Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Force US-2 amphibious rescue aircraft and a USAF CV-22B Osprey operated together for the first time in the Rescue Flag series during a bilateral exercise at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni on 26 August. The drill brought together the USAF, US Marine Corps, JMSDF and Japan Air Self-Defense Force in a combat search-and-rescue scenario focused on open-water recovery, communications and supply distribution under simulated crisis conditions.
The US-2, assigned to Air Rescue Squadron 71 of Fleet Air Wing 31 at Iwakuni, landed at the base and took part in a maritime recovery mission involving simulated casualties. U.S. Marines from VMGR-152 were recovered from the sea, lifted from rafts and given first aid aboard the aircraft, while a JASDF UH-60J(II) also joined hoist operations. The CV-22B came from the 21st Special Operations Squadron, 353rd Special Operations Wing at Yokota Air Base.
The exercise highlighted cooperation between Japan-based air assets with different mission profiles. The US-2, built for amphibious search and rescue, can operate from both runways and open water, making it well suited to Japan’s maritime environment. For the CV-22B, participation in Rescue Flag alongside the US-2 expanded joint CSAR training in a setting where both aircraft can support crisis response across the region.