Kadena Air Base Guide

Kadena Air Base sits on Okinawa's main island in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, spanning the towns of Kadena and Chatan and the city of Okinawa. Built in 1945 as Yara Hikojo Airfield, it has operated continuously since the end of the Pacific War. The United States Air Force operates the base on land leased from the Government of Japan, with Pacific Air Forces exercising overall control.

Known as the "Keystone of the Pacific," Kadena is the largest and most active U.S. Air Force installation in East Asia. It hosts the 18th Wing as host unit alongside the 353rd Special Operations Wing, reconnaissance squadrons and a U.S. Army Patriot missile battalion. More than 20,000 American servicemembers, family members and Japanese employees live or work on base. Its location puts it roughly 650 km from the coast of China and 770 km from Shanghai, a key reason for its strategic role in the region.

The 733rd Air Mobility Squadron runs passenger and cargo operations at the base, supporting around 650 aircraft movements a month and moving more than 12,000 passengers and nearly 3,000 tons of cargo in that time. Scheduled flights connect Kadena to other Pacific installations and to the continental United States through the Patriot Express charter program.