オスプレイ、佐賀空港に配備へ 米軍機も普天間から移転の方針

2015年度から陸上自衛隊に導入されることになっている新型輸送機MV22オスプレイの配備先について、防衛省は17機全機を佐賀空港に配備する方針を固めた。
Open Image Modal
時事通信社

2015年度から陸上自衛隊に導入される新型輸送機MV22オスプレイの配備先について、防衛省は7月18日、17機全機を佐賀空港(佐賀市)に配備する方針を固めた。普天間飛行場(沖縄県宜野湾市)に配備されているアメリカ軍オスプレイの一部も佐賀空港への移転を進め、沖縄の負担軽減をはかるという。防衛省は武田良太副大臣を佐賀県に派遣、22日に古川康知事と協議する。時事ドットコムなどが報じた。

中国の海洋進出を踏まえ、政府は昨年末に策定した新たな防衛大綱で、鹿児島から沖縄に連なる南西諸島の島しょ防衛重視を掲げた。南西諸島防衛の要で、米海兵隊をモデルにした「水陸機動団」は18年度までに長崎県佐世保市に創設することになっており、機動団の輸送にも使うオスプレイをできるだけ佐世保の近くに配備する必要があった。

防衛省は佐賀空港を、米軍普天間飛行場(沖縄県宜野湾市)に配備されている米海兵隊のオスプレイの訓練移転先としても利用したい考えだ。背景には、11月の沖縄県知事選をにらみ、沖縄の基地負担軽減策を打ち出したい安倍政権の思惑もある。

(時事ドットコム「オスプレイ、佐賀空港配備へ調整=防衛副大臣が来週知事に要請」より 2014/2014/07/18 23:04)

オスプレイは開発段階から事故が多発したことから、安全性に対する懸念が根強く、2012年にアメリカ軍が沖縄県に配備を決めた際には激しい反対運動があった。佐賀県への配備にも、調整が難航する可能性もある。

佐賀空港の軍事的利用をめぐっては、秀島敏行・佐賀市長が2010年3月、普天間飛行場の佐賀空港への移設案に反対する考えを示し、市議会も「断じて容認しない」とする決議を全会一致で可決している。

古川知事は19日朝、「佐賀空港がオスプレイの配備の候補にあがっていることは分かっている」とした上で、武田防衛副大臣の来県について次のようにコメントしている。

佐賀県の古川康知事は(中略)来週22日に武田防衛副大臣が佐賀県を訪問することについては、「相手方が22日に、何の話をしにくるのかは、詳しくは分からない。今の段階では当日話を伺うだけだ。一部の報道で、佐賀県のほうからオスプレイの配備についてお願いしているというふうな報道があったけれども、まったくそういうことはない。国が真剣に話をしにくるのであればこちらも真剣に話を伺う」と話しています。

(NHKニュース「自衛隊のオスプレイ配備 佐賀空港検討」より 2014/07/19 05:44)

【関連記事】

ハフィントンポスト日本版はFacebook ページでも情報発信しています

関連記事

オスプレイ写真集
President Obama Inspects Drought-Stricken California(01 of09)
Open Image Modal
LOS BANOS, CA - FEBRUARY 14: A U.S. Marine watches as an Osprey helicopter lands on February 14, 2014 in Los Banos, California. Obama met with farmers and ranchers while pledging millions of dollars in federal funds for drought relief projects in California (Wally Skalij- Pool/Getty Images) (credit:Pool via Getty Images)
Liberia Races To Expand Ebola Treatment Facilities, As U.S. Troops Arrive(02 of09)
Open Image Modal
TUBMANBURG, LIBERIA - OCTOBER 15: Boys run from the blowing dust as a U.S. Marine MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor departs the site of an Ebola treatment center under construction on October 15, 2014 in Tubmanburg, Liberia. The center is the first of 17 Ebola treatment centers being built by Liberian forces under American supervision as part of Operation United Assistance to combat the Ebola epidemic. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images) (credit:John Moore via Getty Images)
Liberia Races To Expand Ebola Treatment Facilities, As U.S. Troops Arrive(03 of09)
Open Image Modal
TUBMANBURG, LIBERIA - OCTOBER 15: A child covers his face from blowing dust as a U.S. Marine MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft departs the site of an Ebola treatment center under construction on October 15, 2014 in Tubmanburg, Liberia. The center is the first of 17 Ebola treatment centers being built by Liberian forces under American supervision as part of Operation United Assistance to combat the Ebola epidemic. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images) (credit:John Moore via Getty Images)
Liberia Races To Expand Ebola Treatment Facilities, As U.S. Troops Arrive(04 of09)
Open Image Modal
TUBMANBURG, LIBERIA - OCTOBER 15: Liberian Brig. Gen. Daniel Ziankhan, chief of staff for the Armed Forces of Liberia (L), and American Maj. Gen. Darryl Williams (2nd R), commander of U.S. Army Africa visit the construction site of a new Ebola treatment center as a Marine MV-22 Osprey lands on October 15, 2014 in Tubmanburg, Liberia. The center is the first of 17 Ebola treatment centers being built by Liberian forces under American supervision as part of Operation United Assistance to combat the Ebola epidemic. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images) (credit:John Moore via Getty Images)
USAFGHAN-OSPREY(05 of09)
Open Image Modal
A Marine Corps Osprey lands amid a giant cloud of dust at FOB Hassanabad as it does \'touch and gos\' at various bases in the Helmand Province of Afghanistan. The hybrid aircraft, which can land like a helicopter but fly as a fixed wing aircraft costs over 120 million dollars each. Ten aircraft from MCAS New River, North Carolina are stationed at Camp Leatherneck in the Helmand Province of Afghanistan. (Photo by Chuck Liddy/Raleigh News & Observer/MCT via Getty Images) (credit:Raleigh News & Observer via Getty Images)
Liberia Races To Expand Ebola Treatment Facilities, As U.S. Troops Arrive(06 of09)
Open Image Modal
TUBMANBURG, LIBERIA - OCTOBER 11: A soldier from the Liberian Army\'s 1st Engineer Company watches as a U.S. Marine MS-22 Osprey tiltrotor takes off from the construction site of an Ebola treatment center on October 11, 2014 in Tubmanburg, Liberia. Liberian army soldiers and American troops are building an Ebola treatment center there, the first of 17 to be built nationwide, as part of the U.S. response to the epidemic. The World Health Organization says that the Ebola epidemic has killed more than 4,000 people in West Africa. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images) (credit:John Moore via Getty Images)
MV-22 Osprey Helicopter(07 of09)
Open Image Modal
402627 01: (FILE PHOTO) U.S. Marines from the 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force (II MEF) jump from an MV-22 Osprey January 17, 2000 over Camp Lejeune, NC. The Pentagon announced March 20, 2002 that the Bell-Boeing aerospace team has been awarded a $770 million contract to build 11 MV-22 Osprey military helicopters in a test program for the troubled tilt-rotor aircraft. (Photo by USNAVY/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
A V-22 Osprey, belonging to the United S(08 of09)
Open Image Modal
Quantico, UNITED STATES: A V-22 Osprey, belonging to the United States Marines, prepares to land at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Quantico, Virginia, 13 April 2007. The aircraft, which flies like a plane and takes off and lands like a helicopter, will be deployed to Iraq in September after more than two decades in development. AFP PHOTO/SAUL LOEB (Photo credit should read SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Us Marines Mourn Victims of Osprey Air Crash(09 of09)
Open Image Modal
N367836 04: Family members gather around a deceased soldier\'s possesions after a memorial service April 17, 2000 at Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base, CA. The service was held in remembrance of the 19 US Marines who died in the crash of a MV-22 Osprey airplane near Tucson, AZ. (Photo by David McNew/Newsmakers) (credit:Getty Images)