Kadena receives first permanently assigned F-15EX Eagle II, the first overseas U.S. Air Force base to field the jet

The first permanently assigned U.S. Air Force F-15EX Eagle II fighter has arrived at Kadena Air Base on Okinawa, the 18th Wing said, making Kadena the first overseas U.S. Air Force installation to receive combat-coded examples of the aircraft.

According to the 18th Wing, the jet, assigned to the 67th Fighter Squadron, landed on Nov. 15, 2026. Kadena is the second U.S. Air Force location to field the F-15EX, after the Oregon Air National Guard’s 142nd Wing at Portland Air National Guard Base.

The arrival is the next step in replacing Kadena’s older F-15C/D fleet, which began a phased withdrawal in November 2022 after more than four decades of service. The wing says rotational deployments of fourth- and fifth-generation fighters kept a continuous fighter presence on the island during the gap.

Preparation

Squadron pilots trained at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida and at Portland Air National Guard Base to qualify on the aircraft ahead of its arrival. Maintainers from the 18th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron worked with Boeing and Air Force teams at the same two bases, and also supported F-15E operations at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in North Carolina and Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho to keep their skills current.

Brig. Gen. John Gallemore, the 18th Wing commander, said the aircraft will “strengthen our ability to deter aggression, respond to emerging threats, and defend Japan alongside our allies and partners.” Lt. Col. Ajay Dua, who commands the 67th Fighter Squadron, said the focus now shifts to integrating the jet into flying operations and building experience as a squadron.

What the F-15EX adds

The wing describes the F-15EX as bringing advanced avionics, modernized electronic warfare systems and increased weapons-carrying capacity to Kadena’s mission. It says the aircraft expands the base’s ability to conduct counterair operations and will complement fifth-generation fighters while supporting bilateral readiness with the Japan Air Self-Defense Force and other regional partners. Both the 44th and 67th Fighter Squadrons are to operate the type at Kadena.

The milestone comes as the 18th Wing prepares to mark its centennial in 2027, 100 years after it was activated as the 18th Pursuit Group at Wheeler Field, Hawaii, on January 21, 1927.

For background on the aircraft itself, see our earlier explainer, F-15EX Eagle II: Payload, sensors and limits of Boeing’s new fighter.

Source: 18th Wing Public Affairs, via DVIDS.