An F-35A Lightning II stealth fighter sits on display during a ceremony inside a hangar at Misawa Air Base, Japan, April 24, 2026. (Jonathan Baez/Stars and Stripes)
MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan — The 35th Fighter Wing unveiled its new fleet of F-35A Lightning II fighters Friday, an integral move as the Air Force modernizes its squadrons in the Indo-Pacific.
Misawa is replacing its 36 F-16 Fighting Falcons with 48 F-35As for greater tactical aircraft capacity and capability, according to an email Friday from Misawa spokeswoman Airman 1st Class Jessel Fabara.
Only two F-35As were displayed for the ribbon-cutting ceremony that featured remarks by wing commander Col. Paul Davidson, 5th Air Force commander Lt. Gen. Joel Carey and Christopher Allison, minister counselor for political affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo.
“As we bring the F-35 into the fight, our core purpose remains unchanged: to strengthen the U.S.-Japan alliance, protect the force and safeguard a free and open Indo-Pacific,” Davidson told the audience of about 200 people.
Col. Paul Davidson, commander of the 35th Fighter Wing, speaks at a ceremony marking the arrival of F-35A Lightning II fighters at Misawa Air Base, Japan, April, 24, 2026. (Jonathan Baez/Stars and Stripes)
An F-16 Fighting Falcon soars between two F-35A Lightning II stealth fighters during a flyover of Misawa Air Base, Japan, April 24, 2026. (Jonathan Baez/Stars and Stripes)
Lt. Gen. Joel Carey, commander of 5th Air Force, speaks at a ceremony marking the arrival of F-35A Lightning II fighters at Misawa Air Base, Japan, April, 24, 2026. (Jonathan Baez/Stars and Stripes)
The upgrade is part of a $10 billion dollar modernization the Pentagon announced in 2024 to upgrade U.S. tactical aircraft across military installations in Japan.
The F-35A is the standard variant of the fifth-generation stealth fighter. The F-35B is capable of short takeoffs and vertical landings, while the F-35C is designed for arrested landings on aircraft carriers.
With its permanent fleet of the fifth-generation fighters, Misawa is the only military installation in Japan where the Air Force and Japan Air Self-Defense Force operate their F-35As side by side.
Japan is committed to acquiring 147 F-35s — the largest Lightning II fleet outside the United States — in an investment worth $23 billion, Allison told the audience.
“We gather at a moment of profound consequences for the Indo-Pacific. This region accounts for 60% of global GDP, but our adversaries grow more determined to disrupt, damage and dominate,” he said.
Allison pointed to Chinese aggression, North Korean ballistic missile tests and Russian cyberattacks as everyday challenges.
“In a region this volatile, credible deterrence requires both cutting-edge capabilities and the resolve to deploy them effectively,” he said. “That’s what these F-35As represent.”
The F-35A provides the wing with improved stealth, larger takeoff weights and longer flight ranges than the F-16. The wing employs its Lightning IIs for suppression of enemy air defenses — the “Wild Weasel” mission — as well as regional deterrence and combat air power, according to a statement the wing issued on March 28, when the fighters began arriving.
Ahead of the aircraft, the 35th Munitions Squadron was activated in June 2024 with 225 airmen previously assigned to the wing’s maintenance squadron.
Support equipment for the F-35A arrived Jan. 7 to allow the squadron’s maintainers time to familiarize themselves with new equipment to reduce delays when the fleet arrived, according to a Feb. 3 wing statement.
“This fifth-generation fighter is more than just a replacement for the venerable F-16,” Carey told the audience. “It is a testament to our dedication to providing our airmen with the most advanced tools to meet the challenges of the 21st century.”
An unspecified number of F-16s from Misawa relocated in June to Osan Air Base, South Korea, the 51st Fighter Wing said at the time.
