F-35A Lightning IIs assigned to the 421st Expeditionary Fighter Squadron at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, arrive at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, April 24, 2025. (Arnet Tamayo/U.S. Air Force)
A second squadron of F-35A Lightning IIs landed Thursday at Kadena Air Base, joining other F-35s and F-15E Strike Eagles on rotational duty with the 18th Wing on Okinawa.
The multirole stealth fighters with the 421st Expeditionary Fighter Squadron at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, fill the latest series of fighter deployments to the Pacific, the wing announced in a news release that day.
The Utah aircraft join F-35As with the 355th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, and 12 F-15Es with the 336th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C., that arrived earlier this month.
The squadrons are the latest to temporarily deploy to a base the Air Force often calls the “keystone of the Pacific.” The service instituted rotational fighter deployments to Kadena when it began phasing out the aging F-15C/D fleet there in late 2022.
The Black Widows “are thrilled to be back and flying with our allies and partners here at Kadena,” Lt. Col. Bryan Mussler, commander of the 421st, said in the news release. “Our unit values the distinctive training opportunities afforded by our deployment to the Indo-Pacific and is eager to contribute to the mission.”
The Air Force did not disclose how many aircraft were deployed or how long they will remain on Okinawa. The 18th Wing acknowledged emailed questions and a phone call Friday but did not immediately provide responses.
With the departure of the F-15C/Ds, the 18th Wing has relied on a series of rotational deployments of fourth- and fifth-generation fighters to carry out its air-defense mission, including F-35As, F-15Es, F-22 Raptors and F-16 Fighting Falcons.
In July, the Air Force announced plans to permanently base 36 F-15EX Eagle IIs at Kadena to replace the retired F-15C/D fleet. The new fighters are expected to begin arriving between March and June 2026, Brig. Gen. Nicholas Evans, commander of the 18th Wing, said last month.
On Tuesday, hundreds of airmen with the Vermont Air National Guard’s 158th Fighter Wing returned home following a monthslong deployment to Kadena, the wing announced in a news release that day. F-35As with the 134th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron deployed there in January.
The squadron’s aircraft, equipment and additional airmen will return to Vermont over the coming weeks, according to the release.
“Our airmen demonstrated exceptional professionalism and readiness throughout this deployment,” Col. Michael Blair, 158th Fighter Wing operations group commander, said in the release. “They not only strengthened partnerships with our Indo-Pacific allies but also showcased the skill and determination that define the Vermont Air National Guard.”
