Key Points and Summary: In response to escalating Chinese military activity, the US and Japan held extensive air drills near Okinawa, featuring 32 Japanese aircraft and US F-22 stealth fighters.
-The exercise showcased the alliance’s readiness and deterrence capabilities, emphasizing Okinawa’s strategic role near Taiwan.

U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptors, E-3 Sentrys, C-17 Globemaster IIIs, C-130J Herculeses and C-12F Hurons participate in a close formation taxi known as an elephant walk at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, May 5, 2020. This event displayed the ability of the 3rd Wing, 176th Wing and the 477th Fighter Group to maintain constant readiness throughout COVID-19 by Total Force Integration between active-duty, Guard and Reserve units to continue defending the U.S. homeland and ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Jonathan Valdes Montijo)
-The drills also set the stage for Cope North 2025, a major multinational exercise involving US, Japanese, and Australian F-35s.
-Meanwhile, China and Russia have also increased joint air operations, further heightening regional tensions.
-As military preparations intensify, the Indo-Pacific remains a critical flashpoint, with both sides reinforcing their presence in anticipation of potential conflicts.
F-22s and F-15s in Action: US-Japan Flex Military Muscle Near Taiwan
China keeps throwing its weight around in the South China Sea; they claim virtually everything: seas, islands, the whole enchilada. Their bellicose actions keep everyone in the vicinity on their toes. A Chinese H-6 bomber purposefully violated Japanese air space recently.
However, the US and Japanese air forces just finished a series of drills that will convey their message to the Chinese. Around Okinawa, in the Japanese Ryukyu Islands, the combined air forces sent dozens of fighter jets, including stealth fighters, to flex their muscles.
Okinawa Is Very Close to Taiwan
The Ryukyus, also known as the Nansei Islands, are located in the very southernmost part of Japan. The islands are a boundary between the East China Sea to the west and the Philippine Sea to the east.
According to the Japan Air Self-Defense Force, Japan’s Air Force, the joint tactical training took place on January 22 and 24—the training exercises aimed to improve tactical skills and enhance the alliance’s deterrence and response capabilities.
The training event involved at least 32 Japanese jets and helicopters, including 24 F-15 fighter jets assigned to the 9th Air Wing, a Japanese Air Force unit formed in 2016 and based at Naha Air Base on Okinawa Island. Okinawa is only 300 miles from Taiwan.
Okinawa Was A Bloody Place 80 Years Ago
Okinawa was the scene of one of the bloodiest battles in World War II. Casualties on both sides were enormous. In the city of Naha, Marines battled the Japanese in one of the few house-to-house fighting scenarios they encountered in the jungle-hopping campaign.
The Americans suffered more than 49,000 casualties, with nearly 8,000 dead. Japanese losses totaled 110,000 dead and 7,000 captured. Civilian deaths ranged between 82,000 and 150,000. It was a strategic target then and remains a strategic base now for the US and Japan.

F-22. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
The Naha-based fighter jets scrambled against Chinese military aircraft that have frequently approached Japan’s airspace. Japan has established an air defense zone around its country within international airspace for aircraft identification in the interest of national security.
The US military participated in the exercises with Air Force F-22 stealth fighters from Kadena Air Force Base in Okinawa, just north of the Naha base. Marine Corps MV-22 tilt-rotor aircraft also participated.
China Is Watching: US And Allies Prep For Large Exercise in Guam
The US, Australia, and Japan are gearing up for an extensive exercise on Guam at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. The exercise will start next week and run from February 3–21.
The US, Australian, and Japanese aircrews will all fly their F-35A Lightning II stealth fighters in the Cope North exercise. It will be the first time the Japanese have trained with other F-35s. But it also sends a message to China.
The exercise aims to prepare to deter Chinese aggression over contested territory in the South China Sea and East China Sea and around Taiwan. Japan is sending six of their 39 F-35As, two E-2D Advanced Hawkey command and control planes, and a KC-46A Pegasus tanker to Cope North,
“We share universal values and strategies with the U.S. and Australia, and through this exercise, we can show the strong ties between the three countries to ensure peace and stability in the region and will help to realize a free and open Indo-Pacific,” said Gen. Hiroaki Uchikura, the service’s chief of staff.
Late December Exercise Shows How Serious China Situation Is
A joint exercise conducted between the US and Japan in late December was another show of unity opposing China as the heat kept increasing. By the number of aircraft participating, this is one of the biggest Allied air exercises seen recently.
The exercise involved 35 aircraft, including F-15s, a B-52H Stratofortress bomber, F-35As, F/A-18s, F-22s, F-16s, and E/A-18G Growler electronic warfare jets. It was part of a bilateral exercise in the airspace over the Sea of Japan, East China Sea, and West Pacific Ocean.
This show of force was in response to a November exercise by Russian and Chinese aircraft. Both nations sent nuclear-capable bombers over the Sea of Japan. Russian Tu-95s and Chinese H-6Ns, along with various fighters, Chinese J-16s, Russian Su-30M, and MiG-31s, were present.
The US and allies in the Indo-Pacific have ratcheted up their training, preparing for a war that many feel is inevitable with China. There have been other exercises involving South Korea as well. When this war comes, it will affect the entire region.
About the Author:
Steve Balestrieri is a 19FortyFive National Security Columnist. He served as a US Army Special Forces NCO and Warrant Officer. In addition to writing for 19FortyFive, he covers the NFL for PatsFans.com and is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA). His work was regularly featured in other military publications.
