Hamamatsu: JASDF jet training

Today we visited Hamamatsu Air Base. At Hamamatsu one can find the 1 Kokudan (1st Air Wing) which has two training squadrons (31st and 32nd Hikotai), both operating the Kawasaki T-4. This subsonic intermediate jet trainer aircraft is used to train future Air Force jet pilots the basics of jet flying.

Next to these small jets, the E-767's can also be found here. The Boeing E-767 is an Airborne Early Warning and Control aircraft. It is essentially the E-3 Sentry equipment built in a Boeing 767-200 platform and was specifically designed on request of the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force.

Unfortunately, we only saw E-767's flying when we were too far from the airbase to take pictures. The T-4's had a rather slow start in the morning, but after a while more and more took off. Some visitors in the shape of a JASDF CH-47 and a C-1 increased the variation a bit. After the lunch break we left for the Tokyo area, with Atsugi as our next stop.