U.S. Air Force F-22A Raptors and F-15C Eagle fly training missions during a routine readiness exercise, Jan. 15, 2025.

A Kadena Eagle assigned to the 67th Fighter Squadron and deployed Raptors assigned to the 525th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, Joint Base Elmendorf–Richardson, Alaska, continued to provide forward fighter capabilities and deter aggression in the Indo-Pacific region during a large-scale, base-wide exercise.

“Kadena is one of the bases that has so many different airframes that make it the Keystone of the Pacific,” said U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Benjamin Alesse, 67th Fighter Squadron production superintendent. “It’s a great opportunity to work alongside the fourth and fifth generation fighters as Kadena continues modernization.”

While deployed to Kadena, the transitional fighter squadrons work in conjunction with additional heavy, reconnaissance, and fourth and fifth generation fighter aircraft to ensure continued steady-state fighter capabilities in the region.

F-16C Fighting Falcons assigned to the 77th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron and F-35A Lightning IIs assigned to 134th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, are also currently at Kadena ensuring there’s no gap in fighter coverage while the F-15C/D Eagles return to the United States.

“There’s definitely advantages to having different types of airframes here,” said Alesse U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Benjamin Alesse, 67th Fighter Squadron production superintendent. “Recently with the F-16 being here, we went through hot-pit training in order to get our crew chiefs certified on hot-pit refueling F-16s.”

Together the diverse array of fighters, alongside joint and allied forces strengthen operational readiness to defend Japan while ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific through a robust presence of dynamic fighter aircraft.