The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II occupies a singular place in American and global aviation history. It was not only the most mass-produced supersonic fighter jet ever flown by the United States, but also one of the most influential combat aircraft designs of the Cold War. Originally procured by the US Navy as a fleet-defense interceptor, the Phantom went on to become the backbone of the US Air Force and US Marine Corps tactical aviation for decades, while also serving with more than a dozen allied air forces around the world.
By the time the final aircraft—an F-4EJ—rolled off the production line at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in Japan, a total of 5,195 Phantoms had been built. That figure, recorded by institutions such as the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum, remains unmatched by any other American supersonic fighter. Even today, nearly three decades after the Phantom’s retirement from US service, its legacy continues to shape how modern air forces think about multirole combat aircraft.
The Phantom’s story begins in the late 1950s, when the US Navy sought a high-performance, carrier-based interceptor capable of defending carrier strike groups against Soviet bombers armed with anti-ship missiles. McDonnell Aircraft responded with a large, twin-engine design that prioritized speed, climb rate, radar power, and missile payload over maneuverability.
Technically, the F-4A was the first Phantom variant to fly, but it was the F-4B that became the first production model. Designed specifically for carrier operations, the F-4B featured thin, folding wings for compact storage aboard aircraft carriers and a powerful nose-mounted radar. In keeping with prevailing air combat doctrine of the era, the aircraft lacked an internal gun. Instead, it relied on radar-guided AIM-7 Sparrow and infrared-guided AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles to destroy enemy aircraft at long and short ranges.
The US Marine Corps quickly recognized the Phantom’s potential beyond fleet defense. The Marines adopted the F-4B for land-based operations, using it for both air superiority and close air support. Their first operational Phantom squadron, VMFA-314, deployed in June 1962, marking the beginning of the aircraft’s long and varied combat career.
The Phantom entered frontline service at a time of rapid change in air combat, and nowhere would its strengths and weaknesses be more dramatically exposed than in the skies over Vietnam. When the aircraft first deployed to Southeast Asia in the mid-1960s, US aircrews expected missile combat to dominate future wars. Reality proved more complicated.
Early rules of engagement, unreliable missile performance, and the absence of an internal gun placed US pilots at a disadvantage in close-range dogfights against smaller, more agile North Vietnamese MiG-17s and MiG-21s. The Phantom’s initial combat record was mixed, and critics were quick to point out its shortcomings.
Yet the aircraft was far from a failure. US Navy squadrons flying the F-4 would score both the first and last air-to-air victories of the Vietnam War, an extraordinary bookend to the conflict. VF-21 achieved the first kill in 1965, while VF-161 scored the last in 1973—both squadrons operating from the same aircraft carrier, USS Midway, according to records from the US Naval Institute.
Just as importantly, the Phantom proved adaptable. As the war progressed, improved training, better tactics, and upgraded missiles dramatically increased US kill ratios. The lessons learned from Phantom operations directly influenced the creation of advanced air combat training programs such as the Navy’s TOPGUN school and the USAF’s Red Flag exercises.
Few aircraft can match the sheer scale of the Phantom’s production. Among McDonnell Douglas designs—which include icons such as the F-15 Eagle, A-4 Skyhawk, and F/A-18 Hornet—the F-4’s output dwarfs them all. In fact, the Phantom’s production run nearly equals the combined totals of the F-15, A-4, and F/A-18.
Open-source records from the US military and aviation historian René Francillon show just how diverse the Phantom family became. Variants ranged from early Navy interceptors to advanced reconnaissance and electronic warfare platforms:
- F-4A: 45
- F-4B: 649
- RF-4B: 46
- F-4C: 584
- RF-4C: 505
- F-4J: 522
- F-4F: 175
- F-4E: 1,370
- RF-4E: 146
- F-4EJ: 140
- F-4G: 116
- F-4K: 166
- F-4N: 228
- F-4S: 265
This extraordinary diversity reflected the Phantom’s flexibility. The same basic airframe could be adapted for fleet defense, tactical strike, reconnaissance, suppression of enemy air defenses, and even aerobatic display flying.
Among all variants, the F-4E is widely regarded as the definitive Phantom. Responding directly to combat experience in Vietnam, the F-4E reintroduced an internal gun—an M61A1 Vulcan 20mm cannon—giving pilots a reliable weapon in close combat. Later production models added leading-edge maneuvering slats, significantly improving turning performance and handling at high angles of attack.
With 1,370 examples built, the F-4E became the most widely produced Phantom variant and the backbone of many air forces well into the 21st century. It was also emblematic of the Phantom’s transitional role in aviation history: a missile-armed interceptor evolving into a true multirole fighter-bomber.
The Phantom also marked the end of an era in naval aviation technology. It was the last fighter designed to use the catapult bridle system, a method inherited from propeller-driven carrier aircraft. In this system, a cable attached to the aircraft’s wing roots connected it to the catapult shuttle. Later aircraft adopted nose-wheel tow bars, which simplified deck operations and improved safety.
This small but significant detail underscores how the F-4 bridged generations of naval aviation, linking the jet age’s early experimentation with the more standardized designs that followed.
Although most Phantoms were built in St. Louis, Missouri, the aircraft also holds the distinction of being produced abroad. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in Japan assembled 140 F-4EJ models for the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF), with 138 built locally.
Initially, Japanese Phantoms lacked aerial refueling capability and ground-attack systems, reflecting Japan’s defensive posture. Many were later upgraded to the F-4EJ Kai standard, featuring improved avionics, F-16-derived radar, and modern heads-up displays. The JASDF finally retired its last Phantoms in 2021, closing one of the aircraft’s longest service chapters.
In the United Kingdom, both the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force operated uniquely modified Phantoms powered by Rolls-Royce Spey turbofan engines. The F-4K (Royal Navy) and F-4M (RAF) offered around 30 percent more thrust than the standard General Electric J79s, improving low-altitude performance at the cost of increased drag and reduced top speed at high altitude.
West Germany’s F-4F represented a simplified export version of the F-4E, tailored to NATO requirements. Under the “Improved Combat Efficiency” (ICE) program, Luftwaffe Phantoms received the AN/APG-65 radar—borrowed from the F/A-18—allowing them to fire AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles and remain viable into the post–Cold War era.
South Korea became one of the Phantom’s most dedicated operators. Known locally as the “Goblin of the Sky,” the F-4 served as the backbone of the Republic of Korea Air Force for an extraordinary 55 years. First acquired in 1969, the type was finally retired in June 2024, marking the end of an era for Korean air defense.
Israel’s relationship with the Phantom was equally significant. Operating heavily modified F-4Es under the name Kurnass, Israel used the aircraft extensively in combat and later upgraded them to the Kurnass 2000 standard before retirement in 2004. Israeli expertise also helped modernize Turkish Phantoms into the F-4E 2020 “Terminator,” extending their service life well into the 21st century.
Today, Turkey and Greece remain among the last NATO operators of the F-4E, though both are preparing for retirement. Greece expects to receive the F-35 by the end of the decade, while Turkey plans to phase out its Phantom fleet after 2030.
Iran stands apart as the Phantom’s most enduring and unusual operator. As of early 2026, the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF) maintains the world’s largest remaining fleet, with approximately 63 F-4s still in active service, according to the World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft.
These aircraft were purchased before the 1979 Iranian Revolution, after which a comprehensive US-led weapons embargo cut Iran off from spare parts and technical support. Against long odds, Iran has kept its Phantoms flying through extensive reverse engineering, black-market procurement, and domestic manufacturing—resulting in what analysts often describe as a “Frankenstein” maintenance system.
The fleet includes three main variants. Iran is the only country still operating the obsolete F-4D, with perhaps six to ten airworthy. The F-4E forms the backbone of Iran’s strike force, with around 50 in service. A small number of RF-4E reconnaissance aircraft—estimated between four and ten—also remain operational.
Reports indicate that Iran has upgraded some Phantoms with Chinese-supplied radar and targeting systems capable of guiding precision-guided munitions and anti-ship missiles. Russian and Chinese avionics, including electronic warfare components and modern head-up displays, have also been integrated where possible.
Despite these efforts, the F-4’s combat relevance against modern Western air power is minimal. With the United States significantly increasing its military presence near Iran in early 2026—including the deployment of the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group and advanced fighters such as the F-35C—it is widely assumed that Iranian Phantoms would fare poorly in any direct confrontation.
Iran has attempted to modernize its air force by purchasing new fighters. Although Tehran paid for 16 Russian Su-35s in 2024, only four had been delivered by mid-2025. Negotiations are now reportedly underway with China for up to 40 J-10C multirole fighters, with long-term ambitions reaching 150 aircraft. Even if these deals succeed, they are unlikely to arrive in time to replace the Phantom in the near term.
The Phantom’s story does not end with military service. In a rare civilian application, Florida-based Starfighters International is reportedly acquiring 12 retired South Korean Phantoms for commercial and training purposes. Meanwhile, the Collings Foundation maintains the world’s only privately operated, airworthy F-4D, which is scheduled to return to the airshow circuit.
Uniquely, the F-4 is the only jet aircraft flown by both the US Air Force Thunderbirds and the US Navy’s Blue Angels, a testament to its versatility and symbolic importance.
Ultimately, the F-4 Phantom II’s greatest legacy lies not in kill ratios or speed records, but in the philosophy it established. It demonstrated that a single airframe could effectively perform air superiority, long-range interception, strike, and reconnaissance missions—a concept that defines modern multirole fighters.
After the Phantom’s retirement, its roles were divided among newer designs. The F-15 Eagle took over as the USAF’s premier air-superiority fighter, while the Navy turned to the F-14 Tomcat for fleet defense. The F-16 Fighting Falcon became the true inheritor of the multirole concept on a global scale, while the F/A-18 Hornet and Super Hornet carried the Phantom’s spirit forward in naval aviation.
More than sixty years after its first flight, the F-4 Phantom II remains a benchmark—a loud, smoky, immensely powerful machine that shaped generations of pilots, engineers, and strategists. Its twilight years may be approaching.
