Jump to content

List of active Japanese military aircraft: Difference between revisions

Add links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Next edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
Detailed list active japanese aircraft
Tags: nowiki added Visual edit
(No difference)

Revision as of 01:57, 20 May 2024

This list intends to give an accurate detail list of the equipment currently fielded by the Japanese Self-Defence Forces.

Japanese Air Self-Defence Force

This is a detailed list of the current fleet and the aircraft on order by the Japanese Air Selfe-Defence Force.

Fixed-wing aircraft

Aircraft Origin Type Variant In service On order Notes
Combat Aircraft
F-15 Eagle United States

Japan

Air superiority Mitsubishi F-15J 155 [1] — 213 built, 13 lost.
Conversion trainer Mitsubishi F-15DJ 44 [1] —
Mitsubishi F-2 Japan Multirole F-2A 62 [1] — 98 built, 4 prototypes [2]
Conversion trainer F-2B 24 [1] —
F-35 Lightning II United States Swing role F-35A 36 [1] + 69 105 F-35A + 42 F-35B ordered. [3][4]

1 F-35A lost in 2019.[5]

F-35B 0 [1] + 42
Airborne early warning and control
Boeing E-767 United States AEW&C — 4 [6] — Based on the B767-200ER.
E-2 Hawkeye United States AEW&C E-2C 10 [7] — Being retired, 13 were purchased, (4 in 1979, 4 in 1981, 3 in 1989, 2 in 1990)[8]
AEW&C E-2D 6 [7] + 12 Replacing the E-2C, orders: 4 in 2015[8], 9 in 2018[9], 5 in August 2023[10]
Electronic Warfare
NAMC YS-11 Japan Electronic warfare EA 2 — 2 EA, 4EB delivered, number operational unclear, conflicting information
ELINT EB 4 —
Kawasaki C-2 Japan ELINT and Electronic countermeasure aircraft RC-2 1 [11][12] — Successor of the Kawasaki EC-1 [13]
Tanker
Boeing KC-767 United States Aerial refueling / transport KC-767J 4 [14][15] — Selected in 2001, contract 2003. [16]
Boeing KC-46 Pegasus United States Aerial refueling / transport KC-46A 2 [17] +4 4 ordered in 2016 [18]

2 ordered in 2022 [19]

Lockheed Martin KC-130 United States Helicopter aerial refueling KC-130H 3 [14] —
Transport
Boeing 777 United States VIP transport 777-300ER 2 [20] —
Kawasaki C-1 Japan Tactical and strategic transport — 6 [21][22] — Being retired and replaced by the C-2.[23]
Kawasaki C-2 Japan Tactical and strategic transport — 13 [21] + 7 [22]
Lockheed C-130 Hercules United States Tactical transport C-130H 14 [22] —
Flight inspection
Gulfstream IV United States Flight inspection U-4 [24] 5 [25] — Inspecting the air navigation facilities and air traffic control facilities of the JSDF.
British Aerospace 125 United Kingdom Flight inspection U-125A 2 [26] —
Cessna Citation Latitude United States Flight inspection U-680A 2 [27] + 1
Search and rescue
Hawker 800 United Kingdom SAR U-125A 26 [28] — To be retired [29]
Trainer Aircraft
Fuji T-7 Japan Basic trainer T-3 KAI 49 [30] — Succeeded to the T-3.
Kawasaki T-4 Japan Advanced trainer — 198 [30] — To be replaced likely by the T-7A Red Hawk. [31]
Raytheon T-1 Jayhawk United States Jet trainer T-400 13 [30] —
Kawasaki C-1 Japan Trainer aircraft for

ECM and ELINT

EC-1 1 [32][30] — Replaced by the RC-2, used for training. [33]

Rotary wing

Aircraft Origin Type Variant In service On order Notes
Combat helicopters
Boeing CH-47 Chinook United States

Japan

Transport

/ Utility

CH-47J 15 [34] — Licensed built by Kawasaki Heavy Industries
Mitsubishi H-60 United States

Japan

Utility

/ SAR

UH-60J 37 [34] — Licensed built by Mitsubishi, 40 ordered in 2010 to replace 40 older variants of the UH-60J [35]. 1 at least crashed [36]
RQ-4B Global Hawk

UAV

Aircraft Origin Type Variant In service On order Notes
UAV
RQ-4 Global Hawk United States Surveillance RQ-4B 1 [37] + 2 [37]

Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force aircraft

This is a detailed list of the current fleet and the aircraft on order by the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force.

Fixed-wing aircraft

Aircraft Origin Type Variant In service On order Notes
Maritime Patrol
Kawasaki P-1 Japan ASW / maritime patrol — 33 [38] 3 + 34 Successor to the P-3 Orion
Lockheed P-3 Orion United States ASW / maritime patrol P-3C 42 [38] — Being replaced by Kawasaki P-1
Lockheed EP-3 United States ELINT EP-3 ELINT 5 [38] —
Lockheed OP-3 United States Surveillance OP-3C 4 [38] —
Learjet 35 United States Surveillance 36 4 [38] —
Transport
Lockheed C-130 Hercules United States Transport C-130R 6 [38] —
ShinMaywa US-2 Japan Transport / SAR — 6 [38] —
Super King Air United States Utility C-90 5 [38] —
Trainer Aircraft
Fuji T-3 Japan Trainer — 32 [38] —
Super King Air United States Utility 90 12 [38] —
P-3 Orion United States Conversion trainer UP-3D 3 [38] —

Rotary wing

Aircraft Origin Type Variant In service On order Notes
Helicopters
AgustaWestland AW101 Japan

United Kingdom

Italy

Transport / minesweeper MCH-101 12 [38] 1 [38] More will be produced [39]
Mitsubishi H-60 United States

Japan

SAR SH-60J 12 [40] —
ASW SH-60K 73 [41] — 2 lost in 2024[42]
ASW SH-60L — 12 [43] Improved version of SH-60K [43]
Trainer Aircraft
Airbus H135 Germany Helicopter trainer TH-135 15 [38] —

Japan Ground Self-Defence Force

This is a detailed list of the current fleet and the aircraft on order by the Japan Ground Self-Defence Force..

Fixed-wing aircraft

Beechcraft Super King Air B300
Aircraft Origin Type Variant In service On order Notes
Fixed-wing aircraft
Beechcraft Super King Air B300 United States Reconnaissance and communications LR-2 8 [44] —

Rotary wing

Aircraft Origin Type Variant In service On order Notes
Fixed-wing aircraft
Beechcraft Super King Air B300 United States Reconnaissance and communications LR-2 8 [44] —
Tilt-rotor aircraft
Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey United States V/STOL military transport aircraft MV-22B 14 [45] + 3 [45] 17 planned in total [46]
Combat helicopter
Boeing AH-64 Apache United States

Japan

Attack helicopter AH-64DJP 12 [44] — 13 built by Fuji. One crashed on 5 February 2018.[47]
Bell AH-1 Cobra United States

Japan

Attack helicopter AH-1S 48 [44] — Built by Fuji.
Kawasaki OH-1 Japan Scout helicopter OH-1 37 [44] — Replaced the OH-6D fleet.
UH-60 Black Hawk United States

Japan

Transport helicopter UH-60JA 40 [44] — Most built by Mitsubishi
Bell UH-1 United States

Japan

Utility helicopter UH-1H
UH-1J 		115 [44] — Built by Fuji. To be replaced by a version of the Bell 412 EPI.
Bell 412 Canada

United States

Japan

Utility helicopter UH-2

Bell 412 EPI

6 [45] + 21

+123 [45]

150 planned to be ordered in the programme.[48][49]

Confirmed purchases:

  • 6 ordered in 2019
  • 20 ordered in 2021
  • 13 ordered in 2023
Boeing CH-47 Chinook United States

Japan

Transport helicopter CH-47J
CH-47JA 		50 [44] — Built by Kawasaki
Trainer aircraft
Enstrom 480 United States Trainer helicopter TH-480B 30 [45] —
Japanese Emperor’s Royal Flight Service
Eurocopter EC 225 France VIP helicopter EC 225LP 3 — Replacing the AS332L[50][51]

Unmanned aerial vehicles

Aircraft Origin Type Variant In service On order Notes
UAV
Fuji FFOS

and

Fuji FFRS

Japan Reconnaissance UAV — — — Small helicopter unmanned aerial vehicle. Primarily used as a forward reconnaissance platform for field artillery.[52][53]
Boeing Insitu ScanEagle United States Reconnaissance UAV — 1 — Delivered by Insitu Pacific[54]
Yamaha R-MAX Japan Reconnaissance UAV — — — Small helicopter unmanned aerial vehicle[55]
Honeywell RQ-16 T-Hawk United States Surveillance unmanned aerial vehicle — — — Apparently in service in some numbers with the Central Readiness Force. Used primarily for hazardous area reconnaissance (e.g. radiation survey).

Future aircraft

Japanese Air Self-Defence Force

Aircraft / Programme Origin Type On order Notes
Combat Aircraft
Advanced fighter jet programme

"Global Combat Air Programme"

Japan

United Kingdom

Italy

6th generation jet fighter 0 Treaty signed in December 2023.

Successor of the F-2. To be in service by 2035. [56]

Bomber
Kawasaki C-2 Japan Jet bomber 0 Japan is considering to mount the Rapid Dragon system on the C-2 aircraft to make it a lang-range bomber at a low cost. [57]
Trainer
T-7A Red Hawk United States

Sweden

Advanced trainer 0 Japan expressed interest in the replacement of the Kawasaki T-4 with the T-7A. [58]
  1. ^ a b c d e f "World Air Forces 2024". 15 December 2023. Archived from the original on 5 January 2024. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
  2. ^ Hehs, Eric (12 November 2015). "Japan's F-2 Support Fighter". Code One Magazine. Archived from the original on 4 December 2020. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
  3. ^ "Japan – F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Aircraft | Defense Security Cooperation Agency". www.dsca.mil. Retrieved 2024-04-13.
  4. ^ https://news.usni.org/2020/07/10/state-department-approves-23b-japanese-f-35-fighter-deal#:~:text=Japan%20already%20has%20on%20order,Pratt%20and%20Whitney%20F135%20engines.
  5. ^ Yeo, Mike (2019-06-10). "Japan blames spatial disorientation for F-35 crash". Defense News. Retrieved 2024-04-13.
  6. ^ Page 54 pdf https://web.archive.org/web/20221206231056/https://www.mod.go.jp/j/publication/wp/wp2022/pdf/R04shiryo.pdf
  7. ^ a b "World Air Forces 2024". 15 December 2023. Archived from the original on 5 January 2024. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
  8. ^ a b "Japan close to buying 5 more E-2D Hawkeye". Air & Cosmos (in French). Retrieved 2024-04-13.
  9. ^ Gady, Franz-Stefan. "Japan Moves Ahead With Procurement of 9 E-2D Advanced Hawkeye Aircraft". thediplomat.com. Retrieved 2024-04-13.
  10. ^ "Japan signed contract for five additional E-2Ds". Janes.com. Retrieved 2024-04-13.
  11. ^ Page 54 pdf https://web.archive.org/web/20221206231056/https://www.mod.go.jp/j/publication/wp/wp2022/pdf/R04shiryo.pdf
  12. ^ "World Air Forces 2024". 15 December 2023. Archived from the original on 5 January 2024. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
  13. ^ Herk, Hans van (2020-10-04). "Kawasaki ELINT C-2 officially named RC-2". www.scramble.nl. Retrieved 2024-04-13.
  14. ^ a b Page 54 pdf https://web.archive.org/web/20221206231056/https://www.mod.go.jp/j/publication/wp/wp2022/pdf/R04shiryo.pdf
  15. ^ "World Air Forces 2024". 15 December 2023. Archived from the original on 5 January 2024. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
  16. ^ "Boeing, Japan Sign 767 Tanker Transport Contract". Boeing. 4 April 2003. Archived from the original on 3 October 2023.
  17. ^ Brown, Nicholas P. (2021-11-01). "Boeing delivers first KC-46A refueling tanker to Japan". Reuters. Retrieved 2021-12-16.
  18. ^ "Japan orders two more Boeing KC-46 Pegasus tankers - AeroTime". 2022-12-02. Retrieved 2024-04-13.
  19. ^ "Japan to acquire two additional KC-46 tankers". Janes.com. Retrieved 2024-04-13.
  20. ^ "Japan's New Air Force One". AirForces Monthly. Key Publishing. June 2019. p. 24.
  21. ^ a b Page 54 pdf https://web.archive.org/web/20221206231056/https://www.mod.go.jp/j/publication/wp/wp2022/pdf/R04shiryo.pdf
  22. ^ a b c "World Air Forces 2024". 15 December 2023. Archived from the original on 5 January 2024. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
  23. ^ Cenciotti, David (2023-01-21). "Up Close And Personal With The One And Only Kawasaki EC-1 Electronic Warfare Aircraft". The Aviationist. Retrieved 2024-04-13.
  24. ^ "U-4" (in Japanese). Retrieved 16 May 2020.
  25. ^ "World Air Forces 2024". 15 December 2023. Archived from the original on 5 January 2024. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
  26. ^ "U-125". Japan Air Self Defense Force (in Japanese). Retrieved 16 May 2020.
  27. ^ "Textron delivers first two U-680As to JASDF". Key Aero. 24 April 2020. Retrieved 16 May 2020.
  28. ^ "World Air Forces 2024". 15 December 2023. Archived from the original on 5 January 2024. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
  29. ^ admin (2023-01-09). "Japan Air Self-Defense Force To Phase Out U-125A With Satellite-based Radio Equipment - MilitaryLeak.COM". militaryleak.com. Retrieved 2024-04-13.
  30. ^ a b c d "World Air Forces 2024". 15 December 2023. Archived from the original on 5 January 2024. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
  31. ^ Newdick, Thomas (2024-03-26). "Japan Wants T-7 Red Hawk As Its Next Trainer: Report". The War Zone. Retrieved 2024-04-13.
  32. ^ Page 54 pdf https://web.archive.org/web/20221206231056/https://www.mod.go.jp/j/publication/wp/wp2022/pdf/R04shiryo.pdf
  33. ^ Cenciotti, David (2023-01-21). "Up Close And Personal With The One And Only Kawasaki EC-1 Electronic Warfare Aircraft". The Aviationist. Retrieved 2024-04-13.
  34. ^ a b Page 54 pdf https://web.archive.org/web/20221206231056/https://www.mod.go.jp/j/publication/wp/wp2022/pdf/R04shiryo.pdf
  35. ^ Waldron, Greg. "Mitsubishi wins $2.3bn deal for 40 UH-60Js". Flight International, 9 December 2010.
  36. ^ Press, Associated (2017-10-17). "Japanese flight training goes wrong after military helicopter loses contact". Defense News. Retrieved 2024-04-13.
  37. ^ a b Zaffar, Hanan (2022-03-18). "Japan Receives First of Three RQ-4B Global Hawks From US". The Defense Post. Retrieved 2022-03-26.
  38. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "World Air Forces 2024". 15 December 2023. Archived from the original on 5 January 2024. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
  39. ^ Perry, Dominic; Paris2023-06-20T17:01:00+01:00. "Japan signs for more MCH-101 helicopters as MLU kicks off". Flight Global. Retrieved 2023-06-21.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  40. ^ Page 54 pdf https://web.archive.org/web/20221206231056/https://www.mod.go.jp/j/publication/wp/wp2022/pdf/R04shiryo.pdf
  41. ^ Domingo, Juster (2024-01-02). "Japan Finishes SH-60L Naval Combat Helicopter Development". The Defense Post. Retrieved 2024-04-13.
  42. ^ Benoza, Kathleen; Johnson, Jesse (2024-04-21). "At least one dead, seven missing after two MSDF helicopters crash off Izu Islands". The Japan Times. Retrieved 2024-04-21.
  43. ^ a b "Japan successfully completes development of SH-60L ASW helicopter". Navy Naval News Navy Recognition. 2024-01-03. Retrieved 2024-04-13.
  44. ^ a b c d e f g h Page 54 of pdf https://web.archive.org/web/20221206231056/https://www.mod.go.jp/j/publication/wp/wp2022/pdf/R04shiryo.pdf
  45. ^ a b c d e "World Air Forces 2024". 15 December 2023. Archived from the original on 5 January 2024. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
  46. ^ MAHADZIR, DZIRHAN (13 March 2024). "Japanese V-22 Flights Could Start as Early as Thursday, Says MoD".
  47. ^ (in Japanese)https://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20180205-00050042-yom-soci Archived 5 February 2018 at the Wayback Machine
  48. ^ Donald, David Fuji and Bell Working Together for UH-X 12 July 2017 Archived 22 February 2017 at the Wayback Machine AI Online Retrieved 22 February 2017
  49. ^ Bell Helicopter Congratulates Fuji Heavy Industries on Japanese Ministry of Defense UH-X Contract Award 2 September 2015 Archived 22 February 2017 at the Wayback Machine Bell Helicopters Retrieved 22 February 2017
  50. ^ "Eurocopter Canada – News 04/07/06". Eurocopter.ca. Archived from the original on 7 May 2011. Retrieved 11 May 2011.
  51. ^ EADS Press Release – Japan Defense Agency Received First EC225 In VIP Configuration For The Japanese Emperor’s Royal Flight Service Archived 29 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  52. ^ GSDF Fuji School 57th Open Day 2011 [Part Two] Archived 8 February 2014 at the Wayback Machine Japan Security Watch, 21 August 2011
  53. ^ "Fuji FFOS (Japan), Unmanned helicopters – Rotary-wing – Military". Jane's Information Group. Archived from the original on 3 May 2012. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
  54. ^ Insitu Pacific Delivers ScanEagle UAS for the Japanese Ground Self Defense Force Archived 3 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine – Insitu.com, 14 May 2013
  55. ^ "Yamaha RMAX (Japan), Unmanned helicopters – Rotary-wing – Civil". Jane's Information Group. Archived from the original on 3 May 2012. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
  56. ^ Monitor, Geopolitical (2024-04-09). "Japan Authorizes Fighter Jet Exports Under GCAP – Analysis". Eurasia Review. Retrieved 2024-04-13.
  57. ^ "After World War II, Japan Refused to Develop Jet Bombers—Until Now". Popular Mechanics. 2023-08-11. Retrieved 2024-04-13.
  58. ^ Newdick, Thomas (2024-03-26). "Japan Wants T-7 Red Hawk As Its Next Trainer: Report". The War Zone. Retrieved 2024-04-13.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_active_Japanese_military_aircraft&oldid=1224720426"