After months of delay, the primary Japanese F-35Bs are on the best way to their new dwelling and had been noticed throughout a cease in Hawaii.
The primary F-35B Lightning II STOVL (Brief Take Off Vertical Touchdown) fighters for the Japan Air Self Protection Pressure (JASDF) at the moment are en path to Japan, the place they are going to be delivered on Aug. 7, 2025. The Japanese Ministry of Protection introduced few days that 4 F-35Bs will arrive at Nyutabaru Airbase, and the plane had been now noticed arriving at Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam (JBPHH), Hawaii, on Aug. 1.
Whereas 4 F-35Bs had been anticipated, solely three are at present flying to Japan. The photographs you may see on this article had been taken by photographer @aeros808, who advised us that the fourth jet remains to be within the U.S. The plane arrived in Hawaii flown by U.S. pilots and utilizing the callsign AGILE, accompanied by two KC-46A Pegasus tankers with the callsign BORA.
Japan beforehand introduced in January 2025 that the arrival of the primary F-35Bs, which was deliberate to occur someday throughout FY (Fiscal Yr) 2024 (which ends on Mar. 31, 2025), has been postponed to someday throughout FY2025. The plane will probably be assigned to a brief F-35B unit which has been established to assist with the introduction of the brand new plane.
On Might 12, 2025, the primary of 42 Japanese F-35B flew for the primary time from Lockheed Martin Facility at NAS Joint Reserve Base Fort Price, Texas.
Japan’s F-35B acquisition
Whereas initially it solely acquired F-35As, Japan determined in 2018 to obtain 42 F-35Bs as a way to strengthen its capabilities and function from its two plane carriers, small airstrips and distant islands. These 42 plane are a part of the bigger complete of 147 F-35s that Japan plans to function.
The plan was formally accepted in Japan’s 2019–2023 Mid-Time period Protection Program, which talked about that 18 of the then-planned 47 F-35s would have been STOVL (Brief Take-Off Vertical Touchdown) variants. This system of document for the F-35B was later elevated to 42 plane.
The procurement was accepted by the US in 2020, and included each 63 F-35As and the 42 F-35Bs, for a complete of 105 plane. In keeping with the Protection Safety Cooperation Company’s notification to Congress, the sale was reported price about $23.11 billion.
With 147 plane in service, Japan would change into the second-largest operator of the F-35 after the US. Japan additionally hosts in Nagoya certainly one of three ultimate meeting and check-out (FACO) services for the F-35 Lightning II program.
Nevertheless, Japan’s F-35Bs will probably be produced within the U.S. at Lockheed Martin’s manufacturing facility in Fort Price, Texas. The FACO facility continues to carry out the ultimate meeting and check-out of F-35A plane to be delivered to the JASDF, in addition to Upkeep, Restore, Overhaul and Improve (MRO&U) actions for the North Asia area.
The F-35B in Japanese service
Plans are in place to function the STOVL fighter jets from the JMSDF’s two Izumo-class DDHs (Helicopter-carrying Destroyers), the JS Izumo and JS Kaga, that are at present present process conversion to permit F-35B operations. To raised put together for the arrival of the brand new plane, Japan is finding out F-35s operations from different navies who already function the sort, such because the Italian Navy and Royal Navy.
The F-35B has undergone checks with Japanese vessels twice, with the Izumo conducting flight ops in 2021, whereas the Kaga only recently had a F-35B land on its deck. Each of those checks had been performed with non-Japanese jets and pilots. The Izumo is about to start out F-35B operations in 2027, whereas the Kaga will induct it into service a yr later in 2028.
Apparently, though the plane are deliberate to function from these JMSDF vessels, the F-35B itself will probably be operated by the JASDF. The service plans to function as much as 105 F-35A CTOL (Typical Take Off and Touchdown) and 42 F-35B V/STOVL fighter jets alongside their earlier stock of F-15J/DJs and F-2A/Bs.
Japan plans to station the primary batch of F-35Bs at Nyutabaru Air Base, which is positioned within the southern a part of the island of Kyushu, because of the its shut proximity to the house port of the JS Kaga in JMSDF (Japan Maritime Self Protection Pressure) Kure, in Hiroshima prefecture. A short lived squadron has been established in preparation for the induction of the F-35B at Nyutabaru.
“Eight plane are scheduled to be delivered throughout fiscal yr 2025, and the supply date for the remaining 4 plane remains to be being adjusted,” lately confirmed the MoD. Moreover, U.S. pilots will conduct demonstration flights at Nyutabaru in September in an try to mitigate issues of native residents over noise attributable to vertical landings.
A giant thanks to @aeros808 for the photographs he shared with us and the small print. Be certain that to take a look at his web page on Instagram for extra!
