The Unit Deployment Program allows continental U.S.-based squadrons to deploy in the Indo-Pacific and gain valuable experience in its peculiar operational conditions.
U.S. Marine Corps aviation forces based in Japan are in the process of welcoming sorely-needed reinforcements from the United States. An F-35B Lightning II squadron from Arizona has been redeployed to Japan in order to support local Marine Corps aviation units.
In the long term, the Indo-Pacific region will be the most important region for U.S. national security.
Japan Welcomes the New F-35 Squadron
The Pentagon deployed the Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 214 from Yuma, Arizona, to Iwakuni, Japan, as part of the Marine Corps’ Unit Deployment Program. In Japan, the F-35B stealth fighter jets will augment local F/A-18 Super Hornet aircraft.
Although part of pre-planned rotation, the deployment of the F-35B Lightning IIs comes at a point in time when tensions with North Korea and China remain high. This week, North Korea launched another salvo of ballistic missiles in response to joint military drills between South Korea and the U.S. And China continues to conduct large-scale exercises around Taiwan, often drilling on amphibious and landing operations.
The Unit Deployment Program allows continental U.S.-based squadrons to deploy in the Indo-Pacific and gain valuable experience in its peculiar operational conditions. Continental U.S.-based units usually send F/A-18 Super Hornets and AV-8 Harriers in these deployments. This is the first time a fifth-generation stealth fighter jet squadron deployed as part of the program.
“Our focus during this deployment is threefold,” Marine Corps Lt. Col. Robert F. Guyette, the commanding officer of VMFA-214, said in a press release. “To seamlessly integrate within Marine forces, joint forces, and regional allies and improve warfighting readiness as a combined force, refine our ability to operate from austere locations, and align with key Marine Corps concepts like Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations to maximize survivability and airpower projection.”
The F-35 Lightning II is the most advanced fighter jet in the arsenal of the U.S. military—and the world. The aircraft’s greatest skill is its ability to communicate and connect different assets on the battlefield. Through its advanced sensors, the F-35 can “talk” to air, ground, and naval assets and direct them to threats. In many ways, the stealth fighter jet is a true “quarterback” of the skies.
The “B” version of the F-35 that the Marine Corps deployed to Japan is the Short Take-Off, Vertical Landing (STOVL) iteration of the stealth fighter jet—designed to take off and land like a helicopter, but fly like a fighter jet.
Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Marcus B. Annibale, the commanding general of 1st Marine Aviation Wing (MAW), said that the deployment of additional F-35 stealth fighter jets in the region was designed to bolster U.S. and allied capabilities in the Indo-Pacific area of operations.
“In the bigger picture, as the Marine Corps advances its aviation plan, more F-35 squadrons will stand up, munitions with greater capabilities will become available, the platform’s support systems will strengthen, and the F-35’s technology suite will continue to evolve,” he said.
About the Author: Stavros Atlamazoglou
Stavros Atlamazoglou is a seasoned defense journalist specializing inspecial operations and a Hellenic Army veteran (national service with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army HQ). He holds a BA from the Johns Hopkins University and an MA from the Johns Hopkins’ School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). His work has been featured inBusiness Insider,Sandboxx, andSOFREP.
Image: Shutterstock / viper-zero.