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Japan Completes Transfer of 17 V-22 Ospreys to Saga Garrison

The redeployment under the Southwest Shift will sustain almost year-round V-22 operations at Saga Airport with roughly 290 projected flying days per year.

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Overview

  • The 17th V-22 landed at Saga Airport adjacent to the Saga garrison on August 12 at about 3:20 p.m., marking the end of the phased move from Kisarazu.
  • Since late July, relocated aircraft have begun basic flight and hover training over Saga airspace and the Ariake Sea and have flown routine missions to Takayubaru and JMSDF Omura.
  • Kisarazu garrison remains the joint Japan-U.S. maintenance hub for the Ospreys, with regular rotations back for scheduled servicing.
  • The relocation advances the Self-Defense Forces’ Southwest Shift strategy to bolster defenses and rapid response capabilities across Kyushu and the southwestern islands.
  • Local spectators at Saga Airport have reported loud noise and safety concerns, with at least one student citing past U.S. V-22 incidents in Okinawa.