Airborne 23: where US airlift meets Japan tactical insertion
Airman 1st Class Gabriel Hauri, 374th Maintenance Squadron crew chief, waits to marshal a C-130J Super Hercules assigned to the 36th Airlift Squadron during the Airborne 23 exercise at Yokota Air Base, Japan, Jan. 31, 2023. Nine C-130J aircraft assigned to Yokota Air Base and Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas, were used to carry approximately 300 JGSDF paratroopers to drop zones at East Fuji Maneuver Area during the static-line personnel jump portion of the exercise. Airborne is a large-scale exercise which integrates air and ground forces from Japan and the U.S., highlighting the increased efficiency of partner forces working together. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Christopher Hubenthal)