F-35s Head To Japan As Chinese Bombers and Carrier Make Big Moves
Chinese long-range military activity has exploded in recent weeks, and there's likely more to come.
By Tyler RogowayJanuary 11, 2017
The War ZoneAsiaBomberscarriersChinaF-35 SagaF-35BH-6KJapanLiaoningMCAS IwakuniSea of JapanSouth China SeaTaiwan StraitUSS WaspVMFA-121VMFA-211Yellow Sea
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Marking a major milestone in its development, the long awaited operational deployment of the F-35 is underway. A group of Joint Strike Fighters from Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 121, the “Green Knights,” left their home base at MCAS Yuma in Arizona on Monday, starting their hop across the Pacific to their new home at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni in Japan. Once bedded down there, a total of 10 F-35Bs will begin to participate in a number of exercises, many of them multinational, with major allies in the region.
The Japanese Ministry of Defense will be watching the deployment closely, as they're a customer of the F-35, with 28 F-35As on order for JASDF the and another 24 as options. South Korea is also planning to buy 40 of the jets, and will very likely be one of the first places the Green Knights will show up after arriving in the region.
http://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/6923/f-35s-head-to-japan-as-chinese-bombers-and-carrier-make-big-moves
