U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Jakob Miner, right, 27th Aircraft Maintenance Unit crew chief, salutes Lt. Col. Cavan Craddock, 27th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron commander, after landing in an F-22 Raptor at Langley Air Force Base, Va., Oct. 13, 2012. In all, the more than 200 Airmen from the 27th EFS, 27th AMU, and the 192nd Fighter Wing of the Virginia Air National Guard that deployed to Kadena, Japan, return home.
They made up the Pacific Air Forces Theater Security Package deployments to the Asia-Pacific region signify a continued commitment to regional stability and security, while allowing units to train in the Pacific theater.
F-22s routinely deploy throughout the U.S. Pacific Command's area of responsibility.
The F-22 deployment to Kadena was in support of U.S. PACOM's security obligations in the western Pacific, and the deployed unit performed training under the direction of the 18th Wing.
The U.S. routinely evaluates readiness and repositions forces as needed to ensure capabilities necessary to meet obligations in the Asia-Pacific region. These deployments demonstrate the continued U.S. commitment to fulfill security responsibilities throughout the western Pacific and to maintain peace in the region. (National Guard photo by U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Carlos J. Claudio/Released)