Japan Air Self-Defense Force

Japan Air Self-Defense Force
航空自衛隊

Japan Air Self-Defense Force emblem
Founded July 1, 1954
Country  Japan
Type Air force
Size 50,324 personnel[1] (2013)
769 aircraft[2] (2013)
Part of Japan Self-Defense Forces
Motto "Key to Defense, Ready Anytime!"
Commanders
Chief of the Air Staff General Harukazu Saito
Insignia
Roundel
Ensign
Aircraft flown
Attack F-2
Electronic
warfare		 E-767, EC-1, E-2C
Fighter F-4EJ, F-15J/DJ, F-2, F-35A
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, Boeing 747-400

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.[3] 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 had an estimated 50,324 personnel in 2013, and as of 2013 operates 769 aircraft, of which approximately 373 are fighter aircraft.[2]

History

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.

Organization

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.

Ranks

Officers

Officer & Warrant Officer
（幹部・准尉）
InsigniaGeneral
（統合・航空
幕僚長たる空将）		Lieutenant
General
（空将）		Major
General
（空将補）		 Colonel
（1等空佐）		Lieutenant
Colonel
（2等空佐）		Major
（3等空佐）		 Captain
（1等空尉）		First
Lieutenant
（2等空尉）		Second
Lieutenant
（3等空尉）		Warrant
Officer
（准空尉）
Type A
（甲階級章）
Type B
（乙階級章）
Miniature
（略章）

Enlisted

Enlisted
（曹・士）
InsigniaSenior
Master
Sergeant
（空曹長）		Master
Sergeant
（1等空曹）		Technical
Sergeant
（2等空曹）		Staff
Sergeant
（3等空曹）		Airman
1st Class
（空士長）		Airman
（1等空士）		Airman
Basic
（2等空士）
Type A
（甲階級章）
Type B
（乙階級章）
Miniature
（略章）

Equipment

Mitsubishi F-2 fighter

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 and PAC-3 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. Base defenses were upgraded in the late 1980s with new surface-to-air missiles, modern antiaircraft artillery and new fixed and mobile aircraft shelters.

Aircraft inventory

Aircraft Nation Role Versions Quantity[4] Note
Combat aircraft
Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II  United States Fighter Aircraft F-35A 16 Order for 42 F-35A placed on 20 December 2011, with initial delivery to begin in 2016 to replace F-4s. *Another 28 added into defense budget[5]
Mitsubishi F-15 Eagle  Japan Fighter Aircraft F-15J
F-15DJ 		154
45
Mitsubishi F-2  Japan Fighter Aircraft F-2A
F-2B 		63
21 		05 F-2B were scrapped due to 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.
F-4 Phantom II  United States Fighter Aircraft & Reconnaissance F/EF/RF-4EJ 71 Being phased out. Capability to be replaced by existing F-15s and future F-35As.
AEW&C
Boeing E-767  United States Airborne Early Warning & Control E-767 4
Grumman E-2 Hawkeye  United States Airborne Early Warning E-2C 13
Aerial refueling aircraft
Boeing 767  United States Tanker Aircraft Boeing KC-767J 4
Transport aircraft
C-130 Hercules  United States Transport Aircraft
Tanker Aircraft 		C-130H
KC-130H 		15
1
Kawasaki C-1  Japan Transport Aircraft
Electronic Warfare Trainer		 C-1A
EC-1 		26
1
Kawasaki C-2  Japan Transport Aircraft C-2 2 40 on order to replace the C-1 transport aircraft.
Boeing 747-400  United States VIP Transport B747-400 2 Japanese Air Force One
Gulfstream IV  United States VIP Transport U-4 5
NAMC YS-11  Japan VIP Transport
Electronic Warfare Trainer
ELINT
Flight Checker
Navigation Trainer 		YS-11P
YS-11EA
YS-11EB
YS-11FC
YS-11NT 		3
2
4
3
1 		A need for the replacement of the YS-11 in GSDF service has been acknowledged but is currently a low priority.[6]
Hawker 800  United States Transport Aircraft U-125 27
Search and rescue aircraft
BAe 125  United KingdomFlight Checker
Search & Rescue 		U-125
U-125A 		3
3 		2 U-125A were damaged during the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.
Trainer aircraft
Kawasaki T-4  Japan Trainer Aircraft 204 4 aircraft were damaged during the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.
Raytheon Hawker 400  United States Trainer T-400 13
Fuji T-7  Japan Trainer Aircraft 48
Helicopters
Boeing CH-47 Chinook  United States Transport Helicopter CH-47J 16
Mitsubishi H-60  Japan Search & Rescue UH-60J 35 40 on order.

Future of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force

Future aircraft

Aircraft Role Versions Quantity Note
Mitsubishi ATD-X Stealth Fighter Demonstrator F-3 1 prototype Maiden flight expected in 2015.

[7]

Kawasaki C-2 Military Transport Aircraft C-2 2 prototype 40~ planned to produced[8]
Fuji TACOM Air-Launched Multi-Role Stealth UAV TACOM 6 In development and production[9]
F-35 Lightning II 5th generation stealth multirole fighter F-35J *42 *42 on order[10]
RQ-4 Global Hawk Recon UAV RQ-4 *3 *3 on order[11]
E-2D Advanced Hawkeye AEW&C E-2D *4 *4 on order[12]

See also

References and notes

  1. ↑ http://www.mod.go.jp/asdf/English_page/organization/formation01/
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "World Air Forces 2014". Flightglobal.com
  3. ↑  This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Library of Congress Country Studies.
  4. ↑ "World Air Forces 2015" (PDF). Flightglobal Insight. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
  5. ↑ "US Lockheed Martin F-35 chosen as Japan fighter jet". BBC News. 20 December 2011. Retrieved 27 November 2013.
  6. ↑ "Manufacturers eye Japan's YS-11 replacement need - 5/26/2010". Flight Global. 2010-05-26. Retrieved 2014-08-03.
  7. ↑ http://www.kosuke.net/atdx.pdf
  8. ↑ XC-2 Test Aircraft for Japanese Defense Ministry Completes First Flight - khi.co.jp, 26 January 2010
  9. ↑ http://www.fhi.co.jp/english/outline/section/aero.html
  10. ↑ Lockheed Martin Wins Japan Order for 42 F-35 Fighter Planes -bloomberg.com, 20 December 2011
  11. ↑ Japan selects Northrop's Global Hawk and E-2D Advanced Hawkeye for ISR missions - Airforce-technology.com, 20 January 2015
  12. ↑ Japan Officially Selects Osprey, Global Hawk, E-2D-archive.defensenews.com, 21 November 2014

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