Second Incident in Two Weeks Amidst Transition from F-15

On September 18, an F-22A Raptor executed a precautionary landing at Okinawa’s Kadena Air Base. Though the aircraft was able to touch down safely, this occurrence is cause for concern as it marks the base’s second mishap in just two weeks.

The aircraft landed at 9:45 am. Emergency services were already on-site and left less than half an hour later after checking for runway damage.

The Raptor is temporarily deployed to the base while the 18th Air Wing works to phase out its legacy F-15C/D Eagle fleet.

“Due to operational security, we cannot discuss the type of operations the aircraft was conducting when the precautionary landing was made,” stated 18th wing spokeswoman Maj. Alli Stormer. “Precautionary landings are a standard procedure when pilots notice something out of the ordinary with their aircraft.”

This incident marks the second precautionary landing in just two weeks for the Kadena F-22s. Similar to the latest occurrence, this landing resulted in no injuries or damage to the pilot, aircraft, or airport.

In May, an F-22 rolled off the apron after being towed into parking. Just a few weeks earlier, another was damaged when its nose gear collapsed during tow. Both of these instances occurred at Kadena Air Base.

Okinawa serves as a strategic location for the military, sitting northeast of Taiwan along the East China Sea. The transition from F-15s to more advanced and more expensive jets, like the F-22, reflects the US commitment to maintaining air superiority in the region.

The phase-out of the F-15 fleet was confirmed in December 2022. In more recent months, six F-22s from the 27th Fighter Squadron have joined those from the Hawaii-based 199th and 19th Fighter Squadrons. While the specific timeline for the final F-15s remains unconfirmed, the transition is most definitely ongoing… and we can only hope the Raptor curse leaves with them.

FMI: www.kadena.af.mil