An airborne parachute exercise this week in Japan was the largest in the history of the U.S.-Japanese alliance, the U.S. Air Force reported on Friday.

Over 500 paratroopers of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force's 1st Airborne Brigade performed a static-line jump from 12 C-130J Super Hercules aircraft of the U.S. Air Force's 374th Airlift Wing from Yokota Air Base, Japan.

The one-day personnel drop at the Combined Arms Training Center Drop Zone in Camp Fuji, Japan, was the largest in the two countries' alliance, and was followed two days later by a cargo drop of 134 container delivery system bundles.

The three-day exercise, named Airborne 21, was deemed a success.

"The main purpose of this operation was to demonstrate the JGSDF's capability to employ airborne insertion anywhere in the country of Japan," Capt. Christopher Espinosa, Airborne 21 mission commander, said in a press release.

"It was a great training opportunity to take lessons learned and how we can advance in our training in the future and also it was an effective example of a deterrent to some of our peer adversaries," said Espinosa.

While the exercise involved the largest number of Japanese troops, it was not the first such jump.

Two U.S. Air Force C-130Js, with Army paratroopers stationed in Alaska onboard, flew from Yokota Air Base to Tsuiki Air Base in 2018 to collect 80 Japanese paratroopers, who jumped from the planes.

Related Links
Learn about the Superpowers of the 21st Century at SpaceWar.com
Learn about nuclear weapons doctrine and defense at SpaceWar.com

Tweet

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

China hits out at UK regulator over CGTN fine
Beijing (AFP) March 9, 2021
China on Tuesday threatened unspecified retaliation after its state broadcaster CGTN was fined by the UK's media regulator for alleged biased reporting. Ofcom on Monday fined the network 225,000 pounds ($311,000) after UK national Peter Humphrey complained that he was forced to make a criminal confession on China Global Television Network in 2013, as well as complaints that CGTN programmes on Hong Kong's democracy protests had "failed to maintain due impartiality." Fraud investigator Humphrey was jail ... read more