As part of strengthening relations in an increasingly complex environment, U.S. Air Force B-52H strategic bombers and F-15J fighters from Japan’s Self-Defense Forces recently conducted a bilateral exercise over the Sea of Japan. This was announced by the U.S.-Japan Combined Forces, which stated that the exercise reaffirmed the two countries’ firm resolve not to tolerate unilateral changes to the status quo by force.
The exercise, conducted on December 16, took place in the airspace over the Sea of Japan, the East China Sea, and the Western Pacific Ocean, southeast of Okinawa. It included formation flights and tactical exercises, such as defensive anti-air training.
Regarding the units participating in the exercise, they included fighters from both the U.S. Air Force and the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF). From the JASDF, participants included three F-15s from the 5th Air Wing, three F-15s from the 6th Air Wing, and seven F-15s from the 9th Air Wing. The U.S. Air Force contributed a B-52, four F-35As, four F/A-18s, four F-22s, six F-16s, and three EA-18G Growlers.
The sole B-52H Stratofortress (Air Force serial number 61-0018) was assigned to the 5th Bomb Wing from Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota. Additionally, reports suggest that the F-16s likely came from the units currently deployed at Kadena Air Base, as the exercise took place southeast of Okinawa. However, the U.S. also has F-16s stationed at Misawa Air Base in northern Japan. Similarly, the Growlers may belong to the CVW-5 unit from Iwakuni or Kadena, as the latter currently hosts six EA-18G Growlers from the Electronic Attack Squadron 131 (VAQ-131) “Lancers,” which arrived at the base in September of this year.
This exercise has also been interpreted as a response to a recent deployment of strategic bombers from the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) and the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) over the Sea of Japan in late November. That deployment, which included both solo and combined patrols, was monitored by Japan’s Self-Defense Forces.
For some analysts, this was likely one of the largest bilateral air exercises in recent times in terms of the number of participating aircraft. Additionally, it aligns with statements from Japan’s Ministry of Defense, which noted that the formations were conducted “amid an increasingly severe security environment surrounding Japan following the intensification of activities related to Japan’s national security.”
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