Marine presence on Okinawa slashed 50% by agreement - JapanUpdate.com - Okinawa News, Classifieds, Events, Culture, Forums, and more!
Seven thousand Marines will move south to US territory, aircraft will shift to the north and to the mainland, and bases will shuffle as part of a new deal the US and Japanese governments say will reduce the military burdens on Okinawa.
The decisions are part of a troop realignment plan hammered out over the past few months, and agreed upon last weekend during meetings in Washington. Reaction has been swift, and few are happy with the agreement.
Realignment Agreement Highlights
*III MEF headquarters and key support units to move from Okinawa to Guam. Combat units will remain on Okinawa.
*Futenma MCAS will relocate to Camp Schwab in Northern Okinawa. The new airbase will have a 1,800 meters long runway.
*Fighter operations will be downsized at Kadena Air Base, moving F-15 flight exercises to five mainland Air Self Defense Force bases. The move will cut the 70,000 annual takeoffs and landings at Kadena by a significant number.
*Atsugi Naval Air Facility will retain helicopters and turboprop fixed wing aircraft, while Japan Self Defense Forces will move aircraft to Atsugi. Naval Air Wing planes will move to Iwakuni Marine Corps Air Station.
*Japanese Self Defense Forces will establish facilities at Kanoya to serve KC-130, P-3 and C-3 aircraft.
*A joint Operations Center will be established at Yokota Air Base. Japan’s air defense unit will relocate to Yokota. Discussions will continue on transferring control of Japanese airspace from U.S.
*Modern radar and weapons systems will be shifted, and new X-Band radar added to Japan’s arsenal. The US. Will bring Patriot PAC-3 and SM-3 missile systems to Japan, when needed.
*I Corps Headquarters will move to Camp Zama in Kanagawa Prefecture
*A U.S. Navy nuclear powered aircraft carrier will be assigned to Yokusuka to replace the aging USS Kitty Hawk. The change is expected in 2008.
The decisions are part of a troop realignment plan hammered out over the past few months, and agreed upon last weekend during meetings in Washington. Reaction has been swift, and few are happy with the agreement.
Realignment Agreement Highlights
*III MEF headquarters and key support units to move from Okinawa to Guam. Combat units will remain on Okinawa.
*Futenma MCAS will relocate to Camp Schwab in Northern Okinawa. The new airbase will have a 1,800 meters long runway.
*Fighter operations will be downsized at Kadena Air Base, moving F-15 flight exercises to five mainland Air Self Defense Force bases. The move will cut the 70,000 annual takeoffs and landings at Kadena by a significant number.
*Atsugi Naval Air Facility will retain helicopters and turboprop fixed wing aircraft, while Japan Self Defense Forces will move aircraft to Atsugi. Naval Air Wing planes will move to Iwakuni Marine Corps Air Station.
*Japanese Self Defense Forces will establish facilities at Kanoya to serve KC-130, P-3 and C-3 aircraft.
*A joint Operations Center will be established at Yokota Air Base. Japan’s air defense unit will relocate to Yokota. Discussions will continue on transferring control of Japanese airspace from U.S.
*Modern radar and weapons systems will be shifted, and new X-Band radar added to Japan’s arsenal. The US. Will bring Patriot PAC-3 and SM-3 missile systems to Japan, when needed.
*I Corps Headquarters will move to Camp Zama in Kanagawa Prefecture
*A U.S. Navy nuclear powered aircraft carrier will be assigned to Yokusuka to replace the aging USS Kitty Hawk. The change is expected in 2008.
posted by Darren at 9:18 AM
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