During this week, officials from Japan’s Ministry of Defense announced that plans are already underway to replace the F-16CM deployed by the United States Air Force (USAF) at Misawa Air Base with modern F-35A stealth fighters, which will be established as the long-term successor to the platform in the country. For now, the first fifth-generation aircraft are expected to arrive in Japan starting in 2026, while the first “Wild Weasels” from the 35th Fighter Wing will begin retiring as early as next summer.
It is worth noting that the announcement of these plans took place in the middle of this year, although a specific timeline was lacking until recently. According to statements made at the time by the U.S. Department of Defense: “The United States Air Force will also enhance its presence at Misawa Air Base from 36 F-16 aircraft to 48 F-35A aircraft, which will result in greater capability for tactical aircraft.”
It should be highlighted that Misawa will not be the first Japanese location to receive U.S. F-35 fighters, considering that the Marine Corps Air Station in Iwakuni has already hosted three squadrons, namely: the VMFA-242 and VMFA-121 of the USMC, and the VFA-147 of the U.S. Navy. The first two squadrons operate the F-35B variant, while the third uses the F-35C version. To facilitate the deployment of these advanced platforms in Japan, the Pentagon stated that over $10 billion has been invested in infrastructure.
This issue is highly significant, as Misawa, Iwakuni, and Kadena are established as key strategic bases for the U.S. presence in the region. It should be noted that Misawa, where the USAF’s F-35s are expected to arrive in 2026, is strategically located to focus on Russia’s activities in the northern Pacific. Meanwhile, the other two bases are ideally positioned to support Taiwan in the event of a potential conflict with China.
On another note, it is important to mention that the Wild Weasel function of the 35th Fighter Wing means it operates aircraft and pilots specialized in Suppression/Destruction of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD/DEAD) missions. This entails targeting and destroying enemy anti-aircraft batteries on the battlefield, as well as the radar network guiding them. This USAF unit has a long history of fulfilling this role, participating in operations such as Desert Shield and Desert Storm in Iraq, and has been deployed in Misawa since the 1990s.
Finally, expanding on the SEAD/DEAD missions performed by the unit stationed at Misawa, it is worth noting that the USAF currently uses F-16C/D Block 50 fighters (also referred to as CM/DM) equipped with AGM-88 missiles guided by the AN/ASQ-213 system. In the near future, developments in this field are expected to enable the use of the missile’s ER variant, giving the fighters the ability to strike targets at greater distances. Simultaneously, the USAF is awaiting the incorporation of new SiAW systems, which would significantly expand the combat capabilities of its platforms.
Images used for illustrative purposes.
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