Japan Ground Self-Defense Force

Japanese muscle at Akeno where this 5th Anti-Tank Helicopterunit Cobra is stationed. 92 AH-1S Cobras have served the JGSDF of which about 60 remain active today. Besides the write offs, a number of Cobras are stored inside the Kanto Depot at Kasumigaura.

Akeno, 16 April 2009, Hans Rolink

Developed and build by Kawasaki at Gifu, the OH-1 Ninja has fully replaced the OH-6D in the observation role within the HQ flights of the Anti-Tank Helicopter squadrons and the various HQ flights of the Army Aviation squadrons. However the crash of a Ninja in February 2015 resulted in the grounding of the type and only by the end of 2019, some returned to flying status.

Hachinohe, 1 September 2007, Mori Masayoshi

The UH-1J on this picture is the third Huey variant in use with the JGSDF. 90 UH-1Bs and 133 UH-1Hs preceded this latest variant which was developed by Fuji Heavy Industries. Production stopped in 2012 after building 130 examples. Both earlier variants have been completely retired. The UH-1J in the picture is operated by the Koku Gakko at Akeno, indicated by the code S on the cabin door. All training helicopters have the last two or three of the serial in white on nose and fuselage.

Komaki, 10 October 2009, Michiel Vermeer

The planned successor for the aging Cobra fleet was supposed to be the AH-64, however budget cuts limit the JGSDF to only replace one Anti-Tank Helicopterunit with the locally produced Apache. Only thirteen were procured and after one example crashed in February 2018, the remainder of the fleet was grounded. Slowly the Apaches are returning to service and most of the active ones are now operating with 1 Sento Herikoputatai from Metabaru.

Akeno, 16 April 2009, Hans Rolink

AH-1S IVATH

Kisarazu, 4 October 2009, Mori Masayoshi

UH-60JA IHB

Kisarazu, 4 October 2009, Mori Masayoshi

The successor for the KV-107 in the JGSDF is the CH-47J and CH-47JA Chinook. Pictured is a CH-47J of which 34 were delivered from about 1986 onwards until superseded by the CH-47JA. This 104 Hikotai aircraft seen departing to form the annual mass flight pass has the new flying owl badge.

Kisarazu, 4 October 2009, Mori Masayoshi

CH-47JA production started in the early nineties and deliveries continue to date with more than twenty delivered by early 2009. This Chinook version is equiped with a weather radar nose and the larger side pods. The 'HGPV' indicates that the aircraft on this picture is on strength of 105 Hikotai. The AKAGI badge does have some similarity with the long-nosed goblin head on the 304 Hikotai badge.

Kisarazu, 4 October 2009, Michiel Vermeer