The Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) operates a specialized unit known as the Air Training Command, or Kyōdōtai in Japanese, which plays a crucial role in preparing elite pilots for advanced tactical operations. Among its most distinctive features due to its unique camouflage pattern, widely used within its renowned Aggressor Squadron. These striking color schemes are not just for visual appeal — they are used to simulate potential enemy aircraft during training, creating a more realistic and psychologically engaging environment.
These camouflage patterns are typically updated every four years, a schedule that aligns with the aircraft’s major overhaul cycle. Since JASDF fighters undergo periodic depot-level maintenance approximately every four years, this provides a natural opportunity to strip and repaint the airframes. The Aggressor Squadron ensures both cost-efficiency and continuous evolution in visual threat simulation by syncing camouflage updates with this maintenance timeline.
The Aggressor Squadron, part of the Air Training Command, comprises some of the most skilled pilots in the JASDF. These pilots replicate the tactics and maneuvers of potential adversaries during training exercises. Flying Mitsubishi F-15DJ and F-15J fighters modified for training, it has have served as the “enemy” force in simulated dogfights and tactical scenarios. The unit’s rotating camouflage patterns add an extra layer of realism, enhancing the effectiveness of threat simulation.
The Air Training Command’s primary mission is to conduct high-level tactical training. Unlike basic flight schools, it focuses on enhancing the skills of experienced fighter pilots, pushing them to operate at peak combat readiness. The unit supports the development of air combat tactics, threat simulation, and interoperability — both within the JASDF and with allied air forces, especially that of the United States.
The main base of the Air Training Command is Komatsu Air Base in Ishikawa Prefecture. However, its reach extends far beyond a single location. Through a program called mobile training (jun-kai kyōdō), instructors from the Command travel to key JASDF bases — such as Chitose, Misawa, Tsuiki, and Nyutabaru — to conduct on-site tactical instruction. This approach allows each unit to receive consistent, high-level training without interrupting their home base operations, while also adapting to regional airspace conditions and unit-specific needs.
