By Amy McCullough, News Editor

is stepping up its security new cabinet, North launched two to demonstrate to North Korea that there posture, prompted by recent pro- more ballistic missiles toward the Sea are consequences to its unlawful and vocative moves by North Korea of . The first one exploded almost dangerous actions.” and China. The heightened threat immediately after launch, but the second Obama also spoke with South Korean is pushing the US and Japan even closer landed in the exclusive economic zone, President Park Geun-Hye and Japanese together militarily and spurring Japan about 200 miles from Japanese soil. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to reiterate to try to smooth over long-simmering the “unshakable US commitment to … tensions with . SIGNIFICANT STEPS defend our allies in the region.” On Sept. 9, North Korea conducted The launches were part of what Presi- Brig. Gen. Michael P. Winkler, vice its second nuclear test of 2016—its fifth dent Barack Obama called an “unprec- commander of 5th Air Force at Yokota overall—claiming to have successfully edented campaign of ballistic missile AB, Japan, told Air Force Magazine he detonated a warhead small enough to launches” in 2016. After the fifth nuclear doesn’t think “there has been a stron- be mounted on an ICBM. The test came test, Obama vowed to work with regional ger point in the alliance” between the just days after launched allies and partners to “vigorously imple- US and Japan. “We work very, very three Nodong medium-range ballistic ment” existing UN Security Council closely with them. The nature of the missiles into the . Just a few resolutions “and to take additional sig- threats in the region are driving us weeks before, as Japan announced its nificant steps, including new sanctions, closer together.”

The US and Japan build closer military ties as the Far East gets more dangerous.

Japan Air Self-Defense Force maintenance airmen prepare Mitsubishi F-2 fighters for a mission during Cope North at Andersen AFB, . The annual exercise concentrates on interoperablity and coordination between USAF and JASDF airmen.

DOD photo by SSgt. Jacob N. Bailey

22 JANUARY 2017 H WWW.AIRFORCEMAG.COM Thousands of North Korean missiles ballistic and cruise missiles capable a constitutional ban on its troops fighting are pointed at Japan, and Pyongyang’s of attacking US bases in Japan and in abroad—a provision that had been in ambitious missile program is “a source the surrounding region. place since 1945. The change broadened of a lot of heartburn,” noted one US The US and South Korea agreed to the country’s military options in times Forces Japan official. The fact that many deploy a Terminal High Altitude Area of crisis, allowed Japan to more easily of those missiles are capable of reaching Defense missile system on the Korean participate in military exercises with Japanese islands is very much on “the Peninsula in July, and Winkler said he other countries, and enabled its forces to minds of the Japanese,” said Winkler. is “very excited” to have it in theater. participate in UN peacekeeping opera- “Fifteen years ago, we used to think Though its projected placement in South tions. Abe called the change a “defensive of Japan as a sanctuary, but the reality Korea won’t “do a lot to defend the nation measure,” but he also emphasized that of today is that we live under an anti- of Japan,” the information gathered from Japan was unlikely to use force to defend access, area-denial umbrella” that has its sensors can be shared with “all the US foreign forces. “fundamentally changed the way we forces in theater, and some of that data Soon after, in April 2015, the first think about conflict in the Pacific,” may be able to be shared with allies.” major revision to US/Japanese defense said Winkler. Though North Korea is In July 2014, the Japanese government cooperation guidelines since 1997 was the closest and most immediate threat, sent shock waves through the region and unveiled. Secretary of State John F. Kerry many countries in the theater have stirred a domestic controversy by lifting said the new guidelines would help deter

JANUARY 2017 H WWW.AIRFORCEMAG.COM 23 USAF, JASDF, and Royal Australian Air Force aircraft fly in formation off Guam during Cope North 15 in February 2015.

USAF photo by TSgt. Jason Robertson threats and contribute to regional peace said this has been a “great enhancer [to] tance/disaster relief capabilities since and stability, but applying those guide- situational awareness that will become then, having studied US Guard and lines is still in the early stages. central to how we are able to interoper- Reserve natural disaster response ef- Col. Kenneth E. Moss, commander of ate” in the future. forts. In 2015 when flooding struck a the 374th Wing at Yokota, said the The Japanese also are keenly aware prefecture north of Yokota, the Japanese US is seeing the start of “a really good of the increase in natural disasters in the civil government reached out to its own relationship” with Japan. Moss has been Pacific region in recent years. Roughly 80 military for support. stationed in Japan four times since 1993 percent of the world’s natural disasters “We said, ‘We’re here to help,’ and and has watched the relationship evolve. take place in US Pacific Command’s the Japanese military said, ‘I think we He said 20 years ago, US and Japanese area of responsibility, covering roughly have this one,’” said Moss. “They dem- forces rarely exercised and trained to- 52 percent of the globe, and Japan is onstrated a disaster relief capability for gether, but now are doing so constantly. looking to the US to help it respond to the first time for the Japanese people “The Japanese have always accepted these crises. and it really gave them a sense that, ‘We us in and were always willing to partner. can do this. It’s great the US military is The recent changes in the threat and sta- RADICAL CHANGE there, but it’s also great that our military bility of the region have opened up the After the devastating 9.0 magnitude can provide a response.’ ” Japanese eyes and minds to additional earthquake and subsequent tsunami hit Still, humanitarian assistance-disaster training and opportunities that exist be- Japan in 2011, the government realized relief operations and partnership building cause they partner with us,” said Moss. it needed to be better prepared to work remain major parts of the US mission in The new guidelines have enabled the with the US military assigned in their Japan as well as the rest of the Pacific. Japanese to participate in more joint country. The bulk of the Air Force’s presence planning sessions with US forces, said Moss said , in Japan is on Okinawa, where the US Brig. Gen. Barry R. Cornish, commander the earthquake relief effort, “radically military has long had a complicated of the at Kadena AB, Japan. changed” the way the Japanese view US relationship with Japanese civilians and “We’ve opened the door a little more forces. “We’re seen as a true partner and local political leaders. These sometimes- in understanding each other and our as someone that’s here to help,” he said. tense relationships make disaster relief ability to integrate and operate together,” The JASDF has made significant capabilities and partnership building said Cornish. strides in its own humanitarian assis- all the more important. “To me, that’s One key change has been in command and control. The Japan Air Self-Defense Col. Kenneth Moss, commander of the 374th Airlift Wing at Yokota AB, Japan, flies over Force continues to invest in its network the Kanto Plain, Japan, during a training mission. The wing is transitioning to the C-130J capabilities allowing the US and Japa- and the final J-model is slated for delivery in February 2018. nese forces to share data links. Cornish

24 JANUARY 2017 H WWW.AIRFORCEMAG.COM DOD photo by Mass Comm. Spc. 1st Class Matthew Bradley why we’re here,” said Col. William C. Freeman, commander of Kadena’s 353rd Special Operations Group, US Special Operations Command’s only air component in the Pacific. USAF has “that enduring presence out here. That helps with building up those critical relationships,” he added. “If we had a rotational force they couldn’t estab- lish that bond that we have and wouldn’t really know the people throughout the Pacific region and what they need.” When Typhoon Halola struck Wake Island in July 2015, called on the 353rd SOG to rapidly as- sess the damage. More than 100 people had evacuated and PACAF wasn’t sure SrA. Christian Coleman cleans up debris in Noda, Japan, in 2011 during Operation if it was safe to land C-130s or C-17s Tomodachi, the humanitarian assistance-disaster relief effort undertaken after a on the runway. devastating 9.0 earthquake. The SOG sent two MC-130H aircraft and a special tactics team to conduct a airdropped “a five-person special tactics flying time from both South Korea and “boots on the ground technical assess- team along with a couple of dirt bikes” Taiwan; three hours to the Philippines ment.” The team planned the mission in to assess the field, clear the debris, and and the contested Spratly Islands in the back of the aircraft on the five-hour give the green light. Less than an hour the South China Sea; and five hours flight to Andersen AFB, Guam, where later, a C-17 landed on the runway. to and Indonesia. Kadena, they integrated with the 36th Contingency “It’s a great vignette on … how we Yokota, and Misawa AB, Japan, often Response Group. A B-52 operating out can integrate with our sister services serve as staging locations for humanitar- of Guam flew over with an intelligence, and the rest of the Air Force,” said ian assistance-disaster relief operations. surveillance, and reconnaissance pod Freeman. “We can’t do this alone. … In 2015, the 909th Air Refueling and took pictures. From notification to opening the field Squadron at Kadena—USAF’s only The next morning, the MC-130Hs was 36 hours,” and that includes nine Active Duty tanker squadron in the took off on the three-hour flight to Wake hours of flying time. Pacific—flew a total of 7,500 hours, Island. They were refueled in the air by Kadena is known as the “keystone of including 469 combat hours for op- a KC-135 operating out of Guam, and the Pacific” because it is just an hour’s erations Inherent Resolve and Enduring

USAF photo by Yasuo Osakabe

JANUARY 2017 H WWW.AIRFORCEMAG.COM 25 Freedom, setting a 25-year high, said Lt. “shrink the world” and put many places C-12J, by comparison, costs $2,289 per Col. Jonathan Burdick, unit commander. within reach, he said. flight hour to operate. In that year, the squadron offloaded 3.2 “Based on the number of flight hours million pounds of fuel, supported 47 HOIST CAPABILITY we have devoted to aeromedical evacu- strikes, refueled 247 coalition receivers, The 374th Airlift Wing at Yokota ation missions, we have saved the Air and conducted 86 aeromedical evacua- has 14 C-130Hs, and several C-12Js Force an estimated $1 million compared tion support missions, saving 64 patients. and UH-1Ns, all of which Moss said to the C-130H and KC-135 since the start “We have 15 tankers and we’re typi- “have been great enablers at partner- of the calendar year,” said Capt. Anthony cally always maxed out,” said Burdick, ing with the JASDF and some of our J. Pergola, a C-12 pilot with the 459th who noted that the overall demand for other regional nations.” The wing’s Airlift Squadron at Yokota. tankers in theater “far exceeds capacity.” Hueys allow airmen to get in and out The 374th AW is PACAF’s only for- In addition to its refueling and aero- of tight spaces, an important capability ward deployed airlift wing and its reach medical evacuation roles, Kadena’s KC- in the congested metropolitan is extensive. During a typical week, one 135s are being used as transport aircraft. area. Pilots also fly with night vision or two of the wing’s C-130s are in de- After North Korea conducted a nuclear goggles, which the JASDF does not do, pot maintenance, three are reserved for test in January 2016, for example, allowing recovery efforts to continue training, and the rest are participating the 909th was called in to “transport after sunset, Moss said. in tactical airlift missions throughout materials back to the US very, very The Air Force recently added a hoist the theater. rapidly so senior leaders could make capability to the helicopters, allowing Many other countries in the Pacific the decisions they needed to make,” them to take on some aeromedical evacu- fly C-130s, including Indonesia, Japan, Burdick said. He wouldn’t elaborate ation roles as well, easing demand for Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam. on the nature of the materials sent, but the base’s C-130s and Kadena-based The 374th serves as the regional “subject said that within 12 hours his airmen tankers. In addition, the service added a matter experts for the employment of launched two missions from Kadena medevac function to the C-12, normally that airplane,” said Moss. to JB McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J. used for VIP transport. “We have a lot of outreach with many “Initially it was a very, very tactical- The new capability not only has of the countries,” he said. “Right now, level capability that was put in place “opened some doors with JASDF part- … we’re in the initial stages of building where we could have grand strategic ners,” said Moss, but has saved the Air a relationship with them, understanding effect. That’s a key reason why we have Force a lot of money. what their capabilities are, and letting tankers at Kadena and I think we’ll It costs about $9,230 per hour to fly them build trust with us and assist always have tankers paired with all the the C-130H and just over $11,000 per them,” he added. “We’ve done deploy- other combat assets here.” The tankers hour to fly the KC-135. The much smaller ments to Indonesia and Malaysia, and

A Japan Ground Self-Defense Force UH-1 Iroquois and a USAF C-130H fly over Yokota Air Base. Both the US and Japan fly a version of the UH-1 in the Pacific region.

USAF photo by Yasuo Osakabe

26 JANUARY 2017 H WWW.AIRFORCEMAG.COM USAF photo by Yasuo Osakabe J models.” The exact timeline hasn’t been determined, he said. The group also is in the process of standing up its CV-22 detachment at Yokota. The first three of 10 CV-22s is slated to arrive in the second half of 2017 and the rest will be delivered by 2021. The beddown “will provide increased capability for US special operations forces to respond quickly to crises and contingencies in Japan and across the Asia-Pacific region, including humanitarian crises and natural disas- ters,” according to the 2015 Pentagon release announcing the beddown. It will “increase interoperability, enhance SrA. Donovan Boone marshals a JASDF RF-4E during the 2016 Japanese-American operational cooperation, and promote Friendship Festival at Yokota. stronger defense relations with the Japan Self-Defense Forces.” we’re looking ... to expand our presence as before, making it harder to train The CV-22s and Yokota’s C-130Js elsewhere.” maintainers on the aircraft. Unlike the will be able to share a composite repair The wing is upgrading its own ca- pilots, who will train at Little Rock facility now under construction, saving pabilities and is about to transition to AFB, Ark., the vast majority of C-130J some money in the military construc- the C-130J Super Hercules. The first maintainer training will be conducted tion budget. model was slated to arrive in November at Yokota, so the early aircraft will As part of the Defense Department’s 2016. Eventually, the 374th AW will have to be split between operational push to put its most capable assets in the fly a mixed fleet, including eight new use and training. Pacific region, 10 Marine Corps F-35Bs J models and six older aircraft with “We are intentionally delaying the H will be deployed to that service’s air the final J model slated for delivery in leaving to allow for some capacity to station at Iwakuni, Japan, in 2017. The February 2018. remain at Yokota for the H flying mis- base now hosts F/A-18 fighters, which Pilots say the new aircraft is in some sion while the J stands up,” said Miller. will eventually be replaced by F-35Bs. ways more like a C-17 than the legacy The 353rd SOG, which began tran- The deployment is to familiarize pilots C-130s. It’s newer and therefore much sitioning to the MC-130J in December and ground crew members with the fifth more reliable. The C-130J is about 10 2014, already has six of its planned 10 generation fighter. percent to 15 percent faster than the H J models. However, the group will keep Japan also is procuring the F-35A models and is more fuel efficient. It can four of the MC-130H models around until strike fighter and is buying V-22s for carry 128 troops instead of 92 and eight Air Force Special Operations Command its own forces. pallets instead of six. Another benefit is completes development and testing of the Lockheed Martin rolled out the first that the wing’s H models are on a five- airplane’s all-weather terrain avoidance Japanese F-35A during a September year programmed depot maintenance radar, said Freeman. ceremony at the company’s Fort Worth, cycle, but the new J models will be on Former AFSOC commander Lt. Gen. Texas, facility. Company CEO Marillyn a 10-year cycle, making more aircraft Bradley A. Heithold said the command A. Hewson said three more Japanese F- available for operations and training. had scrapped plans to use the original 35As would be made in Texas followed “The J can take off a little heavier. AN/APN-241 radar and is moving for- by 38 more to be made at the Mitsubishi It has more volume and weight,” said ward instead with the Silent Knight final assembly and checkout facility in Maj. Brian Miller, director of Yokota’s Terrain Following/Terrain Avoidance Nagoya, Japan. C-130J transition program. “Before, it radar currently deployed on MH-60 and During a joint press conference with would take us four C-130s to move cargo MH-47 special operations helicopters. Japanese Defense Minister Gen Naka- to Korea. Now we can do it in three and The new radar is expected to be installed tani in April 2015, Defense Secretary it’s not like they reduced our footprint. on AFSOC CV-22 Ospreys, too. Ashton B. Carter said the “close bonds It’s still a one-to-one swap. We’re just The SOG was expected to begin of friendship” in the US-Japan alliance getting a more capable plane.” sending its four remaining Talon IIs are being strengthened by “our invest- The challenge will be in maintain- back to the US for modifications in ments in technological breakthroughs, ing the high operational tempo during October 2016, including upgrades deploying our finest capabilities to the the transition. The wing is no longer to its radios, avionics, and defensive Asia-Pacific, and realigning our posture bringing in new H model pilots and system. Freeman said it will take a in the region.” J model pilots have to go back to the couple years for all four H models to The relationship with Japan, he said, United States for training. Also, the be upgraded, and noted that “it’s going remains “the bedrock of our key role in wing is not getting aircraft as quickly to be a while before we’re full-up on the security of the Asia-Pacific.” J

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