Air Patrol Squadron 3
| Air Patrol Squadron 3 | |
|---|---|
| 第3航空隊 | |
| Active | September 1, 1961 |
| Country | Japan |
| Branch | Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force |
| Part of | Fleet Air Force |
| Garrison/HQ | Naval Air Facility Atsugi |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Patrol | P-3C, P-1 |
第3航空隊 (Air Patrol Squadron 3 daisankoukuutai?) (also referred to as VP-3) is a unit in the Japanese Maritime Self-Defence Force. It is a part of Fleet Air Wing 4 and is based at Naval Air Facility Atsugi in Kanagawa prefecture. It is equipped with Lockheed P-3C Orion and Kawasaki P-1 aircraft.
The squadron was founded on September 1, 1961 at Kanoya Air Base with the founding of the Fleet Air Force on the same date. It was equipped with nine Lockheed P-2V-7 Neptune aircraft. It moved to Shimofusa Air Base on September 1, 1962, and moved to Naval Air Facility Atsugi on December 25, 1973.
In 1974 the squadron began to receive P-2J aircraft. In 1984 they started to be replaced by Lockheed P-3C Orion aircraft, with the P-2Js being retired in January 1985. From March 2015 the squadron started to re-equip with Kawasaki P-1 patrol aircraft.
As of 2017 the squadron comprises two flights:
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Wikipedia