Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni
岩国飛行場
Iwakuni,Yamaguchi Prefecture in Japan
AUS Marine CorpsKC-130J Super Hercules ofVMGR-152 taxies to the runway at MCAS Iwakuni in 2014.
Site information
Type	Marine Corps Air Station
Owner	Various (leased byGovernment of Japan and made available to the US)
Operator	US Marine Corps (USMC) US Air Force (USAF) US Navy (USN) Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF)
Controlled by	Marine Corps Installations Pacific (MCIPAC)
Condition	Operational
Website	www.mcasiwakuni.marines.mil
Location
MCAS Iwakuni Location in Japan Show map of Yamaguchi Prefecture MCAS Iwakuni MCAS Iwakuni (Japan) Show map of Japan
Coordinates	34°08′42″N132°14′39″E / 34.14500°N 132.24417°E /34.14500; 132.24417
Site history
Built	1940 (1940)
In use	1940 – present
Garrison information
Current commander	Colonel Richard M. Rusnok,Jr.
Garrison	Marine Aircraft Group 12 (USMC) Carrier Air Wing 5 (USN) Fleet Air Wing 31 (JMSDF)
Airfield information
Identifiers	IATA: IWK,ICAO: RJOI,WMO: 477640
Elevation	3 metres (10 ft)AMSL
Runways Direction Length and surface 02/20 2,440 metres (8,005 ft) Concrete
Other airfield facilities	1xseaplane ramp and 1xV/STOL pad
Airfield shared with Iwakuni Kintaikyo Airport. Source: JapaneseAIP atAIS Japan[1]

Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni orMCAS Iwakuni (岩国飛行場,Iwakuni hikōjō) (IATA:IWK,ICAO:RJOI) is a jointJapan Maritime Self-Defense Forces andUnited States Marine Corps air station located in theNishikiriver delta, 1.3 NM (2.4 km; 1.5 mi) southeast ofIwakuni Station^[1] in thecity ofIwakuni,Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan.

The Japanese government bought a large portion of what is today MCAS Iwakuni in 1938, with the view of establishing a naval air station. They commissioned the new base on 8 July 1940. When World War II started, the Iwakuni Air Station was used as a training and defense base. The station housed 96 trainers and 150 Zero fighter planes on the airstrip. In September 1943, a branch of theEtajima Naval Academy was established here, with approximately 1,000 cadets undergoing training in the Basic, Junior, and Senior Officer's schools at any one time. AmericanB-29's bombed Iwakuni in May and August 1945, concentrating on the oil refinery and Rail Transport Office or train station areas. The last air raid took place just a day before the war was brought to a close.

The first allies to reach Iwakuni at the war's end were a group of U.S. Marines who had signed papers ending the conflict for the Japanese air base. After the end of World War II, various military forces from the United States, Britain, Australia, and New Zealand occupied the base and it was repaired byNo. 5 Airfield Construction Squadron RAAF and designated aRoyal Australian Air Force Base in 1948. The Americans first occupied the base in 1950 to use it as a springboard for aircraft heading to theKorean War. In 1952, the base officially became a United States military base.^[2]

Iwakuni had scheduled international service by private airlines from 1952 to 1964, during which time it had the IATA airport codeIWJ. This code was later reassigned toIwami Airport in neighboring Shimane Prefecture.^[3]

Nuclear weapons were moved from Okinawa to the base for storage during a brief period in 1966. When U.S. ambassador to JapanEdwin O. Reischauer learned of the presence of the weapons, which was a violation of theTreaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between the United States and Japan, he told theUnited States Department of State that if the weapons were not removed within 90 days he would resign and go public with the information. The weapons were removed shortly thereafter, and their presence at the base did not become publicly known until 2010.^[4]

It is currently home to around 10,000United States Marines, sailors, and family members. The base is detailed for Marinepilot training and air patrol, usingF/A-18 Hornetfighter-attack aircraft among others in compliance with theTreaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security obligations to protect Japan. MCAS Iwakuni is also shared with theJapanese Maritime Self Defense Force. MCAS Iwakuni is home to aDepartment of Defense school, Matthew C. Perry (Elementary, Middle School, and High School).

A new off-shore runway opened at the base on 30 May 2010. The new runway is 2,440 meters in length.^[5]

On 22 November 2017, aC-2A Greyhound cargo plane with 11 crew and passengers aboard crashed southeast of Okinawa after departing the base for the aircraft carrierUSS Ronald Reagan. Eight of the 11 were rescued.^[6]

On 6 December 2018, a F/A-18D Hornet (callsign "Profane 12") belonging to VMFA(AW)-242 collided mid-air with a KC-130 (callsign "Sumo 41") from VMGR-152 during a nighttime training exercise. The crew of Sumo 41 were killed in the collision along with the pilot of Profane 12. The co-pilot of Profane 12 was rescued byJMSDF Search & Rescue in Japanese waters. An investigation into the accident was led by the Marine Corps.ProPublica later conducted their independent investigation after finding the Marine Corps's initial results to be inaccurate.^[7][8]

Since at least 2005 there had been plans to relocateCarrier Air Wing Five's fixed wing aircraft fromNaval Air Facility Atsugi inKanagawa Prefecture to Iwakuni.^[9] Yamaguchi governor Sekinari Nii said there was "no way" Yamaguchi prefecture would accept this.^[10] In 2006 Iwakuni voters rejected the plan in aplebiscite^[11] andIwakuni mayor Katsusuke Ihara urged Tokyo to drop the plan.^[12] In 2007 the Japanese government passed legislation to prepare for the relocation of US Forces in Japan including subsidies for local affected areas.^[13]

The move was planned to have been done in 2014, but after construction delays the move was delayed by three years, to 2017.^[14][15][16]

The move did not include the wing's two helicopter squadrons. The first CVW-5 squadron,VAW-125 flying theE-2D Hawkeye arrived in January 2017. The Boeing E/A-18G Growlers of VAQ-141 "Shadowhawks" completed relocation in January, 2018. By March 2018, all fixed wing aircraft of Carrier Air Wing 5 had completed relocation from NAF Atsugi.^[17]

The first aircraft ofMarine Fighter Attack Squadron 121 "Green Knights" (VMFA-121) arrived on 18 January 2017.^[18] This became the first forward deployed F-35B Lightning II squadron in the United States Marine Corps. They have since flown show of force sorties against North Korea.^[19]

Marine Aircraft Group 12 (MAG-12) contains the rotary and fixed wing aircraft assets of Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni. MAG-12 is home to three flying squadrons, an aviation logistics squadron, and a ground support squadron.

• VMFA-242 "Bats"— one of two permanent forward deployed MarineF-35B Lightning II fighter squadrons.
• VMFA-121 "Green Knights"- the other permanent forward deployed MarineF-35B Lightning II fighter squadron.
• VMGR-152 "Sumos" — moved here fromMCAS Futenma in Okinawa commencing in June 2014 with their 15KC-130J Super Hercules.
• Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 12 (MALS-12) provides logistics support, guidance, and direction to MAG-12 and other commands aboard the Station. Click on the link to the right for more information on the Marauders.
• Marine Wing Support Squadron 171 (MWSS-171) provides essential Aviation Ground Support to the Station
• Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron (H&HS) provides administrative support and conducts training in general military skills for more than 800 Marines and sailors aboard MCAS Iwakuni.^[20]
• Combat Logistics Company 36 (CLC-36) Provides logistic support to MWSS-171 and MAG 12.

The 374th Communications Squadron provides communications support to H&HS, MAG-12, Branch Medical Clinic Iwakuni, Army Corps of Engineers, and theJMSDF.

Flying units based at MCAS Iwakuni.^[21][22][23]

Insignia	Squadron	Code	Callsign/Nickname	Assigned Aircraft	Operational Assignment
	Strike Fighter Squadron 147	VFA-147	Argonauts	F-35C Lightning II	Carrier Air Wing Five
	Strike Fighter Squadron 195	VFA-195	Dambusters	F/A-18E Super Hornet	Carrier Air Wing Five
	Strike Fighter Squadron 27	VFA-27	Royal Maces	F/A-18E Super Hornet	Carrier Air Wing Five
	Strike Fighter Squadron 102	VFA-102	Diamondbacks	F/A-18F Super Hornet	Carrier Air Wing Five
	Electronic Attack Squadron 141	VAQ-141	Shadowhawks	E/A-18G Growler	Carrier Air Wing Five
	Airborne Command and Control Squadron 125	VAW-125	Tigertails	E-2D Advanced Hawkeye	Carrier Air Wing Five
	Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 121	VMFA-121	Green Knights	F-35B Lightning II	1st Marine Aircraft Wing (1st MAW)
	Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 242	VMFA-242	Bats	F-35B Lightning II	1st Marine Aircraft Wing (1st MAW)
	Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 152	VMGR-152	Sumos	KC-130J Hercules	1st Marine Aircraft Wing (1st MAW)

Flying and notable non-flying units based at MCAS Iwakuni.^[21][22][23]

Regular commercial service started from 13 December 2012 with a civilian airport terminal built to accommodate commercial flights. It was initially projected that up to 430,000 passengers would use the airport each year,^[24] and in the first seven months of operations the airport handled over 200,000 passengers, with averageload factors between Iwakuni and Tokyo exceeding 70% during June 2013.^[25]

Since theIATA airport code IWJ, formerly assigned to Iwakuni, was reassigned toIwami Airport, a new IATA code of IWK was assigned to Iwakuni. The inaugural flight was operated byAll Nippon Airways fromHaneda Airport. Iwakuni Airport is called by its official nickname "Iwakuni Kintaikyo Airport", named after theKintaikyo bridge near the airport. In the future, the airport plans to serve international flights toChina andSouth Korea as well as more cities within Japan. However, no plans were made for international flights as nearbyHiroshima Airport andMatsuyama Airport already served international flights.

Every year on 5 May, Japanesenationals andU.S. service members, government employees and their families officially celebrate their long-standing friendship by opening the gates of MCAS Iwakuni for one of Japan's largestair shows dedicated to enhancing the friendship of the twonations. The event, entitled Friendship Day, hosts an average 250,000 visitors who travel from all over Japan.^[27][28]

• List of United States Marine Corps installations
• List of airports in Japan

This article incorporates text in thepublic domain from theUnited States Marine Corps.

 This article incorporatespublic domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

Wikimedia Commons has media related toMarine Corps Air Station Iwakuni.

• MCAS Iwakuni, official site
• An Insider's Guide to USMC Bases including Iwakuni
• Current weather for RJOI atNOAA/NWS

• United States Marine Corps air stations
• Installations of the U.S. Department of Defense in Japan
• Airports in Chūgoku region
• Transport in Yamaguchi Prefecture
• Buildings and structures in Yamaguchi Prefecture
• Military airbases established in 1940
• 1940 establishments in Japan
• Iwakuni, Yamaguchi

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