Aircraft

The US Air Force was able to dispatch the first two Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptors to Japan yesterday, after the aircraft were returned to the USA due to faulty navigational software last week.

The first two F-22As arrived at Kadena AB, Japan from Hickham AFB in Hawaii, today for the aircraft's first overseas deployment.  The USAF says the remaining aircraft will follow.

A software glitch affecting the Raptors' navigation system was discovered while the aircraft were en route to Kadena on 10 February, which delayed the arrival for almost a week.  The flight control system was updated and the aircraft underwent flight testing before departing Hickham.

The USAF is deploying 12 F-22A Raptors and more than 250 personnel from the 27th Fighter Squadron to Kadena as part of a regularly-scheduled US Pacific Command rotational assignment of aircraft to the Pacific, the air force continues.