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Japanese airman, U.S. instructor killed in training jet crash in U.S.

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Meaning the JASDF pilot trainee was getting his basic flight training in the US for some unknown reason.

It’s part of an exchange student program to enhance interoperability. When I was active duty, we had JSDF junior NCOs live and work with us as part of the same exchange programs.

15 ( +15 / -0 )

It’s a bit of a misnomer to call it basic flight training.

By the time a student pilot gets to the T-38, he or she has already done ground school, and trained on a T-7 which is a fully aerobatic Japanese single prop propeller aircraft.

The T-38 is a mach capable, twin engine jet that is used to train future fighter pilots. It is also used as an aggressor plane in dis-similar combat training. It’s also 40 years old and long past it’s life expectancy.

Pilots are not learning to fly on this aircraft. They are learning how to fight in a jet.

AS for why the ADF is training in the states, it’s an exchange program to encourage inter-operability in the event of future joint combat operations. The GDF trains with the USMC. The MDF trains with the USN.

It’s not a sign of falling training or readiness.

14 ( +17 / -3 )

It's not a short-term tactical training exchange program, he was learning to fly a fighter jet from scratch in the US.

Ummm, yes... The entire point of the program is to have Japanese fighter pilots attend and graduate USAF flight school to enhance interoperability for future joint operations. The Marines, Army, and Navy all have similar programs, where SDF NCOs and officers attend US military schoolhouses.

14 ( +16 / -2 )

When facts are few, experts are many.

12 ( +13 / -1 )

@JeffLee

"An instructor from the Air Force also aboard the plane died."

Not enough? It's difficult to parse your actual [presumed] complaint...

11 ( +14 / -3 )

There is always an exchange program going on. There are always flight crews from around the world training in the US. Doesn't mean those countries can't organically do it, the US just has more resources: flying space, assets, facilities etc.

I can speak to that there currently a higher number of foreign flight crews training in the US.

Most notable training for the F-35 and the P-8, and yes even for older aircraft like the P-3.

...

This is also true for the civilian side too. You're local Japanese pilots didn't learn to fly that JAL or ANA Boeing Dreamliner in Japan, it was likely Moses Lake in Washington State.

11 ( +11 / -0 )

Northrop T-38? Those must be over 40 yrs old. F-5 is the combat version which the US never deployed. T-38s are very popular with NASA astronauts.

The US Centric story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2021/02/19/columbus-t-38-jet-crashes-montgomery-killing-two/4518678001/ does not mention Japan or Japanese.

Taggart identified the jet as a T-38 and said it departed from Mississippi on a flight path to Tallahassee, Fla. Columbus Air Force Baseofficials confirmed the T-38 trainer with the 14th Flying Training Wing.

Flight path: https://defence-blog.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/1613750023511-1.jpg source: https://defence-blog.com/news/u-s-air-force-t-38-trainer-aircraft-crashes-and-burns-in-alabama.html which does mention a Japanese pilot trainee.

10 ( +10 / -0 )

GDTokyo is correct.

Also, here is more info about the airport. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montgomery_Regional_Airport

As a sidenote, Maxwell AFB is also located in Montgomery, Ala. It is the U.S. Air Force's premier Air War College and also has a very large foreign exchange training program.

Here is more info on the T-38. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northrop_T-38_Talon

10 ( +11 / -1 )

since this means JASDF is unable to provide basic flight training to its cadets and had to outsource basic flight training to the US like Saudi Arabia and UAE did.

wrong US is the biggest aviation trainee market in the world, it has the most available plane instructors, far cheaper than most other countries to train there

10 ( +11 / -1 )

I am really onboard with those saying "When facts are few, experts are many." Men died learning how to defend Japan and America. Since flight was established on December 17, 1903, by Wilbur and Orville Wright who made four brief flights at Kitty Hawk N.C. With the first powered aircraft. The Wright brothers had invented the first successful airplane. The Wrights used a stopwatch to time the Kitty Hawk flights. Their have been countless casualties and horrific crashes over 118 years since the birth of the flight of man. Its a risky occupation. The men knew the risks. They are hero's and she be honored as such. Rest in peace.

10 ( +10 / -0 )

@Gd. Thanks for your post as well which accurately explains one of the reasons he may have been there and why the use of the aircraft.....just read what you wrote.

8 ( +10 / -2 )

killing two people aboard including a member of the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force...

How about writing instead, "killing a member of the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force and his American instructor.

Nah, why bother.

-5 ( +9 / -14 )

Well, you might not know, but reel, real, rear....that sounds all the same to the poor cadets and is also written all the same in their training documents or notebooks.

-9 ( +0 / -9 )

There is something wrong with the readiness of Japanese Air SDF then.

Normally, basic flight training is done at home. Only for stuff like tactical training for qualified combat pilot maybe performed overseas.

This Japanese pilot trainee was flying a T-38, meaning he was in basic flight training, not in tactical training.

Basic flight training is outsourced to another country when the country is incapable of performing training itself, which apparently is Japan now.

-16 ( +6 / -22 )

@theFu

Northrop T-38? Those must be over 40 yrs old.

It's still used by the USAF as a basic flight trainer, to be replaced by Boeing T-7A when it enters service.

Meaning the JASDF pilot trainee was getting his basic flight training in the US for some unknown reason. This is a very troubling sign in terms of JASDF's training and readiness, since this means JASDF is unable to provide basic flight training to its cadets and had to outsource basic flight training to the US like Saudi Arabia and UAE did.

-18 ( +4 / -22 )

@BeerDeliveryGuy

It’s part of an exchange student program to enhance interoperability

Nope. It's not a short-term tactical training exchange program, he was learning to fly a fighter jet from scratch in the US.

"had been studying in the United States for about two years to earn a pilot's license."

-21 ( +1 / -22 )

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