Fleet Air Force (JMSDF)

Fleet Air Force
航空集団
Active 1 September 1961
Country  Japan
Branch  Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force
Type Naval aviation
Size 11,000
Garrison/HQ Naval Air Facility Atsugi

The Fleet Air Force (航空集団, koukuushuudan) is the naval aviation branch of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. It is headquartered in Naval Air Facility Atsugi[1] and is responsible for both fixed-wing and rotary aircraft.[2][3]

History

The JMSDF's first aircraft were 16 Lockheed P2V Neptune maritime patrol aircraft, which were provided to the force by the United States Navy in 1956. The US Navy also provided Japan with 60 Grumman S-2 Trackers from 1957.[4] During the 1980s, the JMSDFs force of 82 Neptunes (most of which were the locally built Kawasaki P-2J variant) was replaced by about 100 Lockheed P-3 Orions.[5] The JMSDF's first combat helicopters were the Mitsubishi HSS-2 (the Japanese variant of the Sikorsky SH-3 Sea King).[6] These helicopters were replaced by SH-60Js during the 1990s.[7]

The JMSDF is the only force to operate minesweeping helicopters other than the US Navy. The first helicopters used for this purpose were eight V-107As.[8] These helicopters were replaced by eleven MH-53Es during the 1990s. Seven MCH-101 helicopters have been ordered to replace the MH-53Es, of which five had been delivered by mid-2012.[9]

Current organization

The organization of the JMSDF's aviation units is based on that of the US Navy. The main organizational units are Koku Shudan (air groups), Kokugun (air wings), Kōkūtai (air squadrons) and Hikōtai (flights).[10]

As at mid-2012, the structure of the JMSDF's aviation units was as follows:[11]

Fleet Air Force (Atsugi Air Base)

  • Fleet Air Wing 1 (Kanoya Air Field)
    • Air Patrol Squadron 1 (P-3C Orion)
    • Maintenance and Supply Squadron 1
    • Air Station Kanoya
  • Fleet Air Wing 2 (JMSDF Hachinohe Air Base)
    • Air Patrol Squadron 2 (P-3C Orion)
    • Maintenance and Supply Squadron 2
    • Air Station Hachinohe
  • Fleet Air Wing 4 (Atsugi Air Base)[12]
  • Fleet Air Wing 5 (Naha Air Base)
    • Air Patrol Squadron 5 (P-3C Orion)
    • Maintenance and Supply Squadron 5
    • Air Station Naha
  • Fleet Air Wing 21 (JMSDF Tateyama Air Base)
    • Air ASW Helicopter Squadron 21 (JMSDF Tateyama Air Base SH-60J/K)
    • Air ASW Helicopter Squadron 23 (JMSDF Maizuru Helipoat SH-60J/K)
    • Air ASW Helicopter Squadron 25 (Ōminato Air Field SH-60J/K)
    • Helicopter Rescue Squadron 73 (Tateyama Air Base UH-60J)
      • Helicopter Rescue Detachment Ominato
      • Helicopter Rescue Detachment Iwoto
    • Maintenance and Supply Squadron 21
    • Air Station Tateyama
  • Fleet Air Wing 22 (Omura Air Base)
    • Air ASW Helicopter Squadron 22 (Omura Air Base SH-60J/K)
    • Air ASW Helicopter Squadron 24 (Komatsushima Air Base SH-60J/K)
    • Air Rescue Helicopter Squadron 72 (Omura Air Base UH-60J)
      • Helicopter Rescue Detachment Kanoya
      • Helicopter Rescue Detachment Tokushima
    • Maintenance and Supply Squadron 22
    • Air Station Omura
  • Fleet Air Force 31 Iwakuni Air Base
    • Air Rescue Squadron 71 (Atsugi Air Base US-1A, US-2)
    • Air Reconnaissance Squadron 81 (Iwakuni Air Base EP-3, OP-3C)
    • Air Training Support Squadron 91 (Iwakuni Air Base UP-3D, U-36A)
    • Maintenance and Supply Squadron 31
    • Drone Maintenance Squadron
    • Air Station Iwakuni
  • Air Development Squadron 51 (Atsugi Air Base)
  • Air Transport Squadron 61 (Atsugi Air Base C-130R, LC-90)
  • Mine Countermeasures Helicopter Squadron 111 (Iwakuni Air Base MCH-101)
  • Air Repair Squadron 1 (Kanoya Air Base)
  • Air Repair Squadron 2 (Hachinohe Air Base)
  • Air Control Service Group (Atsugi Air Base)
  • Mobile Construction Group (Hachinohe Air Base)

Units attached to destroyer fleets

  • Kure District Fleet
    • Komatsushima Air Squadron (SH-60J, Komatsushima Air Base)
  • Ōminato District Fleet
    • Ōminato Air Squadron (SH-60J, Ōminato airfield
    • Ōminato Flight (UH-60J)
  • Sasebo District Fleet
    • Ōmura Air Squadron (SH-60J, Ōmura Air Base)
  • Yokosuka District Fleet

References

  1. ↑ JMSDF: What is the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force? Retrieved February 10, 2017
  2. ↑ 航空集団 Retrieved February 10, 2017 (in Japanese)
  3. ↑ Thompson, Paul JMSDF - Order of Battle January 2017 Retrieved February 10, 2017
  4. ↑ Koda (2012), p. 5
  5. ↑ Koda (2012), p. 10
  6. ↑ Koda (2012), p. 13
  7. ↑ Koda (2012), p. 14
  8. ↑ Koda (2012), p. 11
  9. ↑ Gunner (2012), p. 70
  10. ↑ Gunner (2012), p. 66
  11. ↑ Gunner (2012), p. 69
  12. ↑ 厚木航空基地 Retrieved February 8 , 2017 (in Japanese)
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