Japan Marks Launch of Aerial Reconnaissance Unit at Misawa

Misawa, Aomori Pref., Jan. 23 (Jiji Press)--Japan's Air Self-Defense Force held a ceremony Monday to mark the recent launch of an aerial reconnaissance unit that uses U.S.-made Global Hawk unmanned surveillance aircraft.

The unit, established at the ASDF's Misawa base in Misawa, Aomori Prefecture, northeastern Japan, is the first SDF organization that has introduced unmanned surveillance aircraft.

The remote controlled Global Hawk aircraft, which can make long flights, will be used to patrol Japanese and nearby airspace constantly.

"We can collect intelligence in areas relatively far from our country and can also perform constant aerial surveillance in a tense situation" by using the Global Hawk planes, Gen. Shunji Izutsu, the ASDF's chief of staff, said during the ceremony.

"I hope that (unit members) will perform their missions as pioneers of unmanned aerial vehicle operations," he added.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]