The 201st Tactical Fighter Squadron () is a squadron of the 2nd Air Wing of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) based at Chitose Air Base, in Hokkaido Prefecture, Japan. It is equipped with Mitsubishi F-15J/DJ and

Kawasaki T-4 The Kawasaki T-4 is a Japanese subsonic intermediate jet trainer aircraft developed and manufactured by the commercial conglomerate Kawasaki Heavy Industries. Its sole operator is the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF), in part due to historic ...

aircraft. Thompson, Pau
JASDF – Order of Battle July 1, 2017
''J-HangarSpace'' Retrieved September 21, 2017 Thompson, Pau
JASDF – Squadron Histories
''J-HangarSpace'' Retrieved September 21, 2017

History

The squadron was formed at Chitose Air Base at Hokkaido in March 1963 as part of the 2nd Air Wing. Initially the squadron was responsible for training and interception duties, but later it focused exclusively on interception. The squadron was disbanded in 1974, when it was replaced by the

302nd Tactical Fighter Squadron The 302nd Tactical Fighter Squadron is a squadron of the 3rd Air Wing of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) based at Misawa Air Base in Aomori Prefecture in northern Japan. It is equipped with Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II and Kawasak ...

equipped with the McDonnell Douglas F-4EJ. Until the 1980s JASDF fighter squadron numbers were linked to the type of aircraft they operated. The 200-series squadrons were F-104 squadrons and the 300-squadrons were F-4EJ squadrons. With the intensification of the

Cold War The Cold War is a term commonly used to refer to a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc. The term '' cold war'' is used because the ...

in the 1980s the squadron was re-formed and equipped with F-15s.

Tail markings

During the squadron's F-104 era the tail marking was a "201". After the squadron was re-formed with the F-15 the tail marking became a

brown bear The brown bear (''Ursus arctos'') is a large bear species found across Eurasia and North America. In North America, the populations of brown bears are called grizzly bears, while the subspecies that inhabits the Kodiak Islands of Alaska is kno ...

. Brown bears are common in Hokkaido.

Aircraft operated

Fighter aircraft

* Lockheed F-104J/DJ Starfighter (1963–1974) * Mitsubishi F-15J (1986–present)

Liaison aircraft

* Lockheed T-33A (1963–1974) (1986–1994) *

(1992–present)

In popular culture

The squadron appeared in the 1990 film ''

Best Guy is a 1990 Japanese action film directed by Tōru Murakawa, and produced by Toei Company in association with Mitsui & Co. and Tohokushinsha Film. The screenplay was written by Murakawa with Makoto Takada. The film stars Yūji Oda, Naomi Zaizen, ...

''.

References

{{Japan Air Self-Defense Force Units of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force