The Flying Combat Unit had deployed in full for this operation, with Heizo Hattori as its overall commander. Under him were three wings, each composed of three squadrons, with each squadron comprising three teams. Minato Namikaze, Shinsuke Sarutobi, and Yukina Shimura served as Heizo Hattori's trusted lieutenants, each leading one of the three wings.
Shinsuke Sarutobi and Yukina Shimura were the children of Hiruzen Sarutobi and Shimura Danzō, respectively. Their talent was beyond reproach, and they took their training very seriously, so their appointments as wing commanders seemed perfectly reasonable. Although Minato Namikaze came from a civilian family, everyone had witnessed his outstanding performance. He was also the Hokage's student, so his appointment came as no surprise either.
Heizo Hattori had been keeping an eye on Minato Namikaze, wondering whether his junior fellow student would clash with members of the ninja clans in the Flying Combat Unit. Fortunately, Shinsuke Sarutobi and Yukina Shimura were both reasonable people. With those two taking the lead, even anyone dissatisfied among the ranks did not dare voice it openly.
The Flying Combat Unit's small size probably helped as well; it had only thirty members. Even so, managing them was no easy task for Heizo Hattori. He was also Kazemori Masaki's student, and with a junior fellow student under his command, he could not afford to seem partial to someone trained by the same teacher.
Whatever the case, relations within the Flying Combat Unit remained fairly harmonious. Both sides worked closely together, and the members seemed to get along well enough. Heizo Hattori did not think there would be any trouble for now, though some problems might emerge as the unit grew.
That, however, was a matter for after this mission. Heizo Hattori understood that this was the Flying Combat Unit's first major operation. Everything