Two Maritime Self-Defense Force P-3C aircraft on an antipiracy mission landed Sunday at an airport in Djibouti, where they will be based during their first overseas mission.
Following some training, the aircraft will start patrolling from mid-June in the Gulf of Aden off Somalia and convey relevant information to the MSDF destroyers that have been patrolling there since March as well as Japanese-related vessels and other navy vessels in the area.
The dispatch of the P-3Cs will complete Japan's antipiracy scheme to patrol from both sea and air, according to the Self-Defense Forces.
The air patrol operations involve about 100 MSDF personnel, including the P-3C's crew and engineers and about 50 Ground Self-Defense Force members who guard the aircraft at the airport.
Japan sent some 40 members as an advance team on May 18 and dispatched the aircraft with 36 members on Thursday. Other members have already arrived at Djibouti on chartered aircraft.
Helicopters from two Japanese destroyers are currently patrolling the gulf, but the MSDF decided to send the P-3Cs, given their greater flying range and longer flight time.
Over 120 pirate incidents have occurred in waters off the coast of Somalia this year, and more than 20 countries have sent their navies to the region to counter the increase.
Source: Kyodo News
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