Military of China, force comment.
Military of China, force comment.

parked at Atsugi base a P-3C. Either is to the reporter/photo

International Herald Tribune freelance writer Hai Tao from Beijing following Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Force “ripple” and “May Rain” missile destroyer since March 30, the deployment of the Gulf of Aden, Somalia waters, the Japanese Defense Ministry decided on April 3 next month to send two P-3C anti-submarine planes to East Africa to participate in anti-piracy intelligence surveillance activities, which is the Japanese P-3C anti-submarine machine for the first time implementation of the overseas deployment operations.

Permanent Mission of Japan’s Self-Defense Forces Africa

4 3 afternoon, Japanese Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone signed cooperation agreements with Djibouti officials. Under the agreement, P-3C and scheduled maintenance tasks as about 100 Coast Guard members stationed in the country can, in the Gulf of Aden, in Somali waters to escort members of the Japanese Self-Defense Force ships can dock and recharge port of Djibouti.

It is understood that the Japanese Self-Defense Force P-3C anti-submarine aircraft will be stationed at Djibouti International Airport. Djibouti International Airport is a dual-use airport runways length 3150 m, can accommodate large passenger and cargo aircraft and the type of military aircraft. Currently, France, the United States troops in Djibouti has long-term. Djibouti International Airport, southwest side with the U.S. military liaison group, and fighter pilots and maintenance personnel base.

“focus on” China Fleet escort

Japanese Self-Defense Force official said, stationed in Djibouti, Japan P-3C anti-submarine aircraft will be responsible for the cruise to get on the air Pirates of the information provided to the Japanese ships, to expand the action against the pirates, protect Japanese ships in the Gulf of Aden pirate attacks when not. In fact, the face of erratic movements, the civil high-speed boats and fishing boats disguised as tools of crime Somali pirates, sent a powerful P-3C anti-submarine aircraft apparently “overkill” effect is even better than its anti-piracy ship-borne helicopters.

According to reports, P-3C anti-submarine aircraft not equipped with ASQ-81V magnetic sounder, AAS-36 infrared detectors, USY audio data processing systems, active/passive sonar buoys and other advanced surveillance equipment, but also can carry MK-46 torpedoes or “Harpoon” anti-ship missile, with a strong sea reconnaissance and combat capability, combat radius of 3835 km. The Gulf of Aden, Somali waters P-3C anti-submarine aircraft in addition to shoulder “anti-piracy” task, but also in the navigation process, along the important military and political targets in electromagnetic surveillance, which the Japanese Self-Defense Force’s intelligence operations abroad support.

military observers here believe that, for usually less exposed South China Sea Fleet of Chinese navy to escort ships, the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force will be given to “focus”, P-3C anti-submarine aircraft is likely to have the Gulf of Aden, off the Somali coast implementation of the escort mission the Chinese naval fleet sailed track, electromagnetic intelligence, detection and analysis of the implementation of key and relevant information with the U.S. military exchanges and exchange.

Day “Southwest” Strategy highlights

In recent years, in addition to stepping up the implementation of Japan’s “Little Southwest” plan, shift troops southwest of Okinawa and other islands, and to expand assistance to countries in Southeast Asia, but also launched in Japan – Southeast Asia – Australia – India – Africa’s “Southwest” strategy, in order to achieve Japan’s military power and political influence of the dual international expansion.

2005 year, the Japanese government proposed to India to strengthen military cooperation between Japan and India suggest that India’s participation in the Asia-Pacific region to allow joint military exercises with Japan’s naval base; return, Japan hopes to provide similar facilities in India base to the Japanese ships, allows Japanese ships on the search and rescue base in India, joint anti-terror exercises, and the Japanese transport ships to provide security guarantees.

2008, the May 20, the Japanese government announced in 2012 the official annual grants aid to Africa to double for African support for Japan to obtain permanent seats on the Security Council’s efforts. May 26, Japan’s Kyodo News reported that the Japanese government actively preparing to send to southern Sudan, the GSDF engineering unit to participate in UN peacekeeping operations, aimed to counter China’s diplomatic activities in Africa.

the Japan Self-Defense Force P-3C anti-submarine aircraft for up to ten thousand kilometers of the voyage, will be in Southeast Asia, India, the U.S. military base in Diego Garcia, or even fuel and stay in the middle of Australia, Japan “Southwest” strategy will be further tested and deepened.

recommended “International Herald Tribune” blog: http://blog.sina.com.cn/m/xqdb

. OtherContent_01 p {line -height: 23px; margin: 0px;}

related topics: Chinese naval escort to Somalia waters