From Kim Simmelink’s sources":"The Navy conducted a series of studies which were intended to take the F-4B design (the F-4J was still on the drawing board) into the future and give the Navy a much more capable machine by addressing the Phantoms shortcomings and incorporating state of the art systems. Out of these studies came the F-4(FV) concept. The F-4(FV) had a larger, more advance wing of 640 sq. ft., more advance electronics with multi-track and shoot capability, and the J79-GE-10 engine.
The Navy’s F-4X program (not to be confused with the F-4X program for the Air Force which resulted in the F-4E(S) for Israel) took the work done in the F-4(FV) studies and applied them to the upcoming F-4J looking at five different design variations which would take the design into the next century as a viable fleet defender.
The first variation is (referred to as the F-4J+) which was a minimum change of the upcoming F-4J. Improvements were made to the wing, and high lift devices, the catapult performance, and it was to be equipped with a modified AWG-10 with multi-shot capability for the AIM-7F Sparrow III missile.
Next was the F-4(FV)L which built on the F-4J+ with an improved wing (still mounted at the same place as the F-4J) which had increased wing area of 595 sq. feet, improved lift devices (including slats) and better carrier suitability.
The F-4(FV)H was a high wing variation of the F-4(FV)L which had modified main landing gear and lower fuselage, a thinner wing of 560 sq. ft., and offered more growth potential because of changes to the internal volume.
The F-4(FV)S was a revision of the F-4(FVS) proposed earlier by McDonnell, and increased the size of the wing from 420 sq. ft. on the F-4(FVS) to 500 sq. ft. This wing offered improved maneuverability and lower approach speeds. It still retained BLC on the trailing edge flaps. This design had a larger stabilator and vertical tail to improve stability.
The final design study was the F-4(FV)S with an advanced engine. This design would incorporate the increase area intakes of the F-4K along with the General Electric GE-1 engine. This design would have improved approach speeds, service ceiling, and acceleration time.
These studies were a last gasp to breathe new life into the F-4 airframe. But it was already showing its age and newer, more capable aircraft were soon to make it less likely that any serious consideration would be paid to these designs. Some improvements were taken from the studies and incorporated into the F-4S upgrade of the F-4J."
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