page_title: McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II non-U.S. operators
section_title: Egypt
hierarchical_section_title: McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II non-U.S. operators / Egypt
caption_attribution_description: An air-to-air right side view of an Egyptian air force McDonnellDouglas F-4E Phantom II aircraft in formation with a 347th Tactical Fighter Wing F-4E aircraft during exercise PROUD PHANTOM in 1980. Egypt received 36 F-4Es under the Peace Pharaoh project as a reward from the USA after signing camp-David peace agreement. The first batch of 18 fighters arrived in Egypt in October 1979. The Egyptian Phantoms were ex-USAF aircraft previously flown by the 31st TFW based at Homestead AFB. They were initially operated No. 76 and 88 squadrons of the 222nd Fighter Regiment.
context_page_description: F-4 Phantom II non-U.S. operators are the non-U.S. nations with air forces that operate or used to operate the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II. The Phantom II entered service with the U.S. military in 1960 and served until 1996. During this time it was the primary interceptor, air superiority fighter and fighter bomber with the U.S. Navy, Marines and Air Force.
  The Phantom II was exported to 11 other nations, and continues to serve in a military role in some parts of the world.
context_section_description: The Al Quwwat al Jawwiya il Misriya (Egyptian Air Force or EAF) encountered Israeli F-4s during fighting between the two states, especially during the later stages of the War of Attrition and the 1973 Yom Kippur War. These encounters gave the EAF a measure of the type's effectiveness, especially as a bomber.
  After the Camp David Accords, and the Egypt–Israel Peace Treaty signed on 26 March 1979, Egypt ended its military dependence on the Soviet Union. It also lost the financial support of the other Arab states, and Saudi Arabia cancelled its plans to send Egypt 50 F-5s. The U.S. State Department proposed trading Egypt new military hardware in exchange for military aircraft made in the USSR, including MiG-21s, and the newer MiG-23s delivered to them by the Soviets prior to their breakdown of relations in 1976.
  Under the September 1977 Peace Pharaoh agreement, 35 ex-31 TFW F-4Es along with a number of Sparrow, Sidewinder and Maverick missiles were  supplied to the EAF for US$594 million and served with 76 and 78 Squadrons of the 222 Fighter Regiment. Initially, Egyptian ground crews found their maintenance far more complex than required for Soviet aircraft and consequently there was an average of only nine F-4s serviceable during 1982, a 26% serviceability rate. To correct the situation, Egypt considered selling some of the F-4s to Turkey and buying extra General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcons. However, assistance from U.S. advisors in 1985 made it possible to reach a reasonable serviceability rate, and in 1988 another seven F-4s were delivered. While further purchases of F-4s and upgrades were considered, these plans were rejected in favour of additional orders for F-16s.
  By the end of the 1990s, three aircraft had crashed but were replaced with three others. As of 2018 the two squadrons of F-4s are retired and are in storage/reserve.
caption: AREAF F-4E Phantom II
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