404th Tactical Airlift Tanker Squadron (JASDF)

404th Tactical Airlift Squadron
第404飛行隊
404 Squadron KC-767 (2014)
Active	March 26, 2009
Country	Japan
Allegiance	1st Tactical Airlift Group
Branch	Japan Air Self-Defense Force
Garrison/HQ	Komaki Air Base
Aircraft flown
Tanker	Boeing KC-767J

The 第404飛行隊 (404th Tactical Airlift Tanker Squadron, dai-yon-zero-yon-hikoutai) is a tanker squadron of the 1st Tactical Airlift Group of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force based at Komaki Air Base in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. It is equipped with four Boeing KC-767J aircraft.^[1][2]

History

While most JASDF units rarely travel outside Japan, since the squadron's establishment in 2009 its aircraft have travelled outside Japan on exercises, transport missions and displays at airshows on a number of occasions.

Exercises

Aircraft from the squadron have participated in Red Flag – Alaska including in the 2014-2^[3] and 2015-3 editions.^[4] They have also participated in the Cope North exercise held in Guam, beginning in 2013^[5][6] and including the 2015^[7] and 2017^[8] exercises. In July 2017 it performed training flights with the Eurofighter Typhoons of the Royal Air Force in the United Kingdom.^[9]

Operational deployments

In November 2013 the squadron dispatched an aircraft to the Philippines in the wake of Typhoon Haiyan. The aircraft transported medical equipment and relief supplies from Manila to Cebu.^[10][11]

In December 2014 an aircraft of the squadron carried 20,000 protective suits to Accra in Ghana during the Ebola epidemic. Another 680,000 suits were to be delivered by commercial aircraft.^[12]

Airshows

While it has not been common for Japan Self-Defense Force aircraft to appear at airshows outside Japan, The KC-767Js of the squadron have appeared at international air shows on many occasions, usually as a static display.

Japanese KC-767Js have appeared at the 2012,^[13] 2014,^[14] 2016^[15] and 2017^[16] editions of the Royal International Air Tattoo in the UK.

The squadron's aircraft have appeared at the Australian International Airshow, marking the JASDF's debut at that show in 2013,^[17] and also appeared in 2015^[18] and 2017.^[19]

Tail markings

Aircraft of the squadron bear tail markings of a black horse's head with a flowing yellow mane.

Aircraft operated

• Boeing KC-767J (2009-）

References

air staffstructure

Air Defense Command	Northern Air Defense Force 2nd Air Wing 201st Tactical Fighter Squadron 203rd Tactical Fighter Squadron 3rd Air Wing 301st Tactical Fighter Squadron 302nd Tactical Fighter Squadron Northern Air Command Support Flight Northern Aircraft Control & Warning Wing Northern Air Defense Missile Group Northern Air Civil Engineering Group Northen Band Central Air Defense Force 6th Air Wing 303rd Tactical Fighter Squadron 306th Tactical Fighter Squadron 7th Air Wing 3rd Tactical Fighter Squadron Central Aircraft Control & Warning Wing Central Air Defense Missile Group 4th Air Defense Missile Group Central Air Command Support Squadron Central Air Civil Engineering Group Central Band Iwo Jima Air Base Group Western Air Defense Force 5th Air Wing 305th Tactical Fighter Squadron 8th Air Wing 6th Tactical Fighter Squadron 8th Tactical Fighter Squadron Western Air Command Support Squadron Western Aircraft Control & Warning Wing Western Air Defense Missile Group Western Air Civil Engineering Group Western Band Southwestern Air Defense Force 9th Air Wing 204th Tactical Fighter Squadron 304th Tactical Fighter Squadron Southwestern Air Command Support Flight Southwestern Aircraft Control & Warning Wing Southwestern Air Defense Missile Group Southwestern Air Civil Engineering Group Southwestern Band Air Tactics Development Wing Tactical Fighter Training Group Air Defense Missile Training Group Electronic Warfare Operation Group Base Defense Development & Training Squadron Tactical Air Support Squadron directly controlled units Air Rescue Wing Airborne Warning and Control Wing Air Intelligence Wing Operations Support Wing Reconnaissance Group
Air Support Command	1st Tactical Airlift Group 401st Tactical Airlift Squadron 404th Tactical Airlift Tanker Squadron 2nd Tactical Airlift Group 402nd Tactical Airlift Squadron 3rd Tactical Airlift Group 403rd Tactical Airlift Squadron 405th Air Refuelling Squadron Air Traffic Control Service Group Air Weather Service Group Flight Check Squadron Special Airlift Group Aero Medical Evacuation Squadron
Air Training Command	1st Air Wing 31st Training Squadron 32nd Training Squadron 41st Flight Training Squadron 4th Air Wing 21st Fighter Training Squadron Blue Impulse (11th Squadron) 11th Flight Training Wing 12th Flight Training Wing 13th Flight Training Wing Air Basic Training Wing Fighter Training Group Air Training Aids Group Air Officer Candidate School Technical Schools 1st 3rd 4th 5th
Air Development and Test Command	Air Development and Test Wing Electronics Development and Test Group Aeromedical Laboratory
Air Material Command	Air Depots 2nd 3rd 4th
units controlled by the Defense Minister	Air Communications and System Wing Aero Safety Service Group Air Staff College Air Police Group Central Air Base Group Central Band Space Operations Group

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