Kadena Air Force Base on Okinawa will one day permanently host a squadron of F-15EX Eagle II fighter jets—but in their absence, other aircraft are filling in.

Although the original US Air Force timeline called for the permanent deployment of the F-15EX Eagle II to Kadena Air Base, Japan, beginning this year, delays with the advanced fourth-generation-plus multirole fighter—including last year’s prolonged strike at Boeing facilities in St. Louis—resulted in the schedule being adjusted. The Eagles won’t roost at the base on Okinawa until sometime in 2027, and it could take until late 2028 or early 2029 for all 36 permanent F-15EXs to be stationed at the Keystone of the Pacific.

As a result, the US Air Force has continued to rotate other aircraft to Kadena—recently including two F-22 Raptor squadrons. The fifth-generation air superiority fighters from the 90th Fighter Squadron, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, and the 27th Fighter Squadron, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, rotated to Kadena Air Base in May to support operations across the Indo-Pacific region.

During the early summer mission, the Raptors from the two squadrons participated in Valiant Shield 2026, the 10-day multinational, biennial field training exercise that was conducted in late June and early July across Guam, Japan, and the Philippine Sea, focusing on joint multi-domain combat readiness.

The F-22 Raptor’s Specifications

• Year Introduced: 2005
• Number Built: 195 total (187 operational + 8 test aircraft)
• Length: 62 ft 1 in (18.9 m)
• Wingspan: 44 ft 6 in (13.6 m)
• Weight (MTOW): ~83,500 lb (37,875 kg)
• Engines: Two Pratt & Whitney F119-PW-100 turbofans (≈35,000 lbf / 155.7 kN each with afterburner)
• Top Speed: ~1,500 mph (2,414 km/h) / ≈ Mach 2.0
• Range: ~1,600 mi (2,575 km) with external tanks; ~460–600 mi (740–965 km) combat radius
• Service Ceiling: ~50,000+ ft (15,240+ m)
• Loadout: Internal bays for up to 6× AIM-120 + 2× AIM-9; external pylons optional for non-stealth loads
• Aircrew: 1

“Beverly Beach 26-1” Combat Readiness Exercises Underway

Throughout the deployment to Kadena, the F-22 aircrews and maintainers have continued to integrate with the 18 Wing’s operations and maintenance groups, including the 718th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron (AMXS), the 18th Security Force Squadron, and the 18th Civil Engineer Squadron, in the ongoing Beverly Beach 26-1 combat readiness exercises that are meant to test force protection, logistics, and the unit’s defensive capabilities. 

“Maintainers completed final inspections, pilots reviewed mission objectives, and support teams synchronized every detail, transforming months of planning into the opening moments of readiness exercise Beverly Beach 26-1 at Kadena,” the base announced on Monday.

The exercise is part of the United States Air Force’s Agile Combat Employment (ACE) strategy, which is built around the speed, coordination, and flexibility that could be required for aircraft operations in a contested environment.

“We’re getting a lot of local flying to build our combat readiness,” said US Air Force Lt. Col. Brenden Torphy, 27th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron director of operations. “Exercises like this allow us to train under realistic conditions and ensure we’re ready to defend Kadena, our allies and our partners whenever we’re called upon.”

Each sortie of the F-22 Raptors required coordinated efforts across Kadena. The base remains the Keystone of the Pacific due to its strategic location, but the combined team effort ensured that the resources and equipment were also in the key places to support the mission.

Positioned about 1,200 miles west of Guam, Kadena is the largest and most active air base in the region, serving as a frontline hub for the US military to maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific. It is also located roughly 900 miles from Tokyo, Manila, Seoul, and Hong Kong. The US Air Force’s 18th Wing currently hosts a rotating and permanent array of advanced fighter and support aircraft.

About the Author: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu has contributed to dozens of newspapers, magazines and websites over a 30-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a contributing writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: Editor@nationalinterest.org.

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