Draft:F-4 Phantoms in Israeli Service

An F-4E Kurnass 2000 of the 201 Squadron on display at Tel Nof, 2013

After the United States, the Israeli Air Force was the second largest operator of the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II, using it as its primary multirole fighter from 1969 to 2004. Israel expressed interest in the F-4 Phantom as early as 1965 as a replacement for its ageing fleet of Mirage IIICJs (known as Shahak in Israeli service, meaning heavens) and selected the F-4 Phantom for its technical superiority and reliability, but didn't purchase any models due to political rejection and only was allowed to purchase A-4 Skyhawks.

During the Six-Day War, the IAF lost many of its Mirages and an arms embargo from France prevented more Mirages to be delivered to Israel. An increase of Soviet equipment flowing into Israel's hostile neighbours initiated the United States Department of Defence to allow Israel to purchase F-4 Phantoms. In 1968, President Lyndon Johnson gave the green light for the sale of Phantoms to Israel.

All Israeli Phantoms were assembled in the United States, however this did not prevent Israel and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) to continue modifying and modernising the Phantom to fit Israel's needs, specialising in SEAD operations over neighbouring Arab countries. During the 1980s, Israel initiated a three-step development plan for the remaining F-4Es in service to modern standards. The result was the 2000 קורנס (Kurnass 2000), replacing the old APQ-120 radar with the AN/APG-76, giving the Kurnass 2000 "look-down capability" along with a new Head-Up Display system. Capability with newer TV and laser guided munitions was also implemented. Overall, 53 F-4Es were modified to Kurnass 2000 standards.

A rare RF-4E Orev in Tzrifin

Israel exclusively used the Air Force F-4E Phantom (along with the recon RF-4E), as there was no advantage for Israel to operate naval Phantoms. All F-4Es in Israel service were known as קורנס (Kurnass, meaning "Heavy Hammer") while the recon RF-4E was refered to as עוֹרֵב (Orev, meaning "Raven").

Background

The IAF historically operated many of France's aircraft, including the Dassault Ouragan and Mystère IV, and later the Mirage IIIs. After the Algerian War, France lost interest in defending Israel and even imposed an arms embargo just before the Six-Day War. Only the aerospace defense contractor Dassault Aviation remained in contact with Israel.

A Mirage IIIC with 12 kill marks on display at the Israel Air Force Museum

Israel sought to purchase an aircraft to replace their Mirage III losses during the Six-Day War. The Dassault Mirage 5, a direct improvement from the Mirage III made to fit Israel's standards was chosen, and Israel made an order of 50 Mirage 5s in 1966. Just before deliveries could be made, Charles de Gualle ordered an embargo on the airframes as response to the 1968 Israeli raid on Lebanon. Israel still wanted the aircraft and made attempts to obtain the Mirages, but all attempts were halted by the French and eventually Israel accepted a refund. The Mossad was later ordered to obtain blueprints and parts for the airframe and engine to build the aircraft indigenuously without license from Dassault Aviation leading to the IAI Nesher, and later the IAI Kfir.

Israel still needed a more modern fighter-bomber. The French embargo prevented Israel from having new aircraft. Israel needed airframes that were more modern and flexible. Israeli officials eyed the F-4 Phantom, a twin-engine tandem seat "missile fighter", and began to push President John F. Kennedy and later President Lyndon Johnson to sell the Phantoms to Israel. But this move did the opposite effect; Johnson was irritated at the officials. Johnson didn't want Israel to acquire the Phantom and only allowed the sale of A-4 Skyhawks to Israel, which Israel purchased operated from 1967 to 2015.

Following the Six-Day War, Israel's neighbouring Arab states still showed hostilities to Israel. Israel expanded nearly 3 times in size after claiming all of Sinai and the Golan Heights and no attempts for a peaceful resolve was made. Relations worsened at the 1967 Arab League summit, which initiated the "3 no's" to Israel; No peace with Israel, no recognition of Israel, no negotiations with Israel. Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser believed that only a military initiative on Israel would Egypt be able to force Israel to withdraw from Sinai. Small scale skirmishes occurred along the Suez until 1969, when Egypt launched a full-scale invasion on Israeli-controlled Sinai.

These hostilities prompted President Lyndon Johnson to allow the sale of the F-4 Phantom to Israel, and the first F-4E Phantoms arrived in Israel at the height of the War of Attrition on September 5, 1969.

Operational History

Upon arrival, the F-4 Phantoms were quickly dispatched to action. The first attack occurred on October 22, 1969, against a Soviet-supplied Egyptian SA-2 surface-to-air battery. The first aerial victory was on the 22 of November of the same year, when 2 Phantoms went against 4 Egyptian MiG-21s. The Phantoms were able to splash one of the MiGs.

Israeli Air Force pilots were quick to learn to exploit the Phantom's capabilities, which was pivotal during the 1973 Yom Kippur War. During the war, Israeli Phantoms flew over 3000 sorties and scored at least 80 kills while only losing around 30 Phantoms (with one loss being blue-on blue) in just 19 days.

A pair of F-4Es Kurnass takes off during the Yom Kippur War, October 1973