The first F-35B Lightning II fighter jet produced for the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF), May 12 2025 successfully completed its first test flight at NAS Joint Reserve Base in Fort Worth, Texas, USA on , demonstrating Japan’s determination to significantly enhance its defense capabilities and enter a new era in its air power strategy.
Details of the First Flight
The F-1B, tail number BX-35, took off at 16:08 local time and completed its approximately one-hour flight without any problems. During the flight, as is usual for newly produced aircraft, a ATAC Mirage F-1 The aircraft was not yet in full squadron markings, but the number "201" under the canopy and the Japanese roundel on the wings drew attention. This first test flight represents an important phase of the aircraft before it is delivered to Japan.
Japan's F-35B Decision and Its Strategic Importance
This first flight is Japan's total 42 F-35B orders represents a significant milestone for the first aircraft to be delivered under the scope of the Japan-made F-35A. Japan had initially planned to add only F-XNUMXA models to its inventory. However, In 2018, two aircraft carriers, small air bases and remote islands to increase the ability to operate from Short Take-Off and Vertical Landing (STOVL) The F-35B has decided to order the F-35B, which is equipped with a . This feature allows the F-XNUMXB to operate from space-limited platforms (such as aircraft carriers or dispersed air bases) without the need for traditional long runways. This provides a strategic advantage, especially considering Japan's island geography and potential conflict scenarios.
Japan's F-35 Fleet and Future Deployment
This 42-aircraft F-35B order brings Japan's total Its fleet of 147 F-35s This would make Japan the second-largest F-35 operator after the United States. The aircraft will be manufactured at Lockheed Martin’s Fort Worth, Texas, facility. However, the final assembly and inspection (FACO) facility in Nagoya, Japan, will continue to handle final assembly and maintenance, repair, overhaul and upgrade (MRO&U) of F-35A models.
Japan's first F-35B squadron deployed in southern Japan At Nyutabaru Air Base This base will be deployed. The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) The JS Kaga aircraft carrier Its main port, Kure, is of strategic importance due to its proximity to Hiroshima. Japan aims to increase its ability to use the aircraft from the sea by adapting its Izumo-class helicopter carriers, which are currently being modernized, to F-35B operations. Preparations for the formation of the interim fleet are expected to be completed by the end of fiscal year 2024 (March 31, 2025).
With this delivery, Japan joins a limited number of F-35B operators, including the US Marine Corps, the Italian Air Force and Navy, and the UK Royal Air Force and Navy. Singapore is also expected to procure F-35Bs in the future. Japan’s move also sends an important message in terms of regional security balances.
