The Kaijyo Jieitai or Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) retired its last two operational UH-60J SAR helicopters in a ceremony during the Open House at Tateyama Air Base on 21 July 2024. These two (8975 and 8976) were operated from Iwo Jima by the Iwotou Koku Bunkentai, part of 21 Kokutai and were ferried to mainland Japan in the week prior the retirement.

 

A couple of years ago the JMSDF decided to discontinue its own SAR operations and gradually retire its fleet of nineteen UH-60J helicopters. Future SAR operations would be provided by the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) and the Japan Coast Guard (JCG).

 

As a consequence of this decision, the development of a successor for the UH-60J, the UH-60K was stopped with only one prototype built, USH-60K 8901. However, as there are no JASDF and JCG units at Iwo Jima, the JMSDF was forced to modify three SH-60K ASW helicopters into a basic SAR variant in order to take over the role of the old UH-60J.

 

At the beginning of its career, starting in December 1991 with the hand-over of the first helicopter to 51 Kokutai, the UH-60Js were operated by local Kyunan Hikotais based on all major JMSDF stations. As with its predecessor, also the UH-60Js were painted in a high visibility colour scheme of red and white with dayglow parts.

 

At the beginning of 2008, all local units were concentrated into two Kokutais, 72 and 73 Kokutai, with several Bunkentais or detachments. As more and more UH-60Js were retired, these Kokutais were ultimately disbanded and the remaining helicopters became part of either 21 or 22 Kokutai with at the end 21 Kokutai operating the last two.

 

Photo by: 

@ANYTIME_BABY

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