Airmen prep JASDF F-15 pilots for air-to-air refueling

  • Published
  • By Ed Gulick
  • 18th Wing Public Affairs
KADENA AIR BASE, Japan --  The United States Air Force has pioneered and mastered the art of air-to-air refueling and has assisted many partner nations in learning this tremendous force multiplier over the years.
 
Here in Japan, Kadena Airmen have been training Japan Air Self Defense Force F-15 pilots since 2003 and this month the two nations are working together again to certify about 20 JASDF pilots in day and night air refueling.

The training comes as Japanese pilots from Naha Air Base and Hyakuri Air Base prepare to fly across the Pacific to participate in Red Flag Alaska next month at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska.

Red Flag Alaska is a large coalition exercise that involves many aircraft in complex missions. The exercise provides U.S. and coalition forces an opportunity to train together, improving readiness for wartime coalition missions.

In order to be certified, each pilot must successfully complete at least two daytime and two nighttime air refueling flights after completing several hours of classroom work.

"I believe this training is one of our most important missions as we will continue to work with the U.S. and enhance interoperability in the future," said Lt. Col. Eiji Kitigawa, 305th Tactical Fighter Squadron commander at Hyakuri Air Base, Japan, who recently took command of the squadron and qualified for day and night air refueling during the training. The training began May 9, and over the two weeks of training, some of the pilots have progressed from performing their first-ever air refueling to becoming fully certified in this critical skill.

This training will enable JASDF F-15 pilots to complete the long flight to Alaska without stopping and will extend their sorties at Red Flag so they can maximize their participation.

As a KC-135 boom operator, Senior Master Sgt. Michael Steinkraus, 909th ARS, is the one who sees up close how well the JASDF pilots have progressed in their training.

"I think it (the training) went awesome," he said after a flight on Monday. "The Japanese pilots did really well today. In two weeks, they have gotten very proficient."

Helping guide the Japanese pilots through the intricacies of air refueling has been the job of four U.S. Air Force pilots -- two from Kadena, one from Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla. and another from Yokota Air Base, Japan.

One of the Kadena instructor pilots was Capt. David Siemion of the 67th Fighter Squadron. This was his first time training with the JASDF pilots and he was impressed with the professionalism of his counterparts as well as their ability to learn.

"It is challenging and it's very impressive how skilled and understanding the JASDF pilots are," he said. "We have to slow down a little bit and make sure we're clear, but it is very impressive how well they are learning something that is completely foreign to them and in a different language."