Japan Air Self-Defense Force testers visit Edwards

  • Published
  • By Kenji Thuloweit
  • 412th Test Wing Public Affairs

The U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School invited two Japanese Air Self-Defense Force pilots to Edwards to fly in a T-38 and an F-16.

Maj. Naoki Morimoto, a flight test engineer, and Maj. Haruhiku Naganawa, test pilot, took to the skies over California Sept. 26.

The visiting pilots were in the High Desert September 24-27 as part of the TPS’s international exchange program. The school sent students to Japan in April 2017 to fly JASDF aircraft, and the Japanese pilots have, in turn, visited here.  

According to Japan’s Ministry of Defense, the JASDF was established July 1, 1954. Today, the force operates a variety of aircraft including the E-2C airborne early-warning aircraft, C-130H cargo planes, E-767 airborne warning air control aircraft and roughly 260 fighters to include F-15s, F-16s and F-4s.

TPS has also had student exchanges this year with Australia, France, Israel, Italy, United Kingdom and Singapore.

- Randy Karpinen, U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School, contributed to this article