{"id":56994,"date":"2024-09-04T19:58:47","date_gmt":"2024-09-04T17:58:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.outono.net\/elentir\/?p=56994"},"modified":"2024-09-09T21:35:51","modified_gmt":"2024-09-09T19:35:51","slug":"the-hellenic-air-force-celebrates-50-years-of-its-phantom-ii-fighters-with-an-excellent-video","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.outono.net\/elentir\/2024\/09\/04\/the-hellenic-air-force-celebrates-50-years-of-its-phantom-ii-fighters-with-an-excellent-video\/","title":{"rendered":"The Hellenic Air Force celebrates 50 years of its Phantom II fighters with an excellent video"},"content":{"rendered":"

In 1974, Greece received the first McDonnell-Douglas F-4E Phantom II fighters from a batch of 36 purchased from the United States two years earlier.<\/p>\n

Greece receives the ok from the US for its F-35s with good news for the Spanish Navy<\/a><\/rel>
\nA surprising fuel leak in an already veteran Greek F-4E Phantom II fighter<\/a><\/rel><\/p>\n

With its first Phantom II, the Hellenic Air Force formed two units:<\/strong> the 338 Squadron \"Ares\" (still active and the only one still operating these aircraft) and the 339 Squadron \"Ajax\" (disbanded in 2017), both based in Andravida.<\/p>\n

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In 1976, Greece purchased 24 more aircraft, namely F-4E fighters and RF-4E reconnaissance aircraft.<\/strong> The RF-4Es were used to form a reconnaissance unit, the 348 Squadron \"Eyes\", based in Larisa and disbanded in 2017, and the new F-4Es were used to form the 337 Squadron \"Ghost\", created in 1978 and which retired its Phantom II in 2005, receiving F-16 fighters in 2006.<\/p>\n

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This initial fleet was replenished years later with surpluses from two allied countries: in the 1990s, Greece acquired 27 RF-4Es from the German Luftwaffe and 28 F-4Es from the US Air National Guard.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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In the following years, Greece launched the Peace Icarus I and II programs to modernize its Phantom IIs<\/strong>, renewing their structural components to prolong their operational life and equipping them with AN\/APG-65 GR radars<\/strong>, improved avionics, LITENING II target designators and an inertial navigation system.<\/p>\n

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Greece retired its last RF-4Es from service on 5 May 2017. Today, the 338 Squadron \"Ares\" continues to operate 18 F-4E SRAs received from the US in the 1990s<\/strong> from Andravida Air Base. These aircraft are planned to be replaced by fifth-generation F-35A fighters in the near future.<\/p>\n

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A few days ago, the Hellenic Air Force published an excellent video paying tribute to its Phantom II<\/strong> on the 50th anniversary of the arrival of this aircraft model to that European country. The video ends with a play on words, \"Phiphty Phantastic Years<\/strong>\" (Fifty fantastic years), in reference to the nickname of the aircraft. The images that I include in this article are taken from this video:<\/p>\n