Fighter Squadron 27 (VFA-27) – F/A18E Super Hornet Strike Fighter Squadron 102 (VFA-102) – F/A18F Super Hornet Strike Fighter Squadron 115 (VFA-115) – F/A18E Super Hornet Strike Fighter Squadron 195 (VFA-195) – F/A18E Super Hornet Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Fleet Air Force Fleet Air Wing 31 Air Patrol Squadron 71 – US-1A and US-2 Air Patrol Squadron 81 – EP-3 and OP-3C Air Patrol Squadron 91 – UP-3D and U-36A Mine Countermeasures Helicopter Squadron 111 – MCH-101 Commercial services Regular commercial service started from 13 December 2012 with a civilian airport terminal built to accommodate commercial flights. It was initially projected that up to 430,000 passengers would use the airport each year, and in the first seven months of operations the airport handled over 200,000 passengers, with average load factors between Iwakuni and Tokyo exceeding 70% during June 2013. Since IATA airport code IWJ, formerly assigned to Iwakuni, was already reassigned to Iwami Airport, new IATA code of IWK was assigned to Iwakuni. The inaugural flight was operated by All Nippon Airways from Haneda Airport. Also, Iwakuni Airport will be called by its official nickname "Iwakuni Kintaikyo Airport", named after the Kintaikyo bridge near the airport. In the future, they plan to serve international flights to China and South Korea and some other cities within Japan. Airlines and destinations Friendship Day Every year on 5 May, Japanese nationals and U.S. service members, government employees and their families officially celebrate their long-standing friendship by opening the gates of MCAS Iwakuni for one of Japan's largest air shows dedicated to enhancing the friendship of the two nations. The event, entitled Friendship Day, hosts an average 250,000 visitors who travel from all over Japan. See also List of United States Marine Corps installations List of airports in Japan References This article incorporates text in the public domain from the United States Marine Corps. External links MCAS Iwakuni, official site An Insider's Guide to USMC Bases including Iwakuni active Installations of the U.S. Department of Defense in Japan Airports in Japan Transport in Yamaguchi Prefecture Buildings and structures in Yamaguchi Prefecture Military airbases established in 1940 1940 establishments in Japan Iwakuni, Yamaguchi