US Navy’s last E-2Cs depart Japan after 44 years

In this May, 2007, US Navy photo E-2C Hawkeyes assigned to Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron 115 "Liberty Bells," perform a formation flight in front of Mount Fuji.

By: Wording OD

The last of the U.S. Navy’s E-2C Hawkeyes forward-deployed to Japan departed Naval Air Facility (NAF) Atsugi on June 1, marking the end of 44 years of service in Japan. The aircraft from Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 115 “Liberty Bells” are one of the Navy’s longest-serving forward deployed squadrons in the U.S. Navy. Having accumulated more than 24 consecutive years and 50,000 hours of mishap-free hours, the Liberty Bells of VAW-115 are returning to the United States after turning over operational responsibilities to VAW-125 and the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye.

First of Japan’s F-35s will be airborne by year’s end

By: Wording OD

Japanese pilots will fly the F-35A Lightning II fighter jet for the first time by year’s end, according to a Lockheed Martin spokesman who was in Tokyo this week to meet with the Japan Air Self-Defense Force. The first four stealth planes earmarked for Japan will roll off a production line in Fort Worth, Texas, in November, said Eric W. Schnaible, the company’s F-35 international communications manager. Schnaible will also visit Nagoya and Misawa facilities associated with the aircraft later this month. Japanese pilots are slated to take off in the jets for the first time at Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., where Australian, Norwegian and Italian personnel are already learning to pilot the F-35, he said.