NAVAL AIR FACILITY MISAWA, Japan — F/A-18 Hornets and Super Hornets from Carrier Air Wing 5, based at Naval Air Facility Atsugi near Tokyo, are training this week near Misawa on the invitation of NAF Misawa commander Capt. Wayne Radloff.
Between 16 and 20 aircraft are expected to engage in strike-fighter training — which involves both air-to-air and air-to-ground training — at different times throughout the week, Navy officials said.
“Predominantly, the aircraft conducting training this week are F/A-18 Hornet and Super Hornets,” said Lt. Cmdr. John Bernard, Carrier Strike Group 5 spokesman, noting a detachment of about 80 sailors is at Misawa to support aircraft operations.
Radloff said he suggested the air wing consider training at Misawa to give junior officers an opportunity to work with the 35th Fighter Wing and access to Draughon Training Range, about 20 miles from the base. It’s also a chance for maintainers and pilots to enjoy northern Japan, Radloff said.
It’s the first time in more than 10 years that Navy jets have trained at Misawa for several days or more, Radloff added.
“This was just an opportunity to come up and use the facilities,” he said. “The way the schedule has been written, it should almost be transparent that the Navy is using Misawa. There will be no severe burden put on billeting, on messing, on fuel or the flight line.”
Some aircraft may spend the night at Misawa, though the jets mostly will fly in and out throughout the week, officials said.
Radloff told Misawa Mayor Shigeyoshi Suzuki about the training in a meeting last week, he said.
“I mentioned there might be some joint training opportunities with the 35th Fighter Wing,” he said, “but it’s not a joint training exercise.”
The mayor reportedly told Radloff that he does not welcome training conducted by aircraft not assigned to Misawa, according to a story published Friday in Too Nippo.
Bernard said no live ordnance would be used on the range. Though some sorties would be flown at night, the training is not tied to night landing practice, which is slated May 11-20 at Iwo Jima and May 18-20 at Naval Air Facility Atsugi, weather permitting.
