To Kill An Orion オライオン哨戒機の解体作業

 

JMSDF P-3C at Hachinohe Air Base
Photo @p_studio75 via Twitter

The P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft needs no introduction. It is named after the great hunter Orion in Greek mythology. Designed by the Lockheed Corporation and first introduced into service with the United States Navy at the height of the Cold War in Aug 1962, it had since been adopted by numerous countries worldwide. Many are still in active service after almost six decades.

Operators of the P-3 included Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Taiwan, Germany, Norway, Portugal, Canada, Brazil, Pakistan, and many others, even Iran. Among them Japan has the biggest fleet of the P-3C after the USA, numbering 110 aircrafts in total. 

These P-3Cs were acquired to replace the earlier generation P-2J Neptune. Except the first three which were built by Lockheed and procured under the foreign military sales program, the rest totalling 107 airframes were produced by Kawasaki Heavy Industries under licence. The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force ( JMSDF ) received its first P-3C on 29 Apr 1981. Most of the aircrafts were configured for maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare but a small number were converted to OP-3C optical reconnaissance aircraft. A handful were purpose-built as UP-3C equipment testing aircraft, UP-3D electronic warfare trainer and EP-3 ELINT/SIGINT aircraft.

After decades of continuous service with the JMSDF, the P-3C is facing obsolescence and is being gradually replaced by the Kawasaki P-1. Many have already been scrapped or mothballed over the years and the P-3C numbers are dwindling. The total number of P-3C still in active service is said to be only 44 airframes by Mar 2021. 

One of the latest airframe to be dismembered is P-3C serial number 5067 assigned to Fleet Air Wing 2 ( 第二航空群 ) at Hachinohe Air Base ( 八戸基地 ). It was a less advanced version with the Update II.5 configuration. Most of the JMSDF's active P-3 fleet has the Update III or III+ configuration. This aircraft was delivered to the JMSDF on 6th Nov 1990.

Dismantling P-3C s/n 5067. Video Capture : Fleet Air Wing 2 JMSDF

Cut up fuselage of P-3C. Video Capture : Fleet Air Wing 2 JMSDF.

The time-lapse video below was originally posted by Fleet Air Wing 2 on 21 Dec 2021 but the event must have taken place much earlier in the year in late summer or early autumn from the appearance of the foliage and the worksite in general.

It showed how a P-3C was completely cut up and scrapped, all within a matter of hours, well maybe half a day, gauging from the length of the shadows. Of course all the useful or sensitive parts like the radar and the turboprop engines would have already been removed, and likely the aircraft had also been drained of hydraulic fluid and other toxic chemicals that could potentially contaminate the environment. I am not certain if asbestos had been used as an insulating material in the construction of the P-3C as Japan only completely banned asbestos used in 2004 and this aircraft was constructed in 1990. Those yellow stuff from the fuselage looked suspicious. Fortunately, the workers were all seen wearing what looked like N95 respirator masks. Asbestos can cause mesothelioma, an aggressive malignancy that affects the lungs, and asbestosis, a progressive chronic lung disease, frequently only years or decades after initial exposure.

At the end of the video are the words 長い間お疲れさまでした ( nagaiaida otsukare samade shita ) meaning " Thank you for all the hard work over the years ". At least the aviators are appreciative of the Orion's contributions to Japan's maritime security, but seeing any aircraft being destroyed is heart wrenching.

The P-3C Orion's days might be numbered in the JMSDF but rather than simply destroying them Japan might want to consider donating them to South East Asian nations that are in need of maritime patrol aircrafts like Indonesia, Philippines and Malaysia. That fact that it had not been done so far could be the fear of retribution from China who has many territorial disputes with these countries. Hopefully some may be preserved, perhaps at the Kanoya Air Base Museum which have yet to receive a P-3 of any variant. One of each, P-3C, OP-3C, UP-3C, UP-3D and EP-3 would be great!

Kawasaki P-1 Maritime Patrol Aircraft : Japan's Brand New Submarine Hunter

 

 

The Kawasaki P-1 maritime patrol aircraft of the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force.
 JMSDF Photo.

Introduction

From the same folks who brought you the legendary Kawasaki Z-1 in 1972 that revolutionalised the motorcycle industry comes a spanking new submarine hunter? It's not surprising since Japan's Kawasaki Heavy Industries ( KHI ) is a huge industrial conglomerate made up of multiple divisions and disciplines. KHI's product portfolio includes anything from the Soryu class Submarine, bulk carriers, LNG carriers, the T-4 Advanced Jet Trainer, Boeing 787 ( Joint Production ), helicopters, space rockets and space station components, motorcycles and ATV, jet skis, high speed rail, industrial robots .... the list goes on and on. KHI is known as 川崎重工業 or Kawasaki Jukogyo in Japanese.




A legend was born : The 1972 Kawasaki Z-1, air-cooled,
4 stroke, 4 cylinders, 903cc DOHC super bike.
This was what catapulted Kawasaki into the global lime light. Photo : KHI

Maritime Patrol Aircraft : A Brief History

A maritime patrol aircraft ( MPA ) is a fixed-wing surveillance aircraft that is designed to operate over open water for extended duration in sea patrol duties, in particular anti-submarine, anti-ship and search and rescue roles. Its history can be traced as far back as World War I, when bombers and floatplanes were converted into patrol aircrafts to counter the German U-boat menace. These early generation MPAs were frequently armed with machine guns, bombs and depth charges.

The requirement for high endurance aircrafts to patrol vast expanses of oceans meant that by WWII, many MPAs were converted from long range bombers ( Consolidated B-24 Liberator ) or airliners ( Focke-Wulf Fw-200 Condor ). Some like the Consolidated PBY Catalina amphibious plane were purpose-built. The emergence of air to surface vessel radars during that era was one of the most significant technological advancement that would change the nature of naval warfare. MPAs armed with high resolution centimetric radars like the ASV III can easily detect small objects like the periscope or snorkel of a submerged submarine making them highly effective in anti-submarine warfare ( ASW ).

The immediate post-WWII period ushered in the jet era, and MPAs continued to evolve in operational capabilities with new technologies like sonobuoys and the magnetic anomaly detector ( MAD ), though due to their unique operational requirement of high loiter time at low speed and low altitude, they remained largely piston engine or turboprop driven. The Lockheed P-2V Neptune from which the Japanese variant the P-2J was based on was a typical example from that time. And yes, the P-2J was license-produced by Kawasaki.

During the Cold War, the emerging threat of ballistic missile carrying submarines raining death and destruction onto large population centres with their multiple nuclear warheads from thousands of miles away meant that MPAs continue to be relevant and in demand. Many of the MPAs currently in service throughout the world like the Lockheed P-3C Orion, the Tupolev Tu-142 Bear and the Ilyushin Il-38 May are products of that era. It was also during that time jet-powered MPAs began to appear, the first to enter service being the Hawker Siddeley Nimrod MR1.

Today, most MPAs continue the tradition of having airframes derived from proven civilian platforms, especially jetliners. The Boeing P-8A Poseidon based on the venerable 737-800 is a typical example. In the future we would undoubtedly have MPAs in the form of unmanned aerial vehicles like the soon to be operational Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton developed under the Broad Area Maritime Surveillance programme.

Japan's MPA Fleet

When Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force ( JMSDF ) was formed in 1954, it operated obsolete WWII aircraft donated by the United States which included 17 Lockheed PV-2 Harpoon patrol bombers and 20 Grumman TBF Avenger torpedo bombers.

From 1956, 60 Lockheed P-2V7 Neptune MPA were added to the fleet, and starting from 1957, 60 Grumman S-2F Tracker ASW aircraft. The Japanese loved the P-2V7 so much that when the time came to have them replaced by the more advanced but expensive Lockheed P-3A Orion, they opted instead to develop an improved version, the P-2V7 Kai ( 改 - kai in Japanese means upgrade or to improve ), later licence produced and designated P-2J. A total of 83 P-2J were produced and they were operational between 1971 to 1994.

The P-2J was eventually replaced by the P-3C, 98 of which was licence produced between 1978 and 1997. Five P-3C had been converted to the OP-3C reconnaissance version and the remaining 93 P-3C are currently the backbone of the JMSDF MPA fleet. Add to that number another 5 EP-3, 1 UP-3C and 3 UP-3D, the grand total is 107 making Japan the largest P-3 operator after the United States.  They will ultimately be replaced by the P-1 of which 70 aircrafts have been planned. The JMSDF classifies the P-3C and the P-1 as Fixed Wing Patrol Aircraft (  固定翼哨戒機 Koteiyoku Shokaiki )



A Kawasaki P-3C Orion based at Atsugi Air Base, Kanagawa Prefecture
flies overland with Mount Fuji in the background.
The JMSDF currently has 93 P-3C in its inventory. Photo : JMSDF 




The UP-3D of the 91st Fleet Air Sqn is an ESM-trainer aircraft
 for the ships of the JMSDF. Its mission is similar to the EP-3J of the USN.
 This particular aircraft with serial number 9163 is the last P-3 ever produced.
Notice the lack of a MAD boom. Photo JMSDF 

The Future MPA P-X Programme

Shortly after the last P-3C ( actually a UP-3D variant, see photo above ) was delivered to the JMSDF by KHI on 1st Feb 2000, marking the end of a production run that lasted for 38 years, the Japanese were already planning for its successor. The Cold War had ended and in the United States, Lockheed's next generation MPA programme, the P-7 Long Range Air ASW Capable Aircraft ( LRAACA ), failed to materialise due to budgetary problems and after incurring huge cost overruns. Existing European alternatives like the United Kingdom's Nimrod MR2 did not meet Japanese requirements. Eventually the Japanese decided that they would have to develop their own MPA.

The P-X future MPA programme was thus initiated in 2001 by the Japanese Ministry of Defence concurrently with the next generation transport aircraft C-X programme to replace the C-130 Hercules and the C-1. These two developments were to be managed as a single project and Kawasaki was appointed the main contractor. The P-X and C-X shared structural components and sub-systems and utilized commercial off the shelf products to save on development and production costs.

First flight for the P-X prototype, by then re-designated the XP-1, took place on 28th Sep 2007. By March 2010 four XP-1 had been delivered to the MOD for testing and trials. They were introduced into service in 2013 as the Kawasaki P-1 to gradually replace JMSDF's ageing P-3C Orion. They were supposed to have attained full operational capability by Sep 2015.




The XP-1 Prototype in Technical Research and Development Institute (TRDI)
 colours at Atsugi Air Base, April 2011. Photo : Wikipaedia

The Kawasaki P1

The Kawasaki P-1 at RIAT 2015, RAF Fairford. Photo : Wikipaedia

The P-1 is unique among all the various modern maritime patrol aircraft as it one of a few that is completely designed from the ground up and not adapted from some bomber or commercial airliner. That means every single part is purpose designed and purpose built. Also, it was originally created for just one customer, the JMSDF, since the post-war Constitution of Japan forbade the export of weapons and weapon systems until very recently. As such, throughout its development and even as it is being deployed in active service, very few outside the defense circles have heard about this mysterious Japanese multi-mission maritime aircraft.

General Characteristics

The P-1 has the appearance and size of a 90 - 100 seat regional jet. It has a length of 38m, height of 12m and a wingspan of 35.4m making it significantly bigger than the P-3C and only marginally smaller than the P-8A which it is frequently compared with. The full complement comprises of 2 flight crew and 11 mission crew. Its maximum take-off weight is 79700kg or 176000lbs. Maximum speed is said to be 996km/h ( 538 knots ) while the cruising speed is 833 km/h ( 450 knots ). The P-1's maximum range is 8000km ( 4320 nm ) and the maximum operational ceiling is 13520m ( 44200 ft ).

Compare and contrast : the Boeing P-8A and the Kawasaki P-1 side by side at
Naval Air Facility Atsugi. USN Photo

Fuselage and Wings

The P-1 has an aerodynamic profile most suited for low speed and low altitude flight. It has a relatively long wing span with the leading edge swept back at 25 degrees but an almost straight trailing edge. A large wing area of  170m² generates more lift, decreases stall speed and increases agility.

Part of the fuselage is made of light weight composite material like carbon fiber.  KHI is responsible for fabricating the horizontal stabilisers, Fuji Heavy Industries the main wings and the vertical stabilisers, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries the mid and rear portions of the fuselage and Sumitomo Precision Products the landing gears.

Power Plant

Unlike its turboprop powered predecessor, the P-1 is powered by four IHI F7-10 high bypass turbofan engines. Japan's IHI Corporation developed the F-7-10 specifically for the P-1, using metal alloys that are corrosion resistant in salt environments. Sound absorbing panels are also used to lower the acoustic signature of the engines, achieving a sound level 5 to 10 dB below the P-3C's Allison T-56-A-14 turboprops. The F7-10 turbofan has a bypass ratio of 8.2:1 and each delivers a maximum thrust of 60kN or 13500lbs. The jet engines enables the P-1 to achieve a greater maximum speed, a higher operating ceiling, a longer range and carry a heavier load compared with the P-3C.


Having four engines instead of two is advantageous for MPAs as they frequently fly over open bodies of water at remote locations where airfields may not be readily available for emergency landings in case of engine failure. In addition, MPAs often have to execute their combat missions at low altitudes where bird strikes can be common. A single engine failure in a twin engine MPA like the P-8A would probably have necessitated a turn around whereas an MPA with four engines could still continue its mission with one engine shutdown. If fact, P-3C jockeys are known to deliberately shut down one or two of the Orion's four turboprop engines when on-station to reduce fuel consumption and increase on-station time. The P-1 with four turbofans could supposedly do the same but it would be suicidal to try that on a P-8A.





The IHI F7-10 Turbofan on the P-1 aircraft number 5506 taken at
 Iwakuni Air Base on 14th Sep 2014. Photo : Wikipedia

Postero-lateral view of the IHI F7-10 on the same aircraft as above. Photo : Wikipaedia 

Frontal view of the IHI F7-10 on the same aircraft as above. Photo : Wikipaedia

In addition, the P-1 has a Honeywell 131-9 Auxiliary Power Unit ( APU ) installed in the fuselage forward of the horizontal stabilizer to avoid interference with the MAD apparatus in the rear.

Avionics

Unlike the mostly analogue instruments of the P-3C, the P-1 has, in common with the Kawasaki C-2 transport, a modern digital " glass cockpit " with 6 large LCD multifunction displays and 2 sets of Head-Up Displays ( HUD ). The cockpit also features huge glass windows reflecting the Japanese emphasis on low altitude visual searches.

The cockpit windows are huge. Seen also are two HUDs and
the multi-function LCD displays. Image : Mainichi Shimbun




External view of the P-1's large windows. Image : Mainichi Shimbun

Flight Control

You have heard of fly-by-wire where flight control of an inherently aerodynamically unstable design is achieved by onboard computers continuously micro-adjusting the control surfaces. The P-1 is a generation ahead, being the first production aircraft to feature " fly-by-light " ( FBL ) where flight control commands are transmitted via optical fibre to the actuators. This decreases the risk of electromagnetic interference with the multitude of electronic sensors onboard. FBL also has the advantage of reducing the weight of the installed wiring and reduce power consumption. The technology had been extensively tested on the UP-3C before being implemented on the P-1.

Radar

The P-1 is equipped with the HPS-106 X-Band Active Electronically Scanned Array ( AESA ) radar system jointly developed by Toshiba and the Technical Research and Development Institute ( TRDI ) of the Japanese Defence Ministry. Consisting of 4 arrays, one mounted in the nose, two side-looking panels below the cockpit area and another in the tail, the HPS-106 has a constant 360 degree coverage. It can be used in multiple modes including surface search, air search, navigational and meteorological, synthetic aperture and inverse synthetic aperture. An inverse synthetic aperture radar ( ISAR ) utilizes the motion of the target to create a high resolution 2D image that can allow for threat identification.

The HPS-106 side-looking array is housed beneath this panel just below the cockpit. Wikipaedia Photo

Electro-Optical / Infrared

The P-1 features the Fujitsu HAQ-2 EO/IR suite mounted on a ball-like turret aft of the nose cone for tracking and examining surface targets. It consists of a Forward Looking Infrared ( FLIR ) device for thermal imaging, night vision and navigation, as well as cameras for capturing images in the visible light and near-infrared spectrum.

The Electro-Optical / FLIR Turret which can be retracted and
stowed within the fuselage when not in use. JMSDF Photo

Magnetic Anomaly Detector

The HSQ-102 magnetic anomaly detector housed in the sting-like MAD boom at the rear of the P-1 is a licence produced version of the Canadian CAE AN/ASQ-508(v) by Mitsubishi Electric. CAE is the world leader in the design, manufacture and integration of MAD systems. They have been designing MAD systems for more than 40 years and had delivered more than 2000 MAD systems to the military worldwide. The AN/ASQ-508(v) is also known as the Advanced Integrated MAD System ( AIMS ) and consists of a highly sensitive magnetometer with associated electronics mounted in the tail area of an aircraft to minimize magnetic interference. It detects the variations in the earth's magnetic field caused by the presence of metallic objects in the vicinity like a submerged submarine. The detection range is in the region of 1200m, meaning the MAD will work best with the aircraft flying at low altitudes and at low speeds, both of which the P-1 excels in. One of the key differences between the P-1 and the P-8 is that the P-8 does not have a MAD system.

Close-up view of the P-1's MAD boom which houses the HSQ-102 MAD system. Photo : Wikipaedia 

The " stinger " or MAD boom places the magnetometer as far away
from the aircraft as possible to minimize self interference.
Photo : Sunburn1979 via Creativecommons

Acoustic System and Sonobuoys

The P-1 can carry 30 pre-loaded sonobuoys and another 60 in racks in the cabin for reloading. The Acoustic Processor HQA-7 is manufactured by NEC. Other components of the acoustic system includes the  HRQ-1 Sonobuoy Receiver, HQH-106 Acoustic Data Recorder and the HAS-107 Sonobuoy Controller.




Sonobuoy launcher can be seen in the under-fuselage in this photo of the P-1 at RIAT 2015.
Wikipaedia Photo.

Sonobuoy Launcher Close-up. Image : Mainichi Shimbun

Sonobuoy rack with capacity for 96 sonobuoys. Image : Mainichi Shimbun

Rotary sonobuoy launcher. Image : Mainichi Shimbun

Acoustic workstation. Image : Mainichi Shimbun

Command and Control

The P-1 has a Combat Command System designated the HYQ-3 by Toshiba which is basically an onboard combat information processor, some sort of artificial intelligence that can assist the mission commander in planning for the best respond to an encountered threat, like delivering the optimal firing solution on an enemy submarine based on the combined information collected by all the plane's sensors and sensors from other friendly platforms nearby.

 

Communications

The P-1 is fitted with the HRC-124 UHF/VHF Radio and the HRC-123 satellite communications equipment made by Mitsubishi Electric.

Tactical Data Link

Equipped with Link 16 compatible MIDS-LVT terminal, the P-1 can share targeting and any other information with similarly equipped aircrafts like the F-15J, P-3C, E-767 AWACS, E-2C AEW, MH-60 naval helicopters, F-35 JSF, and surface vessels like the JMSDF's Aegis destroyers.

IFF

The HPX-105 Identification Friend or Foe system is installed with the two sets of four N-AT-347 IFF antennae mounted in front of the cockpit wind screen and at the under-fuselage area.

4 IFF antennae clearly seen above nose cone. Image : Mainichi Shimbun

Armaments

The P-1 has a total of 8 hard points under its wings which can be used to carry air to surface missiles like the AGM-84 Harpoon, the AGM-65 Maverick and the indigenously developed ASM-1C. These pylons, also known as the BRU-47/A Bomb Release Unit are rated to carry up to 2000lbs of ordnance each.

It also has an internal bomb bay with an additional 8 hard points which can be loaded with bombs, mines, depth charges and light weight torpedoes including the Mk46, the Japanese Type 97 ( G-RX4 ) and the latest Type 12 ( G-RX5 ). Up to 9000kg or 20000lbs of ordnance could be carried.

Weapon pylons ( BRU-47/A bomb release unit ) under the port wing
 and the internal bomb bay whose outline you can see just aft of the front landing gear
( with 3 red-tipped N-AS-331 and 1 yellow-tipped N-AS-330 antennae for the HRQ-1 sonobuoy receiver ).
 Wikipaedia photo.

XP-1 prototype fires AGM-65 Maverick missile in 2012. Photo : TRDI

The Type 97 ( G-RX4 ) 324mm light weight torpedo. Inert version displayed. Photo : Wikipaedia

 

Self-Protection System 

The P-1 is equipped with the Mitsubishi Electric HLQ-9 self-protection suite which includes the missile approach warning system ( MAWS ) and the radar warning receiver ( RWR ), accompanied by the usual dispensers for flare and chaff.

P-1 dispensing flares against heat seeking missiles 18th Oct 2015. Japanese MOD photo.

An Electronic Support Measures ( ESM ) suite, the Mitsubishi Electric HLR-109B is installed. You can see the ESM flaring which is the prominent bulge on top of the fuselage slightly behind the cockpit. The ESM suite detects and classifies enemy radar emissions and gives the P-1 a secondary role as an  Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance ( ISR ) platform.

Close-up of the ESM flaring just above and behind the cockpit windows. Photo : Wikipaedia

Air-to-Air Refueling

All indications seem to point towards the fact that unlike the Boeing P-8A or the Kawasaki C-2 with which it shares some common components, the P-1 does not have a probe or receptacle for accepting fuel transfers midair. It is highly unlikely that the meticulous Japanese designers would have overlooked this feature. Most probably it was intentionally omitted as a cost saving move. Further more, with a range of 8000km, perhaps the JMSDF chose to live without air-to-air refueling.

P-1 Variants

Just like its predecessor the P-3C Orion which had spawned many variants to serve different combat missions, the P-1 can potentially be similarly modified into different hardware configurations :

UP-1 : Utility / multi-purpose aircraft that can be used as a test bed for systems and equipment or in a supportive role as a training platform.

EP-1 : Signals Intelligence ( SIGINT ), Electronic Intelligence ( ELINT ) platform.

OP-1 : Observation / Visual Imaging platform.

AEW :  To replace the ageing E-2C Hawkeye airborne early warning aircraft. But the US had just approved the sale of four E-2D to Japan last year, so AEW conversion is currently less urgent or likely.

AIRBOSS : As an Advanced InfraRed Ballistic Missile Observation Sensor System platform. Obviously with Dear Leader as one's neighbour, the capability to detect ICBM / IRBM / SLBM launches in a timely manner can be a matter of utmost importance.

In Jun 2015, the first XP-1 prototype number 5501 had been converted to the UP-1 configuration with the aircraft number correspondingly reassigned 9501.




A UP-3C and a P-1 flying in formation. JMSDF Photo

 

Numbers Ordered

Based on Japanese Defence Ministry annual budget reports of the past few years, these are the current number of P-1 ordered and on order.

FY2008  4   units  ¥ 67.9billion
FY2010  1   unit    ¥ 21.1billion
FY2011  3   units  ¥ 54.4billion
FY2013  2   units  ¥ 40.9billion
FY2014  3   units  ¥ 59.4billion
FY2015  20 units  ¥ 350.4billion

Total P-1 ordered so far is 33 aircrafts, excluding the four XP-1 prototypes. The first 13 units from FY2008 to FY2014 are probably the low rate initial production ( LRIP ) tranches. Mass production really starts with FY2015's 20 unit order. All operational P-1s are deployed at Atsugi Air Base in Kanagawa Prefecture.

Exporting the P-1

Japanese weapon systems have traditionally been expensive due to the fact that they cannot be exported and so production runs are relatively small and cater to only the local defense agencies. Economy of scale can hardly be achieved with a such a small captive market. That has changed since last year when Prime Minister Abe tweaked the Constitution, paving the way for future weapon exports. And Kawasaki has been hard at work trying to sell the P-1 overseas.

Among the potential clients was the United Kingdom, a maritime nation whom in 2010 foolishly retired its Nimrod MR2 MPAs and then abruptly cancelled its replacement, the MRA.4 who's development was by then almost near completion, leaving them with absolutely no MPAs. In July 2015, the P-1 made its first overseas public appearance at the Royal International Air Tattoo ( RIAT ) at RAF Fairford, Gloucestershire, England, in an attempt to generate British interest in the aircraft. If successful, the deal could advance defence co-operation between the two countries and could be worth up to one billion dollars. Two aircrafts flew over to Fairford, number 5504 and 5507, one for static display and one for flight demonstration. You can watch and hear the flight demo here. After the airshow the P-1 went on to Djibouti to carry out hot weather tests before returning to Atsugi Air Base. The P-1's appearance at RIAT was well received and brought the exposure and generated the awareness it needed to compete successfully on the international stage. Hopefully we can begin to see the P-1 at more international airshows in the near future. Unfortunately for the Japanese, on 23rd Nov 2015 the UK announced their intention to buy nine P-8A Poseidon as part of the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015, without going through any tender or competition.

Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii 7th Feb 2015. Private visit, private flight :
then COMPACFLT Adm Harry B. Harris Jr. walks with JMSDF Cmdr. Kazutaka Sugimoto
 following a flight on a Kawasaki P-1. USN Photo

However, apart from the UK, there are many other navies worldwide that operate the ageing P-3C Orion and they would soon need a replacement. So Kawasaki should in theory have no shortage of potential clients. The main competition would be the Boeing P-8A as they both have very similar capabilities, not surprising as they were intended to be replacements for the same aircraft. Already, Australia, a major P-3C ( AP-3C ) operator has selected the P-8A as its next generation MPA at a cost of A$4 billion for a total of 8 planes with support facilities. So has India, which will operate the P-8I. Still, at an estimated US$250 million per plane, the P-8A is significantly more expensive than the P-1 which costs half as much at $150 million ( based on Japanese MOD figures, FY 2015 acquisition of 20 P-1 at ¥350.4billion ). This would make the P-1 a value buy for current P-3C operators as well as any MPA operator looking to renew their fleet.

P-1 for Singapore?

Why not? The Republic of Singapore Air Force ( RSAF ) currently operates a fleet of 5 Fokker F-50 Enforcer II MPAs. These aircrafts have been in service since 1994 and are close to their end-of-life. Upgrading these MPAs would be challenging as the maker, Dutch aviation company Fokker had gone into receivership in 1996 and is now defunct. RSAF had apparently requested to inspect ex-USN P-3Cs in storage in Dec 2010 which meant it was considering the refurbished Orion as replacement for the F-50. Now, five years on, the P-1 has completed its development and has emerged a viable option since it is technically more advanced than the venerable P-3C and is a whole lot cheaper than the P-8A whose capability it mostly matches.

The Fokker F-50 Enforcer II MPA of RSAF's 121 Squadron. Photo credit on pic.

How much cheaper is it to restore a mothballed P-3C to active duty with modernized avionics and 15000 hours of life extension compared to buying a new build P-1 is anybody's guess, but I'll pick the a P-1 over the P-3 anytime.

P-1 and the State of the Japanese Defence Industry

For the past 70 years, the Japanese defence industry had lead a frustrating existence where restricted by the Constitution, their quality products were procured in anaemic quantities only for the domestic market. This dated, self-imposed restriction had finally been lifted paving the way for major arms export. Already, we are seeing Japanese defence companies participating in international trade shows for the first time.

The Kawasaki P-1 is a highly capable maritime patrol aircraft and a worthy successor to the P-3C. Its success in Japan had probably been guaranteed even before the maiden flight of the first prototype. Currently the planned procurement is for 70 aircrafts to replace 107 P-3C of all variants. Funding for the first 33 P-1 had already been disbursed / approved. The next logical milestone would be to secure export customers so that production volume can be ramped up further and unit cost can come down. Together with the AIP capable Soryu class submarine, and the ShinMaywa US-2 amphibious search and rescue plane, the P-1 maritime patrol aircraft would spearhead the Japanese effort to break into the international arms market. There would hopefully be some successes soon.

Okinawa : Still Occupied 70 Years after WWII

A US Navy P-3C Orion assigned to Patrol Squadron Nine (VP-9)
undergoes a post flight turnaround on the flight line at Kadena Air Base,
 Okinawa, after completing a mission to Edwin-Andrews Air Base
 located in Zamboanga City.U.S. Navy photo

Okinawa

The Ryukyu Islands ( 琉球列島 Ryukyu Retto ) are a chain of islands in the Western Pacific that stretches over 1000km long, the largest of which is Okinawa Island ( 沖縄島 Okinawa Jima ). Collectively, they form Japan's southern-most prefecture - Okinawa Prefecture ( 沖縄県 Okinawa Ken ). Okinawa also happens to be the poorest among the 47 Japanese prefectures. The capital is Naha City ( 那覇市 Naha Shi ), located on the southern part of Okinawa Island. The total population number about 1.4 million. Tourism and agriculture form an important part of its economy. Geographically, Okinawa Island is about 600km south of Kyushu Island and a similar distance from Taiwan and therefore mainland China.

Map of Okinawa. Source : University of Texas Library





The Ryuku Islands shown in red and their geographical location relative to Japan. Source : Wikipedia 

The Ryukyu Kingdom

The Okinawa Islands have a long history dating back more than a thousand years to the ancient Kingdom of Ryukyu. Their proximity to both Japan and China meant that there was an abundance of influence from both cultures in all aspects of life - language, customs, architecture, food etc. They had maintained a tributary relationship with China since the 15th century and with Japan since the 17th century. The Japanese eventually annexed the Ryukyu Kingdom through military incursion in 1872 and it became a Japanese prefecture in 1879.

 

The Battle of Okinawa

During World War Two, the Japanese military converted the Okinawa Islands into formidable fortresses, deploying tens of thousands of soldiers in well prepared and well defended locations, supported by warships of the Imperial Japanese Navy and aircraft stationed at Naha, Kadena and Yomitan Aerodromes. As the Pacific War raged the United States adopted an island-hopping strategy, reclaiming one Japanese-held island after another, until they finally reached Okinawa. To the Japanese, Okinawa is the last line of defense for the home islands. To the US and her allies, Okinawa would be the staging area for the planned invasion of Kyushu in Oct 1945 ( Operation Downfall ) and the invasion of the Kanto Plain in the spring of 1946 ( Operation Coronet ), which of course never happened.

The US Marines landed on Okinawa on 1st April 1945 and fierce fighting continued for 81 days before the island was secured. Out on the high seas, the invasion fleet had to fight off waves of kamikaze suicide airplanes launched from Kyushu and Formosa ( Taiwan ). It was also notable that the IJN Yamato, the biggest battleship in the world, was sunk by carrier aviation on her one-way suicide mission to Okinawa.

In all, US casualties for the Okinawa Campaign amounted to 82000, out of which 12500 were KIA or MIA. The Japanese military casualties were even more horrendous, estimated at 110000 soldiers killed. Civilian casualties were estimated at between 30000 to 100000, out of a total population of 300000 then.

And that marked the beginning of a seventy year long US military presence in Okinawa which is currently still ongoing and with no end in sight.

 

The End Of World War Two

The complete destruction of Hiroshima City and Nagasaki City by atomic bombs on 6th and 9th Aug 1945 finally forced the Japanese to an unconditioned surrender on 14th Aug, achieving what Air Force General Lemay's firebombing of Tokyo and other major Japanese cities failed to accomplish. It was followed by close to seven years of US occupation and administration under Supreme Commander Douglas MacArthur during which Japan was demilitarized and democratized. Japanese independence was restored in 1952 when the US occupation of the Japanese main islands ended under the San Francisco Treaty. However, Okinawa continued to be under US administration for another twenty years until 1972. Large areas of Okinawa Island were taken over by the US military for the construction of airbases, depots and barracks and for the creation of maneuvering grounds. Once acquired, the lands were off limits to civilians. About 20% of Okinawa Island is currently still under US control.




Areas on Okinawa Island still occupied by US military today are shown in red on this map. Source : Wikipedia

Map of Okinawa showing major cities and highways. MCAS Futenma is at Ginowan City. Kadena AFB is at Okinawa City. Henoko where the new Marines Air Station is to be relocated is south-west of Nago City whereas Motobu is west of Nago. Google Maps.

Okinawa Today : Military Everywhere

I happened to be in Okinawa for more than a week last month to participate in the 23rd 2015 Okinawa Marathon. It was my first visit to Okinawa and I did not know what to expect apart from what the brochures from JNTO described. They did not mention much about the presence of the US and Japanese military forces and their effects on every life in Okinawa. I had the entire trip to discover just how pervasive are the effects in every aspect of Okinawan society.





23rd 2015 Okinawa Marathon. The course brings runners around Okinawa City and at the 29km point enters Kadena Air Force Base Gate 2 and then exits the base at Gate 5 after 3km.



Naha Airport : Civilian And Military

 

I shall begin by stating that Naha Airport ( 那覇空港 ) is actually a combined civilian airfield and a Japan Air Self Defense Force ( JASDF 航空自衛隊 Koku Jieitai ) air base. I was not aware of this when my Japan Airlines domestic flight from Tokyo was landing at Naha Airport as I was distracted by the emerald blue seawater to the west of the runway. Only now when I examine imagery from Google Earth did I come to realize that had I looked the other direction as the plane was landing, I would have likely seen an entire squadron of F-15J fighters on the tarmac waiting to scramble, together with T-4 advanced jet trainers, CH-47J Chinook heavy lift helicopters, E-2C Hawkeye airborne early warning aircraft and a swarm of P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft.
 

 

JASDF Naha Airbase ( 那覇基地 Naha Kichi ) and Naha Airport side by side in this Google Earth Imagery dated 31st Jan 2015, less than 2 weeks before my visit to Okinawa.

12 JASDF Mitsubishi F-15J/DJ and 6 smaller Kawasaki T-4 Advanced Jet Trainers of the 83rd Air Wing neatly parked in 3 rows. 2 Northrop Grumman E-2C airborne early warning aircraft with wings folded and a Lockheed P-3C maritime patrol aircraft are also seen in this enlarged view of the image above.

 

A total of 8 JMSDF Lockheed P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft parked next to the domestic terminal of Naha Airport, the nearest P-3C is less than 300m from the civilian airliner.

 

 

South ( to the left ) of the T-4s are 3 Boeing CH-47J Chinook helicopters and a smaller one, possibly a UH-60 Blackhawk. The large twin engine jet at the extreme left could be a KC-767 tanker.

 

As Okinawa is only 410km from the Senkaku Islands who's sovereignty is in dispute with China and Taiwan, the F-15Js of the 83rd Wing JASDF stationed at Naha Airbase is on round the clock alert for intrusions by aircrafts from mainland China. In fact there had been 400 scrambles in the past year alone, up from less than a hundred 3 years ago, so much so that a second F-15J squadron had been scheduled to operate out of Naha this year. So the military presence can be quite visual even before one lands in Okinawa.




The F-15J in the foreground 22-8939 is with the 83rd Wing based in Naha. A U.S. Navy F/A-18E Super Hornet from the Royal Maces of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 27 flies in formation with two Japan Air Self-Defense Force F-15J Eagles during a dissimilar air combat training exercise near Okinawa, Japan 24th Feb 2015 . (U.S. Navy photo by Cmdr. Spencer Abbot)

 

 

As I left Naha Airport in a shuttle bus operated by my hotel, one of the very first landmark that I encountered as the bus drove towards Naha City was a quartet of legacy aircraft, previously operated by the JASDF, displayed prominently near the main gate of Naha Air Base. The most eye catching plane is a Lockheed / Mitsubishi F-104J Starfighter mounted on a pedestal with its nose pointing skywards. The other 3 planes parked next to it comprised of a McDonnell Douglas / Mitsubishi F-4EJ Phantom II fighter, a Lockheed / Kawasaki T-33A Shooting Star trainer and a Beechcraft B-65 Queen Air utility plane. What a sight!
 

 

The quartet at the gates of Naha Airbase as seen on Google Earth. F-104J, T-33A, F-4EJ and B-65. Note the Monorail tracks that follow the perimeter of the airbase 

 

How the JASDF Naha Kichi quartet would look like from the elevated Yui Monorail tracks. From front row Lockheed F-104J, middle row left Beechcraft B-65, right Lockheed T-33A, rear McDonnell Douglas F-4EJ. Credit : livedoor.blog.jp

 

 Okinawa Marathon : Running Inside Kadena Air Base

The most popular marathon held on Okinawa Island is actually the Naha Marathon which takes place in early December at Naha City. The Okinawa Marathon though less popular is unique in the way the course cuts through the US Air Force's Kadena Air Base (嘉手納基地) between the 29km to the 32km point. I am not certain why the race course is designed like this but I guess it could be the USAF, specifically the 18th Wing of the Fifth Air Force stationed at Kadena Air Base, wanted to engage the local community in some meaningful way and therefore opened the base to the marathon organisers for this once a year event.

I initially signed up for the marathon because I wanted to see Kadena Air Base up close. Actually I was secretly dreaming about seeing the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor stealth fighters which I know had been deployed to Kadena Air Base but logic tells me the race course would never be anywhere close to the runways or the aircraft.

 

 





I was hoping to see this! Airmen watch as an F-22 Raptor taxis toward a refueling station March 31, 2011, on the flightline at Kadena Air Base, Japan. The pilots and maintainers, along with the F-22s, are assigned to the 525th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. They deployed to Kadena AB earlier in 2011 to test their capabilities in a new environment and to train with Airmen and aircraft there. U.S. Air Force photo

In fact, Kadena Air Base is so huge that runners basically only get to run past living quarters, schools, supermarkets, storage bunkers etc. through the low security zones for the entire 3 kilometers between Gate 2 and Gate 5. I did not at any point in time get even a glimpse of any aircraft or runway! Runners did however get plenty of support and cheering from base personnel and their family members who turned out in large numbers to watch the marathon. Most cheer the runners in fluent Japanese with shouts of "Gambare" " Gambatte" which means "keep at it" or "go for it" and "Faito" which means "Fight!". Many stand by the road side under the hot sun ( hot even in winter! ) to offer runners drinks, sweets, salt and fruits.

 

 





23rd 2015 Okinawa Marathon : Entering Kadena Air Base Gate 2.

23rd 2015 Okinawa Marathon : 29km point just after entering Gate 2, Kadena Air Base. Base personnel and their family members turn out in large numbers to cheer the runners on.



23rd 2015 Okinawa Marathon : Possibly high school kids from Kadena Air Base cheering at 31km point.
 



23rd 2015 Okinawa Marathon : Exiting Kadena Air base at Gate 5

So you see even a civilian event has a decidedly military flavor in Okinawa.

Marine Corps Air Station Futenma

After the marathon, it was time for some sightseeing and some R and R. I went back to Naha City and rented a car to explore Okinawa Island. As I followed the main road north towards Okinawa City, I passed Marine Corps Air Station Futenma ( 海兵隊普天間航空基地 ) at Ginowan City some 9km north of Naha. MCAS Futenma is home to about 3000 marines of the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing and has a variety of rotary and fixed wing aircraft operating out of it. It had been constructed by the US military in 1945 after the defeat of the Imperial Japanese Army in Okinawa. Over the next 70 years, Ginowan grew from a small village into a congested city of 93000 in population, and Futenma sits right in the middle, occupying a large tract of prime land which could have been used to construct roads, housing and commercial zones.

 

 



Aerial view of MCAS Futenma and Ginowan City in a photo dated May 2010. Source Wikipedia.





The logo of Marine Corps Air Station Futemna with a Japanese Shinto torii in the background and the Marine Corps Eagle, Globe and Anchor emblem at the top and the Naval Aviator insignia at the bottom. Source : Wikipedia

MV-22B Ospreys assigned to Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 262 (HMM-262) park behind a CH-46 Sea Knight also with HMM-262 after landing on Marine Corps Air Station Futenma (MCAS Futenma), August 12, 2013. The aircraft will be based at and operate out of MCAS Futenma, and will be replacing the CH-46 helicopter. HMM-262 is part of Marine Aircraft Group 36, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Katelyn Hunter)

Residents living near the air base had to endure noise form aircrafts taking-off and landing. They also had to bear with the smell of fumes and exhausts from aircraft engines. The risk of air crashes is always a worry and roads have to be detoured around the base through narrow coastal corridors making them vulnerable to congestion and jams. Fortunately for me, it was a weekday and the traffic was smooth. I saw several C-130 transport aircraft in the distance and that was about it.

 



The iconic Boeing MV-22 Osprey. 150209-N-UF697-202 EAST CHINA SEA (Feb. 9, 2015) An MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft, assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 265 (Reinforced), takes off from the flight deck of the forward-deployed amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) currently deployed in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations. (U.S. Navy photo )

Of all the aircraft deployed at Futenma, the most iconic would be the Boeing MV-22B Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft. They began arriving in Okinawa from 2012 as a replacement for the Boeing CH-46 Sea knight helicopters which were completely retired from service by 2014. A total of 24 MV-22s in 2 squadrons are now deployed in Okinawa. This hybrid aircraft is also at the centre of numerous protests to get the Marines out of Futenma. It is almost synonymous with the US Marine Forces and I have encountered more than once bumper stickers with the "No Osprey" logo as I explored Okinawa Honto ( main island ). In fact there is a No Osprey Movement in Okinawa that is gathering momentum to get rid of the US presence in Okinawa. Okinawans are no longer satisfied to have some of the Marines relocated to Guam. They do not want Futenma relocated to Henoko (辺野古) at the northern part of Okinawa main island near Camp Schwab ( another US military facility ). They want the US out of Okinawa for good.





No オスプレイ ( No Osprey ) 新基地 No!! ( New Military Base No!! ) 美ら海をろう! ( Protect Churaumi which means Beautiful Seas in Okinawan ). Poster to call for the surrounding of the National Assembly building on 25th Jan 2015 by a human chain to protest against the construction of a new US base at Henoko ( 辺野古 ) in the northern part of Okinawa Island.







Poster of No Osprey Movement's assembly in Hibiya, Tokyo, 2013

As I drove past Camp Schwab near Henoko, I witnessed a ragtag group of Okinawans protesting at the gates, some displaying banners, others creating noise and arguing with the police as they attempted to exercise some form of crowd control. I decided to just move on without stopping as it was a potentially explosive situation but it really gave an idea of the popularity of the US forces in Okinawa.

MC-130 Combat Talon Over Motobu

The Motobu Hanto ( 本部半島 ) or Motobu Peninsula is located in the northern part of Okinawa Island. It is rather hilly and is most famous for the world class Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium ( 沖縄美ら海水族館 ) who's huge acrylic tank houses several adult whale sharks and many other sea creatures. I happened to be staying at the Hotel Orion Motobu Resort and Spa within a few minute's walk from the aquarium.



Emerald Beach and part of the Ocean Expo Park viewed from the Orion Motobu Resort and Spa Hotel

As I was taking pictures of the beautiful beach and surf from the 10th storey balcony of my room, I spotted a C-130 in air force grey flying past and quickly took several shots at the maximum focal length of 300mm with my Nikon D750. Only later when I viewed the images on my lap top did I realized that it was a MC-130 Combat Talon from its unique and distinctive nose.





Cropped image of a USAF Lockheed MC-130H Combat Talon II special operations military transport aircraft overflying Motobu, Okinawa Island.





Another photo as the MC-130H receded. Numbers on the tail cannot be resolved for unit identification.

Profile picture of the Lockheed MC-130H Combat Talon II, a perfect match with the photos above. Source : Wikipedia

Further checks revealed this aircraft to be most probably the MC-130H Combat Talon II. I have no idea where it was heading ( probably Kadena Air Base since it was heading south ) or what it was doing that morning on 17th Feb 2015 over the resort beaches of Motobu. Either some special forces dude was busy training or some air force puke was having a joy ride.

It is not everyday that one gets to encounter a MC-130. Back home I am more likely to see a run of the mill C-130B or H variant. In any case, it seems that having military aircraft of some sort fly over your head is a common occurrence in Okinawa, no matter near or far from an air base.

 

 

JMSDF P-3Cs at Naha

When it was time to leave, I was looking out of the window of my airplane while it was berthed at the domestic terminal waiting for take-off and this was very close to what I saw :



A swarm of Lockheed P-3C Orion MPA at the flight line not too far from the civilian domestic terminal of Naha Airport. blogs.yahoo.co.jpsomariworld

I initially thought they were some local turboprop island hopper but several things stood out to suggest otherwise. Firstly the drape paint scheme is rather unlike the usual colourful decors of civilian airlines, especially those of Japanese airlines, where you can sometime see the entire plane being painted over with cartoon characters, fuselage and tail and all. Then I noticed the aircrafts had four engines each and they were relatively huge in size. Island hoppers are usually small short ranged turboprops with two engines. The sheer number of identical aircrafts aligned in neat rows is also unusual for civilian crafts where you are more likely to see a variety of different aircraft models at any one place. So I took a closer look and realized they were P-3Cs. Wasn't sure if they were Japanese or US at that moment looking head-on but of course now I know better. Chinese submarines and surface vessels must have been intruding into Japanese waters regularly in order for Japan to station such a large number of P-3Cs at Okinawa.

 

 



Japan Maritime Self Defense Force Lockheed P-3C Orion MPA over open ocean. JMSDF Photo.

From the moment of arrival to the very last moment before departure, there was never a day that went by without me encountering military personnel, hardware, facility or event of some sort in Okinawa. I would say the military has permeated into every aspect of life in Okinawa and brought about plenty of negative impacts to the ordinary citizens of Okinawa. Apart from the security that came with the stationing of US troops, the only positive impact of 70 years of US occupation is that many Okinawans can speak English, well at least conversational English, much more than the Japanese people from the other 46 prefectures, and I almost forgot to mention, this uniquely Okinawan creation of Taco Rice ( タコライス, takoraisu ).

Fulcrum of the Pivot?

The United States needs to engage Asia have her presence felt in the Western Pacific. Otherwise countries like China, North Korea and Russia would do what they please and most of their intentions are nefarious, to put it mildly. The Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between the United States and Japan signed in 1960 dictates that any attacks on Japanese or US interests perpetrated on Japanese administered territories would have to be acted upon by both countries, and to that extend also provides for the continued presence of US military bases on Japanese soil. Okinawa, nicknamed the Keystone of the Pacific by the Americans, however is host to 62% of all US military bases in Japan, despite making up only 0.6% of Japan's total land area. Okinawa, being the poorest, the furthest and the least influential prefecture of Japan thus have to bear a disproportionate burden of accommodating the bulk of United States Forces Japan ( USFJ ) with warts and all while the rest of mainland Japan enjoy the security that the Americans provide. If President Obama has a Pivot to Asia policy, then I assume Okinawa has to be the fulcrum of that pivot.



USFJ Insignia.

Historically, Okinawa was a very important strategic location for the US Forces in the Western Pacific due to its proximity to East Asia and South East Asia. Today, with the Cold War long over and facing forever shrinking defense budgets and the displeasure of the Okinawans, the US should really reassess the need to have a permanent presence in Okinawa. Advancement in weapons technology over the decades may have partially rendered the continued occupation of Okinawa by US Forces redundant. Why forward deploy when you can achieve the same deterrence by having stand-off weapons?

In my opinion, the US could safely withdraw most of her active military personnel currently deployed in Okinawa back to US soil and return most of the base facilities to the Japanese government, only retaining a skeletal crew and fraction of the land for pre-positioning of combat materials. During times of crisis, a rapid reaction force can quickly be dispatched to Okinawa without the need to shift heavy equipment. In that way The US can still uphold her commitment to the defense treaty with Japan.

Futenma can be closed and the land redistributed for other uses. Kadena can be transferred to the JASDF of Naha Air Base so that being the most important and busiest air base in Japan, they do not have to share the runway with civilian aircrafts anymore and Naha Airport can be expanded and redeveloped without the constraints of accommodating the JASDF.

With all that land thus recovered from the US, it might even be possible for Okinawa Island to finally have a rail system to facilitate travel between the various cities and towns. As far as I am aware, Okinawa is the only Japanese prefecture without trains, the closest it can claim is the Yui Monorail which runs from Naha Airport to Shuri Castle, with all of its twelve stations within the confines of Naha City. Even Hokkaido, the northernmost prefecture of Japan, will be getting its Shinkansen or bullet train connection next year ( Hakodate, 2016 ), but Okinawa has nothing!

 

 



The Okinawa Monorail aka Yui Rail of Naha City. Source : Wikipedia

The world will be celebrating the 70th anniversary of the end of World War Two this year and US administration of Okinawa had ended 43 years ago. It is time for the US to relinquish the right to occupy Okinawa and put an end to the suffering of the Okinawa people, who did not ask for the War in the first place.