The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is a respected jet warplane, and with more than 1,100 now in service, it is not only the most successful fifth-generation stealth fighter in operation today, but one of the most widely adopted combat aircraft of the modern era.

However, the warplane has another, more dubious distinction: it is very, very loud. According to past studies, it is four times louder than the F-16 Fighting Falcon, which has raised concerns among those living near bases that operate the Lightning II.

The excessive volume has become a serious issue in Japan. This month, officials near the US Marine Corps Aviation Station Iwakuni in southern Honshu called for a ban on fixed-wing aircraft training as the George Washington Carrier Group’s air wing has been conducting its “pre-deployment training,” which coincided with a Japanese holiday.

According to a report from USNI News, Carrier Air Wing 5 (CVW-5), which will be embarked on the Nimitz-class nuclear-powered supercarrier USS George Washington (CVN-73), has been carrying out field carrier land practice (FCLP) at the base, including on the Autumnal Equinox Day, a national holiday in Japan. The exercises resulted in dozens of noise complaints from irate Japanese citizens—and even calls from government officials for the end of future training at Iwakuni.

“As a........

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