Japan, U.S. F-15 jets begin drill in southern Japan http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-03/06/content_5807316.htm
2007-03-06
TOKYO, March 6 (Xinhua) -- Eight F-15 fighters from the U.S. and Japanese bases began a joint air drill Tuesday in southern Japan's Fukuoka prefecture, Kyodo News said.
The dogfight, involving four jets each from the U.S. and Japanese bases, started at around 10 a.m. (0100 GMT) at an Air Self-Defense Force (ASDF) base in Tsuiki, Fukuoka prefecture, the report said.
Five U.S. F-15 jets flew from U.S. Kadena base, Okinawa to the Tsuiki base on Monday, but one of them did not take part in the drill on Tuesday.
The drills are to continue until Thursday, in the air around the Goto Islands in Nagasaki prefecture and south of Shikoku Island, the report said.
As part of the U.S. military realignment package Washington and Tokyo agreed in May 2006, the two nations have decided to move some noisy fighter exercises from U.S. bases in Kadena plus Misawa, Aomori prefecture, and Iwakuni, Yamaguchi prefecture, to six ASDF bases where about 15 joint drills will be conducted in fiscal 2007. ?
Editor: Feng Tao
Copyright ©2003 Xinhua News Agency. All rights reserved.