“The entire Self-Defense Force is exhausted”…The Maritime Self-Defense Force’s “challenges” revealed after the helicopter crash What is the reason why the number of missions has increased too much?: Tokyo Shimbun TOKYO Web

Two Maritime Self-Defense Force SH60K patrol helicopters crashed, killing one person. It is believed that the collision likely occurred during training for the “most important mission” of detecting submarines, and the focus is on the cause of the failure to prevent the unusual approach. There have been a number of collisions between helicopters both domestically and internationally, and some believe that the risks involved are different from those of regular airplanes. It has been pointed out that there is not enough time for training in response to China and North Korea, but what measures should be taken? (Naoaki Nishida, Yuichiro Yamada)

◆“Training that is closer to actual combat than usual”

“The training was more similar to actual combat than usual.” At a press conference on the afternoon of the 23rd, Chief of the Maritime Staff Ryo Sakai, the head of the Maritime Self-Defense Force’s uniformed personnel, said the following. The accident occurred on the night of the 20th. It is believed that two helicopters, each carrying four people, collided mid-air during an anti-submarine warfare exercise in which three helicopters were used to detect submarines. One body that was found was transported to Yokosuka Air Base.

Analysis of the flight recorder (flight recording device) taken to Atsugi Air Base revealed no equipment abnormalities as of the 22nd.

◆Alarm system shuts off when approaching

What is attracting attention is a network-building system called “link between wingmen” that allows multiple aircraft to share their location information via radio and sound an alarm when they approach. This function was introduced in the SH60K, but it was turned off in the two aircraft that collided with it.

According to the Chief of the Coast Guard’s press conference, this system may not be used depending on the mission or situation. The possibility that the two helicopters were on different missions has been raised, but former Maritime Self-Defense Force official and military commentator Kazushige Fumitani said, “In this case, the two helicopters were in close proximity to each other. It seems that anti-submarine warfare training was being carried out.The alarm was kept going off, so I think they were allowed to disconnect it.”

◆“Higher risk of collision” than traditional training

In this training, two sonar devices were suspended underwater, emitting sound waves and detecting the submarine’s location from the echoes. According to Mr. Bunya, in the past, the common search method was to deploy sound-collecting sonobuoys and listen to the noises emitted by submarines, but since the 1990s, submarines have become more sophisticated and no longer emit sound. It is said that such methods are now being used.

“It is speculated that the three aircraft will draw the character ‘no’ in a spiral pattern on the sea surface. Each one will move to the next point in turn and dangle their sonar underwater. Since it is necessary to maintain a low altitude, the pilot will pass by the wingman without changing the altitude too much.The risk of collision is higher than in training using sonobuoys.

◆Very low-altitude flight at night

Each of the two planes had a captain, co-pilot and two aviators on board. Still, Bunya says, “Even if we are on a collision course with each other, there are cases where we don’t realize it.” “Because the aircraft is flying at night and at extremely low altitudes, the captain and co-pilot who are at the controls tend to run out of energy not only to control the aircraft, but also to be on guard against collisions with the sea surface and spatial disorientation (inability to grasp direction and speed). The aviators also had to do a lot of work, so they may not have been able to devote much of their attention to keeping an eye on their wingmen.”

Regarding the fact that the link between wingmen was not connected, military journalist Shinichi Kiyotani said, “There could be an operational problem or a maintenance problem, but the Ministry of Defense has kept it confidential and has not made any announcements, leaving it in the realm of speculation.” I won’t come out.”

At the time of the accident, senior officials were conducting a training review to confirm and evaluate the unit’s ability to carry out operations, but he said with a shake of his head, “It is held on a regular basis and is more spirited than regular training.” “JMSDF pilots are noticeably retiring mid-year, and there is an overwhelming shortage of manpower.We shouldn’t be able to survive without reducing the scale of operations, but in reality, the opposite is true, and strain is being placed on the pilots.I think fatigue has also accumulated.”

◆A series of conflicts both domestically and internationally, both civilian and military

The exact cause of this accident is still unknown. However, collisions between helicopters occur both domestically and internationally, both for civilian and military use.

In April 1996, in April 1996, when a forest fire broke out in Nagano City, the helicopters of two local television stations flying over the area to cover the scene collided and crashed, killing six people. A report by the Ministry of Transport’s Air Accident Investigation Committee (at the time) concluded that the two planes were either distracted by the movement of a disaster prevention helicopter that was over the same area, or for some other reason did not maintain sufficient distance and made contact. .

◆Helicopter for reporting and sightseeing…

In July 2007, news helicopters from two local television stations broadcasting a live chase between police and a truck collided and crashed in Arizona, killing four people. In January 2023, a tourist helicopter crashed on Australia’s Gold Coast, killing four people.

Aviation critic Kenji Aoki said, “It is unclear whether there are more accidents between helicopters than between fixed-wing aircraft,” but added, “Civil helicopters are operated under visual flight conditions that the pilot can see with his own eyes. They are free to choose where they fly, but they need to be careful if they are crowding together over the site, aiming for the same goal.”

Midair collisions between helicopters and military aircraft are occurring one after another. In the U.S. military, helicopters collided with each other in Hawaii in 2001 and Kentucky in 2023, both of which resulted in fatalities. In Japan, four people were killed in a collision between Ground Self-Defense Force helicopters in Kokonoe Town, Oita Prefecture in 2002. In July 2021, two SH60Ks, the same type as the one that crashed, collided and were damaged off the coast of Amami Oshima, Kagoshima Prefecture.

All of these accidents occurred during nighttime training and exercises. Mr. Aoki emphasizes, “Military aircraft that use instruments also operate at close distances when forming formations for training.It becomes especially difficult at night.”

◆Is the tense external situation in the background?

Some point to the tense foreign situation in recent years as the background to this accident. Kosuke Takahashi, Tokyo correspondent for the U.S. diplomatic and security magazine, said, “In particular, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force has an increasing number of actual missions, including responding to a series of missile launches by North Korea and guarding against intrusions into territorial waters by Chinese ships around the Senkaku Islands. “We have heard from members of the field staff that the current situation is one in which training opportunities and training periods are being squeezed.”

Joint training exercises with other countries, including the United States, are also increasing. According to the 2023 Defense White Paper, the Self-Defense Forces participated in 46 joint multilateral exercises in 2013, more than double the 19 exercises in 2013. On the other hand, the number of personnel in the Maritime Self-Defense Force and the Self-Defense Forces as a whole continues to be below capacity, and they are suffering from a manpower shortage.

◆It has also been pointed out that there is “wrongs at the workplace”

Mr. Takahashi said, “I don’t know if the increase in missions is having a direct effect, but I feel strained on the ground.The current situation where work is increasing but no people are coming in is causing strain on the organization.Ensuring the safety of members. should be prioritized above all else.”

Tetsuo Maeda, a military commentator, said, “Originally, the Self-Defense Forces were exclusively defensive, acting as a “power of denial” against attacks from foreign enemies.However, under the security legislation, they were positioned as a “deterrence force” and were given the ability to attack enemy bases. “The Self-Defense Forces as a whole are in a state of exhaustion, as we cannot ignore the demands placed on us to respond in the event of a natural disaster.” Although there are calls for an increase in personnel and budget, “While Japan’s population and society as a whole are shrinking, it will be difficult to continue to compete with China with our defense capabilities.”

Atsushi Koketsu, professor emeritus of political science at Yamaguchi University, questions, “Is this training necessary and appropriate from both a military and political standpoint?” “Rather than unnecessarily escalating tensions between nations, we need to make every effort to reduce tensions by exploring and proposing a path to lasting peace.”

◆Desk memo

An accident that occurred in a remote area. It is not easy to salvage an aircraft that has sunk into the deep sea. In addition, training to detect submarines, also known as “ninjas of the sea,” is a top secret. Still, I hope that all efforts will be made to investigate and determine the cause, and that the results will be made public. As a lesson not to repeat the same accident. For those who are behind us. (Book)