F-4D - Iran - 1980

As a fully qualified pilot with strong connections to several U.S. aerospace companies – not to mention to the U.S. intelligence establishment — the Iranian Shah was able to personally negotiate arms deals with American politicians. In 1967 he managed to secure a deal for 32 F-4Ds, a few of which remain in Iranian service as late as 2023. The Shah skillfully presented himself to the U.S. public as a protector of peace and stability in the Middle East who could fill the vacuum the British were creating. In 1969, the Shah successfully negotiated another deal — this time for 130 F-4Es, then the latest variant of that type.

Best known for their crucial contribution later in the Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988), the Iranian F-4s flew numerous combat sorties in 1974-1985 against Iraq and against Marxist rebels in Oman. By 1980, 29 F-4Ds remained in service with two units, the 306th and 308th TFSs, both stationed at the Nojeh air base (TFB.3). When delivered, the F-4Ds were considered state of the art technology, but ten years later they were regarded as second-line assets, despite implemented upgrades of more advanced equipment, such as RHAWS (Radar Homing and Warning System) and laser-designators and laser-guided bombs. The more advanced F-4E was considered to better meet the needs of Iran. By 1978, the F-4Es were substantially upgraded, with at least 80 F-4Es receiving the advanced APX-70 "Combat Tree" system (see for more details: F-4D - USAF - 1972 | Album by Redicus (1:72)). In 1980, Iran still had in service 29 F-4Ds, 162F-4Es and at least 17 RF-4Es. Due to higher numbers and generally better equipment (cannon, "Combat Tree"), the Iranian F-4Es overtook both interception and ground attack roles, while the F-4Ds were primarely used only for ground attack roles.

On the 22 September 1980, Iraq invaded Iran in what was to become the largest and most violent war the world has seen since the end of the Second World War, the Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988). Stunned and taken by surprise, the IRIAF struggled to organize defensive missions in the opening hours of the conflict. Iranian F-4Ds were part of the first counterattack against Iraqi air bases conducted with a massive 140-aircraft group only hours after the Iraqi invasion started. Out of three F-4s lost that day, one is assumed to be an F-4D.

Since the Iranian F-4Ds were upgraded to launch Paveway I LGBs, they were also assigned to attack valuable targets inside Iraq, but which were correspondingly well defended. These missions were particularly dangerous, since laser lock-on had to be maintained under heavy air defenses. Less than 30 days since the start of the war, five F-4Ds were already lost only during such missions. As a result, all LGB missions were stopped unless specifically ordered by the IRIAF high demand.

A seventh F-4D was lost on the 16 October during a dangerous raid around Baghdad, while his wingman evaded one SAM with a 11g maneouver. The loss tally of the IRIAF F-4Ds was so far as big as what was about to be lost in the next eight years of war with Iraq.

The first and only air victory achieved by an Iranian F-4D occured on the 1st September 1981. One Iraqi MiG-23MS was downed near Shalamcheh with a long range AIM-7E-2. Far more succesful were the F-4Es, which downed a total of 83 IrAF aircraft, 9 of them with the 20mm gun.

In February 1983 in one interesting encounter of IRIAF F-4Es and F-4Ds against Iraqi MiG-25s and deployed Egyptian Mirage 5SDE (equipped with ALQ-234 ECM pods), one Mirage is shot down, but with the loss of one F-4D. The F-4D was flown by the distinguished pilot Hossein Khalatbari, a top scorer with Maverick missiles on F-4Es, and was shot down by a long range missile (R-40) launched from am Iraqi MiG-25PD.

By August 1984, the IRIAF was slowly retired from the front line due to high attrition, excessive fatigue of air crews, airframes and maintainance issues. This opened new oportunities for Iraqi fighter-bombers, which could once more operate deeper in the Iranian airspace. The main role of the IRIAF became the defence of strategic inland targets with only sporadic incursions inside Iraq. The numerous interceptions of Iraqi aircraft most often lead to inconclusive results due to general heavy ECM and jamming.

By 1985, the IRIAF started running very low on spare parts for the F-4 fleet and pilots found themselves in the position of often flying not fully servicable aircraft. Although high attrition and lack of spare parts reduced the availability of the F-4, in 1985 Israel made a large covert resupply of spare parts and weapons to Iran, which enabled the Iranians to restore an increasing number of F-4s.

In parallel to the ground support of the front line, both air forces were very active over the Persian Golf between 1984 and 1986. While the IrAF regularely targeted Iranian ships and oil installations, the IRIAF was compelled to fly regular CAP and escort missions for its ships. In one such scenario on 5 June 1984, a pair of Iranian F-4s (likely F-4Es) were intercepted by Saudi F-15s, with one Iranian F-4 being downed.

From 1987, Iranian F-4s flew mainly air defence sorties against the everemore larger Iraqi fighter-bomber groups flying with numerous escorting fighters. By this time until the end of the war, the IrAF had complete air superiority over Western Iran. By spring of 1988, it became clear that Iran could barely continue the war, as all of its "decisive offensives" had overall failed their major objectives, with efforts of further troop mobilization becoming unsuccesful.

In May-June 1988, the Iranian F-4Ds were involved in numerous strikes against Iraqi air defenses, airfields and artillery positions. This has lead to several large air confrontations with the Iraqis with numerous losses on both sides, but with no F-4D lost.

On the 8th of August 1988, a cease-fire was the beginning of the peace making process between Iraq and Iran, as the war ended effectively on 20 August 1988. By the end of the war, most F-4s had been severely damaged and then repaired, some even several times. The entire F-4 fleet was in need of a complete overhaul. The war fatigue and difficult overal situation of the IRIAF didn't allow for any modifications or upgrades on the F-4s, except some new weapons late in the war.

Out of 29 F-4Ds operational before the war, only 15 have survived the Iran-Iraq War. Contrary to rumours and reports, they have not be cannibalized for spare parts to keep the F-4Es in the air. On the contrary, the F-4Ds were considered a relevant part of the IRIAF during the war. In the late 1980s, the F-4Ds were retired from active combat duty and reorganized in a training unit, the 101st TFS based at Chabahar. These aircraft were completely overhauled in the late 1990s with a few receving even modified electronics. Another major overhaul was performed in 2009.

By 2010, less than 12 old and weary F-4Ds were still in flying condition. Their state deteriorated drastically in the last years, with pilots being able to fly only one sortie per week, after which ground crew requires 40+ hours of work to prepare it for the next sortie. As of October 2013, the F-4Ds/Es were undergoing an upgrade program which included a new Chinese-built radar and other avionics and weapons. A number of 10 F-4Ds were known to be in servicr at that point. As of late 2023, the IRIAF still operates approximately 60 F-4D/Es, out of which only 60% are servicable.

References:

T. Cooper, F. Bishop "Iranian F-4 Phantom II Units in Combat", Osprey Publishing
T. Copper, "MiG-23 Flogger in the Middle East", Helion & Company Limited
T. Copper, "Wings of Iraq, Volume 2", Helion & Company Limited
T. Copper, E.R. Hooton, F. Nadimi, "The Iran-Iraq War, Volume 1", Helion & Company Limited
T. Copper, E.R. Hooton, F. Nadimi, "The Iran-Iraq War, Volume 2", Helion & Company Limited
T. Cooper, B.Taghvaee, L. F. Devlin "IRIAF 2010, The Modern Iranian Air Force", Harpia Publishing