Indiafoxtecho F-35A Lightning II - JASDF 302nd TFS

The 302nd Tactical Fighter Squadron 第302飛行隊 (dai-sanbyaku-ni-hikoutai) is a squadron of the 3rd Air Wing of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) based at Misawa Air Base in Aomori Prefecture in northern Japan. It is equipped with Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II and Kawasaki T-4 aircraft.[1][2][3][4] Along with the 301st Tactical Fighter Squadron, the 302nd is responsible for air defense of the Tokyo Metropolitan area. As the sole remaining F-4 fighter squadrons, either the 302nd squadron or the 301st was expected to be the first JASDF squadron to operate the Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II.[15] In August 2017 it was announced that the 302nd squadron would be the first in the JASDF to transition to the F-35.[16] On October 18, 2017 F-4EJ Kai Phantom II 87-8408 of the squadron caught fire on the ground after its landing gear malfunctioned. There were no injuries.[17][18][19][20] The squadron ceased flying the F-4 in March 2019, and in the same month relocated to Misawa Air Base. On April 9, 2019 an F-35A of the squadron went missing over the Pacific Ocean.