U.S. Air Force prepares Misawa base for F-35 deployment

The United States is preparing Misawa Air Base in northern Japan to support the future deployment of F-35A stealth fighter aircraft, as part of a broader effort to modernize U.S. air power in the western Pacific.

According to the report by Newsweek journalist Ryan Chan, the Pentagon plans to deploy 48 F-35A Lightning II jets to Misawa to replace 36 aging F-16 fighter aircraft currently based there. The move follows a July 2024 decision by the U.S. Department of War to upgrade tactical aircraft stationed in Japan by increasing both the number and capability of deployed fighters.

Images published by the U.S. Air Force show personnel from the 35th Fighter Wing, the host unit at Misawa Air Base, receiving and unboxing equipment intended to support future F-35A operations. Preparations for the transition began as early as last month, according to the same imagery.

“The delivery of cargo supporting future F-35A Lightning II fighter aircraft operations will enhance the wing’s ability to generate and sustain airpower in support of Indo-Pacific regional security and deterrence,” the U.S. Air Force said in a caption accompanying one of the released photographs.

While the Pentagon has not announced when the first F-35A aircraft will arrive at Misawa, the base continues to conduct routine flight operations. Official Air Force photos released this month show F-16s assigned to the 35th Fighter Wing taking part in an exercise conducted in snow and extreme cold weather conditions.

“Winter takeoffs validate the [35th Fighter Wing]’s ability to generate combat airpower in austere conditions, supporting a forward-postured force capable of responding rapidly across the Indo-Pacific region,” the U.S. Air Force said in a separate image caption.

Misawa Air Base occupies a strategic location in northern Japan facing the Pacific Ocean and already hosts two Japanese Air Self-Defense Force F-35A squadrons. The base also supported U.S. bomber deployments in 2025, according to U.S. military statements, reinforcing its role as a key hub for allied air operations in the region.

As part of its broader posture in Japan, the U.S. military has already deployed F-35B and F-35C variants to Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni. These variants are capable of operating from amphibious ships and aircraft carriers. The conventional takeoff F-35A has also been deployed to Kadena Air Base in Okinawa on a rotational basis, according to the Pentagon.

The modernization of U.S. air power in Japan aligns with the Trump administration’s newly released national security strategy, which calls for strengthening military forces along the First Island Chain, stretching from Japan through Taiwan to the Philippines. The strategy identifies the region as a priority area for countering military pressure from China and other adversaries.

Japanese territory frequently experiences activity by Chinese and Russian aircraft and naval forces, while North Korea has launched multiple missile tests toward Japan in recent years. U.S. officials have described the enhanced fighter presence as a key element of deterrence and rapid response planning in the Indo-Pacific.

During a meeting earlier this month at the Pentagon, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth met with Japan’s Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi to discuss alliance coordination. According to the Pentagon, both sides agreed to continue upgrading bilateral command-and-control systems, expand the realism of joint military exercises, improve force posture, and deepen cooperation on defense industrial base issues.

The Pentagon has repeatedly described Japan as a central partner in maintaining regional security and ensuring the ability of U.S. forces to project power across the western Pacific. The deployment of additional F-35A aircraft to Misawa would expand U.S. stealth fighter capacity in Northeast Asia and integrate more closely with Japan’s own growing fleet of the same aircraft type.