US delays F-22 Raptor fighters arrival in Japan

Kadena Air Base (Japan), Feb 11: The arrival of 12 US F-22 fighter planes at a US air base on Japan's southern island of Okinawa was delayed today without word on a new date for their first deployment outside the United States.

The US Air Force's newest fighter planes had been scheduled to arrive at the weekend at the US Kadena Air Base.

But a statement from the Air Force in Okinawa said the aircraft had turned back to Hawaii for operational reasons, without elaborating. They were still scheduled to be deployed.

The three-month deployment of the stealth fighters comes as diplomats struggle to reach agreement at talks in Beijing aimed at ending North Korea's nuclear arms programme, although military officials have said there was no direct link to the negotiations.

''What the F-22 deployment does is ... make the (US-Japan) alliance stronger, and that is a factor for dealing with the complexities of North Korea,'' US Forces Japan Commander Lieutenant-General Bruce Wright told journalists in Tokyo last week.

The Raptor -- said to be the most expensive fighter ever built -- is a ''very formidable asset, with very formidable capability compared to any other fighter,'' Wright said.

The planes are able to gather data from multiple sources to track, identify and kill air-to-air threats before being detected by radar, and have significant surface-strike capability, according to the US Air Force Web site.

Japan is looking to replace its F-15 fighters and Wrignt said the F-22 was one option.

Yesterday, over 200 people gathered for a peaceful protest outside the air base, with signs reading ''Raptor, Go Home''.

Residents of Okinawa often complain of crime, noise, pollution and accidents associated with US bases stationed in the southern prefecture.

Reuters