Asia-Pacific
Dozen F-22 Raptor jets deploying to Okinawa
Stars and Stripes
January 14, 2014
The first operational F-22A Raptor is flown to its permanent home at Langley Air Force Base, Va., on May 12, 2005. (Ben Bloker/U.S. Air Force)
TOKYO – About 12 Virginia-based F-22 Raptor fighter jets will deploy this month to Okinawa, according to an announcement posted on the 5th Air Force website.
The rotational deployment to Kadena Air Base will include about 300 people from Langley Air Force Base as part of a routine assignment, according to 5th Air Force officials.
The Air Force has been rotating fighters to Pacific Command bases on a regular basis since March 2004, according to the statement.
The single-seat, twin-engine Raptor is the Air Force’s newest fighter.
Kadena’s resident 18th Wing hosts the largest combat wing in the U.S. Air Force. It is composed mostly of F-15 jets, refuelers, E-3 Sentry aircraft and HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopters.