Mine Countermeasures Helicopter Squadron 111 (JMSDF)
| Mine Countermeasures Helicopter Squadron 111 | |
|---|---|
| 第111航空隊 | |
.jpg) 111 Squadron MCH-101 | |
| Active | February 16, 1974 - present |
| Country |  Japan |
| Allegiance | Fleet Air Force |
| Branch |  Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Multirole helicopter | MCH-101 |
Mine Countermeasures Helicopter Squadron 111 (第111航空隊, dai-111-koukuutai) is a squadron of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force based at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. It operates MCH-101 aircraft.[1][2]
As of 2016 there were seven MCH-101 aircraft in service with the squadron and plans for a total of 11. There were also discussions for the purchase for over a dozen additional aircraft.[3]
History
[edit]Two retired MH-53E helicopters of the squadron were sold to the US in 2015 for their components. The US was running short of parts for its own fleet of the aging aircraft.[4][5]
Current aircraft
[edit]- 10 AgustaWestland MCH-101 helicopters (2008–present)[6]
Aircraft operated
[edit]
- KV-107II-3/KV-107IIA-3 (1974-1990)
- Sikorsky MH-53E Sea Dragon (1990-2017)
References
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mine Countermeasures Helicopter Squadron 111 (JMSDF).
- ^ Thompson, Paul (September 1, 2017). "JMSDF Order of Battle". J-HangarSpace. Retrieved October 13, 2017.
- ^ "航空機". Ministry of Defense (Japan). Retrieved October 13, 2017. (in Japanese)
- ^ "Japan eyeing fresh order of AW101 helicopters". flightglobal.com. June 22, 2016. Retrieved October 13, 2017.
- ^ Hixenbaugh, Mike (May 28, 2015). "U.S. Navy buys old helicopters from Japan for spare parts". The Virginian-Pilot. Retrieved October 13, 2017.
- ^ "U.S. to buy parts for MH-53 Sea Dragon helicopters from Japan". Reuters. May 28, 2015. Retrieved October 13, 2017.
- ^ Defence of Japan 2022 (Annual White Paper). p.53. Japan Ministry of Defence