F-16C Wild Weasels of the 35th Fighter Wing, based at Misawa Air Base in Aomori Prefecture, will be replaced by F-35As as part of the U.S. Air Force’s modernizations efforts for tactical aircraft based in Japan.
In a recent interview with NHK (Nippon Hōsō Kyōkai, Japan Broadcasting Corporation), it has been revealed that the U.S. military has further informed the Japanese Ministry of Defense about the plans to replace the F-16s at Misawa with new F-35As. According to the interview, the first WW-coded F-35A is to arrive at the base in the spring of 2026, while the F-16s will be gradually phased out starting next summer.
Japanese officials have also stated that the U.S. has kept Japanese authorities informed about this development, and that the Japanese government, officials in Aomori prefecture and in Misawa city are all well briefed. Misawa is one of the two bases which are very significant to the United States’ commitment to “a free and open Indo-Pacific,” as it is near Russia while the other, Kadena, is near Taiwan and China on the opposite end of Japan.
Initial Proposal Made in July
The Pentagon announced earlier in July 2024 that the U.S. Air Force will forward-deploy F-35As in Japan. However, specific timing for the replacement of the F-16s based there was not released until now.
The Department of Defense’s official statement stated that “the U.S. Air Force will also upgrade its presence at Misawa Air Base from 36 F-16 aircraft to 48 F-35A aircraft, leading to greater tactical aircraft capacity and capability.” The statement also added that work was done “in close coordination with the Government of Japan”, with over US $10 billion worth of capability investments to strengthen the U.S.-Japan alliance and bolster regional capabilities.
Misawa is not the only U.S. base in Japan that will have a permanent presence of F-35s – MCAS (Marine Corps Air Station) Iwakuni in Yamaguchi prefecture also already hosts two Marine F-35B squadrons, VMFA-242 and VMFA-121, and a Navy F-35C squadron, VFA-147.
Alongside this, the Pentagon had also confirmed that the USAF will allocate F-15EX Eagle IIs at Kadena Air Base, located in Okinawa, an island in Southern Japan. These changes in the aviation force come amidst larger preparations for a high-end conflict in the Pacific.
The 35th Fighter Wing, the F-16C and the F-35A
The 35th Fighter Wing, composed of the 13th and 14th Fighter Squadrons alongside many other support units, operates the F-16C/D Block 50 Fighting Falcons. The wing is the Air Force’s “premier Wild Weasel organization” according to the Misawa Air Base official page. This means that the Wing specializes in the SEAD/DEAD (Suppression / Destruction of Enemy Air Defenses) role, targeting enemy air defense systems such as Surface-to-Air Missile batteries and radars.
The Wing has a long history in the Wild Weasel role, ever since it started training replacement aircrew for the F-105G Wild Weasel III in 1973, and the F-4C Wild Weasel IV in 1975 while assigned at George AFB (Air Force Base). Wild Weasel aircrew from the Wing were among the first in hostile Iraqi airspace during Desert Shield and Desert Storm.
After George AFB was inactivated in 1992, the Wing was activated for 16 months at Naval Air Station Keflavik in Iceland flying Air Defense missions in the F-15C, before resuming Wild Weasel operations using the F-16s at Misawa, where they are still stationed today.
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For the SEAD/DEAD role, the Air Force uses specialized F-16C/D Block 50s, which were also unofficially designated as F-16CJ/DJ and later, following the CCIP upgrade, F-16CM/DM. These F-16s are equipped with the AN/ASQ-213 HTS (HARM Targeting System), which allows the F-16 to utilize the AGM-88 HARM (High-speed Anti-Radiation Missile) and target enemy radars more effectively.
However, as the USAF has begun replacing the F-16s with F-35s, Wild Weasel squadrons have also started to receive the upgrade. The F-35’s stealth capabilities promise a significant increase in effectiveness against air-defense radars, and the aircraft is more advanced in a ground attack capacity, potentially making it the best crewed aircraft for destroying sophisticated enemy air defenses.
Additionally, new weaponry such as the AGM-88G AARGM-ER (Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile – Extended Range) and SiAW (Stand-in Attack Weapon) being introduced with the F-35s and the F-35’s data-linking capability promises to make it a more potent Wild Weasel compared to the F-16.
Objections Against the U.S. Military presence in Japan
However, the arrival of the U.S. F-35s in Japan may have certain drawbacks. Local opposition against U.S. Military installations in Japan occurs frequently, particularly in Okinawa. Okinawa hosts about 70% of the U.S. military facilities in Japan, despite making up less than 1% of the country’s total land area. This disproportionate presence stems from historical agreements following World War II but has led to significant tension with local residents.
The greatest issue is the disruption caused by the bases, such as noise pollution, possible incidents, and environmental degradation. Jet noise from military aircraft frequently disturbs daily life, while aircraft incidents have raised safety concerns.
The F-35’s F-135 engines are notoriously loud, and the larger quantity of aircraft (a planned 48, compared to the 36 stationed at Misawa at the moment) may bring increased noise pollution.
Misawa is a dual-use airport, meaning both civilian and military aircraft from the airport. It is also a joint base hosting the Japan Air Self Defense Force’s 301st and 302nd fighter squadrons, already operating the F-35A.
