#Kadena Air Base

[the-nomadicone]

Growler // United States Navy

#United States Navy #U.S. Navy #USN #VAQ-138 #Yellow Jackets #EA-18G #EA-18G Growler #Growler #Airborne Electronic Attack #Rampage #NAS Whidbey Island #15th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron #Marine Wing Liaison Kadena #Kadena Air Base #Japan #Kadena #military #armed forces #aircraft #EAS #AEA #EWA #Electronic Warfare Aircraft

[toshiyukikuchi]

#us air force #okinawa #kadena air base #嘉手納町 #Youtube

[usafphantom2]

#kadena air base #f 16 fighting falcon

[japantourguide]

The island of Okinawa, Japan, is arguably the most haunted duty station U.S. military members can be sent to.

#military history #holidays #japan #kadena air base

[defensenow]

#youtube #militarytraining #Kadena Airbase #combat search and rescue #helicopter operations #military technology #aerial maneuvers #helicopter #air base #aviation #aircraft showcase #air force mission. #Flight of the Valkyries #air force operations #military aviation #military training #aerial footage #U.S. Air Force #USAF #military aircraft #military exercise #HH-60G

[oddnews]

Subsegment: Old News, (slightly) Odd Coincidences

On 28th October last year, the US air force announced plans to replace its entire fleet of F-15 fighter jets—officially named the "Eagle" but affectionately nicknamed "Big Bird"*—based in Okinawa, Japan, with a “rotational” force. It was a move widely (tho' not necessarily correctly) interpreted as being a lessening of commitment to the US military bases on the island, chief among which is Kadena Air Base.

In a mildly odd coincidence, that week was also a newsworthy week for the Kadena coin (KDA), a token native to the Kadena blockchain, which achieved a temporary gain in value when UK-based start-up Database of Native Assets (DNA) launched its tech enterprise "creating unique digital passports which prove authenticity and ownership of jewellery, collectibles, art, rarities and luxury goods" on the Kadena platform. 

KDA also spiked on March 11, when it was listed by Binance. That was a day after a Japanese court awarded over $11million to residents of Okinawa seeking compensation for US air operations in the context of parallel legal claims which also sought to bring an end to US air operations altogether.

In fact, the history of Kadena runs broadly inverse to the fortunes of US military operations in Okinawa.

Kadena was initiated in June 2016, a couple of months after an article appeared in the Japan Times on 27 April outlining and substantiating concerns expressed by US veterans that they were victims of exposure to Agent Orange and/or Agent Pink while stationed on the island.

The initial successful seed funding round for Kadena took place within two months of an award of $265 million to residents of Okinawa in 2017, one month after a US sailor was arrested for exposing himself and masturbating in front of Japanese women in Kitanakagusuku Village, one day before demonstrations in Henoko and at the end of a period of unexplained difficulty in retaining and deploying Japanese security guards to the bases.

And on 11 April 2018, Kardena closed another funding round on the same day that a court in Okinawa sentenced a U.S. Marine based there to four years in prison for killing a 61-year-old man in a car crash while driving under the influence of alcohol.**

Does that qualify as a mildly odd coincidence? Perhaps not... but, just maybe.

Or...

Perhaps that's all just a way of saying that I found this article from The National Interest last month strange, discombobulating and vaguely hyperbolic:

*air superiority variants of the Eagle of the kind deployed to Okinawa have also been nicknamed "Light Grey" and "the Flying Tennis Court", while strike variants are known affectionately as "the E", "Bomb Eagle", "Beagle" and "Mudhen".

**also, coincidentally, the date on which the death of Jack Higgins, author of "The Eagle has Landed", was announced.

#old news #odd coincidences #kadena #okinawa #crypto #keystone #keystone of the pacific #18th wing #air base #agent pink #agent orange #f-15 #eagle #big bird #nickname #news

[worldmilitary]

HORRIBLE !! US Air Force to Replace F 15C Squadron at Japan's Kadena Base

#youtube #US Air Force to Replace F-15C Squadron at Japan's Kadena Base. Friday. 28-10-2022. The US Air Force plans to replace the two squadrons of F

[captain-price-unofficially]

U.S. Air Force special tactics Airmen with the 320th Special Tactics Squadron pull an MC-130J Commando II across the flightline during Monster Mash, an operational readiness and resilience training exercise May 5, 2023, at Kadena Air Base, Japan

#aviation #modern #may

[dronescapesvideos]

F-22 Raptor putting out a Flare. Kadena Air Base, Japan ➤➤ VIDEO (Skunk Works Part 3): https://dronescapes.video/Raptor

#youtube #aircraft #f22raptor #airplane #aviation #dronescapes #military #documentary #aviation history #f22 #f117 #f 117 nighthawk #f 117 #skunk works #lockheed #stealth #stealth bomber #flare #aviation photography

[nocternalrandomness]

USAF F-15s conducting “surge” flight operations from Kadena Air Base, Japan

#USAF #Boeing #F-15 #Eagle #Fighter #Aircraft #Kaden AB #Aviation #Jets

[resistancekitty]

[the-nomadicone]

Lightning II // United States Marine Corps

#United States Marine Corps #U.S. Marine Corps #USMC #F-35 #F-35B #F-35B Lightning II #Lightning II #Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 121 #VMFA-121 #Kadena #Kadena Air Base #Expeditionary Advanced Base Operation #EABO #Japan #Fighter

[softsoundingsea]

THE ASAHI SHIMBUN

February 7, 2024 at 14:03 JST

Japan appears to be an exceptional case where the U.S. military has done almost nothing about cancer-causing organic fluorine compounds detected near U.S. military bases.

Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) repel water and oil and have been used in various products, such as firefighting foam.

The Okinawa prefectural government has detected levels of PFAS exceeding the temporary standards set by the Environment Ministry in tests conducted near U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Ginowan, in the prefecture.

CONTAMINATED LAND

Masaru Miyagi, 59, who has farmed for many years in Okinawa, is angered by what he is seeing.

“The land and water on which I grew up has been polluted,” he said. “I have put up with the noise pollution from U.S. military bases as well as the crimes committed by personnel there, but I can no longer control my anger.”

Because Miyagi took pride in his organic farming produce, he is no longer growing anything now that the water has been found to be contaminated.

PFAS contamination first came to light in Okinawa in January 2016 when the Okinawa prefectural government announced the results of its study of rivers and water treatment plants around the U.S. Kadena Air Base.

One finding was that perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), one of the PFAS compounds, was detected in the Chatan water treatment plant that provides water to about 440,000 locals. A maximum 80 nanograms per liter of water were found.

A river near Kadena Air Base had PFOS levels as high as 1,300 nanograms per liter.

Since 2016, the Okinawa prefectural government has made six separate requests at various U.S. military facilities to be allowed to investigate the cause of the contamination.

But the U.S. military has only allowed two on-site inspections because it admitted that accidents had occurred there. One involved 140,000 liters of firefighting foam leaking from the Futenma base in 2020.

Over the past eight years, the Okinawa prefectural government has spent a total of 3.2 billion yen ($21.6 million) to analyze and treat water contaminated with PFAS, of which the Okinawa Defense Bureau subsidized 1 billion yen.

The prefectural government believes at least 8 billion yen will be needed to deal with PFAS contamination over the next decade.

That means water bills in Okinawa will gradually increase by a total of 30 percent from October.

While part of the increase is due to rising consumer prices and to deal with aging water equipment, some of the money will also go toward combatting the PFAS problem.

Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki has asked central government officials to shoulder the burden of managing the PFAS since the central government provides the facilities to the U.S. military from which the contaminant comes.

Masafumi Teruya is secretary-general of a citizens’ group seeking clean water around the Futenma base.

“It is unreasonable to have Okinawa residents pay to handle the PFAS,” he said.

#asahi shimbun #okinawa #okinawa prefecture #pfas #us military #news

[usafphantom2]

Blackbird pilot recalls when his SR-71 Flew so Fast that he and his RSO Landed at Beale AFB almost a Day Before They Took Off from Kadena AB

SR-71 Pilot tells the story of when his Blackbird flew So Fast that He and his RSO arrived at Beale AFB almost a Day Before They Left Kadena AB

The SR-71 Blackbird

The SR-71, the most advanced member of the Blackbird family that included the A-12 and YF-12, was designed by a team of Lockheed personnel led by Clarence “Kelly” Johnson, then vice president of Lockheed’s Advanced Development Company Projects, commonly known as the “Skunk Works” and now a part of Lockheed Martin.

SR-71 T-Shirts

CLICK HERE to see The Aviation Geek Club contributor Linda Sheffield’s T-shirt designs! Linda has a personal relationship with the SR-71 because her father Butch Sheffield flew the Blackbird from test flight in 1965 until 1973. Butch’s Granddaughter’s Lisa Burroughs and Susan Miller are graphic designers. They designed most of the merchandise that is for sale on Threadless. A percentage of the profits go to Flight Test Museum at Edwards Air Force Base. This nonprofit charity is personal to the Sheffield family because they are raising money to house SR-71, #955. This was the first Blackbird that Butch Sheffield flew on Oct. 4, 1965.

The Blackbird design originated in secrecy during the late 1950s with the A-12 reconnaissance aircraft that first flew in April 1962 and remained classified until 1976. President Lyndon Johnson publicly announced the existence of the YF-12A interceptor variant on Feb. 29, 1964, more than half a year after its maiden flight. The SR-71 completed its first flight on Dec. 22, 1964.

The Blackbird was designed to cruise at “Mach 3+,” just over three times the speed of sound or more than 2,200 miles per hour and at altitudes up to 85,000 feet.

Blackbird pilot recalls when his SR-71 Flew so Fast that he and his RSO Landed at Beale AFB almost a Day Before They Took Off from Kadena AB

David Peters in SR-71’s cockpit

The incredible speed of the SR-71 Blackbird

So, it comes as no surprise if, thanks to its astonishing flight characteristics, the aircraft has set numerous speed and altitude records throughout its career.

To give a real perspective of the incredible speed the iconic Blackbird could attain, SR-71 pilot David Peters tells the following, fabulous story.

‘We were TDY to Det. 1 at Kadena AB, Okinawa. One of the birds was scheduled for swap out and my back seater, Ed Bethart, and I were to fly it home. The replacement came in on Friday and we were to leave Saturday morning. So, in true Habu tradition we welcomed the incoming crew and went to happy hour Friday evening at the officers’ club.

SR-71 Pilot tells the story of when his Blackbird flew So Fast that He and his RSO arrived at Beale AFB 17 1/2 Hours Before They Left Kadena AB

David Peters and Ed Bethart

A true story

‘We got up Saturday morning and got ready to go home. Departure was scheduled for 1000. Everything went well and we departed right on time. Headed out to do a pass through the Korean DMZ then into the tankers in the Sea of Japan. Good refueling and climb out headed for the Sea of Okhotsk and the Kamchatka peninsula of Russia and from there to more tankers off of Adak in the Aleutian Islands. Another good refueling and on to Beale AFB California.

‘We arrived with a low approach pulled up into a closed pattern and landed. Following de-suiting and debrief we deposited our classified flight documents jumped in a car and arrived at the officers club for Friday night happy hour at 1630 17 1/2 hours before we left Kadena.

SR-71 print

This print is available in multiple sizes from AircraftProfilePrints.com – CLICK HERE TO GET YOURS. SR-71A Blackbird 61-7972 “Skunkworks”

‘Try that in any aircraft other than the SR-71. Besides this is actually a true story.’

Be sure to check out Linda Sheffield Miller (Col Richard (Butch) Sheffield’s daughter, Col. Sheffield was an SR-71 Reconnaissance Systems Officer) Twitter Page Habubrats SR-71 and Facebook Page Born into the Wilde Blue Yonder for awesome Blackbird’s photos and stories.

Photo credit: David Peters and U.S. Air Force

@Habubrats71 via X

[japantourguide]

The legend of the Kadena Chicken is based on the 18th Wing's insignia, which features a black chicken, with its wings held high on a yellow background.

#military history #air force topics #korean war #kadena air base #japan

[c-130hercules]

Six MC-130J Commando II aircraft assigned to the 1st Special Operations Squadron taxi down the flight line at Kadena Air Base, Japan, Jan. 6, 2022. This was the first time the 1st SOS generated all seven aircraft to complete a formation flight during the biennial “Flight of the Flock” training event. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Yosselin Perla)

#MC-130J #Commando II #C-130J #C-130 #Hercules #MC-130