ClearedHot Posted September 21, 2009 Share Posted September 21, 2009 The Obama administration has proposed the possible pull out of all 40 F-16s from Misawa AB to the government of Japan. The discussion are supposed to have taken place back in April and have only now been released. The move could possibly start at the end of the year with the agreement of the new incoming administration of Democratic Party of Japanese leader Yukio Hatoyama. As part of the same strategic review plan the US has also told Japan that they may also remove 50 or so F-15s from its base in Kadena, Okinawa. Both proposals are pending as the Japanese government are still concerned about the situations in North Korea. Japanese officials say the moves could send the wrong message to North Korea and China at a time when Pyongyang has conducted missile and nuclear tests and Beijing is rapidly modernizing its military. The proposed withdrawal of the F-16s and the cut in F-15s at Kadena would be welcomed by local communities because it would help to reduce the burden of hosting U.S. bases by cutting aircraft noise and the chance of accidents. The F-16s were deployed at the Misawa base during the Cold War in the 1980s, and some defence experts believe the planes could be used for a so-called surgical attack against North Korea now that the Cold War is over. A Japanese government source said the next-generation F-35 fighters could be flown from Guam and stationed at Misawa on a rotational basis if the F-16s are pulled out. Full production of F-35s has not yet started, and deployment of the jets is unlikely to take place for at least five years. This could mean there is a period where there are no U.S. fighter planes regularly stationed at Misawa Air Base. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hacker Posted September 21, 2009 Share Posted September 21, 2009 Maybe they'll see the economic impact, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drumkitwes Posted September 21, 2009 Share Posted September 21, 2009 Would the F-16's just be retired or moved to another base? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magnum Posted September 21, 2009 Share Posted September 21, 2009 I like the suggestion of putting them at Guam. At least until the F-35 can replace them there. But based on the way the AF makes decisions, I would put my money on 2 new Cannon squadrons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
busdriver Posted September 21, 2009 Share Posted September 21, 2009 It's funny that the first I've seen of this has been been about the Vipers at Misawa. In the grand scheme of things, removing the Eagles from Okinawa has a much greater strategic impact. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MKopack Posted September 21, 2009 Share Posted September 21, 2009 I like the suggestion of putting them at Guam. At least until the F-35 can replace them there. But based on the way the AF makes decisions, I would put my money on 2 new Cannon squadrons. No expert here, by any means, but wouldn't F-16's to Guam put them a long way (for an F-16) from 'the threat'? We kept 16's at Torrejon in Spain up until '91 which put us into a fairly heavy rotation cycle just to train, and a relatively long deployment (for a 'forward deployed unit') if we were needed in a hurry. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StoleIt Posted September 21, 2009 Share Posted September 21, 2009 Maybe they'll see the economic impact, too. I bet they are begging us to come back in a couple months time if we make serious draw downs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stract Posted September 22, 2009 Share Posted September 22, 2009 moving the F-15s from Kadena has fueled the desire of the locals to close Futenma and not build a runway in Oura Wan Bay by Schwab...but instead move that USMC mission to Kadena. Will be an interesting development, for sure! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JarheadBoom Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 moving the F-15s from Kadena has fueled the desire of the locals to close Futenma and not build a runway in Oura Wan Bay by Schwab...but instead move that USMC mission to Kadena. Will be an interesting development, for sure! Hell, the protest I watched outside the front gate at Futenma in '94 was far from the first expression by the Okinawans that they wanted the Marines out. Guam has been kicked about as the new location for all USMC forces currently on Oki for quite a while. Far better idea than that "floating airfield" bullshit from '96 or so... On topic, I agree that this would send the wrong message to NK and China. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SocialD Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 Hell, the protest I watched outside the front gate at Futenma in '94 was far from the first expression by the Okinawans that they wanted the Marines out. Guam has been kicked about as the new location for all USMC forces currently on Oki for quite a while. Far better idea than that "floating airfield" bullshit from '96 or so... On topic, I agree that this would send the wrong message to NK and China. This doesn't help things! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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