Agence France-Presse, The U.S. military’s state-of-the-art F-22A Raptor stealth fighters are winding up their first overseas deployment in Japan and returning to the United States, officials said May 9.
The 12 Raptors and some 250 airmen from Langley Air Force Base, Va., arrived at Kadena Air Base on the southern island of Okinawa in February, “and will end a temporary deployment … and fly back to the United States on Thursday,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.
Col. Anne Morris, a spokeswoman for U.S. Forces in Japan, said the mission was a reflection of the U.S. commitment to the U.S.-Japan security alliance.
The U.S. military said the Raptors — which were developed by Boeing and Lockheed-Martin and went into service in December 2005 — were unmatched by any other aircraft in their ability to hit air or ground targets without detection.
The deployment followed North Korea’s first ever nuclear test in October.
U.S. officials have denied the mission’s connection with recent regional security concerns.
But they said the deployment showed the flexibility and readiness of U.S. forces in the Pacific region.
