NAF Atsugi 21th October 2005

VFA-27

VFA-102

VFA-192

VFA-195

The Naval Air Facility Atsugi lies close to Tokyo, surrounded by housing and other developments. Even when they is flying its a place hard to find. Originally built in 1938 by the Japanese Imperial Navy as Emperor Hirohito's Naval Air Base to address the threat posed by foreseen American bombing raids of the Japanese mainland.

We where greeted at the gate by the public affairs officer to start our visit. The CAW was at that moment preparing for a deployment so most planes where on base. On the way to VFA-102 we talked about the history of Atsugi. There are still buildings from the WWII period left and new tunnels are discovered frequently.
 
General Douglas MacArthur landed at Atsugi, August 30, in his C-54, the "Bataan" to accept the formal Japanese surrender aboard the USS Missouri and assume the duties as military Governor of Japan.

At the outbreak of the Korean War, June 25, 1950, Atsugi was selected by the Navy as its major Naval Air Station in the Far East. Seabees from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion Two arrived in October. Base restoration and development began immediately.

During the 1950's and 60's many units few out of Atsugi. At one point there were as many as 250 aircraft here. By comparison, Carrier Air Wing FIVE has about 80 aircraft. Following the end of the Korean War, conflicts in Indochina eventually developed into the Vietnam War. At the same time, Navy aircraft saw huge advances in design and performance, including the breaking of the sound barrier. By the late 1960's NAS was phasing down preparing to become a Naval Air Facility.

When the USS Midway (CVA-41) was forward deployed to Yokosuka in 1972, Atsugi became a support base for her planes. The area around NAF Atsugi also underwent a population explosion during this same period. In 1991, the USS Independence (CV-62) replaced the Midway. NAF Atsugi is the only U.S. Navy base in the world that has a forward-deployed, co-located complete Air Wing

Carrier Air Wing Five has a long and rich heritage in naval aviation. Originally commissioned as Carrier Air Group Five (CVG-5) in 1943, CVW-5 embarked on the USS Midway to become part of the first Carrier/Air Wing team permanently forward deployed overseas. On January 17, 1991, Operation Desert Storm began as CVW-5 transitioned to the USS Independence. In August 1999, the Air Wing again transitioned to the USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63). The Kitty Hawk is a conventionally powered aircraft carrier which, combined with its Air Wing, provided a significant contribution to our defense roles and mission in the Pacific. The Air Wing now consists of eight squadrons: VFA-27, VFA-102, VFA-192, VFA-195, VAW-115, VAQ-136, VS-21 and HS-14.  Additionally, there is a squadron detachment from VRC-30, and the helicopter squadron HSL 51.

VAQ-136

Visitors

JMSDF

.
Starting the tour at VFA-102 we could see the CAW was busy packing for the deployment according to our guide they could be ready within a week. Opposed to rules in the states, squadrons are allowed to paint there show bird full couller. This makes them really popular with the Japanese aircraft enthusiast and us. VF-102 only has the F model of the F-18 because they have the tanker role in the wing. Flying the F/A18-F with a complete set off tanks is not as challenging as its looks, so we where tooled.

Luckily our guide knew exactly what we wanted an before we could ask we where all over the fighter platform. This gave us the opportunity to get all the squadron birds that where on the platform. Atsugi has platforms on booth sides of the runway, this meant for us that we where going to miss the choppers. witch are based on the other side because we where running out of time.

 Next to being the home of USN Carrier Air Wing Five Atsugi also houses several units of the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force. Three P-3C Orion units based at Atsugi, one is the 6 Kokutai which was the first JMSDF squadron to be equipped with the Orion. 51 Kokutai is a test squadron divided in 511 Hikotai which operates the P-3's and 513 Hikotai which operates the SH-60J's. Other units are 61 Kokutai flying the YS-11 and a squadron detachment from 71 Kokutai with the famous US-1A

And one of them was on the platform, making this a even better day. After thanking our guides for a great tour we set of to Matsushima for the practise off the air review the next day.