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By Ryan Chan
China News Reporter
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The United States has reinforced its air power in the Western Pacific Ocean with two groups of fighter jets arriving at Kadena Air Base in Japan, staging a show of force to China.
Newsweek has emailed both the Chinese defense and foreign ministries for comment.
Why It Matters
Kadena is located on the Japanese island of Okinawa and is the closest American air base to Taiwan, a U.S. security partner. Communist China has long claimed the self-governed island as part of its territory and has threatened to use force, if necessary, to achieve unification.
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Japan is part of the First Island Chain, a U.S. maritime containment strategy that seeks to restrict the Chinese military's access to the Western Pacific Ocean.
What To Know
According to the U.S. Air Force 18th Wing, which is the host unit for Kadena Air Base, an unknown number of the F-35A and the F-15E fighter aircraft arrived at the base from April 3 to 6, marking the latest round of U.S. Air Force fighter deployments to the Pacific.
The F-35A aircraft were sent by the 355th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska. The F-15E jets were previously stationed at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in North Carolina and assigned to the 336th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron.
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"This combined force is aimed at deterring potential adversaries and supporting broader U.S. Indo-Pacific Command objectives," the 18th Wing said in a press release on Tuesday, adding that modernizing capabilities in the Indo-Pacific theater remains a "top priority."
The base is expected to receive the first of 36 F-15EX fighter jets between March and June 2026, replacing a fleet of 48 older F-15C/D fighter aircraft. The U.S. Air Force has maintained a rotational presence of fighter jets during this transition period.
Aircraft rotations at Kadena, which is 370 miles from Taiwan, exemplify the Pentagon's continued commitment to maintain a "continuous fighter presence" until the arrival of the F-15EX jets, the 18th Wing added. It was not immediately clear how long the latest round of rotational deployments would last.
Also on Tuesday, Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani announced on Tuesday that U.S. Navy MQ-4C reconnaissance drones will be deployed at Kadena within a few weeks for "an indefinite period" to enhance surveillance and intelligence gathering.
The MQ-4C is an autonomous high-altitude, long-endurance maritime aircraft capable of operating above 50,000 feet for over 24 hours with a range of 7,400 nautical miles [8,515 miles]. Two MQ-4C drones were stationed at Kadena Air Base for five months last year.
The arrival of the fighter aircraft and planned deployment of the spy drones come after China held two days of military drills around Taiwan last week.
What People Are Saying
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U.S. Air Force Colonel David Deptula, commander of the 18th Operations Group, said: "Kadena's commitment to regional deterrence is ironclad. Rotational aircraft are a normal part of Kadena's operations, and their presence ensures the continuation of our long-standing mission to defend Japan and maintain an open and free Indo-Pacific."
U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Erik Gonsalves, commander of the 355th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, said: "The men and women of the 355th [Expeditionary Fighter Squadron] are excited to be back at Kadena Air Base. I have spent the majority of my career in [Pacific Air Forces] and am looking forward to enhancing our squadron's proficiency in the asymmetric advantages we share in this [area of responsibility]."
What Happens Next
President Donald Trump has criticized the security treaty between the U.S. and Japan as not reciprocal, claiming that "they don't have to protect us." Nevertheless, the U.S. continues to maintain and enhance its military presence in the Northeast Asian ally to counter China's threats.
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