U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptors from the 525th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron joined the large-force training portion of Keen Sword 27 at Tsuiki Air Base in Japan in October. The aircraft deployed from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, and operated alongside U.S. and Japanese forces during the bilateral exercise.

Air Force imagery shows F-22s on the Tsuiki flightline as crew chiefs prepared to marshal the aircraft for launch. The exercise brought together units across the region for training intended to improve readiness and interoperability between the U.S. military and Japan Self-Defense Forces.

A force integration test

Keen Sword is a biennial field training exercise with multinational participation. The aircraft movements and large-force events give units a chance to practice operating from partner locations and coordinating missions across services. For the F-22 squadron, deploying from Alaska to western Japan placed the Raptors into a combined training environment far from their home station.

The F-22 is designed for air superiority, combining low-observable features with integrated sensors and high-performance flight characteristics. In a joint exercise, its value is also shaped by how it connects with other aircraft, ground teams and command systems. That makes maintenance, ground handling, refueling and mission coordination part of the readiness picture alongside flight operations.

Training with Japan

U.S. and Japanese forces use Keen Sword to rehearse combined operations and strengthen procedures that would support real-world contingencies. The 2026 exercise included forces from multiple services and locations. DVIDS reporting on the F-22 activity specifically identifies the Tsuiki Air Base launches as part of the exercise’s large-force training.

The deployment is a reminder that advanced aircraft readiness depends on a wide network: maintainers who prepare the jets, airfields that support visiting units, and partner forces that coordinate operations. The F-22s’ Keen Sword participation put that network to work in a practical training setting.

Source

Based on the U.S. Air Force’s DVIDS photo release. Photo: Airman 1st Class Francisco Huerta/U.S. Air Force, public domain. The appearance of U.S. Department of War visual information does not imply or constitute DoW endorsement.