オスプレイなく部隊発足式　６月以降に２機配備―陸自・木更津駐屯地

　陸上自衛隊は５日、木更津駐屯地（千葉県木更津市）で、輸送機オスプレイを運用する新編部隊「輸送航空隊」の発足式を行った。配備先の決定が遅れ、部隊発足に機体の配備が間に合わなかった。６月以降に米国から２機到着し、同駐屯地での暫定配備期間の５年以内に計１７機体制になる。
　輸送航空隊は３月に約４３０人で新編。隊長の不破悟１等陸佐（４５）は記者会見で、「島しょ防衛に極めて重要な部隊だ。受け入れてもらった地元に感謝し、安全確保に万全を期す」と話した。
　陸自オスプレイの配備をめぐっては、防衛省は２０１８～２１年度に１７機の配備を計画したが、最適地とした佐賀空港（佐賀市）での調整が難航。木更津駐屯地への暫定配備が決まったのは、１９年１２月だった。（2020/04/05-14:51）

A ceremony to mark the launch of a Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force unit to operate Osprey transport planes was held on Sunday, but without the presence of any of the U.S.-developed aircraft.
   No Osprey took part in the ceremony, held at the GSDF camp in the city of Kisarazu, Chiba Prefecture, eastern Japan, due to a delay in a decision on a definite place to host the aircraft.
   The Kisarazu camp is set to temporarily host the Osprey for five years. Two Ospreys are slated to arrive at the camp from the United States in June and later, and a total of 17 units of the aircraft will be deployed at the facility within the five-year provisional period.
   The new unit, comprising about 430 GSDF members, was formed in March. "The unit is very important for the defense of southwestern islands of Japan," Col. Satoru Fuwa, 45, head of the unit, said in a press conference at the camp on Sunday. "We are grateful to the local communities for accepting the unit, so we will do our best to ensure safe operations."
   The Defense Ministry has decided to deploy 17 Ospreys at the GSDF between fiscal 2018 and fiscal 2021. But negotiations on using Saga Airport, in the southwestern city of Saga, which the ministry believes is the best place to host the Ospreys, have run into difficulties.