F‑35a fighters to strengthen US presence at Misawa Air Base
The Pentagon has confirmed its intention to deploy up to 48 F-35A fighters at Misawa Air Base in northeastern Japan. This decision aims to enhance deterrence capabilities in the region. The F-35A is regarded as one of the most advanced and capable combat aircraft in the world.
Information about the planned movements at Misawa Air Base emerged more than a year and a half after the announcement that F-15 fighters stationed in Japan would gradually begin their return to the United States.
American F-35A to be stationed in Japan
It has now been clarified that the departing F-15s will be replaced by other F-15s, which will be stationed at Kadena Air Base, located at the southern end of the Japanese archipelago near Taiwan. The F-35A fighters will serve as additional forces and will join the Japanese F-35A fighters already stationed at Misawa Air Base. This will mark the first presence of American F-35As in the Indo-Pacific region.
The F-35A is a modern fifth-generation multi-role fighter developed by Lockheed Martin. It belongs to the CTOL (Conventional Take-off and Landing) class, which means it has a conventional method for taking off and landing.
It is a single-seat aircraft with a length of over 15 metres and a wingspan exceeding 10 metres. It can travel at speeds of up to 1.6 Mach, which is approximately 1,368 km/h. The fighter's range, considering its mid-air refuelling capability and no malfunctions, is essentially unlimited. However, when limited to its built-in fuel tanks, its range is about 2,000 kilometres.
Its armaments include a five-barrel GAU-22/A cannon of 25 mm calibre. Additionally, the F-35A can carry external armaments such as AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles and aircraft bombs. The F-35A is also equipped with electronic warfare systems and technology that reduces the chance of detection during flight.
Yoshimasa Hayashi, the Japanese government secretary, mentioned in an interview with local journalists that the modernisation plan of U.S. forces comes at a time when Japan is facing its greatest and most complex security crisis since World War II. He referred to neighbouring countries that are "intensifying their military activities."
