Kadena Airmen, F-15s successful in first day of ATR

  • Published
  • By 1st Lt. Bryan Bouchard
  • 18th Wing Public Affairs
HYAKURI AIR BASE, Japan --  Airmen from Kadena were awake and working in freezing temperatures before dawn Monday morning to begin preparations to launch aircraft kicking off the first day of operations at the Hyakuri Air Base aviation training relocation Feb. 1.

About 90 Airmen and six F-15s are at the base, which lies about 70 miles north of Tokyo, for the ATR through the end of the week.

"We had Airmen and cargo arriving through the weekend to make sure we were ready to go for this morning's flights," said Maj. Kedric Osborne, 67th Fighter Squadron pilot and project officer for the ATR. "With great planning from everyone at Kadena, as well as the hospitality we've received from our Japanese friends, we were able to start this ATR with successful launches on both sides."

The ATR is designed to continue to build the relationship of the Japan Air Self Defense Force and U.S. Air Force for the common defense of Japan, while reducing some of the noise associated with takeoffs and landings at Kadena.

During the first set of launches for the day, Lt. Col. James Sukenik, 67th Fighter Squadron director of operations, addressed Japanese media who were at the base to learn more about the ATR.

"We're excited to train alongside our JASDF partners and we expect to learn from each other to enhance interoperability for the common defense of Japan," he said. "It will also help to reduce the number of sorties on Okinawa."

This ATR coincides with the 50th anniversary of the bilateral security agreement between the two countries.