"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