Received an interesting link from Marsh over the weekend. I was asking some old shipmates from Misawa, Japan where the ASWOC was on the old base. I was looking at
Google Earth and noticed the base had more stuff on it. Marsh sent me a link to the old Patwing now called
Patreconwing 1 Detachment Misawa, Japan. Incase the link ever breaks here is what it says.
PATRECONWING 1 Detachment, Misawa Tactical Support Center (TSC), Misawa Since 1975, PATWING One has provided operational and tactical support to deployed patrol squadrons flying the P-3 Orion long range maritime patrol aircraft. Operating from the completely autonomous Tactical Support Center and the now-deployable Maritime Operations Center, PATWING One's personnel provide command and control, mission planning aircrew briefings and debriefings, intelligence collection/fusion and automated data processing. Active duty and reserve VP squadrons patrol the waters of the northern Pacific Ocean, Sea of Japan and the Sea of Okhotsk monitoring for submarines, potential surface combatants and military and civilian vessels of all countries.
Navy Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing ONE (PATRECONWING 1) Detachment, Misawa, Japan, also known as the Tactical Support Center (TSC), arrived in Misawa in 1975 as a branch of Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing ONE, headquartered in Kami Seya, Japan. As part of the move to Misawa, 13 modular vans, brought in by two C-5A aircraft, were the detachment’s home until more permanent facilities could be built. These 13 semi-tractor trailer size box vans were interconnected and placed next to the flight line for accessibility by P-3 Orion flight crews.
TSC Misawa operated from these 13 interconnected modular units, originally designed to last between two to five years, for more than two decades. It wasn’t until 22 years later, in May 1997, that ground was broken for construction of a new TSC as part of the Misawa Japanese Facilities Improvement Program. In late 1999 Naval Pacific Meteorology and Oceanography Detachment Misawa, Japan, moved into a new facility. The new building also contains the Tactical Support Center (TSC) and NAVCOMDET, making networking and support easier and more efficient. The detachment in Misawa provides oceanographic forecasts and climatology, as well as other support products required by the TSC and deployed P-3 squadrons. The detachment also works closely with the Misawa Air Force and JASDF weather offices, as well as the Naval Oceanographic Office and others interested in the region's ocean and seas.
The nine officers and 44 enlisted TSC personnel vacated the aging vans and began operations at the new facility May 1, 1999. The three-story building is known as the Tactical Support Facility and is also home to VQ-1 Detachment Misawa, Naval Communications Detachment and Naval Meteorological and Oceanographic Detachment.
The TSC operates primarily in the 7th Fleet area of responsibility. The men and women assigned to this command provide around-the-clock operational support for forward deployed P-3 squadrons. Every six months a new squadron arrives in Misawa and assumes the title of Commander Task Group 72.4. These squadrons patrol the waters of the Western Pacific, Sea of Japan, and Sea of Okhotsk. Among their many missions are: search and rescue, patrol, reconnaissance, battle group support and bilateral/multinational exercises. TSC personnel provide the P-3 squadrons with mission planning and briefing, in-flight command and control and post-flight mission analysis.
The detachment also has a Mobile Operations Command and Control (MOCC) Unit, which provides TSC-like support for remote P-3 detachments. The unit, known as FMP MOCC WESTPAC conducts frequent deployments throughout the Pacific and Arabian Gulf, visiting countries like Korea, Thailand, Australia and Qatar.
Thought I would share this cool information.
Later
JB
