Iwakuni arrivals

[DBarty]

Couple of recent Iwakuni arrivals,

Iwakuni 01/10/2020
DORY 51-55 PWAK>RJOI
164650 F/A-18D VMFA-312/DR-211
164910 F/A-18C VMFA-312/DR-208
164970 F/A-18C VMFA-312/DR-204
165415 F/A-18D VMFA-312/DR-210
165532 F/A-18D VMFA-312/DR-212
16-46018 KC-46A 133ARS/157ARW/NH`ANG FIST(01) PGUA>RODN (FIST11 sbs)
63-7991 KC-135R 173ARS/155ARW/NE`ANG FIST02 PGUA>PGUA

Iwakuni 02/10/2020
DORY 61-63 PWAK>RJOI
164719 F/A-18C VMFA-312/DR-207
164891 F/A-18C VMFA-312/DR-205
(164960) F/A-18C VMFA-312/DR-206
63-7991 KC-135R 173ARS/155ARW/NE`ANG FIST02 PGUA>RODN

Iwakuni 17/09/2020
FEUD 31-35 PGUA>RJOI
164652 F/A-18D VMFA(AW)-533/ED-01
164870 F/A-18D VMFA(AW)-533/ED-11
164872 F/A-18D VMFA(AW)-533/ED-13
164683 F/A-18D VMFA(AW)-533/ED-11
165684 F/A-18D VMFA(AW)-533/ED-03
61-0264 KC-135R 121ARW/OH`ANG PETRO81 PWAK>(PGUA)
57-1438 KC-135R 336ARS/452AMW PETRO82 PGUA>RJTY

FEUD 41-45 PGUA>RJOI
164677 F/A-18D VMFA(AW)-533/ED-06
164735 F/A-18D VMFA(AW)-533/ED-04
164880 F/A-18D VMFA(AW)-533/ED-15
164957 F/A-18D VMFA(AW)-533/ED-00
165686 F/A-18D VMFA(AW)-533/ED-09
58-0074 KC-135T 171ARW/PA`ANG) PETRO91 PWAK>PGUA
62-3566 KC-135R 174ARS/185ARW/IA`ANG PETRO92 PGUA>RJTY

[Le Addeur noir]

KC-46A FIST11 was confirmed at RODN as 16-46018 by Satoru-san.

[Le Addeur noir]

Whilst on the subject of Iwakuni, it is probably worth mentioning that VMFA-121 are in the process of swapping out their F-35Bs.

I'm sure the arrivals and departures in March have already seen the light of day somewhere on the Japanese forum, so I won't list them again.

In September 8 F-35Bs departed to the States to participate in WTI 1/21 at MCAS Yuma. These jets will not-or should not be returning to Japan.

These 8 jets were,

169164 VK-01
169166 VK-02
169168 VK-04
169293 VK-07
169294 VK-08
169296 VK-10
169297 VK-11
168730 VK-16

The F-35B that collided with the VMGR-352 KC-130J 166765 on 29 September was from this unit. Whether it was one of the jets listed above, or whether the Green Knights had received their later block Fuglues and relinquished the above ones is currently unknown. Unless someone has been spotting at Yuma within the last couple of weeks.