Nuke sniffer to Okinawa - Curt Lewis

U.S. Air Force deploys nuke-sniffer jet to Japan

The U.S. Air Force has deployed the WC-135 Constant Phoenix to its military base in Okinawa, Japan. Photo by Senior Airman Stephen G. Eigel/U.S. Air Force/UPI | License Photo

April 13 (UPI) -- The U.S. Air Force has deployed a nuke-sniffer aircraft at its base in Okinawa, Japan, according to multiple sources.

The Boeing WC-135 Constant Phoenix, capable of collecting samples from the atmosphere after a nuclear explosion, arrived at Kadena Air Base, Stars and Stripes reported.

The aircraft may be being deployed ahead of a possible sixth nuclear test in North Korea.

Recent satellite images indicate ongoing activity at the Punggye-ri nuclear site, where Pyongyang conducted its fifth nuclear test in September 2016.

Satoru Kuba, an Okinawan who keeps track of military aircraft activity at Kadena Air Base, and a senior Japan self-defense forces official, each confirmed the WC-135 aircraft's arrival.

The Constant Phoenix jet touched down at the air base in Okinawa on Friday, the Nikkei newspaper reported.