Americas Tony Landis of the US Air Force Materiel Command History Office recently detailed the remarkable history of aircraft 62-12200, the McDonnell YF-4E Phantom II. Now housed at the National Museum of the United States Air Force (NMUSAF), this aircraft, though often overlooked, played a pivotal role in advancing fly-by-wire (FBW) technology, setting the stage for the development of modern fighter aircraft. Originally developed as a Navy F4H-1, the aircraft was adapted for the US Air Force under the designation F-110A Spectre, later reclassified as the F-4C. Serial number 62-12200, initially a YRF-4C reconnaissance aircraft, underwent extensive modifications throughout its service life. Notably, it transitioned from its original role to become the aerodynamic prototype for the F-4E program, receiving the YF-4E designation in 1967. The US State Department has cleared Canada’s plan to purchase hundreds of AIM-9X Sidewinder tactical missiles from RTX. With an estimated value of $265 million, the potential foreign military sale (FMS) includes 120 Sidewinders in the Block II configuration and 48 in the more advanced Block II+. Ottawa is also requesting 96 training missiles, 20 guidance kits, active optical target detectors, and engineering and logistical support. Middle East & Africa Hamas has claimed it was behind […]
