F-4EJ ADTW

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

F-4EJ ADTW

F-4EJ ADTW

Japan

VII Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
11.3	11.0	10.7

Class:

PREMIUM

Fighter

Jet fighter

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Description

The F-4EJ Phantom II ADTW (Air Development and Test Wing) was the first and last operator of the F-4EJ in Japan until its complete decommission in 2021. The ADTW specialized in pre-operational testing and verification of JASDF equipment. The F-4EJ was chosen as a testing platform for the ADTW because of its reliability, versatility and long service history in Japan. The F-4EJ was also a source of pride and nostalgia for many pilots and enthusiasts.

It was introduced in Update "Apex Predators". This F-4EJ is completely identical to the researchable F-4EJ Phantom II in the tech tree, which in turn is a Japanese variant of the American F-4E Phantom II. It has a high versatility, as it can carry a large variety of weapons, such as bombs, rockets, air-to-air missiles and extra gunpods. The gunpods add more JM61 Vulcan cannons to the already abundant ammunition supply. However, it has a weak radar system, which limits the effectiveness of its 4 AIM-7 missiles. It also only has AIM-9P missiles as its best option for close-range combat.

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 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 cost

AB1 942

RB5 812

SB5 875

Crew training10 000

Experts1 160 000

Aces2 800

Research Aces2 150 000

Reward for battleAB / RB / SB

2 × 100 / 300 / 600 %

2 × 232 / 232 / 232 %

Modifications

Flight performance	Survivability	Weaponry
Compressor New boosters Wings repair Engine	Fuselage repair Airframe G-suit Cover	JM61A1_belt_pack Mk82 Flares/Chaff AIM-9E JLAU-3/A AIM-9P JM61A1_new_gun JM117 AIM-7D Gun pod SUU-23/A. LAU-10/A AIM-7E

Armaments

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

Offensive armament

The F-4EJ ADTW 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 ADTW 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 is well-suited for ground attacks, with a generous amount of options for bombs and rockets. Against air targets, players may employ the vehicle's air-to-air missiles and deadly frontal cannon. If desired, three externally-mounted gun pods may be equipped, but note that these may not be useful in all situations. Although they will undoubtedly increase the vehicle's destructive capabilities, they also appreciably hinder flight performance. In many situations, one front-facing cannon is all that is required to dispatch an opponent aircraft. As for the infrared missiles, the ones used by this plane are decent in the game, comparable to the R-60 missiles equipped by the MiG-21MF (Germany) and the MiG-21SMT.

Thanks to its leading-edge flaps, the F-4EJ is more manoeuvrable than the F-4C Phantom II. Because of this, it can calmly deal with more intense dogfight situations than its predecessor. As with all top-tier fighter jets, extended turn fights should be avoided since they bleed much speed out of this heavy aircraft and leave the pilot defenceless against nearby vultures. Specifically, watch out for the J35D Draken, which will beat any of its contemporaries in an extended turn, and also keep an eye on nearby Mitsubishi T-2 pilots: although the T-2 doesn't do well in extended turns, it can pull a significant angle of attack in the first few moments of a turn fight. The F-4E Phantom II can also be considered a threat as it includes leading-edge slats not found on the F-4EJ.

It is advised to side climb up to at least 8,000 m before engaging the enemy to ensure a favourable position at the start of the battle.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Fairly manoeuvrable thanks to leading-edge flaps, especially when low on fuel
• Equipped with countermeasures for evading enemy missiles
• A wide range of suspended armaments, suitable for multi-purpose playstyle
• Deadly frontal cannons with high burst mass
• Makes use of a ballistic computer for assisting in the aim of cannons, rockets, and bombs against ground targets

Cons:

• Unlike the F-4E Phantom II, the F-4EJ ADTW does not have the Agile Eagle upgrade
• AIM-9P air-to-air missiles are less capable than most infrared missiles found at its BR
• Lacks the more capable AIM-7E-2 Sparrow, only has the basic AIM-7E that takes longer to start manoeuvring so it is harder to use in short-range fights
• Lacks PD radar, making it significantly harder for radar missiles to track and hit in combat
• Limited ammunition in the frontally-mounted cannon
• Quite large and heavy compared to other fighters at its rank

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.

This F-4EJ sports the livery for the 60th Anniversary of the ADTW (Air Development and Test Wing 飛行開発実験団) as in 2015 for 47-8336 (Mitsubishi's 36th Phantom; M036), where it was the very last few F-4EJs to be written off from JASDF in March 2021.

Media

Skins

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

Market

Camo "25th Anniversary Special Colour"

Videos

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

Best naval fighters discusses the F-4EJ 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)
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Main Battle Tanks
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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)
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	* Licensed Production / Variants
See also	Mitsubishi Aircraft Company (1928-1945) · Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. (1938-1945) · Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Company (1884-1945)
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Japan jet aircraft
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Experimental	Kikka
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IJAAS
Fighters	Ki-200
JASDF
Fighters	F-86F-30 ▅ · F-86F-40 ▅ · F-86F-40 JASDF▅
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	F-4EJ Phantom II · F-4EJ ADTW · F-4EJ Kai Phantom II
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Trainers	T-2 Early · T-2
Foreign
Thailand	▄AV-8S · ▄F-5E FCU