U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptors from the 90th Fighter Squadron at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, and the 27th Fighter Squadron at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, have arrived at Kadena Air Base on Okinawa, Japan. The deployment involves two squadrons operating as the 90th and 27th Expeditionary Fighter Squadrons with the 18th Wing.
This rotational presence fills a gap as the base awaits permanent F-15EX Eagle II fighters, whose delivery has been delayed. A Boeing strike at its St. Louis plant from August 4 to November 17, 2025, disrupted production, pushing back the original March-to-June 2026 timeline for the 18th Wing’s aircraft. Air Force spokeswoman Ann Stefanek stated that rotational forces will support Kadena’s mission until the F-15EXs arrive, with an updated schedule expected this spring.
The rotations maintain airpower in the Indo-Pacific amid the phased withdrawal of aging F-15C/D jets that began in 2022. Kadena, about 450 miles from Taiwan, continues to host advanced fighters on a semiannual basis.