Military Watch Magazine

U.S. Marines Deploy F-35B Stealth ‘Jump Jets’ to China’s Doorstep

The U.S. Marine Corps has deployed another squadron of F-35B fifth generation fighters to Japan, reinforcing one of the most strategically important U.S. airpower deployments in the Western Pacific. The South Carolina-based squadron has taken over rotational duties in Japan, replacing an ageing Marine F-18C/D Hornet squadron under the service’s programme for periodically rotating U.S.-based aviation units through the Pacific. The deployment reflects Washington’s growing reliance on the F-35B for operations around Japan and potentially against a technologically sophisticated adversary such as China.