France And Japan Launch First-Ever Joint Air Force Exercise
The French Air and Space Force launched its first-ever joint exercise with Japan’s Air Self-Defense Force on Thursday with a ceremony at Nyutabaru Air Base.
The start of the exercise follows the Wednesday afternoon landing of two Dassault Rafales, an Airbus A330 Phénix tanker, and an Airbus A400M cargo aircraft at the airbase in Miyazaki Prefecture, the first time the French aircraft have landed on Japanese soil. According to the Japanese defense ministry, around 120 French personnel will be involved in exercises with the JASDF set to take place between July 26 and 29.
JASDF participants in the exercise include three F-15s, two F-2s, as well as one KC-767 tanker and one C-2 cargo aircraft, in addition to the JASDF’s Central and Western Air Control Wing. Japanese planespotters have photographed JASDF F-15s with new tailfin and fuel tank art commemorating the visit, with the commemorative scheme F-15s also visible in photographs from the French Air and Space Force.
JASDF Chief of Staff Gen. Hiroaki Uchikura met with French Air and Space Force Chief of Staff Gen. Stephane Mille at the air base following the latter’s arrival aboard one of the French aircraft. According to a readout of the meeting, Gen. Uchikura and Gen. Mille discussed future defense cooperation and exchanges between the nations, with Gen. Uchikura welcoming France’s increased engagement in the Indo-Pacific.
The dispatch of the French aircraft to Japan is part of Paris’ ongoing series of Operation Pegase 23 deployments, demonstrating the Air and Space Force’s ability to rapidly deploy aircraft to various nations in the Indo-Pacific. Other nations that have seen French aircraft visits as part of Operation Pegase include Malaysia and Singapore, with the aircraft that arrived in Japan stopping in South Korea for training with the Republic of Korea Air Force before their arrival at Nyutabaru.
In addition to training together, the French and Japanese aircraft participating in the exercise are scheduled to conduct a formation flight over Tokorozawa City on the 28th. The flight will fly over the city’s Aviation Memorial Park, which is built on the site of Tokorozawa Airfield, Japan’s first airfield. The Airfield was also where the first flight of Kaishiki No.1, the first successful Japanese designed and built aircraft, took place in 1911.