48 Brand New F-35A Fighters Will Now Be Based in China’s Backyard

48 Brand New F-35A Fighters Will Now Be Based in China’s Backyard

Summary and Key Points: Forty-eight new F-35A Lightning II fighters slated for Japan would deepen U.S. fifth-generation airpower on China’s doorstep and tighten the allied web stretching from Japan down toward the Philippines and beyond. Misawa’s location offers faster response times, more operational flexibility, and more survivable combat options, especially when stealth aircraft can operate without relying as heavily on vulnerable tanker supp…