<text id=f4w><title>F-4G McDonnell Douglas Phantom II</title>
<history>US Air Force: Weapons</history>
<article><hdr>F-4G McDonnell Douglas Phantom II</hdr><body>
<p>The combined pressure of continued funding of the F-22 and success of the F-16's HTS system will soon lead to the retirement of the last F-4Gs from the USAF. Developed as a result of the lessons learned from the Vietnam war, the 'Wild Weasels' saw combat in Desert Storm, which temporarily saved them from retirement.
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<p>Since they were modified from F-4Es, the 'Wild Weasel' Phantoms can carry the whole range of ordnance sported by other USAF F-4s, but seldom do. After all, it makes little sense to have a very rare and expensive aircraft and its specially trained crew out dropping iron bombs on a target that can be dispatched by a much cheaper and more plentiful F-16.
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<p>Typical F-4G configurations include:
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<item>• <hi format=ital>ECM pods</hi>: Originally fitted with long <hi format=bold>ALQ-119</hi> pods, these were eventually superseded by the deep <hi format=bold>ALQ-131</hi>, and later by the long <hi format=bold>ALQ-184</hi>. To remain clear of the nose gear door, these pods are always mounted in the left-forward Sparrow well. The right-forward well is usually left vacant.
<item>• <hi format=ital>Fuel Tanks</hi>: In addition to two standard Phantom 370-US gal (1,400-liter) outboard fuel tanks, the 'Wild Weasels' always used 610-US gal (2,310-liter) F-15 fuel tanks on the centerline. These replaced the Vietnam-era 600-US gal fuel tanks in the early 1980s because the older tanks were not stressed for low-altitude, high-speed flight, sometimes breaking apart and causing the loss of the aircraft.
<item>• <hi format=ital>Air-to-air missiles</hi>: F-4Gs are capable of employing the <hi format=bold>AIM-7F/</hi>M versions of the Sparrow. When carried, a pair is mounted in the rear Sparrow wells. F-4Gs seldom, if ever, carry AIM-9 Sidewinders, because they prevent carriage of anti-radiation missiles (ARMs) on the inboard wing stations.
<item>• <hi format=ital>Air-to-ground missiles</hi>: Primary ordnance carriage on F-4Gs is on the inboard pylons. The preferred weapon is <hi format=bold>AGM-88</hi> HARMs, mounted to LAU-118 launchers. While the normal load is two, up to four can be carried using all four wing pylons. The older <hi format=bold>AGM-45</hi> Shrikes can be mounted to either the LAU-34 or LAU-118. Vastly inferior to the HARM, Shrikes would probably be used only if stocks of AGM-88s ran low. <hi format=bold>AGM-65</hi> Mavericks can be mounted to either triple-rail LAU-88s or single-rail LAU-117s, but only on the inboard pylons. The old <hi format=bold>AGM-78</hi> Standard ARM was also only loaded on the inboard pylon using the LAU-80 launcher, but has been retired.
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<hi style=hdr1>Desert Storm</hi>
<p>During Desert Storm F-4G 'Wild Weasels' flew more than 2,800 sorties using callsigns taken from popular American beer names (e.g. Michelob, Coors, Lonestar, etc.). Sheikh Isa, Bahrain was the focal point for receipt and distribution of all AGM-88 HARM missiles and F-4Gs based there from the 81st TFS and 561st TFS 'Trojans' fired more than 1,100 HARMs.
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<p>George-based 561st aircraft normally used the ALQ-184(V)-1 ECM pod, while Spangdahlem-based 81st aircraft used the deep ALQ-131 pod. Also standard were aft fuselage-mounted AIM-7F/M Sparrows. Early in the war, up to four AGM-88 HARMs were carried on the wing pylons. However, the more normal load was two HARMs on the inboard wing pylons and fuel tanks on the outboards. All aircraft carried a centerline fuel tank. During a three-to-four day period, AGM-45 Shrikes were substituted for HARMs. This stopped once units in the field were able to educate higher headquarters about HARM capabilities, convincing them the missiles were not being wasted.
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<p>The Spangdahlem-based 23rd TFS was a mixed F-16C/F-4G unit, based at Incirlik CDI, Turkey. The 23rd flew three four-ship elements for daytime strikes and two at night. The lead element paired two F-4Gs with F-16C wingmen, with each aircraft carrying two HARM loads, with the F-16s basically serving as extra pylons for the F-4Gs. The second element usually had F-16Cs carrying the low-drag two HARMs while the F-4Gs carried two of the higher-drag Mavericks. About 50 Mavericks expended to attack power plants, radar sites and other targets of opportunity in northern Iraq during the last month of the war. The final, daytime-only flight had F-16Cs carrying a variety of bombs.
