A U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancer strategic bomber, together with F-15J and F-2 fighters of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force, carried out a series of combined maneuvers amid the growing deterioration of the security environment in the region. This was recently confirmed by the Japanese Joint Staff in a post on its social media.
Japan’s military authorities reported that “…Through this training, we reaffirm the firm determination of Japan and the U.S. not to allow any unilateral change of the status quo by force, as well as the readiness of the Japan Self-Defense Forces and the U.S. Armed Forces, and we further strengthen the deterrence and response capabilities of this alliance…”.
As can be seen in the images published by the Japanese Joint Staff, the Air Self-Defense Force deployed F-15J and F-2 fighters, while the U.S. Air Force participated with at least one B-1B Lancer strategic bomber. Although the statement did not provide further details, the aerial operations were surely part of high-profile activities, in a clear message to the regional adversaries of both countries.
It is worth noting that the Joint Staff of the Japan Self-Defense Forces pointed out that Russia and China are the main countries responsible for generating air alerts. In its report for the month of October, Japan detailed that its fighters carried out 71 immediate-response sorties in the last month, of which 43 were due to the presence of assets of the Russian Aerospace Forces and 25 of the Armed Forces of China.
The deterioration of security around Japan is also due to a recent launch of a ballistic missile by North Korea. The projectile traveled 700 kilometers before impacting in the waters of the Sea of Japan, without any damage being recorded in Japanese or South Korean territory. Japan corroborated that the missile fell outside its economic exclusive zone, although it activated emergency and surveillance protocols.
In the naval sphere, China continues to be one of the major challenges for Japan due to the constant expansion of its fleet, as its operational projection has not only grown in consistency, but also becomes increasingly numerous. One of the recent milestones of the People’s Liberation Army Navy of China was the commissioning of the aircraft carrier Fujian, the first ship of local design and in CATOBAR configuration, which considerably expands China’s air-naval capability.
The Navy of China also continues to expand its expeditionary capability, which was recently demonstrated with the first sea trial of the Type 076 Sichuan amphibious assault ship. These vessels could be employed in a potential military operation against Taiwan, for example, an action that would undoubtedly destabilize the region and put into focus the decision of the countries of the region when it comes to preventing an aggression.
*Cover image: Japan Ministry of Defense
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