On 1 October 2013, the unit was renamed in the course of adaptations to the new structure of the German Air Force.

The F-4F was a downgraded F-4E which could not fire the medium range AIM-7 Sparrow air-to-air missile.

Due to the smoke generated by the F-4's General Electric J79 engines, the German pilots dubbed the F-4F the "Air Defence Diesel".

[2] 32 years after the crash and death of the German World War II fighter ace Werner Mölders, JG 74 received the honorary name of "JG 74 Mölders" on 22 November 1973.

However, the German parliament decided in 1998 that it is not proper to name organizations after people who were active in the Legion Condor.