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Topic: Air Warfare Blog Brand: The Buzz Region: Asia Tags: F-35 Lightning II, Indo-Pacific, Japan, United States, and US Air Force Another US Air Force Base in Japan Is Getting the F-35 Soon January 29, 2026 By: Peter Suciu
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The US Air Force is expected to station F-35 fighter jets at Misawa Air Base, a major base in northern Honshu.
The United States military has maintained a presence at Misawa Air Base, Japan, for nearly 80 years. US forces arrived at the base in September 1945, shortly after the end of World War II, as a staging point for the US-led occupation of the country from 1945 to 1952. Misawa became the first permanent American air base in Japan in July 1946, and was nearly completely reconstructed during the postwar occupation.
Misawa Air Base has been undergoing a significant renovation, part of efforts to host the US Air Force’s Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II fifth-generation stealth fighter.
48 of the multirole conventional takeoff and landing variants of the Joint Strike Fighter will be deployed to the base, replacing 36 aging F-16 Fighting Falcons, with the latter aircraft being rotated back to the United States. The move follows a Pentagon plan announced in July 2024 to enhance the capabilities of US military aircraft based in the Land of the Rising Sun.
“The delivery of F-35A Lightning II support equipment marks a key milestone in the 35th FW’s transition to fifth-generation aircraft to enhance security throughout the Indo-Pacific region,” the Pacific Air Force wrote in a caption for a photo showing US Air Force airmen assigned to the 35th Fighter Wing moving cargo at the Japanese base earlier this month.
Japan Now Has a Permanent F-35 Presence
The permanent deployment of four dozen US Air Force F-35s to Misawa—located near the northern tip of Japan’s main island of Honshu, in Aomori Prefecture—is part of the Department of Defense’s renewed focus on the Indo-Pacific and on strengthening the “First Island Chain” to contain Chinese aggression and expansion in the region.
The Pacific Air Force didn’t confirm when the first F-35As will arrive, but Lightning IIs have been steadily rotated to Japan in recent years.
“As part of its force stationed in Japan, the Pentagon has deployed F-35B and F-35C jets, capable of operating from ships, at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, while the conventional F-35A variant has been sent to Kadena Air Base on a rotational basis,” Newsweek reported.
Until the F-35s arrive, the F-16s will continue to operate at the base located on the northern tip of Honshu, Japan’s main island. The US military shared another photo of an F-16 taxiing to the flight line during the recently concluded Exercise Sprint 26-2.
“Winter takeoffs validate the 35th FW’s ability to generate combat airpower in austere conditions, supporting a forward-postured force capable of responding rapidly across the Indo-Pacific region,” the caption read.
The F-35 Is Big in Japan
When the 48 US Air Force F-35 Lightning IIs do arrive, they’ll add to the fifth-generation fighters already operating from the island nation.
The Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) are already each operating F-35s, with the former actively building one of the world’s largest F-35A fleets. The JASDF has sought to acquire 105 conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) models, with the JASDF/JMSDF operating 42 F-35B short-takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) models that will operate from the JMSDF’s Izumo-class helicopter destroyers, which are being modified to serve as de facto aircraft carriers.
Even as China increases aircraft production with its Chengdu J-20 Mighty Dragon and Shenyang J-35, the US and its Japanese ally could have a significant number of F-35s positioned in the Western Pacific.
About the Author: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu has contributed over 3,200 published pieces to more than four dozen magazines and websites over a 30-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a contributing writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: Editor@nationalinterest.org.
Image: Shutterstock / Faizinraz.
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Источник: nationalinterest.org