McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II

Fourteen RF-4Es were delivered between November 1974 and June 1975.

These were similar to the RF-4C, but, as for the F-EJs, Japanese-built [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] and other equipment were substituted to replace equipment which was not released for export to Japan.
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The F-4EJ entered service with the JASDF in August 1972 with a total of six Hikotai ("Squadrons") operating the aircraft: the 301, 302, 303, 304, 305 and 306th. The RF-4EJ equipped the 501st, that had previously operated one of the less-well-known Sabre models, the [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien].
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Japanese procurement involved small, multi-year orders, which made for slow production of small batches ordered every year.

As of 2007, Japan has a fleet of 90 F-4s currently in service.

Talks are underway to replace them with [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] aircraft, since the sale of the American [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] is currently blocked by U.S. export restrictions.

In June 2007, [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] announced that the company has been awarded a contract to equip several [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] with [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] pods.

These F-15s will be used in a reconnaissance role, allowing the RF-4EJ to be retired; the F-4 having served from the 1970s into the 21st century.

Upgrades

To upgrade the Phantom fleet the JASDF planned the F-4EJ Kai (Japanese for "modified") program.

This involved 110 aircraft, later reduced to 96, which were upgraded with [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] radar, ground attack capabilities and most importantly, ASM-1 or ASM-2 anti-ship missiles (two mounted under the wings).

This boosted their capabilities in the anti-shipping role; filling in for the indigenous [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] which were too few in number and lacked range, and the [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]Cs which were too slow, even if well-armed with Harpoon missiles.

The F-4EJ Kai upgrade added several other air-to-surface weapons to the F-4, including bombs and rockets.

RF-4Es were upgraded to RF-4 Kai standard with AN/APQ-172 TFR radar, and the J/APR-2 [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] was replaced with the J/APR-5; both Japanese-designed systems.

Seventeen F-4EJs were also converted to RF-4EJ configuration, which, while mounting no internal cameras, carried podded reconnaissance equipment.

Among the systems installed were TACER (electronic reconnaissance pod with datalink), TAC (pod with KS-135A and KS-95B cameras), D-500UR IR detection system, and the [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] pod (with a KS-146B camera).

The first F-4EJ Kai aircraft were delivered to the 306 Hikotai at Komatsu, but within a few years they were replaced by F-15Js.

In April 1994 the F-4 strength was reduced to three squadrons: 8 ([Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]), 301 (Nyutabaru) and 306 (Naha, [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]).

The 501st at that time operated the RF-4EJ. Over time the F-4s and F-1s are being replaced with the new [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien], an enlarged development of the [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] developed jointly with [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien].

Mitsubishi RF-4EJ Kai

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Mitsubishi F-4EJ Kai

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Mitsubishi F-4EJ Kai

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Mitsubishi F-4EJ Kai

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