Misawa Air Base

Misawa Air Base, located in Misawa, Aomori Prefecture, Japan, is a joint Japanese and United States air base established in 1938. The site's military use dates back to the Meiji period, initially as a cavalry training center. The Imperial Japanese Army constructed the first runway in 1938 for long-range bombers, and it was later taken over by the Imperial Navy Air Corps in 1942 for research and development, including facilities for Kamikaze forces. During World War II, the base was heavily damaged by U.S. forces.

Following the war, American occupation began in September 1945, and the base was reconstructed by the U.S. Army's 32nd Engineer Construction Group. Misawa supported fighter missions during the Korean and Vietnam Wars, and served as a launching point for clandestine surveillance overflights during the 1950s. The 49th Fighter-Bomber Wing was an early operational unit, followed by the 39th Air Division, which controlled air defense for northern Japan. The first Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) units were activated in 1954.

Currently, Misawa Air Base is the only combined, joint service installation in the western Pacific, housing U.S. Air Force, Navy, and Army personnel, alongside the JASDF. The U.S. Air Force's 35th Fighter Wing is the host unit, operating F-16C/D "Wild Weasels" from the 13th and 14th Fighter Squadrons. The U.S. Navy's Naval Air Facility Misawa hosts Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Force Seventh Fleet, with rotational P-8A Poseidon and EA-18G Growler aircraft. The U.S. Space Force's 5th Space Warning Squadron also has a presence. The JASDF's Northern Air Defense Force Headquarters and 3rd Air Wing, including the 3rd Tactical Fighter Squadron (F-2A/B, F-35 Lightning II), 601st Squadron (E-2C Hawkeye), and Misawa Helicopter Airlift Squadron (CH-47J Chinook), operate from the base. Notable features include the Misawa Security Operations Center, believed to be an ECHELON ground station, and the Draughon Gunnery Range.