Photo/Illutration An SH60K patrol helicopter on the Maritime Self-Defense Force’s Izumo destroyer off Darwin, Australia, on Aug. 15, 2023 (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

Two Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF) helicopters, carrying a total of eight crew members, crashed into the Pacific Ocean east of Torishima island, part of the Izu island chain, during a nighttime training exercise.

This accident followed another one in April last year when a Ground SDF helicopter crashed off Miyakojima island in Okinawa Prefecture, killing 10 people.

Accidents involving MSDF aircraft of the same family during nighttime training have also been recurring.

While the desperate search for the missing continues, it is urgently needed to initiate an exhaustive and comprehensive investigation to identify the causes and factors behind the accident.

The MSDF aircraft involved were SH60K patrol helicopters. They were part of a group of three conducting anti-submarine warfare training late on the night of April 20.

The Defense Ministry has established an accident investigation committee. It is believed that the two helicopters collided after coming too close to each other. Analysis of the recovered flight recorders and interviews with the crew of the surviving helicopter are under way.

For Japan, an island nation, surveillance and monitoring of the surrounding waters are crucial for national security. Since the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union, Japan’s security policy has consistently prioritized capabilities to respond to threats posed by submarines.

In recent years, one big question at the forefront of debate among Japanese security policymakers and the SDF top brass is how the nation should buttress its defense capabilities against China's increasingly assertive naval advances.

During the training, the helicopters were engaged in submarine detection and tracking operations as an MSDF submarine acted as an enemy vessel threatening Japan to simulate a real combat situation and challenges.

In this kind of exercise, helicopters hover at low altitudes, dipping sonar units into the water to pinpoint the exact locations of the “opposing force” submarines.

In anti-submarine operations, multiple patrol helicopters flying in proximity increase precision in detection and tracking. Nighttime operations, with limited visibility, however, rely heavily on instruments and radar to track the locations of the other aircraft, bringing inherent risks.

Indeed, in August 2017, an SH60J crashed during a nighttime training exercise off Aomori Prefecture, resulting in two deaths and one person missing.

In July 2021, an SH60J and an SH60K also collided during a nighttime training session in waters east of Amami-Oshima island in Kagoshima Prefecture, damaging the rotors of both helicopters without causing injuries. Both incidents were traced to human error.

Following the 2021 accident, the SDF created internal regulations requiring helicopters operating in proximity to maintain different altitudes and introduced a warning system to alert crews if airplanes come too close.

The latest accident occurred despite these safety measures. A rigorous full-scale probe and a detailed analysis must be conducted to clarify why another similar accident involving helicopters occurred.

Moreover, there is serious concern that some structural factors may underlie the frequent accidents.

The MSDF is facing an increased burden of actual missions due to real-world security threats posed by North Korean missile launches and the enhancement of China's naval power. Some former MSDF personnel point out the possibility that the MSDF cannot allocate sufficient time for drills and training.

Others say staff shortages due to the decline in young recruits may be creating harsh working conditions and leading to insufficient training.

Defense Minister Minoru Kihara has issued a directive for robust and comprehensive safety management of all aircraft across the land, sea and air branches.

The Defense Ministry’s response to the latest accident should include not just efforts to clarify the direct causes of this incident but also a broad review and examination of all related issues and factors.

--The Asahi Shimbun, April 23

Related News