What happened to the US AF RF-4 Phantoms ?

[Prowlus]

I remembered the USAF did aquire the recon phantoms but they and their
role seems to have disappeared alltogether come the 90s.
Did they get phased out due to spy saterlites or do f-16s have a
secondary recon role that hasn't been used yet?

[Kevin Brooks]

"Prowlus" > wrote in message
m...
> I remembered the USAF did aquire the recon phantoms but they and their
> role seems to have disappeared alltogether come the 90s.
> Did they get phased out due to spy saterlites or do f-16s have a
> secondary recon role that hasn't been used yet?

F-16's can carry a recon pod (the VaANG F-16 unit is one specifically unit
tasked and equipped for that role, but is not exclusivly limited to it).
Operationally, it appears that most of the photo recon role, as it applies
to tactical aircraft, has been assumed by the USN with their F-14's and now
F-18's carrying recon pods. Other systems have also assumed more importance
in the recon roles, not only the UAV's you mentioned--E-8 JSTARS, ARL-M, the
EP-3 and P-3C, U-2's with data links that allow real time transfer of
imagery, etc. As to what happened to the USAF/ANG RF-4's, ISTR some of them
were transferred to allied nations when we retired them.

Brooks

[Robey Price]

After an exhausting session with Victoria's Secret Police, Prowlus
confessed the following:

>I remembered the USAF did aquire the recon phantoms but they and their
>role seems to have disappeared alltogether come the 90s.
>Did they get phased out due to spy saterlites or do f-16s have a
>secondary recon role that hasn't been used yet?

Yep RF-4s were retired in the early 90s. Logistics...maintenance
upkeep was too expensive and the optical sensors (cameras with film
that must be developed) were obsolete. The SLAR (side looking airborne
radar) could be data linked but the resolution was less than optimum,
the data link ground-based infrastructure was oversized (not easily
transportable). TEREC (tactical electronic reconnaissance) was easily
replaced by other ELINT sensors.

F-16 ANG units at Richmond VA and Selfridge MI carry a centerline
recce pod as part of their mission.

Robey

[Ragnar]

"Prowlus" > wrote in message
m...
> I remembered the USAF did aquire the recon phantoms but they and their
> role seems to have disappeared alltogether come the 90s.
> Did they get phased out due to spy saterlites or do f-16s have a
> secondary recon role that hasn't been used yet?

[Ragnar]

"Prowlus" > wrote in message
m...
> I remembered the USAF did aquire the recon phantoms but they and their
> role seems to have disappeared alltogether come the 90s.
> Did they get phased out due to spy saterlites or do f-16s have a
> secondary recon role that hasn't been used yet?

Tossed in the refuse bin by 1995. Sad, but unmanned systems are available
that potentially do a better job.