The McDonnell Douglas F-4G Wild Weasel was a two-seat, strike aircraft, which was specialized in suppression of enemy air defenses (SEAD). It was in service with the US Air Force between 1978 and 1995. It saw combat action in Operation Desert Storm, which was the 1991 Gulf War. Based on the F-4 Phantom II, the F-4G replaced the Republic F-105E/G Thunderchief in the role of suppressor of enemy air defenses. Thus, it was specifically developed for the task of finding and destroying the enemy air defense radars and their surface-to-air missile platforms. For this mission, the aircraft was armed with anti-radiation missiles and equipped with advanced radars and avionics.
The F-4G Wild Weasel was the direct result of the hard-learned lesson in Vietnam, where many American bombers and attack aircraft were shot down by Soviet-made North Vietnamese SAMs. The lesson was that before carrying out a bombing raid, air defenses must first be suppressed, and for that, both the US Navy and Air Force developed specialized aircraft to carry out this mission. This is why, in early 1991, during Operation Desert Storm, Wild Weasels were the first combat aircraft to attack, accounting for 74 per cent of the Iraqi air defense radars and missile-launching platforms. However, only one F-4G was lost in action during this armed conflict.
It made its maiden flight on December 6, 1975, as a prototype. The first F-4G Wild Weasels were delivered to the USAF's 35th Wing in 1978. It had been created by modifying the F-4E Phantom II fighter, removing its 20-mm cannon and mounting electronic equipment in the nose of aircraft to detect enemy radars on earth. Then its radar guided anti-radiation missiles to wipe them out. The detection system used by the F-4G was the AN/APR-38, which provided comprehensive radar warning and homing, with the help of 52 special antennas. To be able to destroy the enemy air defenses on the ground, the Wild Weasel was armed with AGM-65 Maverick and AGM-88 HARM anti-radiaton missiles.
Specifications
Type: strike aircraft specialized in suppressing enemy air defenses.
Length: 19.20 m (62 feet, 11 inches)
Wing Span: 11.71 m (38 feet, 5 inches)
Wing Area: 49.24 m2 (530 square feet)
Height: 5 m (16 feet, 6 inches)
Power Plant: two General Electric J79-GE-17A after-burning turbojet engines, which generated 17,910 pounds of thrust.
Maximum Speed: 2,300 km/h (1,429 mph)
Combat Radius: 964 km (600 miles)
Service Ceiling: 18,975 m (62,000 feet)
Crew: two
Armament: AGM-88 HARM anti-radar missiles; AGM-65 Maverick electro-optical air-to-ground missiles; AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles.
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| Above, two F-4Gs in flight during Operation Desert Storm. |
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| A Wild Weasel of the 35th Wing in California, in 1978. |
