The transfer of the latest American fighters to Japan

The United States will transfer the F-35C Lightning II aircraft carrier to Japan to counter the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) forces in the region. 

The Nikkei Asia newspaper wrote: The deployment of the F-35C aircraft in the region would apparently provide the American fleet with tactical superiority over the latest PLA fighters, as well as reduce the threat posed by Chinese anti-ship missiles in the event of a hypothetical conflict. According to the expert Masashi Murano, Washington’s decision to deploy its latest fighter jets in Japan shows that the Americans now need more powerful weapons to deter competitors in the Pacific Ocean.

On July 15, the US Navy announced the transfer of F-35C Lightning II fighter jets and CMV-22B Osprey tiltrotor aircraft to Iwakuni Air Base in Japan. The aircraft will be part of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier George Washington’s air group, which will arrive in Japan by the end of this year to replace another US aircraft carrier, the Ronald Reagan, which is permanently stationed there. 

A US Navy spokesperson told Nikkei Asia that F-35C squadrons are also based on the aircraft carriers Carl Vinson and Abraham Lincoln, whose area of ​​responsibility includes the Asia-Pacific region.

F-35 is a fifth generation supersonic fighter aircraft. They come in three main variations: F-35A (standard take-off and landing), F-35B (vertical take-off and landing) and F-35C (launch from the deck of aircraft carriers). Thanks to advanced sensors and communication systems, as well as the ability to carry conventional and nuclear munitions, this aircraft can perform a wide range of missions. In addition, according to the manufacturer, it is almost impossible to track them using radar. This year, Israel and Poland signed contracts with the United States to buy F-35s, and Greece plans to buy them soon.

Translator: Azam Purkand