Operation Pacific Assist

Operation Pacific Assist was an operation commenced by Australian Defence Force and New Zealand Defence Force together with Emergency Management Australia and Emergency Management New Zealand as an effort to support the relief activity on the aftermath of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami and Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster which occurred in Japan. Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) and Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) deployed C-17A Globemaster III aircraft onto the transportation support activity.

  • This article is not about "Operation Pacific Assist 2015".
Operation Pacific Assist
15th Brigade vehicles unloading from C-17 at Yokota Air Base
TypeEmergency Relief Operation
Location
Japan
Commanded byADF & NZDF
ObjectiveEarthquake victim relief (transportation support)
DateMarch 14, 2011 – March 25, 2011

Summary

Prior to the Queensland floods and Christchurch earthquake, an Emergency Services Task Force was created by emergency response personnel from Sydney, Canberra and Brisbane in Australia, and there is also the emergency response personnel from Auckland and Wellington in New Zealand. On March 14, 2011, RAAF and RNZAF are transported the Task Force into Yokota Air Base with a C-17A.[1]

The C-17A then remain in Japan to provide transportation help for Japanese and American government, includes for example, transporting vehicles and personnel of 15th Brigade of Japan Ground Self-Defence Force from Kadena Air Base in Okinawa to Yokota Air Base,[2] and transporting drinking water from Chitose Air Base to Hanamaki Airport.[3] These operations are also helped by United States Forces Japan.[4]

On March 22, 2011, in order to help with containing the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, two additional C-17A carrying water cannon system have been sent to Japan.[5] At that point, three out of the four C-17s operated by the RAAF and RNZAF were sent to Japan.

Operation Pacific Assist ended on March 25, 2011. During the operation, 23 sorties were commenced, transporting more than a million pounds of cargo, including 41 vehicles and 135 personnel.[6]

See also

References
  1. Australian Government Department of Defence. "Operation Pacific Assist". Retrieved 2011-05-30.
  2. "RAAF C-17 flying around the clock in Japan". RAAF Public Affairs. USAF Yokota AB. 2011-03-18. Archived from the original on 2011-03-23. Retrieved 2011-05-30.
  3. JASDF Chitose Air Base (2011-03-15). "災害派遣情報". Archived from the original on 2010-11-13. Retrieved 2011-05-30.(in Japanese)
  4. Minister for Defence,Australia (19 Mar 2011). "Operation PACIFIC ASSIST- Extension of ADF relief efforts in Japan". Archived from the original on 2011-06-01. Retrieved 2011-05-30.
  5. Minister for Defence,Australia (22 Mar 2011). "Operation PACIFIC ASSIST – Two additional RAAF C-17s deployed". Archived from the original on 2011-06-01. Retrieved 2011-05-30.
  6. "Operation PACIFIC ASSIST- Final C-17 returns from Japan". 25 Mar 2011. Archived from the original on 2011-06-01. Retrieved 2011-05-30.
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