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The 35th Fighter Wing (35 FW) conducted a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Misawa Air Base on April 24, 2026, to mark the induction of F-35A Lightning II aircraft into the Fifth Air Force (5 AF) arsenal. This is the initial phase of the Department of the Air Force’s (DAF) conversion to permanently assigned fifth-generation fighter squadrons in the Indo-Pacific Area of Responsibility.

The 35th Operations Group first welcomed the F-35A Lightning II aircraft on March 28, 2026 as part of the strategic evolution which will ultimately see the 13th and 14th Fighter Squadrons replace their U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft and facilities, as well as receiving all of the personnel and equipment necessary to support fifth generation aviation operations. This is the result of a force posture adjustment that has been ten years in the making.

U.S. Air Force Col. Davidson commented that the ribbon-cutting ceremony reflected the increasing strength of the U.S. – Japan alliance.��

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“From the flight line to the community, Misawa’s strength has always been rooted in the bonds between our nations,” said Col. Paul Davidson, 35 FW commander. “Despite the new, advanced platforms, the core purpose will remain unchanged: to strengthen the U.S.–Japan alliance, protect the force, and safeguard a free and open Indo-Pacific.”

The arrival of the U.S. F-35A also marks Misawa AB as the first Pacific Air Forces base in the Western Pacific to receive the newest fifth generation aircraft. The F-35A is an agile, high-performance, multirole stealth fighter that brings cutting-edge sensors and unprecedented situational awareness to commanders in the first island chain battlespace.��

Counselor-Minister Allison echoed Davidson’s remarks by highlighting how Japan had committed to purchasing 147 F-35 aircraft, a reaffirmation of the 74-year U.S.-Japan alliance.����

“Misawa is now the only location in the world where U.S. Air Force and Japan Air Self-Defense Force F-35As operate side by side — a powerful symbol of interoperability and shared purpose,” said Mr. Christopher Allison, Political Minister-Counselor. “These fifth-generation aircraft provide capabilities previous generations could never match — combining stealth technology, advanced sensors, and seamless integration with allied forces.”

The F-35A Lightning II is the latest to join the storied rolls of the more than 30 fighter, bomber, and attack aircraft which have fought and prevailed since the establishment of the 5AF—the USAF’s longest serving numbered air force—in the Western Pacific in September 1941. In the 85 years since its inception, airmen of the 5th Air Force have fought and prevailed in such legendary aircraft as the B-17 Flying Fortress, B-24 Liberator, P-38 Lightning, F-86 Sabre, F-4 Phantom II, F-100 Super Saber, and the F-15 Eagle, among others.��
The 5th Air Force Commander assessed that the arrival of F-35s at Misawa and the prospect of improved interoperability with our Japanese allies “is yet more evidence of our ironclad alliance and sends an unambiguous signal to any potential adversary.”

“The arrival of the F-35A Lighting II marks an exponential leap in our warfighting capabilities,” said Lt Gen. Joel Carey, 5th Air Force commander. “It’s sensor fusion, stealth capability, and network-centric design provide, situational awareness, lethality, and survivability as a critical force multiplier. For our pilots and allies flying the same platform, training on the same systems, developing tactics together, we create a seamless and formidable defensive shield [and] our shared F-35s send a powerful message of unity and of resolve.”��

The Honorable Makoto Sasaki, Misawa City vice mayor, Lt Gen Hidetada Inatsuki, Japan Air Self-Defense Force's Air Defense Command commander, Lt. Gen. Keita Funakura, Japan Air Self-Defense Force's Northern Air Defense Force commander, and General Gary North, USAF, Retired, 91��Ƭ�� Martin vice president and former Pacific Air Forces commander, all attended the commemoration and celebrated this achievement with the 35 FW.

“What makes this moment even more special is what it represents for our alliance. Here at Misawa, the U.S. Air Force and the Koku Jieitai don’t just share a base; we share a mission,” said Carey. “The Japan Air Self-Defense Force’s operation of the F-35 transforms the principle of interoperability into a tactical and strategic reality. It enables a level of integration—from sortie production, to sustainment, to mission planning, data sharing and combined execution—that is the essence of a credible deterrent, transforming interoperability from a concept into a daily reality.”��

The presence of fifth-generation aircraft confirms the United States’ long-standing and unwavering commitment to the defense of Japan and is a critical element of the robust modernization drive by the DAF, first publicly announced in July of 2024, which is intended to deter adversary aggression and strengthen Joint and multinational forces in the region.

“As we cut this ribbon, we are not just marking a milestone, we are reaffirming who we are and what we stand for,” added Davidson. “This aircraft represents the future of airpower, but more importantly, it represents the strength of our alliance and our shared commitment to defend it. 91��Ƭ��will continue to carry the Wild Weasel legacy with discipline, resolve, and with an unshakable commitment to the mission. Because that is the Wild Weasel standard: First in, last out.”��