2 Kokudan introduces new badge

The Japan Air Self-Defense Force’s (JASDF) 2 Kokudan (Wing), based at Chitose air base introduced its own unit badge on the first of its Kawasaki T-4 fleet. With this move it is formalising a practice which existed for almost two years.

Since the grounding of the Kawasaki T-4 fleet in April 2019 and the slow but steady re-introduction of modified aircraft to units, the 201 and 203 Hikotai (squadron) T-4s have been noted flying since May 2021 without individual unit badges in a sort of pool.

The unit’s T-4s are used for liaison duties and a total of five aircraft are currently operating from Chitose: 96-5624, 16-5669, 46-5716, 96-5770 and 16-5802. This last one is the first T-4 seen with the new badge.

The badge itself has a bear as centre piece (both Chitose units have a bear in their badge) and the feathers represent 2 Kokudan and both 201 and 203 Hikotai.

Photo by JASDF Chitose (@jasdf_chitose)