Naha Air Base

Naha Air Base is an air base of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force. It was formerly under control of the United States Air Force. It is located at Naha Airport, Okinawa, Japan.

Naha Airfield was a World War II Imperial Japanese facility until it was captured by the Americans during the Battle of Okinawa on April 1, 1945. After the war, it became a major United States Air Force installation under the operational control of Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) and was known as Naha Air Base. Major USAF units assigned to Naha AB were:

• Headquarters, 301st Fighter Wing, 12 May 1947-20 January 1949

• 51st Fighter Group, 22 May 1947-22 September 1950

16th Fighter Squadron, 22 May 1947-22 September 1950 (F-80 Shooting Star)

25th Fighter Squadron, 22 May 1947-22 September 1950 (F-80 Shooting Star)

26th Fighter Squadron, 22 May 1947-22 September 1950 (F-80 Shooting Star)

• 4th Fighter (All-Weather) Squadron, 19 August 1948-16 February 1953 (P-61 Black Widow, F-82 Twin Mustang)

Assigned to: 347th Fighter (later Fighter-All Weather) Group, Kadena Air Base, Okinawa

Attached to: 51st Fighter (later Fighter-Interceptor) Group), 19 August 1948

Assigned to: Twentieth Air Force, June 24, 1950

Attached to: 51st Fighter-Interceptor Wing, June 24, 1950

Flight of 8 aircraft attached to 347th Provisional Fighter Group (All Weather), Itazuke Air Base, Japan, June 27 – July 5, 1950 for combat missions in Korea

Attached to: 6302d Air Base Group, September 20, 1950

Attached to: 6351st Air Base Wing, June 25, 1951–16 February 1953

• Redesignated: 4th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (F-94 Starfire)

Assigned to: 6351st Air Base Wing, 25 February-1 August 1954

• 6351st Air Base Wing, 22 September 1950-1 August 1954

• 51st Fighter-Interceptor Wing, 1 August 1954-31 May 1971

16th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 1 August 1954-31 May 1971, (F-86 Sabre, F-102 Delta Dagger)

25th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 1 August 1954-8 June 1960, (F-86 Sabre)

26th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 1 August 1954-11 July 1955, (F-86 Sabre)

• 21st Troop Carrier (Tactical Airlift) Squadron 15 November 1958-31 May 1971, (C-119 Flying Boxcar, C-130 Hercules)

Assigned to: 483rd Troop Carrier Wing (1958-1960); 315th Air Division (1960 - 1963) 6315th Operations Group (1963-1966); 374th Tactical Airlift Wing (1966 - 1971)

• 35th Troop Carrier Squadron (315th Air Division), 8 January 1963-8 August 1966, (C-130 Hercules)
• 817th Troop Carrier Squadron (315th Air Division), 25 June 1960-8 August 1966, (C-130 Hercules)

The USAF ended its use of Naha AB on 31 May 1971 and it was officially transferred to the Japan Air Self-Defense Force in 1979. Naha AB currently hosts JASDF units flying modified F-15J/DJ fighter aircraft, Kawasaki T-4 trainers, UH-60J Black Hawk and CH-47J Chinook helicopters. Units of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force are also based at Naha, flying the P-3 Orion patrol aircraft. The Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, Okinawa Prefectural Police, and the Japan Coast Guard also utilize facilities at Naha Airport.