performance. The company developed several projects, including a variant powered by a Wright J67 engine, and variants powered by two Wright J65 engines, or two General Electric J79 engines. The J79-powered version promised

15600-547: The improved P&W F100-PW-220 engine and digital engine controls, providing quicker throttle response, reduced wear, and lower fuel consumption. Starting in 1997, original F100-PW-100 engines were upgraded to a similar configuration with the designation F100-PW-220E starting. In 2000, the APG-63(V)2 active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar was retrofitted to 18 U.S. Air Force F-15C aircraft. The ZAP (Zone Acquisition Program) missile launch envelope has been integrated into

15750-468: The inlet and engine was achieved by bypassing the engine as secondary air into the exhaust nozzle. All-weather intercept capability was achieved with the AN/APQ-50 radar. To meet requirements for carrier operations, the landing gear was designed to withstand landings with a maximum sink rate of 23 ft/s (7 m/s), while the nose strut could extend by 20 in (51 cm) to increase angle of attack on

15900-494: The introduction of the SUU-23 , virtually assuring a miss in a maneuvering fight. Some Marine Corps aircraft carried two pods for strafing. In addition to the loss of performance due to drag, combat showed the externally mounted cannon to be inaccurate unless frequently boresighted , yet far more cost-effective than missiles. The lack of a cannon was finally addressed by adding an internally mounted 20 mm (.79 in) M61A1 Vulcan on

16050-638: The larger US aircraft at a disadvantage to the much less expensive day fighters such as the MiG-21 . Missiles proved to be much less reliable than predicted, especially at close range. Although improved training and the introduction of the M61 Vulcan cannon on the F-4 did much to address the disparity, these early outcomes led to considerable re-evaluation of the 1963 Project Forecast doctrine. This led to John Boyd 's energy–maneuverability theory , which stressed that extra power and maneuverability were key aspects of

16200-449: The longeron. As a result, General John D. W. Corley stated, "the long-term future of the F-15 is in question". On 15 February 2008, ACC cleared all its grounded F-15A/B/C/D fighters for flight pending inspections, engineering reviews, and any needed repairs. ACC also recommended release of other U.S. F-15A/B/C/Ds. The F-15 had a combined air-to-air combat record of 104 kills to no losses through 2008 . The F-15's air superiority versions,

16350-821: The loss of 23 of its aircraft in air-to-air combat. The F-15C and D fighters were used in the air-superiority role, while F-15E Strike Eagles were used in air-to-ground attacks mainly at night, hunting modified Scud missile launchers and artillery sites using the LANTIRN system. According to the USAF, its F-15Cs had 34 confirmed kills of Iraqi aircraft during the 1991 Gulf War, most of them by missile fire: five Mikoyan MiG-29s , two MiG-25s , eight MiG-23s , two MiG-21s , two Sukhoi Su-25s , four Sukhoi Su-22s , one Sukhoi Su-7 , six Dassault Mirage F1s , one Ilyushin Il-76 cargo aircraft, one Pilatus PC-9 trainer, and two Mil Mi-8 helicopters. According to NHHC , F-15s may have also shot down

16500-507: The main air-superiority versions produced. B and D models add a second seat behind the pilot for training, although they are also fully combat capable. E models use the second seat for a weapon systems officer . Visibly, the F-15 has a unique feature vis-à-vis other modern fighter aircraft; it does not have the distinctive "turkey feather" aerodynamic exhaust petals covering its engine nozzles . Following problems during development of its exhaust petal design, including dislodgment during flight,

16650-598: The middle-weight Navy McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet . The single-seat F-15C and two-seat F-15D models entered production in 1978 and conducted their first flights in February and June of that year. These models were fitted with the Production Eagle Package (PEP 2000), which included 2,000 pounds (910 kg) of additional internal fuel, provisions for exterior conformal fuel tanks (CFT), and an increased maximum takeoff weight up to 68,000 pounds (31,000 kg). The increased takeoff weight allows internal fuel,

16800-469: The nation's air-defense efforts. The grounding forced some states to rely on their neighboring states' fighters for air-defense protection, and Alaska to depend on Canadian Forces ' fighter support. On 8 January 2008, the USAF Air Combat Command (ACC) cleared a portion of its older F-15 fleet for return to flying status. It also recommended a limited return to flight for units worldwide using

16950-514: The need for in-flight refueling . All external stations for munitions remain available with the tanks in use. Moreover, Sparrow or AMRAAM missiles can be attached to the corners of the CFTs. The USAF 57th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron based at NAS Keflavik , Iceland, was the only C-model squadron to use CFTs on a regular basis due to its extended operations over the North Atlantic. With the closure of

17100-529: The new F-22 Raptor in frontline US service. Because the DOD was primarily focused on asymmetric counterinsurgency warfare in the Middle East in the 2000s, the F-22 procurement was curtailed to just 187 operational aircraft and the USAF had to extend F-15C/D operations well beyond its planned retirement date in order to maintain adequate numbers of air superiority fighters; in 2007, the USAF planned to keep 179 F-15C/Ds along with 224 F-15Es in service beyond 2025. During

17250-451: The nine hardpoints under the wings and the fuselage. The Navy was sufficiently interested to order a full-scale mock-up of the F3H-G/H, but felt that the upcoming Grumman XF9F-9 and Vought XF8U-1 already satisfied the need for a supersonic fighter. The McDonnell design was therefore reworked into an all-weather fighter-bomber with 11 external hardpoints for weapons and on 18 October 1954,

17400-485: The old RM tailcode) flew the first photo recon mission with an RF-4B variant on 3 November 1966 from Da Nang and remained there until 1970 with no RF-4B losses and only one aircraft damaged by anti-aircraft artillery (AAA) fire. VMCJ-2 and VMCJ-3 (now VMAQ-3 ) provided aircraft for VMCJ-1 in Da Nang and VMFP-3 was formed in 1975 at MCAS El Toro , CA consolidating all USMC RF-4Bs in one unit that became known as "The Eyes of

17550-480: The only pilot to destroy a satellite. The ASAT program involved five test launches. The program was officially terminated in 1988. The USAF began deploying F-15C, D, and E model aircraft to the Persian Gulf region in August 1990 for Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. During the Gulf War , the F-15 accounted for 36 of the 39 air-to-air victories by the U.S. Air Force against Iraqi forces. Iraq has confirmed

17700-562: The operational flight program system of all U.S. F-15 aircraft, providing dynamic launch zone and launch acceptability region information for missiles to the pilot by display cues in real-time. Although the Air Force's FX requirements were focused on air superiority, McDonnell Douglas had quietly included a basic secondary ground attack capability in the F-15's design since the beginning and also performed early internal studies for enhancing that capability. In 1979, McDonnell Douglas and F-15 radar manufacturer, Hughes , teamed to privately develop

17850-460: The pod, although there were not enough pods for all to be simultaneously equipped. Following the retirement of the USAF's F-111F in 1996 the RAAF purchased surplus pods to equip each of its F-111Cs to carry its own. The Republic of Korea Air Force (RoKAF) ordered an initial batch of eight pods in 1984 for delivery in 1987. It may have subsequently obtained additional pods from USAF surplus. The RoKAF uses

18000-409: The pods on its F-4 Phantoms. McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is an American tandem two-seat, twin-engine , all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor and fighter-bomber that was developed by McDonnell Aircraft for the United States Navy . Proving highly adaptable, it entered service with the Navy in 1961 before it was adopted by

18150-476: The problem, rules of engagement in Vietnam precluded long-range missile attacks in most instances, as visual identification was normally required. Many pilots found themselves on the tail of an enemy aircraft, but too close to fire short-range Falcons or Sidewinders. Although by 1965 USAF F-4Cs began carrying SUU-16 external gunpods containing a 20 mm (.79 in) M61A1 Vulcan Gatling cannon, USAF cockpits were not equipped with lead-computing gunsights until

18300-551: The proposals were studied in July 1966, the aircraft were roughly the size and weight of the TFX F-111, and like that aircraft, were designs that could not be considered an air-superiority fighter. Through this period, studies of combat over Vietnam were producing worrying results. Theory had stressed long-range combat using missiles and optimized aircraft for this role. The result was highly loaded aircraft with large radar and excellent speed, but limited maneuverability and often lacking

18450-442: The remaining F-15C/Ds, whereas F-22 production restart was considered cost-prohibitive. The F-15 has an all-metal semi- monocoque fuselage with a large- cantilever , shoulder-mounted wing. The wing planform of the F-15 suggests a modified cropped delta shape with a leading-edge sweepback angle of 45°. Ailerons and a simple high-lift flap are located on the trailing edge. No leading-edge maneuvering flaps are used. This complication

18600-463: The return flight, the Phantom was damaged by an enemy surface-to-air missile. To avoid being captured, Cunningham and Driscoll flew their burning aircraft using only the rudder and afterburner (the damage to the aircraft rendered conventional control nearly impossible), until they could eject over water. During the war, U.S. Navy F-4 Phantom squadrons participated in 84 combat tours with F-4Bs, F-4Js, and F-4Ns. The Navy claimed 40 air-to-air victories at

18750-427: The ruins with six Mk-82 unguided bombs each. This was one of the few times air-superiority F-15s (A/B/C/D models) were used in tactical strike missions. Israeli air-superiority F-15 variants have since been extensively upgraded to carry a wider range of air-to-ground armaments, including JDAM GPS-guided bombs and Popeye missile . The first American combat use of the F-15 was during Operation Urgent Fury . F-15s of

18900-628: The same squadron that introduced the F-4 to the Marine Corps, VMFA-314 at MCAS El Toro, California. On 18 January 1992, the last Marine Corps Phantom, an F-4S in the Marine Corps Reserve , was retired by the Cowboys of VMFA-112 at NAS Dallas , Texas, after which the squadron was re-equipped with F/A-18 Hornets. In USAF service, the F-4 was initially designated the F-110A prior to the introduction of

19050-426: The standard M61 Vulcan gun. The F-15 used conformal carriage of four Sparrow missiles like the Phantom. The fixed wing was put onto a flat, wide fuselage that also provided an effective lifting body surface. The airframe was designed with a 4,000 hour service life, although this was later increased through testing and life extension modifications to 8,000 hours and some would fly beyond that. The first F-15A flight

19200-557: The system installed. In September 2015, Boeing unveiled its 2040C Eagle upgrade (also called "Golden Eagle"), designed to keep the F-15 relevant through 2040. Seen as a necessity because of the low numbers of F-22s procured, the upgrade builds upon the company's F-15SE Silent Eagle concept with low-observable features. Most improvements focus on lethality including quad-pack munitions racks to double its missile load to 16, conformal fuel tanks for extended range, " Talon HATE " communications pod to communicate with fifth-generation fighters,

19350-458: The vertical stabilizers move independently to provide roll control in some flight maneuvers; the horizontal tails have a dogtooth notch to mitigate flutter . The F-15 has a spine-mounted air brake and retractable tricycle landing gear . It is powered by two Pratt & Whitney F100 axial flow turbofan engines with afterburners , mounted side by side in the fuselage and fed by rectangular inlets with variable intake ramps . The cockpit

19500-635: The very large F-X studies, an aircraft with high speed and a large wing offering high maneuverability, leading to serious concerns throughout the Department of Defense and the various arms that the US was being outclassed. The MiG-23 was likewise a subject of concern, and it was generally believed to be a better aircraft than the F-4. The F-X would outclass the MiG-23, but now the MiG-25 appeared to be superior in speed, ceiling, and endurance to all existing US fighters, even

19650-402: The war. On 9 September 1972, WSO Capt Charles B. DeBellevue became the highest-scoring American ace of the war with six victories. and WSO Capt Jeffrey Feinstein became the last USAF ace of the war on 13 October 1972. Upon return to the United States, DeBellevue and Feinstein were assigned to undergraduate pilot training (Feinstein was given a vision waiver) and requalified as USAF pilots in

19800-684: The wings, and an internal 20 mm (0.79 in) M61 Vulcan Gatling gun in the right wing root . Low-drag conformal fuel tanks (CFTs), initially called Fuel And Sensor Tactical (FAST) packs, were developed for the F-15C and D models. They can be attached to the sides of the engine air intakes under each wing and are designed to the same load factors and airspeed limits as the basic aircraft. These tanks slightly degrade performance by increasing aerodynamic drag and cannot be jettisoned in-flight. However, they cause less drag than conventional external tanks. Each conformal tank can hold 750 U.S. gallons (2,840 L) of fuel. These CFTs increase range and reduce

19950-528: Was added to operate the powerful radar; designers believed that air combat in the next war would overload solo pilots with information. The XF4H-1 was designed to carry four semi-recessed AAM-N-6 Sparrow III radar-guided missiles, and to be powered by two J79-GE-8 engines. As in the McDonnell F-101 Voodoo , the engines sat low in the fuselage to maximize internal fuel capacity and ingested air through fixed geometry intakes . The thin-section wing had

20100-502: Was avoided by the combination of low wing loading and fixed leading-edge conical camber that varies with spanwise position along the wing. Airfoil thickness ratios vary from 5.9% at the root to 3% at the tip. The empennage is of metal and composite construction, with twin aluminum alloy/ composite material honeycomb structure vertical stabilizers with boron -composite skin , resulting in an exceptionally thin tailplane and rudders. Composite horizontal all-moving tails outboard of

20250-413: Was carried externally. Pave Tack is a large installation, with the pod alone weighing some 1,385 lb (629 kg) and measuring 166 inches (4,220 mm) in length. On the F-4, the size of the pod meant that it had to be carried on the centerline station in place of the standard drop tank; it imposed a substantial aerodynamic drag penalty and was generally unpopular. The F-111C and F-111F carried

20400-482: Was damaged on the ground by a Scud strike on King Abdulaziz Air Base . On 11 November 1990, a Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) pilot defected to Sudan with an F-15C fighter during Operation Desert Shield. Saudi Arabia paid US$ 40 million (~$ 82.5 million in 2023) for return of the aircraft three months later. RSAF F-15s shot down two Iraqi Mirage F1s during the Operation Desert storm. One Saudi Arabian F-15C

20550-633: Was equipped with J79-GE-10 engines with 17,844 lbf (79.374 kN) thrust, the Westinghouse AN/AWG-10 Fire Control System (making the F-4J the first fighter in the world with operational look-down/shoot-down capability), a new integrated missile control system and the AN/AJB-7 bombing system for expanded ground attack capability. The F-4N (updated F-4Bs) with smokeless engines and F-4J aerodynamic improvements started in 1972 under

20700-550: Was flown by Maj Mike Webb and Maj Gary Leeder of the Idaho ANG. Like the Navy, the Air Force also operated QF-4 target drones, serving with the 82d Aerial Targets Squadron at Tyndall Air Force Base , Florida, and Holloman Air Force Base , New Mexico. Replacing the QF-106, the QF-4 program achieved IOC in 1997, with the last QF-106 being shot down on 20 February 1997. It was expected that

20850-518: Was lost in a fatal accident before the start of hostilities. One F-4G was lost when enemy fire damaged the fuel tanks and the aircraft ran out of fuel near a friendly airbase. The last USAF Phantoms, F-4G Wild Weasel Vs from 561st Fighter Squadron , were retired on 26 March 1996. The last operational flight of the F-4G Wild Weasel was from the 190th Fighter Squadron , Idaho Air National Guard , in April 1996. The last operational USAF/ANG F-4 to land

21000-832: Was lost to a crash during the Persian Gulf War in 1991. The IQAF claimed this fighter was part of two USAF F-15Cs that engaged two Iraqi MiG-25PDs, and was hit by an R-40 missile before crashing. They have since been deployed to support Operation Southern Watch , the patrolling of the Iraqi no-fly zones in Southern Iraq; Operation Provide Comfort in Turkey; in support of NATO operations in Bosnia, and recent air expeditionary force deployments. In 1994, two U.S. Army Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawks were mistakenly downed by USAF F-15Cs in northern Iraq in

21150-505: Was made on 27 July 1972, with the first flight of the two-seat F-15B following in July 1973. The F-15 has a " look-down/shoot-down " radar that can distinguish low-flying moving targets from ground clutter . It would use computer technology with new controls and displays to lower pilot workload and require only one pilot to save weight. Unlike the F-14 or F-4, the F-15 has only a single canopy frame with clear vision forward. The USAF introduced

21300-469: Was operated by four squadrons, and of the 83 losses, 72 were in combat including 38 over North Vietnam (seven to SAMs and 65 to AAA). By war's end, the U.S. Air Force had lost a total of 528 F-4 and RF-4C Phantoms. When combined with U.S. Navy and Marine Corps losses of 233 Phantoms, 761 F-4/RF-4 Phantoms were lost in the Vietnam War. On 28 August 1972, Captain Steve Ritchie became the first USAF ace of

21450-458: Was planned. Boeing was selected in October 2015 to serve as prime contractor for the EPAWSS, with BAE Systems selected as a subcontractor. The EPAWSS is an all-digital system with advanced electronic countermeasures, radar warning, and increased chaff and flare capabilities in a smaller footprint than the 1980s-era Tactical Electronic Warfare System. More than 400 F-15Cs and F-15Es were planned to have

21600-750: Was scored by Israeli Air Force (IAF) ace Moshe Melnik in 1979. During IAF raids against Palestinian factions in Lebanon in 1979–1981, F-15As reportedly downed 13 Syrian MiG-21s and two Syrian MiG-25s. Israeli F-15As and Bs participated as escorts in Operation Opera , an air strike on an Iraqi nuclear reactor . In the 1982 Lebanon War , Israeli F-15s were credited with 41 Syrian aircraft destroyed (23 MiG-21s and 17 MiG-23s, and one Aérospatiale SA.342L Gazelle helicopter). During Operation Mole Cricket 19 , Israeli F-15s and F-16s together shot down 82 Syrian fighters (MiG-21s, MiG-23s, and MiG-23Ms) without losses. Israel

21750-472: Was sent into an uncontrollable roll . Through the application of full afterburner as well as a landing at twice the normal speed, pilot Zivi Nedivi managed to land successfully at Ramon Airbase . Subsequent wind-tunnel tests on a one-wing model confirmed that controllable flight was only possible within a very limited speed range of ±20 knots and angle of attack variation of ±20 degrees. The event resulted in research into damage-adaptive technology and

21900-661: Was the VF-102 Diamondbacks , who promptly took their new aircraft on the shakedown cruise of Enterprise . The first deployable U.S. Pacific Fleet squadron to receive the F-4B was the VF-114 Aardvarks , which participated in the September 1962 cruise aboard USS  Kitty Hawk . By the time of the Tonkin Gulf incident , 13 of 31 deployable navy squadrons were armed with the type. F-4Bs from Constellation made

22050-481: Was the only aircraft in the USAF inventory equipped for the Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD) role, and was needed to protect coalition aircraft from Iraq's extensive air defense system. The RF-4C was the only aircraft equipped with the ultra-long-range KS-127 LOROP (long-range oblique photography) camera and was used for a variety of reconnaissance missions. In spite of flying almost daily missions, only one RF-4C

22200-542: Was the only operator to use and develop the air-to-ground abilities of the air-superiority F-15 variants, doing so because the fighter's range was well beyond other combat aircraft in the Israeli inventory in the 1980s. The first known use of F-15s for a strike mission was during Operation Wooden Leg on 1 October 1985, with six F-15Ds attacking PLO Headquarters in Tunis with one GBU-15 guided bomb per aircraft and two F-15Cs restriking

22350-562: Was the principal air superiority fighter of the USAF and U.S. allies during the late Cold War and the 1990s, replacing the F-4 Phantom II . The Eagle was first used in combat by the Israeli Air Force in 1979 and saw extensive action in the 1982 Lebanon War . In USAF service, the aircraft saw combat action in the 1991 Gulf War and the conflict over Yugoslavia . The USAF had planned to replace all of its air superiority F-15A/B/C/D with

22500-561: Was used extensively during the Vietnam War . It served as the principal air superiority fighter for the U.S. Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps and became important in the ground-attack and aerial reconnaissance roles late in the war. During the Vietnam War, all five American servicemen who became aces  – one U.S. Air Force pilot, two weapon systems officers (WSOs), one U.S. Navy pilot and one radar intercept officer (RIO) – did so in F-4s. The F-4 continued to form

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