US Navy recalls F/A-18 Super Hornets from Japan, replaces them with F-35C jets amid tensions with China

The U.S. Navy has announced the deployment of F-35C Lightning II fighters and CMV-22B Osprey aircraft to Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Iwakuni in Japan. The move, detailed in a July 15 press release, is intended to replace the aging squadrons of F/A-18 Super Hornets and C-2A Greyhound transport aircraft currently stationed at the base.

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The service said Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 147 and Fleet Logistics Multi-Mission Squadron (VRM) 30, from Forward Deployed Naval Forces (FDNF), will forward deploy to Iwakuni. The squadrons are expected to merge with aircraft from Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5, based at MCAS Iwakuni.

VFA 147’s F-35C Lightning II jets will take over from VFA 115’s F/A-18 Hornets, while VRM 30, Det FDNF’s CMV-22B Ospreys will replace the C-2A Greyhound aircraft that previously supported CVW 5 and Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 5.

Strike Fighter Squadron 115 and its F/A-18s were assigned to Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni in November 2017. The station currently hosts two Marine Corps squadrons of F-35B stealth fighters, short takeoff and vertical landing fighters, as well as two Navy squadrons of Super Hornets integrated with the carrier’s wing.

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This modernization underscores the Navy’s commitment to maintaining superior air capabilities in the region. This development follows the Defense Ministry’s recent announcement to bolster its air capabilities at other bases in Japan.

Over the next few years, 36 modern F-15EX aircraft are expected to permanently replace 48 older F-15C/D fighters at Kadena Air Base in Okinawa. In addition, Misawa Air Base in northern Japan is also expected to receive 48 F-35A Lightning II aircraft to replace its 36 F-16 Fighting Falcon fighters.

As the Chinese military expands its presence in the region, the importance of airpower in meeting these challenges has led to the implementation of these improvements.

The service said CVW 5 is aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), which has been deployed to Japan for nearly nine years.

The Ronald Reagan is scheduled to return to the United States for maintenance later this year, and the USS George Washington (CVN 73) will replace it as the U.S. aircraft carrier deployed to Yokosuka, Japan.

CVW 5 will continue to serve as the United States’ forward-deployed air wing and will be aboard George Washington upon her return to Japan.

The George Washington previously served as the Navy’s forward-deployed aircraft carrier in Yokosuka from 2008 to 2015. The exact timeline for the new aircraft’s arrival in Japan has not been disclosed.

US Navy bolsters operational capabilities with F-35C, CMV-22B deployments

The U.S. Navy’s decision to modernize its fighter and transport aircraft is aimed at meeting contemporary threats and improving operational effectiveness.

The F-35C Lightning II, billed as the Navy’s most advanced fighter, plays a critical role in this effort. According to the Navy, the F-35C is the cornerstone of air superiority, providing a dominant, fifth-generation multirole aircraft that strengthens America’s power projection and deterrence capabilities.

In light of growing tensions with China in the Western Pacific, this advanced fighter is essential for carrying out missions that require penetrating enemy territory.

The Pentagon is developing new strategies to address the challenges posed by the vast distances of the China and Philippine seas, where U.S. and allied air bases are vulnerable to potential attacks from China.

The plan is to counter these obstacles by sending F-35Cs on long sorties that can span thousands of miles. These missions include safe returns to the decks of aircraft carriers, navigating enemy air defenses and using the Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW), a glide bomb, against enemy targets.

Compared to its F-35B counterpart, the F-35C has larger weapons bays and an additional 7,000 pounds of fuel capacity, which can accommodate heavier ordnance, including 2,000-pound JSOW glide bombs.

These attributes reinforce the F-35C’s role as the Navy’s premier deep strike platform, complementing its carrier operations with extended operational range and payload capabilities.

In addition to the fighter upgrades, the Navy is replacing its C-2A Greyhound transport aircraft with the CMV-22B Osprey. The Osprey offers significant improvements over the Greyhound, including greater operational range, faster loading and unloading of cargo, in-flight refueling capability, improved survivability and better beyond-line-of-sight communications.

This next-generation aircraft is essential for maintaining the mobility and support of carrier strike groups, ensuring sustained deployment capabilities in high-end combat scenarios.

However, the transition to the CMV-22B has been plagued by delays. The November crash of an Osprey in southern Japan, which resulted in the loss of all eight crew members, delayed the replacement and extended the service life of the Navy’s remaining 15 Greyhounds.

Although the Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force’s 400 Ospreys have been authorized to fly since March, they won’t be fully operational in all their planned missions until mid-2025.