401st Tactical Airlift Squadron (JASDF) explained

Unit Name:401st Tactical Airlift Squadron
Native Name:第401飛行隊
Dates:October 1, 1968
Country:Japan
Allegiance:1st Tactical Airlift Group
Branch:Japan Air Self-Defense Force
Garrison:Komaki Air Base
Colours:-->
Colours Label:-->
Aircraft Transport:Lockheed C-130H, Lockheed KC-130H

The is a squadron of the 1st Tactical Airlift Group of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) based at Komaki Air Base in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. It is equipped with Lockheed C-130H Hercules and Lockheed KC-130H Hercules aircraft.[1] [2]

The C-130H has a greater range than its predecessor the Kawasaki C-1, and since the 1980s Japan's posture has gradually become more outward-looking and the Self-Defense Forces have become more involved in activities beyond Japan's shores. These have included humanitarian relief and evacuation missions, supporting US and Japanese military activities, and participation in multi-national military exercises.

History

The squadron was formed on October 1, 1968, operating the Curtiss C-46D Commando. For ten years previously, between 1958 and 1968, a predecessor squadron had operated. The squadron went on to operate the YS-11 and Kawasaki C-1 before re-equipping with the longer-ranged Lockheed C-130H Hercules in the 1980s. Since that time aircraft of the squadron have deployed overseas on many occasions.

Humanitarian missions

On several occasions in the 1990s Japan dispatched squadron C-130s to prepare for possible evacuations of Japanese nationals. In July 1997 one was sent to Thailand amid upheavals in Cambodia, and in 1998 six were sent to Singapore in case Japanese needed to be evacuated from Indonesia. As it happened neither evacuation was required.[3] [4] Japan did not participate in the Australian-led multinational intervention in East Timor, but in 1999 a C-130 was sent to West Timor in case Japanese citizens needed to be evacuated.[5] From November 26, 1999, to February 1, 2000, three C-130s from the squadron including one backup flew a humanitarian airlift. In 47 rotations the aircraft transported 402 tons of supplies in Kupang, West Timor.[6]

In October 2001 six squadron C-130s transported humanitarian aid (tents, blankets and relief supplies) for Afghan refugees in Pakistan.[7] [8]

In a mission lasting from July 11 to July 26, 2016,[9] three of the squadron's C-130s were sent to Japan Self-Defense Force Base Djibouti to evacuate Japanese citizens from Juba in South Sudan after fighting broke out there.[10] [11] [12] They were expected to pick up around 70 Japanese citizens.[13] It was also announced that some of the people to be evacuated were non-Japanese working with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).[14] By July 14 the aircraft had evacuated 47 Japanese nationals to Nairobi in Kenya, and took four Japanese embassy employees to Japan Self-Defense Force Base Djibouti. Around 20–30 Japanese remained in Juba.[15] [16]

One aircraft participated in December 2015 edition of the US Air Force's Operation Christmas Drop in the Pacific, along with one RAAF C-130J and three US C-130s.[17] [18] [19] [20] [21] The JASDF and RAAF also participated in the 2016,[22] 2017,[23] [24] 2018[25] and 2019[26] operations.

In January 2020 two squadron C-130s and around 80 SDF personnel flew to Australia during the unprecedented 2019–20 Australian bushfire season. They flew to RAAF Base Richmond and were expected to be deployed across New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia as necessary.[27] [28] [29] [30] [31]

Afghanistan and Iraq

Almost half of Japan's C-130s were used in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, the US-led campaign against Afghanistan. While not participating in Afghanistan directly they provided support by flying US equipment and personnel to Singapore, Guam and other places. This freed up US resources to focus on the war in Afghanistan.[32]

Squadron C-130s were active in Iraq from 2004 to 2008. The provided support to the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force contingent deployed there after the invasion.

Military exercises

Japan has taken place in the Cobra Gold military exercise in Thailand since 2005. In February 2017 a squadron C-130 was used in a drill for evacuating Japanese and US citizens[33] [34] ending with a short flight.[35]

In March 2012, a year after the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) had assisted Japan following the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, one of the squadron's aircraft visited RAAF Base Richmond in Australia.[36]

The squadron has participated in the Cope North military exercise on a number of occasions, including in 2009,[37] 2013,[38] 2016[39] and 2017.[40]

In-flight refuelling

From 2010 two of the squadron's C-130Hs (95-1080 and 95-1083) have been equipped with aerial fuel-receiving and refueling functions, making them of KC-130H standard. This provides the JASDF with the ability to refuel the UH-60J search and rescue helicopters of its Air Rescue Wing.[41]

Other missions

In response to Typhoon Haiyan hitting the Philippines in November 2013 squadron C-130s were deployed, along with other SDF aircraft.[42] [43] [44] [45] [46]

After the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 in March 2014 two of the squadron's aircraft were sent to Subang Airport in Malaysia to assist in the search.[47]

In January 2016 after North Korea claimed to have exploded a hydrogen bomb, a squadron C-130, along with three Kawasaki T-4 aircraft, were used to test for radioactive particles. The flights were done for around 14 days.[48] [49] [50] [51] The flights did not detect any radioactive particles.[52]

Tail marking

The tail-marking of the 401st Squadron was a red "Shachihoko", or killer whale, with Nagoya Castle on a blue background and a figure "1", which represented the "1"st Tactical Airlift Group commanding the 401st Squadron. This tail-marking is no longer used on their C/KC-130H aircraft.[53] [54]

Aircraft operated

Notes and References

  1. Thompson, Paul JASDF – Order of Battle July 1, 2017 J-HangarSpace Retrieved September 13, 2017
  2. https://www.mod.go.jp/asdf/komaki/info/1taw.html 1st Tactical Air Group
  3. Book: Japan and North America: The postwar, Volume 2 . 2004. 9780415275163 . November 20, 2017 . Krauss . Ellis S. . Nyblade . Benjamin .
  4. Web site: Foreign Naval Presence Builds Around Indonesia . . May 20, 1998 . worldview.stratfor.com . November 20, 2017 .
  5. Book: Green, Michael J . Japan's Reluctant Realism . 2001 . 9780312299804 . November 20, 2017 .
  6. Web site: Japan ends humanitarian airlift in West Timor . . February 1, 2000 . unhcr.org . November 20, 2017 .
  7. Web site: International Peace Cooperation for the Relief of Afghan Refugees – Photo Digest – . . 2001 . mofa.go.jp . November 16, 2017 .
  8. Book: Penn, Michael . Japan and the War on Terror . 2014 . 9780857736154 . November 20, 2017 .
  9. イカロス出版 Jwing No.218 2016年10月号 8–9頁 「空自C-130H、法人救出ミッション」
  10. News: . Japan sends military planes for evacuation of citizens in South Sudan . . July 11, 2016 . November 16, 2017 .
  11. Web site: Violence spurs Japan to evacuate workers from South Sudan . . July 12, 2016 . apnews.com . November 16, 2017 .
  12. Yoshida, Reiji SDF is ordered to evacuate Japanese nationals from South Sudan July 11, 2016 Japan Times Retrieved November 23, 2016
  13. News: . Violence spurs Japan to evacuate workers from South Sudan . . July 12, 2016 . November 16, 2017 .
  14. News: . [<!--not specified--> ASDF rescue flight for Japanese in South Sudan will also evacuate foreigners ]. . July 12, 2016 .
  15. News: . Japan Embassy staff evacuated from South Sudan . . July 14, 2016 . November 20, 2017 .
  16. News: . Japan to expand SDF base in tiny but strategically important Djibouti . . November 19, 2017 . November 20, 2017 .
  17. News: . Australia, Japan join U.S. Air Force in Pacific island Christmas food, toy drop that started in 1952 . . December 14, 2015 . November 18, 2017 .
  18. Web site: Operation Christmas Drop showcases HA/DR Training . Mekpongsatorn . Melissa K. . December 17, 2015 . yokota.af.mil . November 18, 2017 .
  19. Web site: Operation Christmas Drop showcases HA/DR Training . . December 2015 . airliftmagazine.com . November 18, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20171201030429/http://www.airliftmagazine.com/ocd2015/ . December 1, 2017 . dead .
  20. Web site: The 2015 Operation Christmas Drop . . December 2015 . micronesia.emb-japan.go.jp . November 18, 2017 .
  21. Web site: Japan Air Self-Defense Force of Operation Christmas Drop . . December 18, 2015 . youtube.com . November 18, 2017 .
  22. Web site: Operation Christmas Drop: Behind the Scenes . Presentado . Cierra . December 12, 2016 . dia.mil . November 19, 2017 .
  23. Web site: Operation Christmas Drop 2017 in Full Flight . Mediola . Tanya . December 12, 2017 . navy.mil .
  24. Web site: Operation Christmas Drop 2017 concludes . . December 17, 2017 . news,defence.gov . June 7, 2018 .
  25. Web site: Operation Christmas Drop 2018 is a Wrap, Until Next Year Micronesia . Gilmore . Matthew . December 19, 2018 . pacom.mil . . January 23, 2020 .
  26. Web site: Operation Christmas Drop 2019 is Here and Santa's C-130s are Ready to Fly . Gilmore . Matthew . December 9, 2019 . pacom.mil . . January 23, 2020 .
  27. Web site: Japan's SDF team to help Australia bushfire relief . . January 15, 2020 . nhk.or.jp . . January 23, 2020 .
  28. News: . SDF Aircraft Arrive in Australia to Help Fight Bushfires . Jiji Press . January 16, 2020 . January 22, 2020 .
  29. Web site: Japan joins Operation Bushfire Assist . . January 15, 2020 . minister.defence.gov.au . January 22, 2020 .
  30. News: . Two SDF planes arrive in Australia to help fight bush fires . . Jan 16, 2020 . Jan 22, 2020 .
  31. News: Gorton . John . January 18, 2020 . Japanese Air Force delivers Australian Army reservists to Kangaroo Island bushfire mission . . January 23, 2020 .
  32. Book: Williams, Brad . Japan, Australia and Asia-Pacific Security . 2006 . 9781134178407 . November 21, 2017 .
  33. News: . SDF holds first evacuation drill by land for Japanese nationals abroad . . February 16, 2017 . November 19, 2017 .
  34. News: . SDF holds first overseas rescue drills during Cobra Gold in Thailand . . February 19, 2017 . November 19, 2017 .
  35. Web site: Nations practice non-combatant evacuations at Cobra Gold 17 . Sissel . Matthew . February 21, 2017 . marforpac.marines.mil . November 19, 2017 .
  36. Web site: Japanese C-130 visits Richmond . . March 20, 2012 . australianaviation.com.au . . November 18, 2017.
  37. Web site: Japan forces arrive in Guam for joint exercise . . January 28, 2009 . af.mil . November 17, 2017 .
  38. Web site: Exercise Cope North Guam 2013 begins . . February 5, 2013 . airforce-rechnology.com . November 17, 2017 .
  39. Web site: Cope North 16 Pacific partners sharpen air combat skills . . February 25, 2016 . pacaf.af.mil . November 17, 2017 .
  40. Web site: Cope North 17 Concludes with Friendships Renewed, Skills Sharpened . Skovo-Lane . Jacob . March 6, 2017 . pacom.mil . November 17, 2017 .
  41. Web site: Boeing Team Delivers C-130H Aerial Refueling Tanker to Japan . Boeing Company . 20 April 2010 . 27 September 2017.
  42. News: . Typhoon Haiyan: Aid in numbers . . November 14, 2013 . November 20, 2017 .
  43. Yoshida, Reiji Massive SDF dispatch set for Philippine relief mission November 14, 2013 Japan Times Retrieved September 18, 2017
  44. Web site: Japanese troops welcomed back in typhoon-hit Philippines . Abbugao . Martin . November 22, 2013 . www.rappler.com . November 20, 2017 .
  45. News: Robson . Seth . November 19, 2013 . WWII foes US, Japan back in Philippines to help storm victims . . November 20, 2017 .
  46. Web site: Looking back on the Dispatch of the Japan Disaster Relief Team to the Philippine Typhoon Haiyan Disaster Area . Nakamura . Akira . March 27, 2014 . jica.go.jp . November 20, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20171201044231/https://www.jica.go.jp/english/news/opinion/2013/140327.html . December 1, 2017 . dead .
  47. Web site: Japan's assistance in search of Malaysia Airlines MH370 (13 March) Two C130 arrive at Subang Airport . . March 13, 2014 . my-emp-japan.go.jp . November 18, 2017 .
  48. Web site: These Aircraft Sampled Air For Radioactive Particles To Determine If North Korea Actually Detonated A Hydrogen Bomb . Cenciotti . David . September 6, 2017 . theaviatonist.com . November 19, 2017 .
  49. Web site: Japan prepares for North Korean Bomb . Lake . Jon . September 22, 2017 . asianmilitaryreview.com . November 19, 2017 .
  50. Web site: JASDF deployed C-130, T-4s to take air samples to test for radioactive particles . . January 2016 . alert5.com . November 19, 2017 .
  51. News: . 空自、引き続きＴ４練習機を派遣 Ｃ１３０輸送機も 放射性物質収集 . . November 19, 2017 .
  52. Web site: JASDF aircraft failed to detect radioactive materials in air samples . . January 2016 . alert5.com . November 19, 2017 .
  53. Web site: JASDF Squadron Histories J-HangarSpace: Information on Japanese Aviation. www.j-hangarspace.jp. 2018-02-20.
  54. Web site: JASDF – Order of Battle J-HangarSpace: Information on Japanese Aviation. www.j-hangarspace.jp. 2018-02-20.

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