F-4EJ Phantom II

This page is about the Japanese jet fighter F-4EJ Phantom II. For other versions, see F-4 Phantom II (Family).

F-4EJ Phantom II

F-104J

F-4EJ Kai Phantom II

F-4EJ Phantom II

F-104J

F-4EJ Kai Phantom II

Japan

VII Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
11.3	11.0	10.7

Class:

Fighter

Jet fighter

Research:300 000

Purchase:830 000

Show in game

Description

The F-4EJ was a version of the Phantom II, a versatile fighter jet designed by McDonnell Douglas in the late 1950s. Japan bought 140 F-4EJs in 1968, based on the F-4E model used by the U.S. Air Force, but with some changes such as the removal of aerial refueling and ground attack capabilities. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries also built 138 F-4EJs under license. The F-4EJ served as Japan's main air defense fighter for many years, until it was gradually replaced by the Mitsubishi F-2 and the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter. Japan also operated a reconnaissance version of the F-4EJ, the RF-4EJ, which had no weapons and carried cameras and sensors. The RF-4EJ retired in March 2020, followed by the last F-4EJ in December 2020, marking the end of an era for Japan's "Phantastic Phantoms".

It was introduced in Update 1.97 "Viking Fury". The F-4EJ Phantom II is a versatile jet that can attack ground and air targets with bombs, rockets, missiles, and cannons. It can also mount three extra gun pods for more firepower, but this reduces its speed and agility. The plane has decent missiles and a frontal cannon that can take down enemy aircraft with ease. Due to its lack of Agile Eagle upgrades, F-4EJ is not as manoeuvrable as the F-4E, F-4F Early, and F-4F. It should avoid turn fights with lighter jets, instead relying on its generous armament and speed to make hit and run attacks.

General info

Flight performance

Arrestor gear

Accelerates braking by grabbing the brake cable on the deck of the aircraft carrier

Air brakes

Allows you to dramatically reduce the flight speed by releasing special flaps

Drogue parachute

Reduces braking distance when landing on any runway

Max speed

at 12 192 m2 340 km/h

Turn time26 s

Max altitude16 000 m

Engine2 х General Electric J79-GE-17

TypeJet

Cooling systemAir

Take-off weight24 t

Characteristics	Max Speed (km/h at 12,192 m)		Max altitude (metres)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (metres/second)		Take-off run (metres)
	AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
Stock	2,255	2,221	16000	26.5	27.4	141.6	131.6	850
Upgraded	2,419	2,340		25.6	26.0	204.3	172.0

F-4EJ Phantom II taking off

Details

Features
Combat flaps	Take-off flaps	Landing flaps	Air brakes	Arrestor gear	Drogue chute
X	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓

Limits
Wings (km/h)	Gear (km/h)	Flaps (km/h)			Max Static G
		Combat	Take-off	Landing	+	-
1458	463	N/A	580	463	~11	~4

Optimal velocities (km/h)
Ailerons	Rudder	Elevators	Radiator
< 810	< 750	< 700	N/A

Engine performance

Engine			Aircraft mass
Engine name		Number	Basic mass		Wing loading (full fuel)
General Electric J79-GE-17		2	13,965 kg		403 kg/m2
Engine characteristics			Mass with fuel (no weapons load)			Max Takeoff Weight
Weight (each)	Type		9m fuel	20m fuel	30m fuel
1,750 kg	Afterburning axial-flow turbojet		15,724 kg	17,787 kg	19,829 kg	24,000 kg
Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)			Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
Condition	100%	WEP	9m fuel	20m fuel	30m fuel	MTOW
Stationary	5,200 kgf	8,008 kgf	1.02	0.90	0.81	0.67
Optimal	5,200 kgf (0 km/h)	10,170 kgf (1,400 km/h)	1.29	1.14	1.03	0.85

Survivability and armour

Flares/Chaff

Aircraft countermeasures to distract IR and radar-guided missiles and also AA radar

Crew2 people

Speed of destruction

Structural1 458 km/h

Gear463 km/h

• 8.5 mm of Steel below the cockpit.

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference

AB2 949 → 3 984

RB8 660 → 11 699

SB8 917 → 12 046

Total cost of modifications262 800

406 000

Talisman cost2 900

Crew training240 000

Experts830 000

Aces3 000

Research Aces1 140 000

Reward for battleAB / RB / SB

100 / 310 / 600 %

238 / 238 / 238 %

Modifications

Flight performance	Survivability	Weaponry
Compressor Research: 8 800 Cost: 14 000 310 New boosters Research: 15 000 Cost: 23 000 530 Wings repair Research: 13 000 Cost: 20 000 460 Engine Research: 17 000 Cost: 26 000 610	Fuselage repair Research: 8 800 Cost: 14 000 310 Airframe Research: 15 000 Cost: 23 000 530 G-suit Research: 13 000 Cost: 20 000 460 Cover Research: 17 000 Cost: 26 000 610	JM61A1_belt_pack Research: 8 800 Cost: 14 000 310 Mk82 Research: 8 800 Cost: 14 000 310 Flares/Chaff Research: 8 800 Cost: 14 000 310 AIM-9E Research: 8 800 Cost: 14 000 310 JLAU-3/A Research: 15 000 Cost: 23 000 530 AIM-9P Research: 15 000 Cost: 23 000 530 JM61A1_new_gun Research: 13 000 Cost: 20 000 460 JM117 Research: 13 000 Cost: 20 000 460 AIM-7D Research: 13 000 Cost: 20 000 460 Gun pod SUU-23/A. Research: 17 000 Cost: 26 000 610 LAU-10/A Research: 17 000 Cost: 26 000 610 AIM-7E Research: 17 000 Cost: 26 000 610

Armaments

Ballistic Computer
CCIP (Guns)	CCIP (Rockets)	CCIP (Bombs)	CCRP (Bombs)	EEGS

Offensive armament

The F-4EJ Phantom II is armed with:

• 1 x 20 mm JM61A1 cannon, chin-mounted (640 rpg)
• 30 x large calibre countermeasures
• 60 x countermeasures

Due to this cannon's high rate of fire (only 6.60 seconds of continuous fire), trigger discipline is a must.

Suspended armament

The F-4EJ Phantom II can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11
20 mm GAU-4 cannons (1,200 rpg)	1					1					1
500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs	6	3				6				3	6
500 lb Mk 82 Snakeye bombs	6	3				6				3	6
750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs	3	3				5				3	3
FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets	57	57				57				57	57
Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets	12	12				12				12	12
AIM-7D Sparrow missiles				1	1		1	1
AIM-7E Sparrow missiles				1	1		1	1
AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles			1, 2						1, 2
AIM-9P Sidewinder missiles			2						2
600 gal drop tanks						1
Maximum permissible loadout weight: 7,400 kg Maximum permissible wing load: 3,000 kg Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 1,500 kg

Default weapon presets

1 x 600 gal drop tank 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles 4 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles 4 x AIM-9P Sidewinder missiles 4 x AIM-7D Sparrow missiles 4 x AIM-7E Sparrow missiles 24 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (12,000 lb total) 24 x 500 lb Mk 82 Snakeye bombs (12,000 lb total) 17 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (12,750 lb total) 285 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets 60 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets 3 x 20 mm GAU-4 cannons (1,200 rpg = 3,600 total)

Usage in battles

The F-4EJ Phantom II is best described as a mixed bag. It is a potent fighter-bomber, capable of carrying x24 500lb bombs along with a full payload of Sparrows and Sidewinders. This means that, with some luck, the F-4EJ Phantom destroy two bases before circling around to engage the enemy in their unguarded flanks. However, this is not advisable and largely depends on luck, as you will likely be swamped by masses of low-flying aircraft who will have no issues completely outperforming you with a full bomb load. The ideal role for the F-4EJ is as a high-altitude Interceptor, being faster and more well-armed than many aircraft that will be up there with you. In a downtier, climbing at around 20-30° (depending on whether you want to be faster or more well-positioned) to a height of 5kms or higher generally means that your Sparrows, with better performance, will often be able to take out high-flying aircraft with impunity. It can hold its own against some opponents, but generally avoid a turnfight with the generally accepted threats such as F-5Cs and Drakens and most Mig-21s, who will have no issue dancing around your nose. While most aircraft can be beaten with careful application of airbrakes and the planes, almost any delta wing aircraft, namely the Mirage III, MiG-21 and J35D, being nigh impossible to beat. To have any chance of beating delta winged jets you must force the fight into the sustained regime where some delta winged jets flown by inexperienced pilots may struggle to rate with you.

The main armament of the F-4EJ are its x4 AIM-9P short-range IR missiles, x4 longer-ranged, faster AIM-7E SARH missiles, and the notorious M61 Vulcan 20mm rotary cannon. Players familiar with the earlier Rank 6 Japanese jets should have no trouble using this cannon, with devastating firepower and a tight-spread when upgraded, the Vulcan will be far more effective due to the increased maneuverability of the F-4EJ. The AIM-7E will often be the primary weapon when dealing with targets at altitude, having much better range and pull than the AIM-7D, you can easily get away with kills from a maximum of 15,000m away. The range of the missile's maximum effectiveness largely depends on the speed of the aircraft on launch, the direction of the target, the altitude of both the attacker and the defender, and the angle of launch. Be advised that the 7E tends not to do well launching at any maneuvering target under 5,000m away, due to the 1.5s it takes to reach full maneuverability. The AIM-9Ps are far more simple. Launch while fast, and they will pull hard into targets up to 1,000m away, often able to achieve locks at a 90° approach angle on targets with extremely hot engines such as other Phantoms, Tomcats and MiG-23s.

When in an uptier, the playstyle changes very drastically. You will be fighting against Tornado ADVs, F-4S/J and FGR.2 Phantoms, Tomcats, Fulcrums, Floggers, Viggens, and many more aircraft that you have little to no chance against in a one-on-one engagement. Particularly oppressive are the F-14A and B, who vastly outrange you by a great margin, whilst also posessing far better flight performance due to their variable-wing sweep and much better engines. In a dogfight, the F-4EJ fares little better, as very little will struggle against you in a fight. Your best bet is to climb to medium altitude, staying behind your team while looking for high-flying targets for your Sparrows. Keep a very close eye on the plane's RWR and dive to the deck while notching and popping chaff if you get locked. You may also hug the deck, as radar missiles are unable to track when flying directly above tree-top level, though this will make your own Sparrows quite useless since you don't have a PD radar to ignore ground clutter. Playing as a Support Fighter is key to your survival in uptiers.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Decent top speed
• AIM-9Ps can pull a respectable 20Gs, with a mild degree of flare resistance.
• AIM-9Ps have radar-slaving capability.
• Equipped with x90 Countermeasures in varying orders.
• Can hold a wide and heavy range of payload options, including a full load of missiles and x24 500lb bombs.
• The M61 Vulcan is an incredibly dangerous weapon, with great all-round characteristics.
• The AIM-7E Sparrow is a decent mid-range weapon in downtiers, with competitive flight performance and range.
• Makes use of a ballistic computer for assisting in the aim of cannons, rockets, and bombs against ground targets.

Cons:

• Lack of Agile Eagle unlike F-4E and F-4F, giving it a wider turning arc, making it less likely to outturn its peers in the first turn.
• No combat flaps. Takeoff flaps have a low speed limit and high drag, which makes them not very useful in dogfights
• The AIM-7E, compared to the 7E-2, takes 1.5s to begin maneuvering, making it worse at short-range shots.
• Trigger discipline is required to make the most of the plane's 640 rounds of 20mm ammo.
• Quite large and heavy compared to other fighters at its rank.
• Radar susceptible to ground clutter, making shots on lower-flying targets more difficult.

History

F-4EJ "Samurai Phantom" was a jet fighter aircraft that saw service in the JASDF (Japanese Air Self Defense Force) from 1971 until 2020. At the end of 2020, the F-4EJ will be replaced by the F-35A Lightning II.

In 1968 Japan made it public that they would update their JASDF with the F-4 phantom. Being one of the only countries to acquire the permissions to build the plane in their own Factories, Japan started to develop the F-4EJ at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. Due to post WW2 sanctions and restrictions, Japan was not allowed to equip any air-to-surface capabilities to the aircraft. As such, the F-4EJ would be made without the AN/AJB-7 bombing computer system.

McDonnell Douglas built the first 2, F-4EJ prototypes with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries building the remaining Phantoms. They did, however, import RF-4EJ from McDonnell Douglas over the 10-year span of production. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries would build the very last F-4 in the world, nicknamed "The Finale Phantom", on the 20th of May, 1981. It served with the 306th and 301st Tactical Fighter Squadrons. 127 EJ variant Phantoms were built.

The first squadron equipped with the new F-4EJ would be the 301^st Hikotai, in August 1^st 1972. In October 1973, the 301^st would be deemed operational with the Phantom, having 14 Phantoms in their squadron. On October 30^th 1978, five years after the squadron was equipped and trained in the Phantom: the 301^st was designated as JASDF Quick Ready Alert force. In 1979 they would be the first F-4EJ to intercept another aircraft when a Soviet Tu-95 was deemed a threat on February 21st of that year. Ironically the same day of the intercept is when Japan launched the Hakucho X-ray satellite & Corsa-B.

In July of 1984, after the post-war sanctions were dropped, Japan put together plans to upgrade its F-4EJ Phantoms. In 1989 their F-4EJ Phantoms were updated starting with the 306^th Hikotai. The new Phantoms were equipped with APG-66J pulse-Doppler radar, which allowed the Phantoms to carry out air-to-ground and Air-to-Ship capabilities while being lighter, smaller, and more efficient than the old radar. A new computer and heads up display was added to Phantom, allowing them to bring the Phantom into the 21^st century. Additional upgrades to the pylons allowed the new Phantoms to be equipped with the F-15 fuel tanks, which could sustain more G forces than the current fuel tanks being used. And with the adoption of the Westinghouse AN/ALQ-131 countermeasures, it allowed the pilot to adapt and counter any threats on the modern battlefield quickly. These upgrades were desperately needed for the JASDF as their Mitsubishi F-1 and F-2 did not have the range needed to adequately defend their countries territory if war ever arose. 96 Phantoms were upgraded and designated as F-4EJ Kai (Kai means "Modified" in Japanese).

The F-4EJ Phantoms were equipped with 3 different colour schemes. Blue Camo, Green Camo, and Grey. 127 aircraft were built, with 8 squadrons adopting the plane. The F-4EJ was decommissioned in 2020 to adapt to the F-35A Lightning II.

Media

Skins

• Skins and camouflages for the F-4EJ Phantom II from live.warthunder.com.

Market

Camo "F-4EJ '397 Amigo'"

Videos

The Shooting Range #198 - Metal Beasts section at 05:01 discusses the F-4EJ Phantom II.

Best naval fighters discusses the F-4EJ Phantom II at 3:39 - War Thunder Official Channel

JASDF F-4EJ Phantom II: Actual Sound Recording - DMM GAMES Official Channel

F-4 PHANTOM Ⅱ JASDF Final year - Yomiuri Shimbun

See also

Related development

• F-4 Phantom II (Family)
  • F-4EJ Kai Phantom II

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

• Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 (Family)
• SAAB J35D Draken
• Dassault Mirage IIIC

External links

• Official data sheet - more details about the performance

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. (三菱重工業株式会社)
Ground Vehicles
APC	Type 60 · SUB-I-II
IFV	Type 89
MCV	Type 16 (P) · Type 16 (FPS) · Type 16
RCV	RCV (P)
SPH	Type 75 · Type 99
SPAAG	Type 87
Main Battle Tanks
Type 61	ST-A1 · ST-A2 · ST-A3 · Type 61
Type 74	ST-B2 · Type 74 (C) · Type 74 (E) · Type 74 (F) · Type 74 (G)
Type 90	Type 90 · Type 90 (B)
Type 10	TKX (P) · TKX · Type 10
Air Vehicles
Jet Fighters
F-86	F-86F-30 ▅* · F-86F-40 ▅* · F-86F-40 JASDF▅*
F-104	F-104J*
F-1	T-2 Early · T-2 · F-1
F-4	F-4EJ Phantom II* · F-4EJ ADTW* · F-4EJ Kai Phantom II*
F-15	F-15J* · F-15J(M)*
Naval Vehicles
Patrol Boats (PT)
No. 7 class	PT-8 (PT-808)
No. 11 class	PT-15 (PT-815)
Destroyers (DD)
Harukaze-class	JDS Harukaze (DD-101)
Ayanami-class	JDS Ayanami (DD-103)
Murasame-class	JDS Murasame (DD-107)
	MHI's shipyards are positioned in Kobe, Nagasaki, and Shimonoseki
	* Licensed Production / Variants
See also	Mitsubishi Aircraft Company (1928-1945) · Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. (1938-1945) · Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Company (1884-1945)
	North American Aviation · Lockheed · McDonnell Aircraft Corporation

Japan jet aircraft
IJNAS
Experimental	Kikka
Reconnaissance	R2Y2 Kai V1 · R2Y2 Kai V2 · R2Y2 Kai V3
IJAAS
Fighters	Ki-200
JASDF
Fighters	F-86F-30 ▅ · F-86F-40 ▅ · F-86F-40 JASDF▅
	F-104J
	F-4EJ Phantom II · F-4EJ ADTW · F-4EJ Kai Phantom II
	F-15J · F-15J(M)
	F-16AJ
	F-1
Trainers	T-2 Early · T-2
Foreign
Thailand	▄AV-8S · ▄F-5E FCU