Overview

• The first two F-15J Eagles landed at RAF Coningsby on Sept. 18 after staging from Chitose via Eielson AFB and CFB Goose Bay, with tankers repositioning to RAF Brize Norton.
• An advance Kawasaki C-2 transport (airframe 58-1218) reached Coningsby on Sept. 17 to pre‑position personnel, spares, and ground equipment for the fighters’ arrival.
• The 18‑day deployment features four F‑15Js, about 180 personnel, KC‑46 and KC‑767 tankers, two C‑2 transports, and a commercial Omega KDC‑10, operating across North America, the UK, and Germany through Oct. 1.
• Japanese officials indicate the F‑15Js are unlikely to conduct flying during the UK stop, with the visit focused on liaison and cultural exchanges before moving on to Laage Air Base in Germany.
• UK and Japanese leaders frame the effort as linking Euro‑Atlantic and Indo‑Pacific security, building interoperability alongside ongoing cooperation tied to the Global Combat Air Programme.