A New AWACS Squadron in Okinawa Will Beef up Air Defense in Controvertial Waters

More Eyes to Alert Intruders to Senkaku Islands  with  New Airborne Early Warning Squadron in Okinawa; Ministry of Defense

from MSN Sankei News August 22 ,2013

Credit: Japan Air Self-Defense Force

Ministry of Defense seemingly decided  to create a new early warning squadron consisting of E-2C AWACS at Naha Air Base as the ministry will submit its budget plans to procure equipments in fiscal 2014 budget plans. As more cases of Chinese aircraft approaching to the Japanese territorial airspace over the East China Sea has been observed, the Ministry seemingly has decided to reinforce air early warning and monitoring capabilities.

E-2Cs, however, are getting obsolete after three decades have passed since the introduction, the Ministry will study its successor in fiscal 2015 budget. As for another asset of AWACS, E-767 will be installed with upgraded systems.  

 A total of 13 E-2Cs are stationed in Misawa Air Base while E-767 AWACS is operated from Hamamatsu Air Base.

 Since Senkaku Islands were declared as national property in last September, a sudden jump in frequency of Chinese fighter planes or ISR assets are being found to approach the Japanese airspace over East China Sea.  For instance, Air Self-Defense Force fighters doubled its scrambling cases to approaching Chinese aircraft since previous year, counting 306 this year  in total a record high.

Air Self-Defense Force employs both E-2C and E-767 AWACS since last September in Okinawa seas; AWACS flew from Hamamatsu but E-2C’s range made necessary to station at Naha and so far four examples are being operated from the Okinawa base. Normally it would be around 20 sorties annually but the number reached to close to 250 since last September to March.

 However, infrastructure for maintenance of E-2C at Naha Air Base is poor and it has been wanted for prompt improvement of its support functions. With the creation of new flight squadron, almost half of E-2C fleet will fly from Naha.

The new unit would increase early warning capabilities of Japanese air force in its southwest corner of territory and would be taken as a warning to China.