Japan Air Self-Defense Force

The Japan Air Self-Defense Force (航空自衛隊), or JASDF, is the aviation branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces responsible for the defense of Japanese airspace and other aerospace operations. The JASDF carries out combat air patrols around Japan, while also maintaining an extensive network of ground and air early warning radar systems. The branch also has an aerobatic team known as Blue Impulse and has recently been involved in providing air transport in several UN peacekeeping missions.

The JASDF had an estimated 45,000 personnel in 2005, and as of 2013 operates 791 aircraft. Of those 791 aircraft in service approximately 350 are fighter aircraft.

Formation
Before forming the Japanese Self-Defense Forces after World War II, Japan did not have a separate air force. Aviation operations were carried out by the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service and the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service. Following World War II the Imperial Japanese Army and Navy were dissolved and replaced by the JSDF with the passing of the 1954 Self-Defense Forces Law with the JASDF as the aviation branch.

Organization
Major units of the JASDF are the Air Defense Command, Air Support Command, Air Training Command, Air Development and Test Command, and Air Materiel Command. The Air Support Command is responsible for direct support of operational forces in rescue, transportation, control, weather monitoring and inspection. The Air Training Command is responsible for basic flying and technical training. The Air Development and Test Command, in addition to overseeing equipment research and development, is also responsible for research and development in such areas as flight medicine.

The Air Defense Command has northern, central, and western regional headquarters located at Misawa, Iruma, and Kasuga, respectively and the Southwestern Composite Air Division based at Naha on Okinawa. All four regional headquarters control surface-to-air missile units of both the JASDF and the JGSDF located in their respective areas.


 * Prime Minister of Japan
 * Minister of Defense
 * JASDF Chief of Staff / Air Staff Office
 * Air Defense Command: Yokota AB, Fussa, Tokyo
 * Northern Air Defense Force: Misawa, Aomori
 * 2nd Air Wing (Chitose Air Base: 201SQ, F-15J/DJ, T-4; 203SQ, F-15J/DJ, T-4)
 * 3rd Air Wing (Misawa Air Base: 3SQ, F-2A/B T-4; 8SQ, F-2A/B, T-4)
 * Northern Aircraft Control & Warning Wing
 * 3rd Air Defense Missile Group
 * 6th Air Defense Missile Group
 * Central Air Defense Force: Iruma, Saitama
 * 6th Air Wing (Komatsu Air Base: 303SQ, F-15J/DJ, T-4; 306SQ, F-15J/DJ, T-4)
 * 7th Air Wing (Hyakuri Air Base: 302SQ, F-4EJ-Kai, T-4; 305SQ, F-15J/DJ, T-4)
 * Middle Aircraft Control & Warning Wing
 * 1st Air Defense Missile Group
 * 4th Air Defense Missile Group
 * Iwo Jima Air Base Group
 * Western Air Defense Force: Kasuga, Fukuoka
 * 5th Air Wing (Nyutabaru Air Base: 301SQ, F-4EJ-Kai, T-4)
 * 8th Air Wing (Tsuiki Air Base: 304SQ, F-15J/DJ, T-4; 6SQ, F-2A/B, T-4)
 * Western Aircraft Control & Warning Wing
 * 2nd Air Defense Missile Group
 * Southwestern Composite Air Division: Naha, Okinawa
 * 83d Air Wing (Naha Air Base: 204SQ, F-15J/DJ, T-4)
 * Southwestern Aircraft Control & Warning Group
 * 5th Air Defense Missile Group
 * Airborne Early Warning Group: Misawa Air Base(E-2C), Hamamatsu Air Base(E-767)
 * Tactical Reconnaissance Group: Hyakuri Air Base(RF-4E, RF-4EJ)
 * Tactical Fighter Training Group: Nyutabaru Air Base(F-15DJ/J, T-4)
 * Air Defense Missile Training Group: Hamamatsu, Chitose
 * Air Defense Command Headquarters Flight Group (Iruma Air Base: U-4, YS-11EA,YS-11EB, T-4, EC-1)
 * Air Support Command: Fuchu, Tokyo
 * Air Rescue Wing (UH-60J, U-125A, CH-47J, KV-107)
 * 1st Tactical Airlift Wing (Komaki Air Base: 401SQ, C-130H; 404SQ, KC-767J)
 * 2nd Tactical Airlift Wing (Iruma Air Base: 402SQ, C-1, U-4)
 * 3rd Tactical Airlift Wing (Miho Air Base: 403SQ, C-1,YS-11NT/P; 41SQ, T-400)
 * Air Traffic Control Service Group
 * Air Weather Service Group
 * Flight Check Squadron (Iruma Air Base: U-125,YS-11FC)
 * Special Airlift Group (Chitose Air Base: B747-47C [ Nippon-koku seifu sen'yōki ])
 * Air Training Command: Hamamatsu, Shizuoka
 * 1st Air Wing (Hamamatsu Air Base: 31SQ, T-4; 32SQ, T-4)
 * 4th Air Wing (Matsushima Air Base: 21SQ, F-2B; 11SQ, T-4 Blue Impulse)
 * 11th Flying Training Wing (Shizuhama Air Base: 1SQ, T-7; 2SQ, T-7)
 * 12th Flying Training Wing (Hofu kita Air Base: 1SQ, T-7; 2SQ, T-7)
 * 13th Flying Training Wing (Ashiya Air Base: 1SQ, T-4; 2SQ, T-4)
 * Air Basic Training Wing
 * Flying Training Squadron (Nyutabaru Air Base: F-15DJ/J,T-4)
 * Air Training Aids Group
 * Air Officer Candidate School
 * 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th & 5th Technical School
 * Air Development and Test Command: Iruma Air Base, Saitama
 * Air Development and Test Wing (Gifu Air Base: F-15J/DJ, F-2A/B, C-1FTB, F-4EJ, F-4EJ-kai, T-7, T-4)
 * Electronics Development and Test Group
 * Aeromedical Laboratory
 * Air Material Command: Jujou, Tokyo
 * 1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th Air Depot
 * Air Staff College
 * Air Communications and Systems Wing
 * Aerosafety Service Group
 * Central Air Base Group
 * Others

Ranks
Ranks are listed with the lower rank at right.

Equipment
The JASDF maintains an integrated network of radar installations and air defense direction centers throughout the country known as the Basic Air Defense Ground Environment. In the late 1980s, the system was modernized and augmented with E-2C Hawkeye airborne early warning aircraft.

The nation relies on fighter-interceptor aircraft and surface-to-air missiles to intercept hostile aircraft. Both of these systems were improved from the beginning of the late 1980s. Outmoded aircraft were replaced in the early 1990s with more sophisticated models, and Nike-J missiles have been replaced with the modern Patriot PAC-2 system.

The JASDF also provides air support for ground and sea operations of the JGSDF and the JMSDF and air defense for bases of all the forces. Although support fighter squadrons started being modernized in 1989, they lacked precision-guided weapons for support of ground operations and attacks on hostile ships, and JASDF pilots receive little flight training over oceans to prepare for maritime operations. Base defenses were upgraded in the late 1980s with new surface-to-air missiles, modern antiaircraft artillery and new fixed and mobile aircraft shelters.

The JASDF is not allowed to have strategic bombers for that would go against the self-defense–only policy.

See also List of military aircraft of Japan

Other equipment

 * M167 VADS
 * MIM-104 Patriot (PAC-2 & PAC-3)
 * Type 81 Surface-to-air Missile
 * Type 91 Surface-to-air missile
 * Surface-to-Air Missile for Aerial base Defense

Future equipment
Sources:

Past equipment

 * MIM-3 Nike Ajax
 * MIM-14 Nike-Hercules
 * Nike-J
 * Kawasaki KAQ-1 (Target drone)