Alert 5

Japan’s Ospreys to relocate from Kisarazu to Saga starting July

Posted on April 16, 2025 by alert5

Japan’s Defense Ministry announced that its fleet of MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft temporarily stationed at the Ground Self-Defense Force’s Kisarazu base in Chiba Prefecture will begin relocating to the new Saga base on Jul. 9th, with the transfer expected to be completed by mid-August.

陸上自衛隊, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Continue reading “Japan’s Ospreys to relocate from Kisarazu to Saga starting July”

RNZAF sells retired C-130H fleet to U.S. firefighting company

Posted on April 12, 2025April 11, 2025 by alert5

The New Zealand Defence Force has finalized the sale of four retired Royal New Zealand Air Force C-130H Hercules aircraft to American aerial firefighting company Coulson Aviation for $9 million. The deal, announced on Apr. 11, marks a new chapter for the venerable aircraft that were officially retired from military service earlier this year.

Corporal Naomi James, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Continue reading “RNZAF sells retired C-130H fleet to U.S. firefighting company”

U.S. Navy and JMSDF hold first Joint Electronic Warfare Exercise under FUJIN agreement

Posted on April 11, 2025 by alert5

The U.S. Navy’s expeditionary Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 131, operating under Task Force 70, conducted a bilateral electronic warfare exercise with the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) on Apr. 3, south of Okinawa, Japan.

PHILIPPINE SEA (April 3, 2025) E/A-18G Growlers from the expeditionary Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 131 are seen from the cockpit of a Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) UP-3D aircraft during the Fujin bilateral training exercise, April 3, 2025. The planning and execution of the exercise came after the JMSDF Commander, Fleet Air Force (CFAF), and U.S. Navy’s Commander, Task Force (CTF) 70, signed the Fujin memorandum of understanding to increase bilateral operations between the forces’ electronic attack squadrons in December 2024. (Courtesy photo)

F-35A Frankenjet is now operational

Posted on April 11, 2025April 11, 2025 by alert5

The U.S. Air Force has successfully returned a reconstructed F-35A fighter jet to operational status after combining parts from two damaged aircraft, officials announced this week.

An F-35A Lightning II, known as “Frankenjet” and assigned to the 4th Fighter Generation Squadron, 388th Fighter Wing, returns to Hill Air Force Base on March 26, 2025. The aircraft previously underwent final maintenance at Lockheed Martin’s facility in Fort Worth, Texas, before reentering operational service. (U.S. Air Force photo by Capt. Nathan Poblete)

U.S. to deploy MQ-4C in Japan for indefinite period

Posted on April 9, 2025April 9, 2025 by alert5

The United States military will deploy several MQ-4C Triton surveillance drones to Kadena Air Base in Okinawa Prefecture for an indefinite period, Japanese defense officials announced Apr. 8. The unmanned aircraft are expected to begin operations within weeks, following a previous temporary deployment last year from May to October.