| Unit Name: | Air Patrol Squadron 3 |
| Native Name: | 第3航空隊 |
| Dates: | 1 September 1961 |
| Command Structure: | Fleet Air Wing 4 |
| Nickname: | Sea Eagle |
| Colours: | --> |
| Colours Label: | --> |
| Aircraft Patrol: | P-1 |
(also referred to as VP-3 or Fleet Air Squadron 4) is a unit in the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force. It is a part of Fleet Air Wing 4 and is based at Naval Air Facility Atsugi in Kanagawa prefecture.[1] It is equipped with Kawasaki P-1 aircraft.
The squadron was founded on September 1, 1961 at Kanoya Air Base in Kagoshima Prefecture with the founding of the Fleet Air Force on the same date. It was equipped with nine Lockheed P2V-7 Neptune aircraft. It moved to Shimofusa Air Base in Chiba Prefecture on September 1, 1962. In 1971 part of Naval Air Facility Atsugi was returned to Japanese control by the US Navy. The squadron moved to Atsugi on December 25, 1973.[2]
In 1974 the squadron began to receive P-2J aircraft. In 1984 they started to be replaced by Lockheed P-3C Orion aircraft, with the P-2Js being retired in January 1985.
The squadron has taken part in the Hawaii-based international RIMPAC exercises.
On March 16, 2008 it merged with Air Patrol Squadron 6, which had also been based at Atsugi.
In April 2014 two P-3Cs from Atsugi deployed to RAAF Base Pearce near Perth in Western Australia to participate in the international search for the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 to replace two P-3Cs from Air Patrol Squadron 5 that had deployed in March.[3] [4] [5] [6] [7]
From March 2015 the squadron started to re-equip with Kawasaki P-1 patrol aircraft. This was completed on August 29, 2017. It was the first operational squadron to convert to the P-1.[8]
In November 2016 two P-1s were sent to New Zealand for the 75th Anniversary of the Royal New Zealand Navy. While they were in the country the 2016 Kaikōura earthquake occurred. The aircraft conducted a number of damage assessment flights of the affected areas.[9] [10]
The squadron is composed of two flights: