Japan’s fleet of F-15s features substantial firepower.
Japan is dispatching its fleet of F-15 fighter jets to support NATO in an unprecedented mission dubbed Atlantic Eagles. This week, the highly anticipated deployment commenced, and the first fighters departed Chitose Air Base on route to Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska. Atlantic Eagles marks the first time that Japanese warplanes have deployed to Europe and Canada in history. As geopolitical tensions across the globe continue to mount, Tokyo is clearly prioritizing the security of the Euro-Atlantic and the Indo-Pacific. Beijing’s hostility in the South China Sea and North Korea’s proliferation of nuclear missiles have necessitated higher security protocols for the United States and its allies in the region. As part of Atlantic Eagles, eight warplanes, including four F-15 fighter jets and 180 personnel, will visit the United States, Canada, Germany, and the United Kingdom.
Tokyo’s possession of roughly 200 F-15 Eagles forms the crux of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force’s (JASDF) aerial capabilities. Japan’s oldest contingent of Eagles dates back to the Cold War; however, more than half of the country’s F-15 fleet has received upgrades over the years. Initially, eight of the F-15Js delivered to Tokyo were actually manufactured in large components and shipped to the Asian nation for final assembly by Komaki of Mitsubishi. By 1982, the first F-15J/F-15J/DJ aircraft were delivered to the 202nd Tactical Fighter Squadron, which was later renamed the 23 Flying Training Squadron at Nyutabaru base.
Meet the F-15 Eagle
The McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle has remained in service for nearly half a century. This twin-engine, all-weather fighter aircraft was conceptualized to meet the US Navy’s requirement for an air-superiority fighter. Over the years, the Eagle has more than proved its worth. In fact, it remains one of the most successful modern fighters in history. When the Eagle first took to the skies during the Cold War, it achieved several “firsts.” Notably, the F-15 was the first jet of its kind to be capable of attacking multiple enemy targets at the same time from distances of up to 100 miles, thanks to its cutting-edge air-to-air radar-guided missiles and advanced radar system. Although the initial F-15Js procured by Tokyo were fairly similar to the early production blocks of the US Air Force’s F-15C program, the Japanese contingent lacked some electronic countermeasures equipment, including the ICS and EWWS. Since the Intercommunication System and Eagle Passive/Active Warning and Survivability System were deemed to be advanced, US officials felt the technology was too sensitive to share.
The F-15J series is powered by a pair of Pratt & Whitney F-100 turbofan engines, enabling the jet to reach speeds in excess of 1,600 miles per hour. In terms of ordnance capability, the fighter is equipped to carry a dozen missiles and two dozen air-to-ground munitions. Last year, the Japan Ministry of Defense revealed that it would acquire the Lockheed Martin AGM-158B JASSM-ER, giving Tokyo a long-range land-strike weapon to be used by its JASDF. In all, Japan’s fleet of F-15s features substantial firepower.
About the Author: Maya Carlin
Maya Carlin, National Security Writer with The National Interest, is an analyst with the Center for Security Policy and a former Anna Sobol Levy Fellow at IDC Herzliya in Israel. She has bylines in many publications, including The National Interest, The Jerusalem Post, and The Times of Israel. You can follow her on Twitter: @MayaCarlin.
Image: DVIDS.
