The first F-15EX Kadena Air Base jet has departed Boeing’s St. Louis plant, marking the opening move toward permanently stationing the Air Force’s newest Eagle variant on Okinawa, Japan. The aircraft, designated EX-22, left St. Louis on August 28, 2026, bound for Portland Air National Guard Base, Oregon, where it will undergo further preparation before its eventual move to Kadena.
The Air Force plans to station 36 F-15EX Eagle IIs at Kadena, replacing the base’s legacy F-15C/D fleet, which left Okinawa in 2024. Arrivals are scheduled to begin in fiscal year 2027, which starts October 1, 2026.
Table of Contents
First Kadena-Bound F-15EX Departs Boeing
EX-22, the 22nd F-15EX Eagle II delivered to the Air Force, is the first aircraft of the type designated for permanent stationing at Kadena Air Base. It departed Boeing’s St. Louis facility on August 28, 2026, for Portland Air National Guard Base, Oregon, where it will receive additional updates and preparations before its eventual move to Japan.
The 18th Wing, which will operate the jets from Kadena, confirmed the milestone in a statement released September 3.
“This is an important next step toward bringing the F-15EX home to Kadena,” said Brig. Gen. John Gallemore, 18th Wing commander.
Gallemore said the milestone brings the wing closer to “putting this capability in the hands of the Airmen who will fly, maintain and employ it from Japan.”
Why Kadena Is Getting the F-15EX
The Air Force plans to permanently station 36 F-15EX Eagle IIs at Kadena, replacing the legacy F-15C/D fleet that had been based on Okinawa for decades. The last permanently assigned F-15C/Ds left Kadena in 2024 as the Air Force retired the aging fighters; since then, the base has maintained fighter presence through rotational deployments from the United States.
Kadena will become the second Air Force location to operate combat-coded F-15EXs, following the Oregon Air National Guard’s 142nd Wing at Portland Air National Guard Base.
The 18th Wing regularly trains with Japan Air Self-Defense Force F-15 units based at Naha Air Base through bilateral exercises, and the permanent F-15EX presence is intended to strengthen that interoperability alongside the broader U.S.-Japan defense partnership.
Program Timeline and the Boeing Strike Delay
F-15EX aircraft are scheduled to begin arriving at Kadena during fiscal year 2027, which starts October 1, 2026. Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink has told the Senate that delivery of all 36 aircraft planned for Kadena should be completed in 2028.
The timeline reflects a production disruption at Boeing: a machinists’ strike at the company’s factories from August to November 2025 caused what Air Force officials have described as a significant slowdown in the Eagle II’s delivery schedule. The first operational F-15EX unit at Kadena, the 67th Fighter Squadron, had originally been expected to begin receiving jets earlier in 2026.
About the F-15EX Eagle II and Kadena Air Base
The F-15EX is Boeing’s most advanced Eagle variant, combining updated avionics, an open mission systems architecture and increased payload capacity with the type’s traditional speed and range. It is designed to complement the stealthier F-35 and F-22 within the Air Force’s fighter mix rather than replace them.
Kadena Air Base sits on Okinawa, roughly 400 miles from mainland China and 370 miles from Taiwan, making it one of the most strategically significant U.S. air bases in the Pacific. Its two 12,000-foot runways and hardened aircraft shelters were built to support high-end combat operations, and its location places any permanently based fighter wing at the center of the Air Force’s Indo-Pacific posture.
FAQ: F-15EX Kadena Air Base
Why is the F-15EX replacing the F-15C/D at Kadena?
The F-15C/D fleet at Kadena had aged out of service, with the last jets leaving Okinawa in 2024. The F-15EX is the Air Force’s designated replacement, offering updated avionics and greater payload capacity.
When will the F-15EX actually arrive at Kadena?
Arrivals are scheduled to begin in fiscal year 2027, starting October 1, 2026. The Air Force has said all 36 planned aircraft should be delivered to Kadena by 2028.
Why did the aircraft stop in Portland first?
EX-22 will undergo additional updates and preparation at Portland Air National Guard Base, home of the Oregon Air National Guard’s 142nd Wing, before its eventual move to Kadena.
Looking Ahead
Fiscal year 2027 begins October 1, 2026, when F-15EX arrivals at Kadena are scheduled to start. The Air Force has not released a detailed squadron activation schedule beyond Secretary Meink’s 2028 target for completing all 36 deliveries. The Aviation Diary will track further F-15EX Kadena Air Base milestones as the 67th Fighter Squadron begins receiving aircraft.
Sources
- 18th Wing / DVIDS — First Kadena-bound F-15EX departs Boeing facility for next milestone at Portland
- Air Data News — First F-15EX Bound for Permanent Deployment in Japan Delivered to US Air Force
- MiGFlug — F-15EX Eagle II Touches Down at Kadena for the First Time
- Zona Militar — First F-15EX Eagle II Bound for Kadena Air Base Begins Preparations for Permanent U.S. Air Force Deployment to Japan
- The War Zone — First USAF F-15EX to Be Based in Japan Departs Boeing’s St. Louis Plant
