Japan Military News, Reports, Data, etc.

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Lightning II aircraft landed on Okinawa Monday, the first time the state-of-the-art stealth fighter has visited the strategically important Japanese island.

The jets from Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 121 arrived at

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in central Okinawa to become familiar with the airfield, a

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statement said. The aircraft flew in from

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on the Japanese mainland, where they are based.

"The F-35B represents the future of Marine Corps tactical aviation," the statement said.

The Marine Corps has said the fighters will be operating out of Okinawa's Marine Corps Air Station Futenma and Kadena on a "transient basis."

The fighters arrived in Japan in January with much fanfare. A month later, they were training in the skies around Okinawa; however, this is their first visit to an Okinawa airfield, the statement said.

The F-35B Lightning is a short-takeoff, vertical-landing aircraft meant to replace the

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,

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and

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. Like with most new platforms, the fighter's development was plagued with issues, and at one point President Donald Trump indicated he might scrap the program altogether.

However, the aircraft has endured and is typically seen as a valuable tool in maintaining the status quo in the Pacific region.

As with the Hornet and Harrier before it, the F-35B will operate in designated military airspace and ranges, the statement said.

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An F-35B Lightning II with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 121, Marine Aircraft Group 12, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, conducted a training flight from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni to Kadena Air Base, June 26, 2017. (U.S. Marine Corps/ Charles Plouffe)

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FORBIN said:

2nd Asahi Class


View attachment 39811

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Jeff Head said:

Okay, @SamuraiBlue .. what is the next surface combatant build for the JMSDF?

I am trying to remember what follows...and when?

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SamuraiBlue said:

Next in line would be the two additional Atagos. After that probably replacements for the Abukuma DE now hotly talked about littoral defense ships.

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SamuraiBlue said:

Next in line would be the two additional Atagos. After that probably replacements for the Abukuma DE now hotly talked about littoral defense ships.

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Jeff Head said:

Yes, the 2nd flight of Atagos. Those are sorely needed...and I knew they were coming.

But I was talking about the larger build (in terms of quantity numbers). Are they the new frigate design? Or the littoral defense ships.

Are those one and the same...or are they different projects?

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Jeff Head said:

Yes, the 2nd flight of Atagos. Those are sorely needed...and I knew they were coming.

But I was talking about the larger build (in terms of quantity numbers). Are they the new frigate design? Or the littoral defense ships.

Are those one and the same...or are they different projects?

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SamuraiBlue said:

The Abukumas are/were littoral in nature to defend close to shores so I believe the project would be one and the same.
They will probably be some stationed in Okinawa to add more defense in the southern islands will relieving some of the Takanamis/Akizukis from that patrol mission.

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FORBIN said:

Actually only 2 Minesweepers are homeported to Naha.

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SamuraiBlue said:

Yup, but not for long.
There is a JMSDF base on Amami Oshima close to Okinawa and many lawmakers as well as local inhabitants are making request to permanently station some ships there.
At the moment this port is utilized as a final stage area to depart for overseas missions and close to the so called "oil rig"s that PLA placed radar antennas on.

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