The 103rd Squadron () was a squadron of the 2nd Air Wing of the
Japan Air Self-Defense Force
The , , also informally referred to as the Japanese Air Force, is the air and space branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces, responsible for the defense of Japanese airspace, other air and space operations, cyberwarfare and electronic warfa ...
(JASDF) based at
Chitose Air Base
, is a Japan Air Self-Defense Force base located in Chitose, Hokkaidō
is Japan's second largest island and comprises the largest and northernmost prefecture, making up its own region. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaidō from Honshu; ...
in
Hokkaido Prefecture
is Japan's second largest island and comprises the largest and northernmost prefecture, making up its own region. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaidō from Honshu; the two islands are connected by the undersea railway Seikan Tunnel.
The la ...
, Japan. It was equipped with
North American F-86D Sabre
The North American F-86D/K/L Sabre (initially known as the YF-95 and widely known informally as the "Sabre Dog",) was an American transonic jet fighter aircraft. Developed for the United States Air Force in the late 1940s, it was an interceptor ...
aircraft.
[Thompson, Pau]
JASDF - Squadron Histories
''J-HangarSpace'' Retrieved October 2, 2017
History
On March 1, 1960 the squadron was formed at
Komaki Air Base
, also known as Komaki Airport or Nagoya Airport, is an airport which lies within the local government areas of Toyoyama, Komaki, Kasugai and Nagoya in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. It was once an international airport, but is now a domestic sec ...
as part of the 3rd Air Wing. It moved to
Chitose Air Base
, is a Japan Air Self-Defense Force base located in Chitose, Hokkaidō
is Japan's second largest island and comprises the largest and northernmost prefecture, making up its own region. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaidō from Honshu; ...
in 1961 and did Quick Reaction Alert duty for two years, until December 1963. The following year the
203rd Squadron was formed flying the
Lockheed F-104 Starfighter
The Lockheed F-104 Starfighter is an American single-engine, supersonic air superiority fighter which was extensively deployed as a fighter-bomber during the Cold War. Created as a day fighter by Lockheed as one of the "Century Series" of fi ...
.
It was disbanded on October 1, 1968, the same day as the
101st Squadron.
At that time, the 101st through 105th Squadrons used F-86D fighters.
Aircraft operated
Fighter aircraft
*
North American F-86D Sabre
The North American F-86D/K/L Sabre (initially known as the YF-95 and widely known informally as the "Sabre Dog",) was an American transonic jet fighter aircraft. Developed for the United States Air Force in the late 1940s, it was an interceptor ...
（1960-1968）
See also
*
Fighter units of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force
Fighter units of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force are squadrons of fighter aircraft dedicated to the defense of Japan. As Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution states that the country renounces war, JASDF fighter squadrons have never been deploye ...
References
{{reflist
Units of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force