| Air Force to begin withdrawing F-15s from Kadena in November |
Stephen Losey
Fri, October 28, 2022 at 12:06 PM·2 min read
WASHINGTON — The Air Force plans to start withdrawing its two squadrons of F-15C and D Eagle fighters from Kadena Air Base in Japan on Nov. 1.
In a statement issued Friday, Air Force spokeswoman Ann Stefanek said the phased withdrawal of the aging F-15s, which the service is retiring, will take place over two years.
Kadena now has at least 48 F-15s as part of the 18th Wing’s 44th and 67th fighter squadrons. The withdrawal of the F-15s will take place in waves as the older planes fly back to the United States. The Air Force’s F-15Cs and Ds are well into their third decade — some even pushing 40 years — and are nearing the end of their lives.
As the F-15s retire, Stefanek said the Air Force will rotate newer and more advanced fourth- and fifth-generation fighters to take their place. These rotations will be temporary, but Stefanek said the military will “maintain a steady-state presence at Kadena.”
https://www.yahoo.com/now/air-force-begin-withdrawing-f-160651096.html
