From Air Force Times

 

F-22 fighters headed home from Okinawa

By Eric Talmadge - The Associated Press

Posted : Wednesday May 9, 2007 8:24:25 EDT

 

TOKYO — A dozen F-22 stealth fighters are heading back to the U.S. after completing their first overseas mission, a four-month deployment to Okinawa aimed at showcasing the fighter’s capabilities and giving pilots a chance to train in a new setting.

 

The fighters, which arrived on the southern Japan island of Okinawa in February, will fly out of Kadena Air Base early Thursday, the Air Force and Japan’s Foreign Ministry said in separate statements. The fighters are based at Langley Air Force Base, Va.

 

The deployment, the first outside of the U.S. for the Air Force’s newest and most expensive fighter, was intended to show off the F-22’s strengths in a region with a complex security balance that is being challenged by the rapid growth of Chinese and North Korean military power.

 

The mission also was aimed at providing training opportunities for the pilots and enhancing cooperation with the Japanese military.

 

During their deployment on Okinawa, the fighters conducted joint training with the Japanese. Two F-22A Raptors and two F-15 Eagles took part in the training, which involved mock air battles with four F-4 Phantoms and four F-15 Eagles from Japan’s Air Self-Defense Force.

 

Japan’s Defense Minister Fumio Kyuma said the deployment of the stealth fighters was part of ongoing efforts to improve technology and train at working together.

 

Under a mutual defense past, the U.S. has roughly 50,000 troops in Japan, and the two countries have been strengthening the interoperability of their forces in recent years with Japan hoping to take a more active role in regional security.

 

Officials say there are no plans to regularly bring F-22s to Japan after the current mission ends. F-22 fighters are scheduled to be deployed in Alaska and possibly Hawaii, which would give a significant boost to the Air Force’s firepower in the Pacific.

 

The U.S. is not alone in boosting its air capabilities in Asia. China is rapidly modernizing its military, and recently unveiled its J-10 fighter, which is believed to be one of the most advanced warplanes used by any air force in the world today, though it is not seen as a serious technological rival to the F-22.

From Air Force Times

 

Technical issues delay Raptors leaving Japan

By Eric Talmadge - The Associated Press

Posted : Thursday May 10, 2007 7:45:37 EDT

 

TOKYO — Two of the newest — and most expensive — fighters in the Air Force wrapped up a three-month deployment and roared out of Japanese skies Thursday, completing the F-22 stealth fighter’s debut on the international stage.

 

The planes, the last of a dozen F-22s on the deployment, left the southern Japanese island of Okinawa several hours later than the rest because of “maintenance concerns,” the Air Force said in a statement from Kadena Air Base on Okinawa.

 

The statement did not elaborate on what the problems were.

 

It said after a complete check, the planes were approved to leave Kadena and move to “another location in the Pacific region.” The first 10 F-22s departed Kadena on schedule before dawn Thursday for their home at Langley Air Force Base, Va.

 

The fighters arrived on Okinawa in February.

 

The deployment of the Air Force’s most advanced fighter to Japan was intended to show off the jet’s strengths in a region with a complex security balance that is being challenged by the rapid growth of Chinese and North Korean military power, and to provide training opportunities for the pilots and enhance cooperation with the Japanese military.

 

Japan’s Defense Minister Fumio Kyuma hailed the mission, saying it presented a “great opportunity” to train together.

 

Tokyo and Washington were reportedly considering another deployment of the planes to Japan, but there were no plans to regularly bring F-22s to the country.

 

Under a mutual security pact, the U.S. maintains about 50,000 troops in Japan.

 

Japan, which is planning to replace its aging F-4 fighters with a more advanced aircraft, is a potential market for U.S. fighters but has expressed concern over the high cost of the F-22 and possible licensing problems.