Airforces

35th Fighter Wing

52 // FEBRUARY 2018 #359 http://www.airforcesmonthly.com

frontline units flying F-2A/B fighters and E-2C

airborne early warning aircraft, plus T-4 jet

trainers and CH-47J rescue helicopters. “We

work with [the JASDF] every single day, and

the degree of this expands constantly,” said

Col Jobe. “Training alongside their F-2s

here at Misawa has been invaluable to our

partnership, presence, and power projection,

and with the arrival of their F-35As, this

partnership will only grow and strengthen.”

Currently, most of the first JASDF Lightning

IIs are at Luke AFB, Arizona, as part of the

Foreign Military Sales training effort. An

initial Japanese-made F-35A was delivered

to Misawa in November last year, after rolling

off the line at the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries

Komaki South Final Assembly and Check

Out (FACO) facility. Although the jet then left

the base for the US, it was an indication of

the future for the JASDF at Misawa, which

is earmarked as the first to receive frontline

examples of the fifth-generation fighter.

“The JASDF is a key partner outside of

combat power projection, too,” Col Jobe

noted. “They transport our troops in their

CH-47 Chinooks to various locations, and

their service members work alongside ours

during monthly exchanges and exercises.

Finally, we work side-by-side in command and

control and early warning for the defence of

Japan. Additionally, the JASDF leadership and

I work together constantly and their support,

their trusted counsel and leadership has

been critical to the defence of Japan and our

mutual training in the Indo-Asia-Pacific area.

Misawa is better because of the relationship

we share. Strengthening our alliances and

partnerships is a strategic priority. Our goal is

to build enhanced security co-operation and

interoperability, because united, we are stronger.”

While a first Japanese F-35A was expected to

arrive at Misawa before the end of the current

fiscal year – March 31, 2018 – the 35th FW has

already had a taste of fourth-to-fifth-generation

fighter integration. During the base’s annual

Air Fest last September, a US Marine Corps

F-35B landed on the Misawa runway for the

first time. “We and our local population were

very excited about this historic event, and we

look forward to other opportunities to train with

them in the upcoming years,” said Col Jobe.

The jet in question was one of those deployed

to Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan,

where Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA)

121 ‘Green Knights’ reached its full complement

of jets in November, ten months after the

squadron’s first aircraft touched down in Japan.

“The introduction of fifth-generation assets

in Japan shows the great leap our allies here

are making,” observed Col Jobe. “They are

joining the US Air Force, US Marine Corps

and the Australian Defence Force ‘Lightning

Left: Magnum! F-16C 90-0805 unleashes a HARM

training round. The weapon is designed to not only

target a hostile radar array, but also to obliterate

the entire SAM system, with its flight profile

culminating in a near-vertical impact angle. Above

left: The view from the rear cockpit of an F-16D as

a HARM streaks away from under the port wing.

Right: A red tailfin cap denotes an aircraft of the

13th FS ‘Panthers’. In this case, it’s F-16C 92-3913,

which has been assigned to Misawa since it was

delivered in 1995. Inset: F-16C 92-3884 features

special markings on its tail, with the legend ‘5 AF’

denoting the 35th FW’s assignment to the Pacific

Air Forces’ Fifth Air Force.

A show of force, PACAF style, as F-16Cs from

the 13th and 14th FS formate on a 9th Bomb

Squadron B-1B on temporary deployment to

Andersen Air Force Base, Guam.