Our thoughts and prayers continue to blanket all of those who remain affected by the destructive earthquakes that occurred in and around the Kumamoto region. During the past week, the air station directly supported airlift relief efforts in response to the request from Government of Japan, while simultaneously continuing Friendship Day planning as the situation was evolving.

As you are aware, Friendship Day is an opportunity to display our solidarity with Japan and expand relationships with our Japanese neighbors and the Japanese Self-Defense Force. We stand with Japan, and we hope you will join us in reaffirming our longstanding friendship, while also recognizing and supporting those many affected by the recent earthquakes in Kyushu.

Marking the 40th anniversary of our open house in Iwakuni, Friendship Day 2016 Air Show offers a fully culturally enriching experience with an air show in the sky and static displays on the ground. This year’s show is very special because it is rare, even in the U.S., for a single show to have multiple parachute teams, Marine Air-Ground Task Force demonstrations, and on top of that, it rarely happens where both the AV-8B and MV-22 perform at the same show. Guests attending the event will have the unique opportunity to experience a once-in-a-lifetime air show.

Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni is honored to announce the performers who scheduled participation at our Friendship Day 2016 Air Show, which will be held on May 5. The lineup is subject to change due to operational requirements. Marines, sailors, airmen and soldiers, as well as our alliance partners, look forward to welcoming you at our home away from home.

The event official website – friendship-day.net
The event official facebook – www.facebook.com/FriendshipDayIwakuni
The event HOTLINE – Tel: 0827(79) 6227

Air Show:
Ric Peterson – An award winning broadcast journalist from Canada, who has written and narrated several television documentaries on aviation. Known as a radio/TV host for over 30 years, he is the voice of major air shows such as Fleet Week San Francisco and Sanicole Airshow in Belgium.

Pemberton Aerosports – The first air show demonstration team to combine wingsuit skydiving with aerobatics in 2007. Rex Pemberton will perform everything from gyroscopic maneuvers to extremely complex and technical maneuvers. From 10,000 feet, the jumpers will thrill spectators with their Squirrel Suit Jump.

Yoshihide Muroya – Having held some 170 air shows over 12 years, Yoshi has accumulated real-time experience from world famous aerobatic competitions such as the “WAC” World Aerobatic Championships. As the first Asian pilot in the Red Bull Air Race World Championship in 2009, Yoshi has helped raise the popularity of the sport in East Asia, particularly in his home country of Japan.

Whiskey Papa – Flying for more than 20 years, Masahiro Utsumi has competed in many international aerobatic competitions. He is a popular air-show pilot in Japan who has a Federal Aviation Administration Statement of Aerobatic Competency (SAC) card level 1- Unrestricted.

Flight DESIGN – Find out who deserves the title: “the king of speed,” in the air or on the ground, as Ferrari car challenges Yoshi, the air racer, to an air-ground race. Ferrari cars are also part of a ground static display at the event venue.

Friendship Day enhances our defense partnership through U.S.-Japan inventories showcasing their aviation capabilities and assets from the sky, along with scheduled arrivals and departures from the commercial airport in Iwakuni.

The Golden Knights – For the first time, the air station is honored to welcome the Golden Knights, the U.S. Army
official aerial parachute demonstration team. The demonstration and competition parachute team entices audiences
with their midair performance. The Golden Knights are one of only three Department of Defense-sanctioned aerial
demonstration teams, along with the U.S. Navy Blue Angels and the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds.

AV-8/MV-22 Level III demonstration – For the first time, Friendship Day 2016 will thrill audience members with an air show demonstration that combines the maneuverability of the MV-22 Osprey and the power of the AV-8B Harrier. The AV-8B Harrier and the MV-22 Osprey flight demonstration is one of the most sought-after aerial demonstrations offered by the U.S. military. Demonstrations are performed by the same aircraft and Marines who train and deploy in support of real-world contingencies such as the Kumamoto relief effort. For this reason, only a handful of events receive the coveted demonstration. The AV-8B Harrier represents the greatest breakthrough in aircraft technology with its vertical/short takeoff and landing capability, which gives Marine Air-Ground Task Force commanders flexibility on the battlefield. The Harrier’s 22,000 pounds of thrust allows it to both hover like a helicopter and blast forward like a jet at near-supersonic speeds.

The Marine Air-Ground Task Force demonstration – An action-packed demonstration that showcases the diversity and power of the Marine Corps. The MAGTF is the organizational structure of the Marine Corps and is made up of four elements: command, ground combat, aviation combat and combat service support. During the MAGTF demonstration, audiences will be thrilled with close air support, simulated aerial refueling and extended capabilities of Marine Corps assets to perform in expeditionary environments.

Pacific Air Forces' F-16 Demonstration Team – based at Misawa Air Base, Japan, promotes positive relations between the United States and nations across the Western Pacific. Flying the Air Force's F-16 Fighting Falcon, the team demonstrates the breathtaking power and maneuverability of the aircraft to the delight of aviation enthusiasts everywhere.

Aircraft Static Displays/Ground Static Displays:
Subject to change, we currently have numerous U.S. and other aircraft static displays, to include: F/A-18C/D, AV-8, MV-22, and KC-130J from U.S. Marine Corps III Marine Expeditionary Force, KC-135, E-3, UH-1, F/A-18E, EA-18G, and furthermore, A-10 and F-16 from U.S. forces in Korea. Our aviation friends with the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) Japan offers static displays, which include such classics as WACO biplanes.

Interested in professional, heavy-duty military gear? It is also a precious opportunity to get first-hand experience of Ground Combat Element capabilities of the U.S. Marine Corps. Iwakuni-based Marine Wing Support Squadron 171 offers heavy equipment and utilities equipment, Expeditionary Field Kitchen and a wide variety of military vehicles. Marine tactical units from Okinawa will serve as a great addition and will share their proficiencies in tactics on the ground. Did you know Marine Corps is capable of its own aviation command and control? Marine Air Control Squadron 2 provides aerial surveillance and air traffic control as well as navigational assistance to friendly aircraft. Visitors are welcomed to see and learn what Marines do to ensure the safety of the pilots, aircrew and aircraft.

Our friends and neighbors, we hope you will join us in reaffirming our longstanding friendship, while also recognizing and supporting those many affected by the recent earthquakes in Kyushu. More importantly, MCAS Iwakuni is in discussions with Japanese welfare and nonprofit organizations that have expressed an interest in being present at Friendship Day, in order to both provide relief information and accept relief-designated donations for those affected by the earthquakes. We look forward to seeing you at Friendship Day 2016 Air Show!