| Japan Air Self-Defense Force 航空自衛隊 |
|
|---|---|
| Founded | July 1, 1954 |
| Country | Japan |
| Size | 45,000 personnel (2005) 805 aircraft[1] (2010) |
| Part of | Japan Self-Defense Forces |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander |
General Kenichiro Hokazono (Chief of Staff, Air Self Defense Force) |
| Insignia | |
| Roundel | |
| Ensign | |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Attack | F-2 |
| Electronic warfare |
E-767, EC-1, E-2C |
| Fighter | F-4EJ, F-15J/DJ, F-2 |
| Helicopter | UH-60J, CH-47J, KV-107 |
| Interceptor | F-15J |
| Trainer | F-15DJ, T-7, T-400, T-4 |
| Transport | C-1, KC-767J, C-130H |
The Japan Air Self-Defense Force (航空自衛隊 Kōkū Jieitai), or JASDF, is the aviation branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces responsible for the defense of Japanese airspace and other aerospace operations.[2] The JASDF carries out combat air patrols around Japan, while also maintaining an extensive network of ground and air early warning radar systems. The branch also has an aerobatic team known as Blue Impulse and has recently been involved in providing air transport in several UN peacekeeping missions.
The JASDF has an estimated 45,000 personnel in 2005. As of 2010, the JASDF operates 805 aircraft, 374 of them being fighter aircraft.
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Before forming the Japanese Self-Defense Forces after World War II, Japan did not have a separate air force. Aviation operations were carried out by the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service and the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service. Following World War II the Imperial Japanese Army and Navy were dissolved and replaced by the JSDF with the passing of the 1954 Self-Defense Forces Law with the JASDF as the aviation branch.
Major units of the JASDF are the Air Defense Command, Air Support Command, Air Training Command, Air Development and Test Command, and Air Materiel Command. The Air Support Command is responsible for direct support of operational forces in rescue, transportation, control, weather monitoring and inspection. The Air Training Command is responsible for basic flying and technical training. The Air Development and Test Command, in addition to overseeing equipment research and development, is also responsible for research and development in such areas as flight medicine.
The Air Defense Command has northern, central, and western regional headquarters located at Misawa, Iruma, and Kasuga, respectively and the Southwestern Composite Air Division based at Naha on Okinawa. All four regional headquarters control surface-to-air missile units of both the JASDF and the JGSDF located in their respective areas.
The JASDF maintains an integrated network of radar installations and air defense direction centers throughout the country known as the Basic Air Defense Ground Environment. In the late 1980s, the system was modernized and augmented with E-2C Hawkeye airborne early warning aircraft.
The nation relies on fighter-interceptor aircraft and surface-to-air missiles to intercept hostile aircraft. Both of these systems were improved from the beginning of the late 1980s. Outmoded aircraft were replaced in the early 1990s with more sophisticated models, and Nike-J missiles have been replaced with the modern Patriot PAC-2 system.
The JASDF also provides air support for ground and sea operations of the JGSDF and the JMSDF and air defense for bases of all the forces. Although support fighter squadrons started being modernized in 1989, they lacked precision-guided weapons for support of ground operations and attacks on hostile ships, and JASDF pilots receive little flight training over oceans to prepare for maritime operations. Base defenses were upgraded in the late 1980s with new surface-to-air missiles, modern antiaircraft artillery and new fixed and mobile aircraft shelters.
The JASDF is not allowed to have strategic bombers for that would go against the self defense–only policy.
See also List of military aircraft of Japan
The JASDF operates 805 aircraft, of which 374 are fighter aircraft.
| Aircraft | Origin | Type | Versions | In service[3] | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Combat aircraft | ||||||
| Mitsubishi F-2 | Japan | Fighter
Fighter/Trainer |
F-2A
F-2B |
49
33 |
Planned 94 + 4 prototype | |
| Mitsubishi F-15 Eagle | United States Japan |
Fighter
Fighter/Trainer |
F-15J
F-15DJ |
135
45 |
2 F-15J's & 12 F-15DJ's were built by US and the rest were built by Mitsubishi under license. | |
| F-4 Phantom II | United States Japan |
Fighter
Reconnaissance |
F-4EJ/EJ改
RF-4E/EJ |
91
26 |
2 F-4EJ & RF-4s were built by US, remaining F-4EJs built by Mitsubishi under license. RF-4 version being phased out; equivalent number of F-15 to receive synthetic aperture radar pods | |
| Trainer aircraft | ||||||
| Kawasaki T-4 | Japan | Trainer | 208 | |||
| Raytheon Hawker 400 | United States | Trainer | T-400 | 13 | ||
| Fuji T-7 | Japan | Trainer | 48 | |||
| Transport aircraft | ||||||
| C-130 Hercules | United States | Tactical transport | C-130H | 15 | ||
| Kawasaki C-1 | Japan | Tactical transport
Electronic warfare |
C-1A
EC-1 |
25
1 |
||
| Boeing 767 | United States | Airborne refueling | KC-767J | 4 | ||
| Boeing 747 | United States | VIP transport (Japanese Air Force One/Two) | 747-400 | 2 | ||
| Gulfstream IV | United States | VIP transport | U-4 | 5 | ||
| NAMC YS-11 | Japan | Transport | YS-11 | 13 | ||
| British Aerospace BAe 125 | United Kingdom | Light transport | U-125A | 32 | ||
| AEW | ||||||
| Boeing E-767 | United States | Airborne Early Warning & Control | E-767 | 4 | ||
| Grumman E-2 Hawkeye | United States | Airborne Early Warning | E-2C | 13 | ||
| Transport/search and rescue helicopter | ||||||
| Boeing CH-47 Chinook | United States Japan |
Transport helicopter | CH-47J | 15 | Built by Kawasaki under license. | |
| Mitsubishi H-60 | United States Japan |
Search & rescue | UH-60J | 32 | 3 UH-60J were built by US & remaining UH-60Js built by Mitsubishi under license. | |
| Aircraft | Origin | Type | Versions | Number built | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mitsubishi ATD-X | Japan | Demo jet fighter | - | - | Maiden flight expected in 2014. |
| Kawasaki C-2 | Japan | Tactical airlift | - | 1 | Entering service in 2011. It is estimated that 30–50 will be produced.Currently this project is named C-X |
| F-X | - | Fighter | - | - | On 20 December 2011 the Japanese Government announced that it intended to purchase 42 F-35s[4] |
On 14 November 2011, The Daily Telegraph reported that the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II was favored to win the F-X bid because of close security ties between Japan and United States. Japanese officials were also reported to be impressed with the F-35's stealth capabilities.[7]
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