JAPANESE LIGHTNING II LATEST

F-35A serial A35-011 from No 3 Squadron departs RAAF Base Williamtown for a night sortie. SGT David Gibbs/Commonwealth of Australia, Department of Defence THE JAPAN AIR Self-Defense Force (JASDF) formed its first operational F-35A fighter squadron on March 29. Part of the 3 Kokudan (3rd Air Wing), 302 Hikotai is stationed at Misawa Air Base but last operated the F-4EJ Kai version of the Phantom II from Hyakuri AB. The unit’s Phantoms were retired in March (see ‘‘Phinal Phling’ for