US replaces its F-15 jets with F-22 at Kadena airbase in Japan

Asia-Pacific, News, US November 8, 2022 , by IRIA No Comments

The United States Air Force has started sending F-22 fighter jets at the Kadena Air Base in Japan as it plans to replace and retire F-15C and F-15D Eagle fighter jets.

According to a press release by the Pacific Command of the U.S. Air Force, the first batch of F-22 Raptor jets arrived at Kadena on November 4, 2022. The planes flew from the 3rd Wing at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska.

Two squadrons of aging F-15C and F-15D Eagle fighter jets would be flown back to the U.S. as they make their final flight in service before retiring by the end of this year.

The U.S. Air Force announced last month that it plans to retire its F-15s. Air Force spokeswoman Ann Stefanek said that the withdrawal of the aging F-15s will take place in phases spanning over two years.

Kadena Air Base has at least 48 F-15 fighter jets that are serving as a part of the 18th Wing’s 44th and 67th fighter squadrons. Most of the F-15 fighter jets at the Kadena Air Base are well in their third decade of service, and some of the aging warplanes are even exceeding 40 years of service, nearing the end of their lives.

The rotation of F-22 Raptor jets to the Kadena Air Base is a temporary resort until a permanent replacement has been found. The U.S. Department of Defense has yet to finalize a long-term plan for the fighter jets at Kadena.

Considering the ever-evolving security situation of the Indo-Pacific region, it is highly expected that the U.S. Department of Defense would approve the long-term deployment of warplanes that far exceed the capabilities of the F-15C and F-15D fighter jets. Under consideration for long-term deployment are F-15EX and the F-35A fighter jets.

F-15E Strike Eagles with the 4th Fighter Wing at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C., form up behind a KC-135 Stratotanker with the 121st Air Refueling Wing, Ohio Air National Guard, June 15, 2018. The Stratotanker had just finished refueling the Strike Eagles. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Airman 1st Class Tiffany A. Emery) — ^{F-15E Strike Eagles with the 4th Fighter Wing at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C., form up behind a KC-135 Stratotanker with the 121st Air Refueling Wing, Ohio Air National Guard, June 15, 2018. The Stratotanker had just finished refueling the Strike Eagles. (Image Credit: U.S. Air National Guard photo by Airman 1st Class Tiffany A. Emery)}

“The U.S. commitment to regional deterrence and the defense of Japan is ironclad,” Stefanek said. “Modernizing our capabilities in the Indo-Pacific theater remains a top priority for the United States. The transition to more capable aircraft at Kadena exemplifies our continued commitment to enhancing our posture and building on the strong foundation of our alliance with Japan.”

Introduced in 1976, the McDonnell Douglas (now acquired by Boeing) F-15 Eagle fighter jet is a twin-engine tactical fighter jet. With a very low loss record in aerial combat, the F-15 Eagle has been one of the most successful aircraft that U.S. Air Force has used profoundly over the years.

The F-15 Eagle fighter jets were also exported to Japan, Saudi Arabia, and Israeli where the aircraft also saw substantial success and still serve as one of the main fighter jets in their air force fleets.