The UK's " Financial Times " recently reported that the United States will withdraw its permanent F-15 fighter force from Okinawa, and the US Air Force plans to replace all about 100 F-15 fighter jets in Okinawa, Japan. Some U.S. and Japanese officials are worried that the change will send a red flag to China about deterrence. According to six people familiar with the matter, the Air Force plans to retire two Eagle F-15 squadrons that have been stationed in Okinawa for a long time. The decision sparked panic in the Japanese government and some departments of the Pentagon, as the Air Force did not intend to replace them with permanent existence in the short term.
The US Air Force plans to withdraw 100 F15 fighter jets, which will bring huge emptiness of the air force's combat power in the United States' first island chain in the short term. "The message to China is that the United States is not seriously considering reversing its decline in military power," said David Deptula, former deputy commander of the U.S. Pacific Air Force. "This will encourage more dramatic action for the Chinese." Eric Sayers, an expert on Asia at the American Enterprise Institute, said the Air Force ended its long-term existence without a clear long-term plan, which is "worrying".
The US Air Force plans to send fifth-generation F-22 fighter jets from Alaska to Okinawa base, which will undergo a six-month rotation after the F-15 leaves the base next year. But some say the force has not yet developed a future rotation plan, raising concerns about possible gaps. The Air Force said the plan could not be discussed for security reasons, but Air Force spokesman Ann Stefanek said it would "continue to be prepared to support our U.S.-Japan alliance, which is the cornerstone of security in the Indian Ocean Pacific." Apparently, the U.S. Air Force's plan, which is seen by critics, seems to undermine the Pentagon's mantra that China is a "step threat."
Obviously, in the eyes of these critics, the US Air Force's plan is clearly to send a so-called wrong signal to China. That is, the US air force strength in the Western Pacific region has dropped sharply, which may be considered a good opportunity for China to resolve the process of national reunification. Of course, this view is only the view of American critics, and does not mean that China is judging this way. Part of the problem is that the Pentagon is sending advanced fighter to Europe and providing it to the U.S. National Guard and reserves. The implication is that the United States draws Asian Air Force power, which will only bring more room for Asian opponents to swing.
Although the US Air Force comforted Japanese allies and claimed that there would be no problem of connection gaps. Deptura, however, believes that "they will not do heel-toe replacements," he said. “That’s why they’re doing the spin. Former Pentagon official Christopher Johnstone, a Japanese expert at the CSIS think tank, said the move was not good. “When everyone is paying attention to Taiwan, this sends a worrying signal to Tokyo, showing the U.S. commitment,” he said. "In fact, they are just expressing a signal that even if the United States sends F-22 fighter jets , it will not form a good connection, and there will definitely be a gap in the empty US fighter jets.
Johnstone said that the real "heel-to-toe" rotation plan will greatly reduce worries, but the Pentagon must ensure this. But in the eyes of the Japanese, the US Department of Defense may not be so stable. Michael Green, director of the Center for American Studies at the University of Sydney, said that this move will affect areas outside Japan. He said: "U.S. allies are already worried about the tactical air situation of the Chinese Air Force . "They will pay great attention to this." " Heigo Sato, a defense expert at Kaohsiung University, said that F-22 will alleviate people's concerns, but if the Air Force cannot replace the F-15, "the credibility of the U.S. military may be questioned."
In the face of some experts' doubts, some experts have obviously given affirmation of the US rotation model. Chip Gregson, a retired admiral and former senior Pentagon official for Asia, said that troops trained and rotated in the United States are sometimes more efficient and will not experience continuous loss of personnel like people have long left troops deployed overseas. "This is the difference between a team that is consistent day after day in six or seven months and a changing team," Gregson said. Evan Medeiros, a China expert at Georgetown University, said there is another benefit to the existence of rotation, as Kadena is vulnerable to attacks from the Chinese missile , but the rotation posture in Tokyo would be seen as a reduction in the US commitment.
Although some experts in the United States questioned this rotation system and some experts also expressed their affirmation of such a system, overall, the strength of the United States has declined. The United States does not have too much ability to protect Europe, so it wants to remove Asian military forces to reinforce the European direction. The United States is trying to achieve a realistic deterrence against Asian opponents through the rotation of the F22 fighter squadron. However, the Asian powers are equipped with the fifth-generation stealth fighter with performance not lower than F22, and their counterattack capabilities are sufficient, which can turn US military bases within 2,000 kilometers into ruins. In fact, no matter how many fighter jets the United States deploys in the first island chain, it may not have much effect in real war. (The pictures in this article are from the Internet)
