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  • BB26-1: Hot-gas refueling strengthens HH-60 readiness

    U.S. Air Force special mission aviators assigned to the 33rd Rescue Squadron refuel a U.S. Air Force HH-60W Jolly Green II during a hot-gas refueling operation as part of readiness exercise Beverly Beach 26-1 at Kadena Air Base, Japan, Aug. 4, 2026. BB26-1 provides Airmen opportunities to refine

  • Faces of Kadena: The people behind the mission

    Kadena Air Base is home to over 19,000 personnel including U.S. Air Force Airmen, sister service members, and both U.S. and Japanese civilians who each have their own story to tell.

  • Kadena Food Pantry: Supporting Airmen when it matters most

    Run by the Shogun Rising Four Council, the pantry is an Airman-led initiative providing food and essential household items to service members, families, and civilians across Okinawa. What began as a small grassroots effort has grown into the largest free food distribution program run by military

  • Eyes of the Pacific: Allied ISR strengthens deterrence at Kadena Air Base

    In a region where distance defines every mission, information dominance serves as the cornerstone of deterrence. Kadena Air Base stands as the forward hub for joint and allied ISR operations that preserve stability, reassure partners and ensure U.S. forces remain ready to respond at a moment’s

  • F-35s strengthen Indo-Pacific airpower at Kadena

    F-35A Lightning IIs from the 4th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, Hill Air Force Base, Utah, landed at Kadena Air Base, Japan, Oct. 7, 2025, reinforcing the U.S. Air Force’s lethal and agile fighter presence in the Indo-Pacific.

  • Air Refueling: Power beyond the horizon

    A U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker assigned to the 909th Air Refueling Squadron conducts aerial refueling operations with B1-B Lancers and F-35 Lightning IIs over the Pacific Ocean, Oct. 27, 2025.The KC-135 is the premier long-term aircraft that provides aerial refueling capabilities for the U.S.

  • BH 26-1: Aeromedical Evacuation: Taking Critical Care To The Skies

    U.S. Air Force Airmen assigned to the 18th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron conducted a training flight aboard a C-130J Super Hercules from the 36th Airlift Squadron, Yokota Air Base, Japan, in support of operational readiness exercise BH 26-1 at Kadena Air Base, Japan, Nov. 5, 2025.

  • Steps to safety: Kadena and Chatan Town partner for tsunami readiness

    The 18th Wing partnered with Chatan Town to practice disaster evacuation procedures at Kadena, Sept. 20, 2025. Members of Chatan communities practiced walking the official evacuation route through the air base from Kadena Gate 1 to a park on the installation to simulate what would occur during a