204th Tactical Fighter Squadron (JASDF)

The 204th Tactical Fighter Squadron (第204飛行隊 (dai-no-byaku-yon-hikoutai)) is a squadron of the 9th Air Wing of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force.[1] It is based at Naha Air Base, in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. It is equipped with Mitsubishi F-15J/DJ and Kawasaki T-4 aircraft.[2][3][4]

204th Tactical Fighter Squadron
第204飛行隊
204 Squadron Mitsubishi F-15Js (2010)
ActiveDecember 1, 1964-present
CountryJapan
BranchJapan Air Self-Defense Force
Part ofSouthwestern Air Defense Force, 9th Air Wing
Garrison/HQNaha Air Base
Aircraft flown
FighterMitsubishi F-15J/DJ
TrainerKawasaki T-4

History

The squadron was founded as part of the 5th Air Wing on December 1, 1964 at Nyutabaru Air Base as a Lockheed F-104J/DJ squadron. It began as a conversion squadron under Lieutenant Colonel Tadashi Matsuzaki, former commander of the 201st Tactical Fighter Squadron based at Chitose Air Base in Hokkaido. It took on Quick Reaction Alert duties from October 1968. It was temporarily based at Komatsu Air Base in 1980 and 1981 before returning to Nyutabaru.

In 1985 it upgraded to the F-15J/DJ and became part of the 7th Air Wing at Hyakuri Air Base in Ibaraki Prefecture. It was partly responsible for the air defense of Tokyo. This move prompted the 301st Tactical Fighter Squadron to move to Nyutabaru as a replacement.

In 2009 the squadron moved from Hyakuri to Naha Air Base in Okinawa Prefecture, swapping with the F-4EJ equipped 302nd Tactical Fighter Squadron which moved to Hyakuri. The 204th became the southernmost of the JASDF's F-15 Eagle squadrons.

The squadron's aircraft participated in the Cope North exercise at Andersen Air Force Base in Guam in 2012.[5]

In September 2017 it conducted training with US Rockwell B-1B Lancer bombers.[6]

Tail marking
Tail marking (2016)

During the F-104 era the squadron's tail marking was a blue and yellow "V", signifying the 5th Air Wing. Since 1984 (when the F-15 Eagle was adopted) the squadron's aircraft carry a bald eagle as their tail marking.[4]

Aircraft operated

Fighter aircraft

Liaison aircraft
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See also

References
  1. F-15s transferred to Okinawa base to strengthen defense against China February 1, 2016 Mainichi Shimbun Retrieved September 21, 2017
  2. 第9航空団 Archived 2016-04-13 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved September 21, 2017 (in Japanese)
  3. Thompson, Paul JASDF - Order of Battle July 1, 2017 J-HangarSpace Retrieved September 20, 2017
  4. Thompson, Paul JASDF - Squadron Histories J-HangarSpace Retrieved September 20, 2017
  5. Cope North 12-1 kicks off February 10, 2012 Retrieved September 20, 2017
  6. Japan US Bilateral Training September 9, 2017 Retrieved September 25, 2017
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