page_title: List of McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II variants
section_title: Variants
hierarchical_section_title: List of McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II variants / Variants
caption_attribution_description: A Royal Navy McDonnell Douglas Phantom FG.1 from 892 Naval Air Squadron is launched from the aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal (R09).
context_page_description: The McDonnell-Douglas F-4 Phantom II variants were numerous versions and designations of the F-4 and are described below.
context_section_description: XF4H-1
  Two prototypes for the United States Navy, first flown 1958.
  F4H-1F (F-4A)
  Two-seat all-weather carrier-based fighter for the US Navy, J79-GE-2 and -2A engines with 16,100 lbf (71.6 kN) of afterburner thrust each.  Named Phantom II in 1959 and redesignated F-4A in 1962; 45 built.
  TF-4A
  A small number of F-4As converted into two-seat training aircraft.
  F4H-1 (F-4B)
  Two-seat all-weather carrier-based fighter and ground-attack aircraft for the US Navy and Marine Corps. J79-GE-8A or -8B engines with 16,950 lbf (75.4 kN) of afterburner thrust each. Redesignated F-4B in 1962; 649 built.
  DF-4B
  F-4Bs converted into drone control aircraft.
  EF-4B
  One F-4B converted into an ECM training aircraft.
  NF-4B
  The redesignation of one F-4B for testing purposes.
  QF-4B
  F-4Bs converted into unmanned supersonic target drones; 25 converted.
  F4H-1P (RF-4B)
  Tactical reconnaissance version of F-4B for United States Marine Corps, nose stretched 4 ft 9 in (1.4 m), smaller AN/APQ-99 radar. Three camera bays typically carried KS-87 forward oblique/vertical camera on Station 1, KA-87 low-altitude camera on Station 2, and KA-55A or KA-91 high-altitude panoramic camera on Station 3. Also carried AN/APQ-102 reconnaissance SLAR, AN/AAD-4 infrared reconnaissance system, and ALQ-126 ECM suite. The KS-72 or KS-85 cameras were on rotating mounts and could be aimed in flight which improved upon the earlier RF-4C which could only be aligned on the ground. In 1975, modernized under Project SURE (Sensor Update and Refurbishment Effort); 46 built. Retired in 1990. 4 lost in Vietnam. First flown 12 March 1965.
  F-110A Spectre
  The original US Air Force designation for the F-4C.
  F-4C
  Two-seat all-weather tactical fighter, ground-attack version for the United States Air Force; supported a wide spectrum of weapons including AIM-4 Falcon, AGM-12 Bullpup, and nuclear weapons; wider main wheel tires resulted in distinctive wing bulges; J79-GE-15 engines with provision for cartridge start; boom refueling instead of Navy's probe and drogue refueling; AN/APQ-100 radar; duplicated flight controls in the rear cockpit. The aircraft exceeded Mach 2 during its first flight on 27 May 1963; 583 built.
  EF-4C Wild Weasel IV
  F-4Cs converted into Wild Weasel ECM aircraft. Equipped with AN/APR-25 RHAWS, AN/APR-26 missile launch warning system, ER-142 ECM receiver, and  AN/ALQ-119 external ECM pod. Armed with AGM-45 Shrike anti-radiation missiles and cluster bombs but unable to carry the AGM-78 Standard ARM missile. A total of 36 were converted. Many survivors were reverted to F-4C.
  RF-4C
  All-weather tactical reconnaissance version for the US Air Force, AN/APQ-99 (later AN/APQ-172) radar. Equipped similar to RF-4B but with a wider choice of camera fits, including a centerline pod for the gigantic HIAC-1 LOROP (Long Range Oblique Photography) camera, capable of taking high-resolution images of objects 100 miles (160 km) away. Many aircraft were refitted with a more spacious bulging streamlined nose. A sub-variant, to be designated RF-4C(H) was proposed as a night "hunter" aircraft using infrared equipment instead of cameras under Operation Shed Light. In the end, none were converted. While usually unarmed, RF-4Cs retained the ability to carry a nuclear weapon on the centerline pylon. Additionally, the RF-4Cs of the Alabama, Nevada and RF-4 Fighter Weapons School were modified to carry the AIM-9 Air to Air Missile. These modernized RF-4Cs of the Alabama and Nevada Air National Guard extensively participated in the Gulf War; 503 built.
  Two RF-4Cs shot down by USSR during Project Dark Gene whilst being flown by USAF pilots.
  YRF-110A (YRF-4C)
  Two prototypes were used in the development of the RF-4C reconnaissance version.
  F-4D
  F-4C with updated avionics, AN/APQ-109 radar. First flight June 1965. One USAF pilot and two USAF WSOs became aces in F-4Ds; 825 built.
  EF-4D Wild Weasel IV
  F-4Ds converted into Wild Weasel ECM aircraft. Unlike the EF-4C, the EF-4D had the capability to use the larger AGM-78 Standard ARM.  Only 2 converted.
  F-4E
  USAF version with an integral M61 Vulcan cannon in th
caption: F-4K of 892 NAS launched from HMS Ark Royal, 1972.
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