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Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Fighter Jet Makes Historic Flight in Japan
Spurred by the perception of a growing regional threat from Beijing, Tokyo has made sweeping investments aimed at revitalizing its aging surface ship and naval aviation roster.
The Air Force’s F-35B Lightning II fighter jets were successfully tested aboard the Japanese ship Izumo, marking the first time since the end of World War II that a fixed-wing aircraft took off from a Japanese vessel.
- Mark Episkopos
- The National Interest
The completion of the tests was announced earlier this week by the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF).
“This verification is the first time for an F-35B fighter to land on a [Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Forces] vessel, and Japan is working to improve its…