The first F-15EX destined for Kadena departs Boeing for Portland ahead of Japan. The US Air Force is preparing 36 permanent Eagle IIs in Okinawa.
In Summary
The US Air Force has taken a concrete step in modernizing its air power in Japan. The first F-15EX Eagle II destined for permanent stationing at Kadena Air Base on Okinawa Island departed Boeing’s St. Louis facility on August 28, 2026. The information was officially highlighted on September 3. The aircraft, identified as 22-0022 and bearing Kadena’s famous “ZZ” tail code, initially flew to Portland Air National Guard Base in Oregon, where it is scheduled to receive additional preparation before its transfer to Japan. The US Air Force plans to deploy 36 F-15EXs to Kadena, replacing 48 F-15C/D aircraft that were phased out starting in 2022. The first permanent arrivals are now slated for Fiscal Year 2027, which begins on October 1, 2026. Above all, selecting the F-15EX brings increased missile capacity, radar power, and electronic warfare capabilities to Okinawa.
The First Kadena F-15EX Left St. Louis on August 28
The deployment was underway days before receiving media coverage. The first F-15EX Eagle II intended for the future permanent fleet at Kadena Air Base took off from Boeing’s facilities in St. Louis, Missouri, on August 28, 2026.
Boeing announced on September 3 that it had delivered its 22nd F-15EX to the US Air Force, clarifying that it was the first tail assigned to Kadena.
The aircraft carries serial number 22-0022. It was previously observed undergoing flight tests in St. Louis in early August, initially unpainted before receiving its operational livery. Its vertical stabilizer displays the “ZZ” tail code, traditionally associated with Kadena’s 18th Wing.
This detail is significant. F-15EX aircraft had previously operated out of Okinawa in 2025 and again in June 2026. However, those were test aircraft from the 85th Test and Evaluation Squadron deployed temporarily to train personnel and validate procedures.
Aircraft 22-0022 is different: it is assigned as a permanent asset to Kadena.
The Stopover in Portland Prepares the Transfer to Okinawa
The jet did not head straight to Japan.
After departing St. Louis, the F-15EX landed at Portland Air National Guard Base in Oregon. The US Air Force stated that it will undergo “additional updates and preparations” there prior to its eventual transpacific flight to Kadena.
Stopping in Portland is a logical step. The Oregon Air National Guard’s 142nd Wing already operates the F-15EX and serves as one of the primary operational hubs for the Eagle II in the United States.
This intermediary phase allows the aircraft to be prepared by a unit that already masters the type before its transit across the Pacific.
The US Air Force now indicates that F-15EXs should begin arriving at Kadena during Fiscal Year 2027. In the United States, Fiscal Year 2027 begins on October 1, 2026. This timeline shift is notable, as earlier communications had suggested arrivals as early as spring 2026.
The schedule has therefore slipped, driven in part by production ramp-up challenges facing the F-15EX program.
36 F-15EXs Will Replace 48 Legacy F-15C/Ds
Historically, Kadena hosted one of the most formidable US air superiority forces in the Pacific.
The US Air Force previously operated 48 F-15C/D Eagles from the base. These aging aircraft began departing Okinawa in November 2022 after decades of continuous deployment.
At the time, Washington did not immediately specify a permanent replacement. To maintain an air presence, the US Air Force dispatched temporary fighter rotations to Kadena, including F-15E Strike Eagles, F-16s, and F-22s.
In July 2024, the Department of Defense confirmed the final solution: 36 F-15EX Eagle IIs would be permanently beddowned at Kadena.
Although total aircraft numbers will decrease from 48 to 36, evaluating the fleet solely by quantity is misleading. The new platform features avionics, payload capacity, and electronic warfare systems that vastly surpass the legacy F-15C/Ds it replaces.
The F-15EX Delivers Upgraded Sensors and Missile Capacity
The F-15EX retains the overall silhouette of the original F-15, which first flew in 1972. Technically, however, it represents a fundamentally different aircraft.
The plane features an AN/APG-82(V)1 AESA active electronically scanned array radar. Unlike the mechanically scanned radars of earlier-generation Eagles, its array uses numerous solid-state transmit/receive modules that can steer the radar beam almost instantaneously.
This results in superior detection and tracking range, along with enhanced resistance to electronic jamming.
The F-15EX is also equipped with the AN/ALQ-250 Eagle Passive Active Warning Survivability System, or EPAWSS. Developed by BAE Systems, this electronic warfare suite detects, identifies, and geolocates hostile radar emissions, facilitating active jamming or deception countermeasures.
The New Eagle Can Carry Up to 13.4 Metric Tons
The most visible distinction between the F-15EX and a stealth fighter is its ordnance capacity.
Boeing cites a maximum payload capacity of 13,381 kg (29,500 lb). In specific air-to-air loadout configurations, the F-15EX can carry up to 12 AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles.
Its maximum takeoff weight reaches 36,741 kg (81,000 lb). Each of its two General Electric F110-GE-129 engines produces approximately 131 kN of thrust with afterburner, driving the aircraft to a reported maximum speed of Mach 2.5.
Its airframe is engineered for a service life exceeding 20,000 flight hours, far surpassing that of early-generation Eagles.
Furthermore, the aircraft features digital fly-by-wire controls, a large glass cockpit display, and an Open Mission Systems architecture designed to streamline future software, sensor, and weapons integration.
The F-15EX Complements Stealth Fighters Rather Than Replacing Them
The F-15EX is not a stealth fighter. It would be inaccurate to view it as a direct counterpart to the F-35 Lightning II or the F-22 Raptor.
Its operational concept is fundamentally different.
An F-22 or F-35 can penetrate deeper into contested airspace defended by modern radars and surface-to-air missiles thanks to its low radar cross-section. Conversely, the F-15EX delivers heavy firepower and the capacity to carry large, long-range standoff weapons.
The two approaches are complementary.
A fifth-generation stealth fighter can operate forward, detect threats, and transmit targeting data via data links. An F-15EX operating farther back can leverage that information to deliver a heavy volley of long-range missiles.
This operational pairing is well-suited to the Pacific theater, characterized by vast distances and few forward bases. Every sortie must generate maximum combat power.
Kadena’s Strategic Position Highlights the Eagle’s Importance
Kadena Air Base is situated on Okinawa, along the First Island Chain bordering the Asian mainland.
The base positions American tactical aviation in close proximity to the East China Sea and relatively near Taiwan. For decades, it has served as a cornerstone of US power projection in the Indo-Pacific.
While this proximity offers obvious operational advantages, it also creates vulnerability.
In a major conflict, Kadena would fall within range of various Chinese missile systems. Consequently, the US Air Force is working concurrently on agile combat employment, dispersing aircraft to secondary bases, and operating with degraded infrastructure.
The F-15EX does not eliminate this vulnerability—an advanced aircraft remains vulnerable on the ground. However, its speed, range, and payload maximize the operational output of every aircraft successfully launched.
The Return of a Permanent Force Shifts the Dynamics at Kadena
Following the withdrawal of the F-15C/Ds, air defense duties at Kadena relied heavily on temporary rotational deployments from stateside units.
While this approach maintained a robust US presence, it required regular rotations of aircraft, aircrews, maintainers, and support equipment.
Beddown of 36 permanent F-15EXs will re-establish a dedicated force with its own assigned personnel, maintenance structure, and logistics pipeline integrated directly into the 18th Wing.
This is what makes the departure of tail 22-0022 significant beyond a simple manufacturing milestone.
The aircraft that departed St. Louis on August 28 heralds the return of a permanent heavy fighter fleet to Okinawa. This time, however, the Eagle arrives equipped with AESA radar, state-of-the-art electronic warfare, digital architecture, and payload capacity tailored for ultra-long-range combat operations.
The F-15 design spans over fifty years of operational history. At Kadena, its latest iteration is set to take center stage in a theater where the United States is actively preparing its most modern combat scenarios.
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