Thu, May 27, 2010
Japanese Pilots Training For A Red Flag Alaska Exercise
Japanese and U.S. airmen are working together to certify about
20 Japanese Air Self Defense Force pilots in day and night air
refueling at Kadena Air Base in Japan. Airmen at Kadena have been
training JASDF F-15 Eagle pilots since 2003. The training comes as
Japanese pilots from Naha and Hyakuri air bases prepare to fly
across the Pacific to participate in a Red Flag Alaska exercise in
June at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska.
Red Flag Alaska is a large coalition exercise that involves many
aircraft in complex missions. The exercise provides U.S. and
coalition forces an opportunity to train together, improving
readiness for wartime coalition missions. In order to be certified,
each pilot must successfully complete at least two daytime and two
nighttime air refueling flights after completing several hours of
classroom work.
"I believe this training is one of our most important missions,
as we will continue to work with the U.S. and enhance
interoperability in the future," said JASDF Lt. Col. Eiji Kitigawa,
the305th Tactical Fighter Squadron commander at Hyakuri AB.
The training began May 9 and during the two weeks of training,
some of the pilots have progressed from performing their first-ever
air refueling to becoming fully certified. This training will
enable JASDF F-15 pilots to complete the long flight to Alaska
without stopping and will extend their sorties at Red Flag so they
can maximize their participation. "I think (the training) went
awesome," said Senior Master Sgt. Michael Steinkraus, a boom
operator with the 909th Air Refueling Squadron. "The Japanese
pilots did really well today. In two weeks, they have gotten very
proficient."
Helping guide the Japanese pilots through the intricacies of air
refueling has been the job of four Air Force pilots; two from
Kadena AB, one from Tyndall AFB, FL, and another from Yokota AB,
Japan. Capt. David Siemion, an instructor pilot from the 67th
Fighter Squadron said this was his first time training with the
JASDF pilots and he was impressed with the professionalism of his
counterparts as well as their ability to learn. "It is challenging
and it's very impressive how skilled and understanding the JASDF
pilots are," he said. "We have to slow down a little bit and make
sure we're clear, but it is very impressive how well they are
learning something that is completely foreign to them and in a
different language."
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