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France and Japan Build a Stronger Air Power Bridge Between Europe and the Indo-Pacific
French and Japanese aircraft conducted joint training at Hyakuri Air Base during France's PÉGASE 26 deployment, strengthening practical links between their air forces. Four French Rafale F4 fighters flew with eight Japanese F-2A and F-2B aircraft, while crews practiced dry-contact refueling procedures with a French A330 MRTT and worked alongside a Japanese KC-46A. The wider French mission involved about 300 personnel, three tankers and two A400M transports over a journey exceeding 40,000 kilometers. The September 15–18 activity tested interoperability and expeditionary coordination, but the dry contacts did not transfer fuel or certify a new operational capability.