| Rikujo Jieitai / Japanese Ground Self-Defence Force |
The Rikujo Jieitai was formed on July 1st 1954 and received its first helicopters in 1954 when a total of 31 Sikorsky H-19's
and 94 Bell H-13 entered service.Various fixed wing aircraft such as the L-19 (129), L-21 (62) and Fuji LM-1 (27)
were all operated throughout the 1960's at the end of which the L-21 was retired. The L-19 and LM-1's had been retired at the end of the 1970's
being replaced by the LR-1 and OH-6J which both entered service in the early 1970's with the Homen Hikotais. Deliveries of the
Bell UH-1B commenced in 1963. Those for the UH-1H did so in 1973. 90 of the former and 125 of the latter had been built by
Fuji Heavy Industries by 1990. The UH-1B, (also referred to as the HU-1B and HU-1H in Japanese service), and the H-19 formed the
main equipment for the Homen Herikoputatais in the 1960's. The H-19 was retired in the early 1970's. The majority of H-13's was also
phased out during the 1970's. During the 1980's the UH-1H gradually replaced the UH-1B. Between 1966 and 1981 a total of seventy
KV107's were delivered becoming the medium transport helicopter in the service.
A major modernisation of the rotary aircraft fleet took place during the 80's and 90's with the OH-6J being replaced by the OH-6D of
which 193 were delivered, the UH-1B and a part of the UH-1H fleet by the UH-1J which is still in production with at least seventy
being delivered to date and the UH-60JA which just entered operational service with twelve delivered in early 2001 of an expected
total of about seventy. The KV107 was replaced by the CH-47 of which at least 42 have been delivered with limited numbers still under
production by Kawasaki. The AH-1S entered service as the JGSDF tactical support helicopter in 1979 and 94 have been delivered since.
The Raytheon LR-2 is now very slowly replacing the sole remaining fixed wing aircraft, the Mitsubishi LR-1. A new helicopter type which
is entering service now is the Kawasaki OH-1. A replacement programme for the AH-1 Cobra is now underway as the AH-X programme with the
AH-1Z and the AH-64D being the main contenders.
The aviation assets of the JGSDF are organised in five Regional Army Aviation Group (Homen Kokutai); Hokubu (Northern);
Tohoku (Northeastern); Tobu (Eastern); Chubu (Central) and Seibu (Western). A Homen Kokutai typically consists of an Army Helicoptersquadron
(Homen Herikoputatai) equipped with UH-1 and OH-6 helicopters, an Army Air Group Headquarters Squadron (Homen Kokutai Honbu Zukitai) with
LR-1 as well as an Anti-Tank helicopter squadron (Taisensha Herikoputatai) equipped with AH-1S and OH-6D. In addition each assigned division
(Shidan) has it's own liaison squadron also equipped with mostly OH-6D. The numbering of these squadrons (Hikotai) reflects the division to which it
is assigned. The Western Army structure differs slightly as it is assigned to the 1st Konseidan which operates from Naha at Okinawa.
Its Homen Herikoputatai is the only one which also has a small number of CH-47JA's on charge. An airlift brigade is based at Kisarazu consisting of
two squadrons of 16 CH-47J/JA Chinooks and two OH-6D each.
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Photo: Paul van der Linden
Photo: Jurgen van Toor
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