303rd Tactical Fighter Squadron
第303飛行隊
303 Squadron Mitsubishi F-15Js
Active	October 26, 1976-present
Country	Japan
Branch	Japan Air Self-Defense Force
Part of	Central Air Defense Force , 6th Air Wing
Garrison/HQ	Komatsu Air Base
Nickname(s)	"Fighting dragon"
Aircraft flown
Fighter	Mitsubishi F-15J/DJ
Trainer	Kawasaki T-4

The 303rd Tactical Fighter Squadron (第303飛行隊 ( dai-sann-byaku-sann-hikoutai ) ) is a squadron of the 6th Air Wing of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JSDF) based at Komatsu Air Base , in Ishikawa Prefecture , Japan. It is equipped with Mitsubishi F-15J/DJ and Kawasaki T-4 aircraft. ^{[1] [2]}

History [ edit ]

The squadron was formed as the third of the JASDF's McDonnell Douglas F-4EJ Phantom II squadrons. It replaced the 4th Squadron , which had been equipped with North American F-86F Sabres , and was formed using some of the personnel from the 4th squadron. At the time the JASDF's squadron numbering system was dependent on the aircraft model used. There was a gap between the disbanding of the 4th and the founding of the 303rd due to discussions with the local community near the base about the F-4s being based there. ^[2]

On June 17, 1977, the squadron began quick reaction alert (QRA) flights. There were many intercepts of the regular " Tokyo Express " flights by Soviet aircraft such as Tupolev Tu-95 and Myasishchev M-4 bombers over the Sea of Japan . Some of them were transiting to or from the Soviet Union's Cam Ranh Base in southern Vietnam. During a QRA on June 27, 1980, a Tu-16 Badger of the Soviet Air Force on a Tokyo Express flight crashed near Komatsu Air Base in Ishikawa Prefecture in the Sea of Japan . There were no survivors. The remains of three crew members were recovered by the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force ship Nemuro . ^[3]

On December 1, 1987, the squadron re-equipped with F-15J/DJ aircraft. It was the first F-4 squadron to re-equip with the F-15. Unlike many JASDF fighter squadrons, it has been located at the same base for its entire existence. ^{[1] [2]}

On 22 November 1995 F-15J 02-8919 flown by Lieutenant Tatsumi Higuchi was shot down by an AIM-9L Sidewinder missile accidentally fired by his wingman during air-intercept training over the Sea of Japan. The pilot ejected safely. ^{[4] [5]}

The squadron participated in the US military exercise Cope North in Guam in 2000 ^[2] and in the exercise Red Flag - Alaska in 2009, ^[6] 2011 and 2012. During the 2011 exercise it carried out bilateral exercises with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) for the first time, flying with McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornets of the RAAF's No. 3 Squadron . ^{[7] [8]}

In July 2018 aircraft of the squadron trained in Japanese airspace with US B-52 bombers. ^{[9] [10]}

Tail markings [ edit ]

Originally the squadron's tail marking was of the 6th Air Wing 's red, white and blue marking. In 1981 the tail marking changed to be that of a dragon inside a stylized "6". The squadron's call sign is "dragon", and in addition the dragon depicted in the tail marking is said to be the protector of Mount Haku , which is not far from the base. ^[2]

In popular culture [ edit ]

The squadron appeared in the 1993 anime film Patlabor 2: The Movie , the 2004 video game Drakengard , the 2006 anime series Yomigaeru Sora ? Rescue Wings and the 2007 film Midnight Eagle .

Aircraft operated [ edit ]

Fighter aircraft [ edit ]

• McDonnell Douglas F-4EJ Phantom II (1976?1987)
• Mitsubishi F-15J (1987?present)

Liaison aircraft [ edit ]

• Lockheed T-33 A (1976?1994)
• Kawasaki T-4 (1992?present)

See also [ edit ]

• Fighter units of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force

References [ edit ]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to No. 303 Squadron (JASDF) .

Bibliography [ edit ]

• Davies, Steve; Dildy, Doug (2007). F-15 Eagle Engaged?The World's Most Successful Jet Fighter . Botley, Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN   978-1-84603-169-4 .