Osprey aerial refueling confirmed near the hamlet of Ada
The U.S. military aerial refueling exercise, photographed after 5:00 p.m. on February 14 in Ada, Kunigami Village, Okinawa. A fuel hose is extended from the aerial tanker (left) to the Osprey (right). (Photograph by Akino Miyagi)
February 16, 2018 Ryukyu Shimpo
It was confirmed around 5:45 p.m. on February 14 that a U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 transport Osprey was engaging in aerial refueling near the hamlet of Ada, Kunigami Village.
The cause of the crash in Abu, Nago City in December 2016 was determined to be an Osprey aerial refueling exercise.
Experts have pointed out the high difficulty level and risk of the operation.
On February 8 part of an Osprey’s fuselage fell to the earth in Uruma, in the midst of Okinawans’ calls for a halt to Osprey flights.
Okinawans have been expressing criticism and uneasiness in response to aerial refueling exercises taking place near private property.
The location where the aerial refueling took place on February 14 was confirmed as being in the direction of the ocean from the police box in Ada.
It is not clear whether the refueling spot was over land or over the ocean.
Regardless, neither the airspace over the hamlet of Ada nor over the ocean has been established as U.S. military training airspace.
Akino Miyagi, a butterfly researcher, witnessed and captured photographs of the refueling exercise.
Miyagi said, “I was unable to clearly tell whether the Osprey was connected to by the fuel hose, or whether it was being extended for connection.
There was a cord-like thing extended between the body of the lead craft [the aerial tanker] and the Osprey flying behind.”
Inquiries have been made to the U.S. Forces Japan in Okinawa in regard to the exercise, but as of 11:30 p.m. on February 15 no reply has been made.
The aerial refueling exercise that resulted in the December 2016 crash took place in airspace over the ocean near Yoronjima, which is not designated training airspace.
In this incident, the fuel hose contacted the Osprey’s propeller.
A similar incident occurred in California in 2015.
(English translation by T&CT and Erin Jones)
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