| 603rd Squadron | |
|---|---|
| 第603飛行隊 | |
| Active | April 20, 2014 |
| Country | Japan |
| Allegiance | AEW Surveillance Group (JASDF) |
| Branch | Japan Air Self-Defense Force |
| Garrison/HQ | Naha Air Base |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Electronic warfare | Northrop Grumman E-2C Hawkeye |
The 第603飛行隊 (603rd Squadron, dai-roku-zero-san-hikoutai) is a squadron of the Airborne Early Warning Surveillance Group of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) based at Naha Air Base in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan.[1][2] It is equipped with Northrop Grumman E-2C Hawkeye aircraft.[3]
In the early 2010s the amount of air activity by China near Okinawa increased dramatically after Japan effectively nationalized the disputed Senkaku Islands, sparking a major backlash from China. Beginning in 2012 E-2C aircraft began deploying to Naha air base, and in 2014 the squadron was officially formed.[4][5]
The unit was formed by taking around 130 personnel[6] and four of the JASDF's 13 E-2C aircraft from 601st Squadron at Misawa Air Base in Aomori Prefecture.[7][8][9][10]
On April 12, 2015 one of the squadron's aircraft made an emergency landing at Kadena Air Base due to electrical problems.[11]
Unlike many other JASDF squadrons, the squadron's aircraft generally have a marking on their forward fuselage instead of on the tail. The marking is of a bat grasping lightning bolts, retained from the aircraft's time with the 601st Squadron.[12]