In March 2023, the 31st Air Wing of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force's Iwakuni Base celebrated its 50th anniversary since its establishment. The unit that has shaped its history is the Air Rescue Squadron.
Starting from the domestically produced first search and rescue amphibian aircraft "US-1," then upgraded to "US-1A," and currently operating the "US-2," the squadron members board these search and rescue amphibian aircraft, considered the world's most advanced, and take off from the Iwakuni Base to the open seas. The number of lives saved by the squadron has exceeded 1,000.
The program covers the flights and open sea training of the US-2 aircraft, offering an inside look at the training that has been conducted for almost half a century, all in the pursuit of saving human lives.