57
(Continued from Page 54)
Recce missions can also be flown to provide battle damage assessment after strike aircraft have attacked a target. Captain Sofologis explains: “After a specific time we take photos for further analysis about the functionality of the attack and destruction of the target. The purpose of the photos is for our staff to see if an extra group of forces has to re-attack this specific target or if we achieved the desired effect on the target.” The commander adds: “During critical periods the 348 T.R.S is the first Squadron to depart and the last to land.”
The squadron also carries out missions to assist civilian agencies such as photographing forest fires. Captain Sofologis recalls one of those missions: "There was a wide spread fire the civil officers wanted to see where the border line of the fire was, so with our cameras we were taking pictures, making a mosaic of the area. In two hours after the landing they had a clear image of the interest area.”
Another interesting and novel use of the RF-4 platform was finding water: “The IR camera had the opportunity to help in finding water in some areas that didn't have enough water. In one city, it was very helpful.”
In addition, the RF-4 fulfills an important electronic warfare task. Making use of the ASTAC pod, an airborne electronic reconnaissance system, emissions from land-based radars and weapon systems could be intercepted and analyzed. With the ASTAC pod, radar emitters could be located and identified precisely and quickly in order to prepare future strikes. Captain Sofologis clarifies: “We were using trigonometry to find the geographic position of the emitters. It was a useful tool to extract the electronic order of battle of the enemy.”
Another unorthodox role of the RF-4 Phantom was the dispensing of aluminum strips, or chaff, via the ALE-40 chaff dispensers. “We would make corridors to jam enemy radars to produce false targets, or to damage or make blind spots to the enemies radar picture in order to blind or distract the enemy.”
Training
Before flying an RF-4, all student pilots go through the Hellenic Air Force Academy (HAFA), The HAFA has the same standards for all pilots, regardless of platform. Sofologis explains: “In the first year we fly the Cessna T-41 and after that the T-6 Texan II. In the third year or after you graduate from the HAFA we fly the T-2 Buckeye. Then you must decide if you want to go to an air to air squadron, or go to an air to ground squadron, and if you like the air to ground squadron you must go to the specific squadrons we have in Greece.” The F-16 squadrons are multi-role but some of them have air defense as a primary role, and others have the air to ground missions. The mindset is that all the squadrons are multi-role. The 348 squadron is an exception, it has a unique role as an exclusive reconnaissance unit. “So after the training aircraft we will come here with the RF-4, we start flying it the back seat for about three to five years and after the back seat we finally go in front, to fly the aircraft. You must have at least 300 hours in the back seat to become an RF-4 pilot.” Commander Papadimitriou adds: “After the crews have been certified as combat ready, they go through subsequent programs to maintain their skills.”
The official date for the RF-4E’s withdrawal has past and its last recon mission has landed. The RF-4s will be missed by pilots and enthusiasts alike.