1st Helicopter Brigade
Encyclopedia
The is based at the JGSDF Camp Kisarazu
Kisarazu Air Field
is a military aerodrome of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force . It is located north northwest of Kisarazu in the Chiba Prefecture, Japan.-Operations:...

 in Kisarazu
Kisarazu, Chiba
is a city located in Chiba, Japan. As of September 2010, Kisarazu has an estimated population of 126,906 and a density of 915 persons per km². The total area was 138.73 km²....

, Chiba Prefecture
Chiba Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region and the Greater Tokyo Area. Its capital is Chiba City.- History :Chiba Prefecture was established on June 15, 1873 with the merger of Kisarazu Prefecture and Inba Prefecture...

. Formerly an independent brigade, it was attached on the Central Readiness Force
Central Readiness Force
The was recently established on March 28, 2007, following the upgrading of the Japanese Defense Ministry from the former Japanese Defense Agency. Based in Japanese Ground Self-Defense Forces Camp Asaka in Nerima, Tokyo, the unit has the capability of responding to any situation in either Japanese...

 on March 28, 2007. As a tradition done in every New Year
New Year
The New Year is the day that marks the time of the beginning of a new calendar year, and is the day on which the year count of the specific calendar used is incremented. For many cultures, the event is celebrated in some manner....

 like most JGSDF units, various aircraft of the 1st Helicopter Brigade would be deployed to conduct annual exercises from their Kisarazu base.

The brigade would operate under the Central Readiness Force
Central Readiness Force
The was recently established on March 28, 2007, following the upgrading of the Japanese Defense Ministry from the former Japanese Defense Agency. Based in Japanese Ground Self-Defense Forces Camp Asaka in Nerima, Tokyo, the unit has the capability of responding to any situation in either Japanese...

 as a supporting unit for the 1st Airborne Brigade
1st Airborne Brigade (Japan)
The , also known as the Narashino Airborne Brigade , is stationed in the Narashino Japan Ground Self-Defense Forces Base in Funabashi, Chiba Prefecture. It is part of the Eastern Army in the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force...

 and the Japanese Special Forces Group if deployed into a combat zone. Prior to the brigade's integration to the Central Readiness Force
Central Readiness Force
The was recently established on March 28, 2007, following the upgrading of the Japanese Defense Ministry from the former Japanese Defense Agency. Based in Japanese Ground Self-Defense Forces Camp Asaka in Nerima, Tokyo, the unit has the capability of responding to any situation in either Japanese...

 and after, it had been actively involved in civil disaster operations on Natural disaster
Natural disaster
A natural disaster is the effect of a natural hazard . It leads to financial, environmental or human losses...

s such as forest fires
Wildfire
A wildfire is any uncontrolled fire in combustible vegetation that occurs in the countryside or a wilderness area. Other names such as brush fire, bushfire, forest fire, desert fire, grass fire, hill fire, squirrel fire, vegetation fire, veldfire, and wilkjjofire may be used to describe the same...

 and Earthquakes.

History

The 1st Helicopter Brigade was first established on March 20, 1959 by the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force Aviation School in the JGSDF Camp Kasumigaura
Kasumigaura, Ibaraki
is a city located in Ibaraki, Japan. Kasumigaura was formerly a town in Niihari District and became a city on March 28, 2005 after merging with the neighboring town of Chiyoda, also from Niihari District. The city takes its name from the nearby lake, Lake Kasumigaura...

 in Kasumigaura, Ibaraki
Kasumigaura, Ibaraki
is a city located in Ibaraki, Japan. Kasumigaura was formerly a town in Niihari District and became a city on March 28, 2005 after merging with the neighboring town of Chiyoda, also from Niihari District. The city takes its name from the nearby lake, Lake Kasumigaura...

. After the brigade was established, 2 helicopter companies were created on March 1, 1968 in a period of reorganization with one of the companies being worked out for its establishment.

The 1st Helicopter Company was stationed in the JGSDF Camp Kisarazu
Kisarazu Air Field
is a military aerodrome of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force . It is located north northwest of Kisarazu in the Chiba Prefecture, Japan.-Operations:...

 on March 22, 1968 with the 2nd Helicopter Company on June 1, 1968. A special transport squad was established in the brigade on December 19, 1986. Another period of reorganization came through on March 27, 2006 when the brigade had been reorganized again to have a communications and reconnaissance squad added to the unit. On March 28, 2007, the 1st Helicopter Brigade had been formally indoctrinated into the Central Readiness Force
Central Readiness Force
The was recently established on March 28, 2007, following the upgrading of the Japanese Defense Ministry from the former Japanese Defense Agency. Based in Japanese Ground Self-Defense Forces Camp Asaka in Nerima, Tokyo, the unit has the capability of responding to any situation in either Japanese...

.

The brigade had been deployed by the Central Readiness Force
Central Readiness Force
The was recently established on March 28, 2007, following the upgrading of the Japanese Defense Ministry from the former Japanese Defense Agency. Based in Japanese Ground Self-Defense Forces Camp Asaka in Nerima, Tokyo, the unit has the capability of responding to any situation in either Japanese...

 on its first operation to subdue wildfire
Wildfire
A wildfire is any uncontrolled fire in combustible vegetation that occurs in the countryside or a wilderness area. Other names such as brush fire, bushfire, forest fire, desert fire, grass fire, hill fire, squirrel fire, vegetation fire, veldfire, and wilkjjofire may be used to describe the same...

s in the forests of the Yamanashi Prefecture
Yamanashi Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of the island of Honshū. The capital is the city of Kōfu.-Pre-history to the 14th century:People have been living in the Yamanashi area for about 30,000 years...

 on April 29, 2007. They've been also deployed to humanitarian operations, specifically in the aftermath of the March 2011 earthquake.

Aircraft in Service

The 1st Helicopter Brigade are currently utilizing the following aircraft for the Central Readiness Force
Central Readiness Force
The was recently established on March 28, 2007, following the upgrading of the Japanese Defense Ministry from the former Japanese Defense Agency. Based in Japanese Ground Self-Defense Forces Camp Asaka in Nerima, Tokyo, the unit has the capability of responding to any situation in either Japanese...

. The following include:
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Aircraft
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Origin
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Type
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Versions
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Notes
|-----
| Boeing CH-47 Chinook || || Transport helicopter || CH-47J
CH-47JA || Built by Kawasaki
|-----
| Eurocopter EC 225
Eurocopter EC 225
The Eurocopter EC225 Super Puma Mk II+ is a long-range passenger transport helicopter developed by Eurocopter as the next generation in the civilian Super Puma family. It is a twin-engined aircraft and can carry up to 24 passengers along with 2 crew and a cabin attendant, dependent on customer...

 || || VIP helicopter || EC 225LP ||
|-----
| Kawasaki OH-1 || || Scout helicopter || || Under delivery
|-----
| MD Helicopters MD 500
MD Helicopters MD 500
The MD Helicopters MD 500 series is an American family of light utility civilian and military helicopters. The MD 500 was developed from the Hughes 500, a civilian version of the US Army's OH-6A Cayuse/Loach...

 || || Scout helicopter || OH-6D
OH-6J || Built by Kawasaki
|-----
| Mitsubishi MU-2
Mitsubishi MU-2
The Mitsubishi MU-2 is one of postwar Japan's most successful aircraft. It is a high-wing, twin-engine turboprop, and has a pressurized cabin.-Design and development:...

 || || liaison || LR-1 ||
|-----
| Beechcraft Super King Air
Beechcraft Super King Air
The Beechcraft Super King Air family is part of a line of twin-turboprop aircraft produced by the Beech Aircraft Corporation . The King Air line comprises a number of model series that fall into two families: the Model 90 series, Model 100 series , Model 200 series and Model 300 series...

 || || Utility transport || LR-2 ||
|-----
| Mitsubishi H-60 || || transport helicopter || UH-60JA || Under license built

Formation

  • Headquarters
    • Headquarters and Service Company (OH-6D)
  • 1st Transportation Helicopter Group
    • 103rd Flight Squadron (CH-47J/JA)
    • 104th Flight Squadron (CH-47J/JA)
    • 105th Flight Squadron (CH-47J/JA)
    • 106th Flight Squadron (CH-47J/JA)
  • 102nd Flight Squadron (UH-60JA,OH-6D)
  • Special transportation helicopter Squadron (EC 225LP
    Eurocopter EC 225
    The Eurocopter EC225 Super Puma Mk II+ is a long-range passenger transport helicopter developed by Eurocopter as the next generation in the civilian Super Puma family. It is a twin-engined aircraft and can carry up to 24 passengers along with 2 crew and a cabin attendant, dependent on customer...

    )
  • Communications and Reconnaissance Squadron (LR-1
    Mitsubishi MU-2
    The Mitsubishi MU-2 is one of postwar Japan's most successful aircraft. It is a high-wing, twin-engine turboprop, and has a pressurized cabin.-Design and development:...

    , LR-2
    Beechcraft Super King Air
    The Beechcraft Super King Air family is part of a line of twin-turboprop aircraft produced by the Beech Aircraft Corporation . The King Air line comprises a number of model series that fall into two families: the Model 90 series, Model 100 series , Model 200 series and Model 300 series...

    )
  • Field Maintenance Party

See also

  • U.S. 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment - Night Stalkers
    160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne)
    The 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment is a special operations unit of the United States Army that provides helicopter aviation support for general purpose forces and Special Operations Forces. Its missions have included attack, assault, and reconnaissance, and are usually conducted at...

  • Australian 171st Aviation Squadron
  • Italian 26th R.E.O.S. Special Operations Helicopter Unit
    26th Special Operations Helicopter Unit
    The 26th Squadron – Special Operations Helicopter Unit is a special operation unit of the Italian Army that provides helicopter aviation support for Italian special forces. The 26th REOS is headquartered in Viterbo near Rome...

  • British Joint Special Forces Aviation Wing
    Joint Special Forces Aviation Wing
    The Joint Special Forces Aviation Wing is a joint-service organisation which provides aviation support to United Kingdom Special Forces, using both fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft. The Wing is based at RAF Odiham....

  • Canadian 427 Special Operations Aviation Squadron
  • French 4th Special Forces Helicopter Regiment


External links

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