Jarisch Wolfgang 2017 ©(^348) the (^) of MTA^ History On November 26th,^ 1953,^ the^ 348th^ Tactical^ Reconnaissance
Flightbased^ was^ established,^ at^ Eleusis^ AB.^
withflew^ the^ F‐^84 They^ a^ downward^ looking^ camera^ mounted
inof^ the^ front^ section^ the^ left^ wingtip^ tank.^
5th,^ 1954,^ the^ flightAlmostmoved^ to^ Larissa^ AB.^ July
oneflight^ year^ later,^ the^ was^ upgraded^ to^ Squadron
memberand^ became^ a^ full^ status^ of^ the^ NATO^ Recce^ Forces.
Fromthe^1955 until^ 1957,^ squadron^ flew^ the^ RT‐
Ta^ conversion^ of^ the^ 33A,‐33A^ trainer^ aircraft,^ by^ removing
the^ back^ seat^ and^ adding a^ new^ nose^ section^ to^
state^ of^ theaccommodateart^ photo^ camera^ equipment.
August^ 1956,^ the^ squadron84Freceived^ its^ first^ RF‐In
Thunderflash,For^ as^ shown^ above.^ the^ time^ being,^ the
‐^ 84F^ was^ a^ highlyRFsophisticated^ aircraft.^ Its^ three^ nose
mounted^ cameras^ could‐photograph^ targets^ inde‐
fromor^ with^ overlaps^ pendently^ horizon^ to^ horizon.^
squadron^ received^ its^ firstTheRF‐4E^ on^ November^ 3rd,
1978.delivered^ With^ eight^ RF‐44Es^ to^ the^ HAF^ a^ spe‐
348 RF‐4E^ squadron,^ the^ cific^ MTA^ RF‐4,^ was^ established
andparallel^ operated^ in^ to^348 MTA.^
July^ 1987,^ the^ twoMTA,squadrons^ merged^ into^348 In
flyingthe^ both^ the^ RF‐84F^ and^ RF‐4E.^ After^ the^ RF‐84F
servicewithdrawn^ from^ frontline^ being^ and^ the^ loss^ of
threeHAF^ RF‐4Es,^ the^ needed^ additional^ RF‐4Es.^
the^ German^ Air^ ForceRFretired^ some^ of^ their^ Luckily,
4Esto^ and^ sold^27 aircraft^ ‐^ Greece.^20 of^ these^ joined
active^ fleet^ while^ thetheremaining^ seven^ were^ used^
spare^ parts^ source.^ Theasex‐German^ aircraft^ had^ their
equipmentWarning^ Receiver^ Radar^ removed^ and^ were
not^ able^ to^ carry^ and launch^ AIM‐^9 Sidewinder^ mis‐
siles.^ In^ 2003,^ the^ squadron^ was^ assigned^ an^ additional^ role:
Electronic^ Intelligence^ by^ using^
SignauxASTAC^ (Analyseur^ de^ the^ Tactiques).^ This^ is^
a^ reconnaissance^ system^ used^ to^
and^ analyze^ tacticalinterceptand^ technical^ data^ on
RFradiated^ emissions^ by^ land‐
(^) weaponand (^) radars systems.^ based In its 64 years of existence^ the^348 MTA^ has^ accumulated
some^ 181,000^ flight^ hours.^
RFthe^ retirement^ of^ the^ With‐4E^ the^ analog,^ film^
based^ aerial^ reconnaissance^ has^
replacedto^ its^ end,^ being^ come^ by^ the^ Goodrich^ DB‐
110 pod.^ The^ DB^110 is^ a^ digital,^
day/night,^ two‐axiscompact,stabilized,^ real‐time,^ tactical
reconnaissance^ pod^ system^
by^ F‐^16 carriedBlock^50 aircraft.^
‐^ to‐air^ courtesy^ of^ MajorAirLambros^ Tolias^ of^348 TRS.^