DRAUGHON RANGE, Japan -- More than 600 attendees looked to the sky as F-16 Fighting Falcons performed strafing and air-to-ground maneuvers and C-130J Super Hercules conducted airdrops during Range Day at Draughon Range here Oct. 12.

Range Day is a yearly event coordinated by the 35th Operations Support Squadron, allowing Misawa personnel and families to view F-16 Fighting Falcons as they drop bombs and strafe targets in the area as part of their training and get a closer look at other operational units such as the fire department and explosive ordnance disposal team.

Not only is the land used by the 35th Fighter Wing, but the Japan Air Self-Defense Force uses the location to train their pilots and explosive ordnance disposal teams, too. This is the only range located on mainland Japan allowing military forces to safely deploy inert munitions for training purposes, making it a critical asset in the mutual defense of Japan.