Japan deploys fighter jets to NATO bases

Japan is deploying eight aircraft, including four F-15 fighter jets, to bases in the United States, Canada and Europe in an unprecedented mission to support NATO.

The mission, dubbed Atlantic Eagles, reportedly marks the first time in history that Japanese warplanes have deployed to Canada and Europe.

A total of 180 personnel drawn from air bases across Japan are taking part, including from the 2nd Air Wing based at Chitose, 1st Tactical Airlift Wing based at Komaki, 2nd Tactical Airlift Group from Iruma and 3rd Tactical Airlift Wing from Miho, according to a Japan Air Self-Defense Force release. The four F-15s are being accompanied by two tanker aircraft and two refueling tankers.

The mission is “based on the recognition that the security of the Euro-Atlantic and of the Indo-Pacific are interconnected,” the Japan Air Self-Defense Force stated in the release.

Japan Air Self-Defense Force aircraft landed at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska, the service said in a post on X on Monday. They will follow on to CFB Goose Bay in Canada, RAF Coningsby in England and Laage Air Base in Germany.

Japan established a diplomatic mission to NATO earlier this year. The deployment of Japanese aircraft to Europe comes amid rising tensions among NATO allies surrounding Belarusian and Russian military exercises and increasingly aggressive maneuvers by China in the Arctic region .

Zita Ballinger Fletcher previously served as editor of Military History Quarterly and Vietnam magazines and as the historian of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. She holds an M.A. with distinction in military history.

日本正在向美国、加拿大和欧洲的基地部署八架飞机，其中包括四架 F-15 战斗机，这是一项前所未有的任务，旨在支持北约。

据报道，此次代号为“大西洋雄鹰”的任务标志着日本战机历史上首次部署到加拿大和欧洲。

据日本航空自卫队发布的消息，此次演习共出动180名人员，他们来自日本各地的空军基地，包括驻扎在千岁的第二航空联队、驻扎在小牧的第一战术空运联队、驻扎在入间的第二战术空运大队以及驻扎在三保的第三战术空运联队。四架F-15战斗机将由两架加油机和两架空中加油机护航。

日本航空自卫队在新闻稿中表示，此次任务“基于这样的认识：欧洲-大西洋地区的安全与印度-太平洋地区的安全是相互关联的”。

日本航空自卫队飞机已降落在阿拉斯加州的艾尔森空军基地，该部门周一在其X网站上发布消息称。随后，这些飞机还将前往加拿大的鹅湾空军基地、英国的康宁斯比皇家空军基地和德国的拉格空军基地。

日本今年早些时候设立了驻北约外交使团。日本向欧洲部署飞机之际，正值北约盟国之间因白俄罗斯和俄罗斯的军事演习以及中国在北极地区日益咄咄逼人的行动而关系日益紧张之时。

齐塔·巴林格·弗莱彻曾任《军事史季刊》和《越南》杂志的编辑，以及美国缉毒署的历史学家。她拥有军事史硕士学位（成绩优异）。