Asia-Pacific Military Aviation News roundup: 23 Aug 2013

A People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) Nanchang Q-5 has crashed near Dalian, in China's Liaoning Province today. The pilot was unfortunately killed in the crash.

Japan has announced that about half of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force's 13 E-2C Hawkeye Airborne Early Warning aircraft will be transferred to Naha in Okinawa from their current base in Misawa, northern Japan. This is to improve the area's Early Warning coverage in the face of increased Chinese overflights in the area surrounding the disputed Senkaku Islands.

Meanwhile, I've done up a separate blog post with more details about JASDF F-2 fighters intercepting a pair of Russian Tupolev Tu-95MS Bears that were accused of violating Japanese airspace. Japan has lodged an official complaint, and Russia says it's investigating.

Russian AF Bears bring about JASDF interceptors (again)

Tu-95MS Bear photographed by intercepting Japanese fighters (Japanese MoD photo). Click on image for high-res version

Japan has lodged a formal complaint with Russia regarding the intrusion into Japanese airspace by a pair of Russian Air Force Tupolev Tu-95MS Bear bombers near Fukuoka in Japan's main southern island of Kyushu.

According to the press release (in Japanese) issued by the Japanese Ministry of Defense, the instrusion took place on the 22nd of August between 1209 and 1211 local time. The bombers were intercepted by Mitsubishi F-2 fighters, almost certainly from the Japan Air Self-Defense Force's 6th Hikotai based at Tsuiki.

Bear tracks (in red)

It has become something of a scripted event in recent times. Whenever Japan brings up the issue of the disputed Kuril Islands that were seized by the former Soviet Union in the closing days of World War II, Russia sends over its military aircraft to buzz Japan.

I reckon it's like the 1980s movie Beetlejuice, and Japan saying "Kurile Islands" is saying "Beetlejuice" 3 times in the movie, with the difference being that saying the former brings Russian aircraft to Japan's doorstep.

Japan to upgrade F-2s with new radar, AESA-equiped AAMs

JASDF F-2A. (USAF Photo)

Japan is planning to upgrade 60 Mitsubishi F-2 combat jets with new radars and integration with the AAM-4B air-to-air missile (AAM) in a deal believed to be worth US$468 million. This upgrade will also provide a much-needed boost to Japan’s struggling aviation/military industry.

The AAM-4B is fitted with a missile seeker featuring, for the first time in an AAM, an Active Electronically-Scanned Array (AESA) radar. Coupled with the enhanced J/APG-2 radar to replace the current J/APG-1 set, Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) F-2 pilots are expected to have vastly improved air-to-air capabilities.

The survivors of 94 F-2s currently serve with 2 JASDF Hikotais (Wings). One aircraft has been lost in a crash, while 12 were written off in the aftermath of the March 2011 tsunami that swept through Matsushima Airbase.

JASDF F-2 loses drop tanks off Guam

Citing broadcaster NHK, Japan Security Watch has said that a Japan Air Self-Defense Force Mitsubishi F-2 fighter inadvertently dropped two of its external fuel tanks into the Pacific Ocean off Guam on February 16th.

The F-2 was conducting a joint exercise based out of Guam (almost certainly Ex. Cope North) when the incident happened. Both tanks were seen falling into the ocean and there were no reports of damage and/or casualties. Other press reports have cited human error as the cause of this case, which I am presuming to mean the stores jettison switch was accidentally activated, causing the tanks to drop off the aircraft.

The Mitsubishi F-2 is capable of carrying two 600 US gallon (2271 litre) tanks in it's wings.

PHOTO: Tsunami damaged JASDF F-2s being prepared for restoration

Japanese newspaper Sankei Shimbun has published two photographs of JASDF F-2 fighters in a hangar at Matsuhima Airbase in Miyagi Prefecture. The base and its aircraft had been hard hit by the March tsunami that was triggered by the Tohuku earthquake. The newspaper says that of the 18 damaged aircraft, six will be salvageable, but cost pressures mean that replacement aircraft for the remaining dozen will not be purchased.

JASDF will try to repair tsunami-damaged F-2s

Japanese newspaper Sankei Shimbun has reported that the 18 F-2s damaged during the March 11th tsunami at Matsushima Airbase are undergoing repairs to try to get the aircraft back into service. The JASDF will also work to open Matsushima's runway to allow relief operations for the devastated region.

via Kyle Mizokami/Japan Security Watch

VIDEO: Devastation from tsunami at Matsushima Airbase

The Telegraph has a short video, taken from the air by a Japanese news network helicopter of the devastation at Matsushima AB. In the video you can see a UH-60J, U-125 02-3013, 10 different F-2s and a T-4 that had been damaged to varying degrees by the tsunami.

PHOTOS: Devastation from tsunami at Matsushima Airbase

NOTE: Click on thumbnails to view high res images


A JASDF UH-60J helicopter sits among debris at Matsushima air base of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force, northeastern Japan, on Saturday, March 12, 2011, one day after a giant quake and tsunami struck the country's northeastern coast. (AP Photo/Kyodo News)


Japanese vintage military planes have dirt on their wings at Matsushima air base of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force, northeastern Japan, on Saturday, March 12, 2011, one day after a giant quake and tsunami struck the country's northeastern coast. (AP Photo/Kyodo News)


A JASDF Mitsubishi F-2B fighter has its nose struck in a building at Matsushima air base of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force, northeastern Japan, on Saturday, March 12, 2011, one day after a giant quake and tsunami struck the country's northeastern coast. (AP Photo/Kyodo News)


An overview of JASDF Mitsubishi F-2 fighters damaged by the tsunami at Matsushima air base of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force, northeastern Japan, on Saturday, March 12, 2011, one day after a giant quake and tsunami struck the country's northeastern coast. (AP Photo/Kyodo News)


An pair of JASDF Mitsubishi F-2 fighters and a Kawasaki T-4 trainer damaged by the tsunami that swept through Matsushima air base of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force, northeastern Japan, on Saturday, March 12, 2011, one day after a giant quake and tsunami struck the country's northeastern coast. (AP Photo/Kyodo News)

Tsunami hits Japan's Matsushima Airbase, damaging 18 JASDF F-2s

AP Photo/Kyodo News via Tim Robinson

Yesterday's devastating earthquake and tsunami which hit Japan has caused severe damage to the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force's Matsushima Air Base in Miyagi Prefecture, located approximately 120 km (80 miles) from the epicentre of the quake, which measured 8.9 on the Richter Scale.

According to the Japanese Defence Ministry, seawater from the tsunami has damaged 28 aircraft, including 18 Mitsubishi F-2 fighters of the JASDF's 21st Hikotai. A number of the damaged aircraft are expected to be total writeoffs.

Matsushima is also home to The Blue Impulse aerobatics team of the JASDF's 11th Hikotai, which were fortunately not at the base at the time, along with UH-60J helicopters and U-125s of the Matsushima Kyunantai (Air Rescue Squadron).

Info courtesy of Nikkei, Scramble and Kyle Mizokami of Japan Security Watch

Additional Links:
Matsushima Airbase on Wikipedia
Matsushima Airbase on Scramble
Higher resolution photos of damaged aircraft at Matsushima
Video of damaged aircraft at Matsushima

Japan eyes F-35s; gives up on more F-2s.

Japan has set its sights on procuring the F-35 fighter as Japan’s main next-generation fighter aircraft for the JASDF. The move will result in no more Mitsubishi F-2s being purchased for the JASDF.