T
HE REPUBLIC OF Korea Air
Force (RoKAF) has operated
McDonnell Douglas F-4
Phantom IIs since 1969, when
it began to receive a batch of
18 former US Air Force F-4Ds
under the ‘Peace Spectator’ program.
Ultimately, 92 of these early Phantoms
were transferred to the RoKAF, and some
remained in front-line service until June
2010 after 41 years of sterling duty.
The RoKAF also took delivery of 37
new-build F-4Es that were handed
over from 1977. This batch included
serial 78-0744, the 5,068th and last
Phantom to be built in the US. These
were followed in turn by 57 ex-USAF
examples, delivered from 1985-1990.
Most of the ex-USAF F-4Es had been
withdrawn by 2016, the remainder
continuing to serve with the 152nd and
153rd Fighter Squadrons, part of the
17th Fighter Wing at Cheongju.
Korea ew 18 ex-USAF RF-4Cs that it
received in 1989. The RoKAF lost two
of the recce Phantoms in accidents,
and the six remaining RF-4Cs were
withdrawn in February 2014.Above: All the
F-4Es on this
page were
photographed
during 2017 and
are from the
batch of 37 new-
build jets that the
RoKAF received
from 1977. This
example is serial
76-0510 (60-510)
of the 152nd
Fighter Squadron.
All photos
H. Evans
Below: Around
30 RoKAF F-4Es
are equipped
to be able to
employ the Rafael
AGM-142 Popeye
medium-range
stand-off missile,
as here, along
with its targeting
pod.SPECIAL REPORT // KOREAN PHANTOMS
26 April 2018 //^ http://www.combataircraft.net
26-27 Korean Phantoms C.indd 26 15/02/2018 13:11