FU China/NKor[Stars and Stripes] The State Department has approved a potential $23.11 billion sale of 105 F-35 Lightning II stealth fighters to Japan, according to the Defense Security Cooperation Agency.
"It is vital to U.S. national interest to assist Japan in developing and maintaining a strong and effective self-defense capability," said an agency notice to Congress on Thursday about the possible sale.
Japan already operates a squadron of 14 F-35A fighters capable of conventional takeoffs and landings at Misawa Air Base in the country's northeast and has 28 more on the way.
The country has asked to buy another 63 F-35As and 42 F-35Bs ‐ the short-takeoff and vertical-landing versions of the aircraft ‐ the agency said.
The Japan Air Self-Defense Force's F-4 Phantom II aircraft are being decommissioned as F-35s are added, the agency said.