Approximately 60 members from the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, Japan Air Self-Defense Force and U.S. Air Force conducted a C-17 Globemaster III static loading test at Naval Air Facility Atsugi, Japan Feb. 3-4.

The training event was a part of Keen Sword 25, a bilateral training exercise that took place in the vicinity of Japan from Oct. 23, 2024, through Nov. 1, 2024.

Keen Sword demonstrates and advances interoperability, validates force posture, and reinforces solidarity of the U.S.-Japan alliance by exercising the most modern
equipment and procedures under realistic conditions.

“AC-17 loading test was postponed during KS 25,” said Jake Carrico, U.S. Forces, Japan transportation planning specialist. “Japan Self-Defense Forces requested the training event be rescheduled for February 2025 to meet this training exercise objective.”

The training included a joint inspection, load planning, and a C-17 static loading test with Japan Self-Defense Forces members from the 1st Helicopter Brigade, and Japan Air Self-Defense Force Central Air Defense Missile Group. Also, USAF members from 730th Air Mobility Squadron and 374th Logistics Readiness Squadron, Yokota Air Base, and 535th Airlift Squadron, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii.

“This is important bilateral training event provides JGSDF and JASDF members to practice contingency-loading of their equipment on a USAF C-17,” said Carrico.

During the two-day training event, JGSDF members conducted their CH-47JA Chinook helicopter loading onto a USAF C-17. Also, JASDF members loaded their Antenna Mast Group vehicle and MIM-104 Patriot missile system, including USAF loading members conducted joint inspections and load planning according to the Air Transportation Test Loading Activity (ATTLA).

“The ATTLA provides instructions on how to prepare and transport equipment, including foreign nations, on USAF aircraft.” said Staff Sgt. Eric Shaah, 730th Air Mobility Squadron air transportation specialist. “We inspected cargo for airworthiness to include hazardous materials check, cargo build up, and proper vehicle transport configurations.”

The two-day exercise offered the opportunity to liaise with the JSDF in a show of bilateral interoperability and to use the safest and most efficient methods to upload and download their assets using U.S. airlift.

“In total 143,000 pounds of rolling stock were prepared, loaded, and unloaded from a C-17.” said Shaah.

According to a senior JASDF official, using the C-17 cargo aircraft enables a strategic capability to reconfigure large assets like the CH-47 Chinook transport helicopter for airlift around the country.

“Exercising the capability to support and collaborate with our partner nations strengthens our ability to project combat power anywhere on the globe,” said Shaah, “During these two days, we were able to demonstrate the joint inspection requirements to the JASDF and JGSDF so that they have familiarization with the mathematical computations and loading process in the event that they need to deploy their equipment and personnel via mobility airlift.”

This training provides an enhanced mutual understanding of aircraft loading procedures and strengthens cooperation between USAF and the JSDF to respond to humanitarian crisis or contingency. The U.S.-Japan alliance has served as the foundation for regional peace and security for nearly 75 years and remains indispensable to our mutual security interests in the Indo-Pacific.