 The Israeli Air Force was the largest foreign operator of the Phantom , flying both newly built and ex @-@ USAF aircraft , as well as several one @-@ off special reconnaissance variants . The first F @-@ 4Es , nicknamed " Kurnass " ( Sledgehammer ) , and RF @-@ 4Es , nicknamed " <unk> " ( Raven ) , were delivered in 1969 under the " Peace Echo I " program . Additional Phantoms arrived during the 1970s under " Peace Echo II " through " Peace Echo V " and " Nickel Grass " programs . Israeli Phantoms saw extensive combat during Arab – Israeli conflicts , first seeing action during the War of Attrition . In the 1980s , Israel began the " Kurnass 2000 " modernization program which significantly updated avionics . The last Israeli F @-@ 4s were retired in 2004 . 
