Nyutabaru Air Festival 2023
Article and photographs by Howard German
One week after attending the very entertaining Tsuiki Air Festival, the Nyutabaru Air Festival 2023 was next up on the busy end of year Japan Air Show schedule. The Nyutabaru Air Festival was a one day show taking place on December 3, 2023.
Nyutabaru is a Japan Air Self Defense Force (JASDF) base located in the Miyazaki Prefecture on the eastern coast of Kyushu, approximately 680 miles from Tokyo. Nyutabaru commenced operations in July of 1940. In October of 1940 a branch of the Imperial Japan’s flight training school, The Tachiarai Army Flight School, was formed on the air base. This event was significant when on April 6th, 1945 an elite fighting unit named Makoto-tai, consisting of instructors and assistants from the Tachiarai Army Flight School, flew from Nyutabaru Air Base twenty-eight Mitsubishi built Ki-36’s (American code-named Ida) on a kamikaze mission targeting US fleets. Five of the Ki-36 light bombers attacked the high-speed destroyer, (converted) minesweeper, USS Emmons, causing extensive impairment to the ship. The crew unable to control the damage and in a desperate struggle were forced to abandon the ship. On that day USS Emmons lost sixty men and seventy-seven wounded. The following day the ship was sunk to prevent it from falling into enemy hands.
After World War 2 Nyutabaru Air base was abandoned until plans were put in place to re-open in 1957 and house JASDF Lockheed T-33’s jet trainers. Between the time of 1957 to the present, Nyutabaru has seen JASDF fighters such as F-86F’s, F-104DJ/J, F-4EJ and currently the McDonnell Douglas Boeing, (with license to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries), F-15J/DJ. Overall unit structure at Nyutabaru consists of the 5th Air Wings 305th Squadron and the 23rd Flight Education Squadron, both operating F-15’s. In addition, an Air Rescue Detachment composed of a UH-60J Blackhawk and a Hawker U-125A are utilized in the search and rescue role.
Developed as a highly capable air superiority fighter tasked to overwhelm the enemy. The F-15J/DJ is the foremost fighter aircraft and the mainstay of Japan’s air defense forces in terms of number of aircraft in the fleet.
The first F-15J was delivered to the JASDF in March of 1981, and by December a temporary F-15 squadron was formed under the 5th Wing at Nyutabaru Air Base. The number of F-15’s ultimately procured by the JASDF totaled 213 (165 J and 48 DJ models). Although the introduction of the F-35A/B for the JASDF is progressing, the F-15J/DJ will continue to be on the front line of air defense for the foreseeable future, therefore fleet modernization is essential.
The JASDF has been budgeting for mass production renovations of the F-15 since 2004. These early round updates consisted of replacement of the radar to the more advanced AN/APG-63(V)1, retiring the late 1970’s technology, AN/APG-63. Additional upgrades are composed of the Link 16 tactical data link, use of helmet mounted display and the limited installation of an integrated electronic warfare system for self-defense capabilities.
Addressing current day expansion of the Chinese military as well as North Korea’s missile and nuclear weapons development, further JASDF F-15 modernization is underway. The main thrust of the upgrades are to manage the growing concern regarding masses of cruise missiles approaching from the Pacific side of Japan. The upgrade program named F-15J Japan Super Interceptor (JSI) addresses the cruise missile issue plus adding additional capabilities such as defense of the airspace surrounding Japan.
The upgraded F-15 JSI will include the Raytheon AN/APG-82 radar. This Active Electronically Scanned Array radar (AESA) can detect cruise missiles earlier and track many more than the current radar. In addition, the JSI upgrade includes integrating the Raytheon AIM-120 Advanced Medium Range Air to Air Missile (AMRAAM). Each F-15 will carry greater numbers of medium range missiles than the current configuration.
The BAE System AN/ALQ-250 Electronic passive warning survivability system (EPAWSS) is also part of the JSI program upgrade. In addition, adding a “strike” capability for ground attack via the Lockheed Martin AGM-158 Joint Air to Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM) fulfills an important program objective. The overall upgrade effort was funded initially for development in April 2019. The first batch of twenty JSI configured F-15’s should be upgraded by 2027.
Air Show Details:
The Air Festival activity for the day started at 9:00am and ended approximately 2:30pm. The schedule was naturally quite heavy with F-15 demonstrations as the base is home to two F-15 squadrons. Unfortunately, the show opening F-15 flyover and a rescue exhibit featuring Nyutabaru’s own Search and Rescue detachment UH-60J and U-125A, were cancelled due to search and rescue missions being conducted as a result of the tragic accident on November 29th of a US Air Force CV-22 Osprey crashing off the southwestern coast of Japan, on its way to Okinawa. Sadly, eight service members were lost during this training mission. At the time of writing, the Pentagon is set to lift the current three month long ban on V-22 flights by March 4, 2024. The U.S military will also share its safety plans with Japan, which is the only international partner flying the Osprey.
With air show act cancellations now in place, the modified schedule opening performance logically went to the 305th Squadron F-15’s. Three F-15’s executed a demo scramble flight and two F-15’s participated in the “maneuver” flight, which with much approval from the crowd, consisted of multiple turning and “top of the wing” banking passes in full afterburner.
After the initial act completed, a stunning site for air show fans was beginning to depart from the runway. Ten of the local based 23rd Squadron F-15J/DJ’s launched into the clear blue skies above. Shortly thereafter this large contingent of Mitsubishi Eagles formed up for a ten ship mass flyby over the air field. This was a dramatic display conducted by the 23rd Squadron’s instructor pilots.
Additional jet action followed the F-15’s with an F-2A from the 6th Squadron of the 8th Air Wing from Tsuiki Air Base. The F-2A performed the familiar but no less impressive, maneuver flight, witnessed several times at the Tsuiki air show.
With the crowd clamoring for more local based flying, the show delivered once again with a flight of two F-15J’s from the 305th Squadron executing a simulated scramble and maneuver flight. Only to be followed by the final act of the show the JASDF’s aerobatic demonstration team the Blue Impulse in their famous blue and white T-4’s.
It should also be noted that there was no skimping on the static roster of aircraft at the air festival. A very healthy display of visiting military aircraft was found on the air base ramps. Some significant types found were a Kawasaki C-2 Transport Aircraft, an E-2D Advanced Hawkeye in special markings denoting the 40th anniversary of the Warning Air Corp and the always impressive Kawasaki P-1, Maritime Patrol and Anti-Submarine aircraft.
In summary, the Nyutabaru Air Festival for 2023 was a highly rewarding experience. The 60,000 air show attendees displayed much passion for their local heroes, high emotions were infectious throughout the air base.
One final point regarding attendance at this show requires elaboration. Even though this event is listed as a one day affair, I would recommend to all photographers that they devote two days for the show. The reason for the recommendation is that the on-base layout at Nyutabaru has the photographer shooting directly into the sun the entire day, therefore, the images taken for the flying display will be plagued by backlighting on sunny days. To remedy this issue, one should photograph the practice show at the southern off-base locations. Many of the photos that accompany this report are taken from this location. On air show day I thoroughly advise going on base and photographing without hesitation, just know that the image results will have challenges upon editing. By going on base show day, you get to experience a first-rate flying display of well over a dozen F-15’s and much more, all the while sharing this occasion with the throngs of cheering aviation enthusiasts and friendly JASDF staff.
