U.S.A.F. aircraft from Japan taking part in watch operation on Iraq

U.S. fighter aircraft from U.S. Misawa Air Base in Aomori and U.S. Kadena Air Base in Okinawa are taking part in the watch operation over Iraq's air zones where flights are banned, and these fighter jets may possibly be used for military intrusion into Iraq by the U.S., said Akahata of September 17.

Quoting the September 12 issue of the Stars and Stripes, Akahata reported that over 100 service members, including pilots of F-16s from Misawa's 13th fighter squadron with maintenance crews, were deployed to Southwest Asia on August 31 to engage in the patrol operation.

In response to Akahata, the U.S. Kadena Air Base public affairs admitted that approximately 800 personnel from numerous career fields are participating as part of the Fifth Aerospace Expeditionary Forces (AEF5) and other missions throughout the world, confirming the deployment of Kadena's fighters in the watch operation.

Rapid moves are also being made at the U.S. Army North Dock in Yokohama Port, Kanagawa Prefecture. From the end of August, many landing craft and tug boats, called "watercraft," have arrived at the port. Five boats arrived on August 25 as the first crew, and 6 on September 6 as the second, and will total 30 in all. This means that just half of similar U.S. boats prepositioned overseas (60) will be concentrated in Yokohama, Akahata reported.

At the U.S. Atsugi Naval Base in Kanagawa, aircraft from the carrier Kitty Hawk repeated touch-and-go exercises in July. The base received 1,250 calls of protest against the loud noise caused by the exercises, twice as many as the average number of monthly protest calls over ordinary exercises.

In August, aircraft from the Kitty Hawk, under repair at Yokosuka Base since June, and from the nuclear-powered carrier Lincoln, which ported at U.S. Sasebo Base on August 16, conducted flight exercises in Okinawa. (end)