1st Japanese-Built F-35A Officially Unveiled at Nagoya FACO

[Gamera]

Tuesday, 26 March 2019:
F-35A x 12.
302nd Hikoutai, JASDF, based at Misawa AB, Aomori Prefecture.

At Hyakuri AB, Ibaraki Prefecture, 302nd Hikoutai discontinued F-4.

At Misawa AB, Rinji F-35A Hikoutai [temporary F-35A squadron] became 302nd Hikoutai.
80 members.
Commander was Lieutenant Colonel Nakano Yoshihito (41).
12 F-35A would increase to 20.

MOD announced F-2 squadrons will move from Misawa AB to Hyakuri AB, before or by 2020 March.
During fiscal year 2020, 301st Hikoutai would move from Hyakuri AB to Misawa AB, and become new F-35 squadron.

Misawa AB would have two squadrons and 40 F-35.

E-2D also arrived in Japan, and after check, will allocate Misawa AB soon.
E-2D will train at Misawa AB, and replace E-2C at Naha AB, Okinawa Prefecture.

Future, JASDF E-2D and JMSDF Maya Class AEGIS destroyer will equip CEC system that shares enemy cruise missile and fighter detect data.

https://www.jiji.com/jc/article?k=2019032601322&g=soc

[SpudmanWP]

Japan declare F-35 IOC

29 MARCH, 2019 SOURCE: FLIGHTGLOBAL.COM BY: GARRETT REIM LOS ANGELES
Japan’s air force stood up its first operational F-35A fighter squadron, the 302nd Tactical Fighter Squadron, on 29 March.

The stealth fighter replaces the squadron’s aging, third-generation Mitsubishi F-4EJ Kai fighters, which are Japanese-licensed variants of the Vietnam-era McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II. The squadron is stationed at Misawa Air Base, which is near the northernmost point of Japan’s main island.

Japan now joins a growing number of military services with operational F-35 squadrons: the US Marine Corps, US Navy, US Air Force, Israeli Air Force, Italian Air Force, Royal Air Force and Royal Navy.

“This is a major milestone for the F-35 enterprise, as it marks the first F-35 IOC for an Indo-Pacific region customer,” says Vice Admiral Mat Winter, F-35 programme executive officer. “This significant achievement is a testament to the global nature of this programme, and the F-35 Joint Programme Office (JPO) values the long-established bond with our Japan allies. This could not have happened without the hard work and collaboration between the F-35 JPO, the Japan F-35 programme, our industry partners and the Japanese Air Self Defense Force.”

The first aircraft to be assigned to the 302nd Tactical Fighter Squadron was also the second F-35A assembled at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries’ F-35 Final Assembly and Check-Out facility in Nagoya, Japan. Japan is one of four F-35 foreign military sales countries, along with Israel, South Korea and Belgium.

According to the F-35 JPO, more than 360 operational F-35s have been built and delivered worldwide. Those aircraft have collectively flown more than 177,000 flight hours, with more than 760 F-35 pilots and 6,900 maintainers trained to operate and support the aircraft.

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/artic ... pa-457019/

[gc]

Meanwhile, the Japanese are pushing ahead with their own 5th gen fighter programme. Always impressive as usual. Quietly churning out decent pieces of kit without much fanfare. Their P1 MPA, C-2 transports, Izumo class carriers, Atago class DDGs,Soryu class SSK, indigenous SAMs, ASMs and tanks. They certainly can do alot more than UK with a similar annual defense budget.

https://defence-blog.com/news/japan-dis ... craft.html

[marsavian]

They certainly can do alot more than UK with a similar annual defense budget.

They don't have to support a submarine trident nuclear deterrent which is expensive especially going forward with four new stealthier submarines having to be built. The QE carriers are also the best F-35B sea carriers.