A KC-130J Super Hercules with Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 152 taxis on a grass runway at Gifu Airfield in Gifu, Japan, April 9, 2026. (Cecilia Campbell/U.S. Marine Corps)
MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan — A Marine Corps refueling squadron at this base south of Hiroshima has conducted its first takeoffs and landings at an airfield in Gifu, demonstrating the KC-130J Super Hercules’ ability to operate in austere environments.
A C-130J assigned to Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 152 performed multiple touch-and-go landings on a grass runway at Gifu Airfield April 9, according to Marine Aircraft Group 12.
The training highlights a capability considered critical in potential conflicts or disaster-response scenarios, where established runways may be damaged or unavailable.
“Pilots trained to land on these surfaces can deliver personnel and supplies into hastily built or repaired runways that are unsuitable for larger aircraft, such as on an island or in response to a natural disaster,” Capt. Brady Mallory, a spokeswoman for the group, said by email Friday.
Mobile air traffic controllers Gunnery Sgt. Benjamin Dampier, left, Cpl. Taylor Smith, center, and Sgt. Tyler Mugele prepare communications for a KC-130J Super Hercules operating on a grass runway at Gifu Airfield in Gifu, Japan, April 9, 2026. (Cecilia Campbell/U.S. Marine Corps)
Gifu Airfield, built by Japan’s imperial army during World War II, provides a closer option for such training than austere landing sites on Okinawa. Now run by the Japan Air Self-Defense Force, the airfield is about 336 miles east of MCAS Iwakuni, allowing crews to reduce transit time and fuel use.
“The use of Gifu is beneficial for our training purposes as it continues to build on our long-standing relationship with the JASDF,” the group’s commander, Col. William Millett III, said in a statement included with Mallory’s email. “The hospitality that our host nation consistently shows us is one of the great pleasures we have operating out of Iwakuni, while working together to ensure peace and stability in the region.”
A KC-130J Super Hercules with Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 152 makes a touch-and-go landing on a grassy runway at Gifu Airfield in Gifu, Japan, April 9, 2026. (Cecilia Campbell/U.S. Marine Corps)
The Super Hercules is used by both the Marine Corps and Air Force for missions that include cargo transport, aerial refueling and establishing refueling points in remote areas.
Its rugged construction allows for “tough, realistic training” in conditions aircrews may face in a conflict, the Air Force said in a November 2023 news release.
The aircraft’s high-flotation landing gear distributes weight across low-pressure, wide-spaced tires, helping prevent it from sinking into soft ground, according to manufacturer Lockheed Martin.
