US deploys F-35B stealth jets to Japan as Morocco negotiates multi-billion-dollar F-35 deal
The US Marine Corps has deployed a new squadron of F-35B stealth fighters to Japan near China, while Morocco is in advanced talks to buy F-35 jets in a deal reportedly worth $17-18 billion that would make it the first African nation with fifth-generation fighters.
New squadron arrives in Japan
The U.S. Marine Corps has sent a fresh squadron of F-35B Lightning II stealth fighters to Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni in Japan, taking over rotational duties from an ageing F-18C/D Hornet squadron. According to Military Watch Magazine and Business Insider Africa, the squadron originates from South Carolina and reinforces U.S. airpower in the Western Pacific near China. Business Insider Africa reports the squadron could number between 12 and 24 aircraft, though this figure is not confirmed by other sources.
The F-35B is the only short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) fighter still in service following the retirement of the older Harrier jet earlier this year. This capability allows the aircraft to disperse to smaller, less predictable operating locations, since fixed bases in the region would be vulnerable to long-range missile strikes in a potential conflict.
Range disadvantage against China's J-20
The F-35B has a combat radius of roughly 700 kilometers — smaller than the F-35A's approximately 1,000 kilometers and far short of the more than 2,000-kilometer range of China's fifth-generation J-20 fighter. Military Watch Magazine notes the F-35B is also the most expensive fighter jet in serial production worldwide, at close to $140 million per aircraft, with a smaller internal weapons load and higher maintenance demands than other F-35 variants. In February 2025, the Marine Corps announced plans to cut F-35B procurement by 21 percent.
Pilots must relearn flying skills from the Harrier
Business Insider reports that former Harrier pilots transitioning to the F-35B must unlearn many ingrained instincts, as the new jet's controls and flight behavior differ significantly. While Harrier pilots manually managed three separate controls during vertical landings, the F-35B's onboard computer handles most of that process — yet pilots still describe the aircraft as difficult to master, largely due to the volume of information it processes simultaneously.
Production costs rising
According to Pentagon figures cited by Breaking Defense, the cost of all three F-35 variants has risen by up to 11 percent in the latest production lots (18 and 19). The F-35A's average price reached $92 million, the F-35B $121.4 million, and the F-35C $110.8 million. Lockheed Martin attributes the increase to inflation and supply chain issues, as well as the program's shift into full-rate production.
Morocco's potential deal
Separately, the U.S. and Morocco are in advanced negotiations over a possible purchase of up to 32 F-35A jets, in a deal Business Insider Africa reports could be worth $17-18 billion. If finalized, Morocco would become the first African nation to operate fifth-generation stealth fighters, shifting the regional power balance relative to Algeria, whose air force relies on Russian-supplied aircraft. Business Insider Africa notes Morocco raised its defense budget to $13.3 billion in 2025, with the deal's momentum partly linked to Morocco's 2020 Abraham Accords normalization with Israel.
