US plan to boost Pacific air power seen as counterbalance to China

FILE - A U.S. Air Force F-35 fighter jet taxis at Yelahanka air base in Bengaluru, India, Feb. 13, 2023. The U.S. Air Force plans to upgrade more than 80 fighter jets stationed at Japanese bases over the next several years; the upgrade includes advanced F-35 jets.

A U.S. plan to boost its Pacific air power is seen by analysts as an effort to reinforce deterrence in the Indo-Pacific and counterbalance China's attempt to gain dominance in the region.