Late in 2012, U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta Revealed public comments in United States que la Intended to send the first overseas contingent of F-35B Lightning IIs to the Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Iwakuni at, located in Yamaguchi Prefecture Japan on the southeastern coast of the archipelago's main island of Honshu. Secretary Panetta STATED That this move will go far in Strengthening America's security posture in the Asia-Pacific region and will Represent the first overseas operational deployment of the controversial stealth fighter. The aircraft are scheduled to arrive in Japan by 2017.
The U.S. Navy's F-35B Short Take-Off and Vertical Landing (STOVL) version of the Lightning II is designed to meet the needs of single U.S. Navy and Marine amphibious assault operations. Deploying the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) to forward-based units in the Pacific is in keeping with the Obama administration's "Asia-Pacific hub." This pivot Entails relocating the bulk of U.S. forces to the Pacific region to Reinforce America's presence in the area . The revised defense policy places the greatest emphasis on maritime trade routes Protecting and Strengthening stability in the Asian-Pacific area, a area of the world economic and MOST defense analysts agree Represents A Relatively untapped market of huge potential growth.
China's surprising advances in military technology and a significant growth in the size and capabilities of Chinese military forces, coupled with North Korea's unexpected proficiency in missile and rocket technology Have reinforced America's determination to focus more carefully on the area of the world with the greatest potential for economic growth.
On 10 January, the United States Notified Japan intends to begin That It Deploying ten year initial quota of U.S. Air Force CV-22 Osprey tilt rotor transport to the Kadena Air Force Base on the southernmost island of Okinawa in about two years.
Japanese groups Opposed to the presence of U.S. military forces, on the island of Okinawa staged mass demonstrations in September and October of 2012 to protest the basing of a squadron of Marine Corps MV-22B Ospreys twelve MCAS Futenma at That is located very near the Okinawan urban center of Ginowan City. The Marine squadron fully operational in December Became and a second squadron of twelve aircraft is due to arrive in mid-2013 as additional replacements for the Corps' fleet of Vietnam-era CH-46 Sea Knights. When counting the twelve Marine MV-22B Ospreys currently stationed at MCAS Futenma and the additional squadron of twelve due to arrive in mid-2013 and the ten USAF CV-22s tentatively scheduled for arrival sometime in 2015, Will Become Okinawa home to a total of thirty-four or more Ospreys making the island to host the Largest concentration of the tilt rotor aircraft in the Pacific.
When Notified of the deployment plan falling on a briefing in Washington, Susumu Matayoshi Representing the governor of Okinawa, flatly STATED que le Okinawa Prefectural government Could not possibly agree with Such Plans and Determined Would mount a protest to Prevent the stationing of more Ospreys on the island . Following the meetings with Mr. Matayoshi, Department of Defense (DoD) press secretary George Little Issued a public statement indicating indication que le Pentagon was basing Evaluating Numerous options as share of a continuous process schedule Intended to balance the military build-up in the Pacific. He can STATED que le deployment of USAF CV-22s to the Pacific is still years away and That "no Building Has Begun to Support Such a deployment."
On 28 July 2012, eight United States Air Force (USAF) F-22 Raptor stealth fighters stationed at Kadena Were Air Force Base to further Top bolster America's aerial fighting capabilities in the Pacific. The arrival of the F-22s puts with no protests from local Citizens.
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