JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, HAWAII -- F-22A Raptors, aircrew and support personnel, assigned to the 525th Fighter Squadron, Joint Base Elemendorf-Richardson (JBER), Alaska, deployed to Kadena Air Base (AB), Japan under U.S. Indo-Pacific Command's theater security package (TSP) program, May 29, 2018.
Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) TSP deployments to the Indo-Pacific region signify a continued commitment to regional stability and security and have served as a routine and integral part of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command's force posture since March 2004.
F-22s are a familiar sight over the skies of Okinawa; the jets have based at Kadena AB routinely over the past 10 years, with the last deployment occurring there in 2014. Earlier this year, F-35As re-deployed to Hill Air Force Base, Utah, from Kadena AB after a six month rotation in-theater. Combined, these deployments re-enforce PACAF's commitment to the employment of fifth-generation fighter technology within the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command area of responsibility.
The United States routinely evaluates readiness and repositions forces as needed to ensure the capabilities necessary to meet obligations in the Indo-Pacific region. These deployments demonstrate the continued U.S. commitment to fulfil security responsibilities throughout the Western Pacific and to maintain peace and stability throughout the region.