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China’s military
ChinaMilitary

Does US have China in mind with F-22 deployment to its bases in Japan?

  • Military experts say the arrangement is part of preparations for a potential conflict with Chinese forces over Taiwan
  • The more advanced stealth fighters are on a six-month rotation, replacing the F-15s which were permanently based in Okinawa

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The US Air Force has started deploying F-22 Raptor stealth jets from Alaska to its bases in Okinawa. Photo: AFP
Minnie Chan
The United States has started replacing the antiquated F-15 fighter jets at its bases in Okinawa with the more advanced F-22 Raptor stealth fighters, in a move seen as part of a redeployment of its assets in the region to prepare for a Taiwan contingency.
Defence experts said the arrangement – which puts the F-22s on a six-month rotation from Alaska starting this month – could prevent the United States’ expensive assets from becoming targets for Chinese missiles because the advanced jets would not be permanently stationed in Okinawa.

Others said the move could undermine the Pentagon’s efforts to counter China by ending the US Air Force’s permanent presence in the region with no clear long-term plan.

Former US Marine fighter pilot and diplomat Steve Ganyard said the move was a sign that concerns about China had overtaken the US Air Force’s traditional focus in the region on potential conflict in North Korea.

“You can look at it as the USAF coming to grips with the reality that nothing on the first island chain, especially not Kadena [air force base in Okinawa], will be survivable in a conflict with China,” he said, according to a report last week in US military newspaper Stars and Stripes.

The first island chain stretches from the Japanese archipelago through Taiwan to the Philippines and is seen as key to deterring China.

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