Howa Type 89
Encyclopedia
The , referred to as the , is a Japanese assault rifle
used by the Japan Self-Defense Forces
, the Japan Coast Guard
's Special Security Team
units, and the Special Assault Team
. It was never exported outside of Japan due to its strict anti-hardware export laws. It is known in J.G.S.D.F service as Buddy.
It has replaced the Howa Type 64
battle rifle in frontline units.
, the United States military
replaced the M14
with the M16
for a variety of reasons, one of the most important being the advantage of increased rate of fire, light weight, and lower recoil of the 5.56x45mm NATO
round over the larger 7.62x51mm NATO round. Despite the fact that this shortened the effective range of the average infantryman during a firefight, the 5.56x45mm round (SS109) eventually became the standard of ammunition type for all NATO member assault rifles. In accordance with this, the Japanese Defense Agency began development on their next generation assault rifle to replace the 7.62x51mm Type 64
assault rifle after its 25-year span of service.
Development was handled primarily by Howa
since it was already licensed to produce the AR-180 version of the Armalite AR-18 rifle for commercial purposes. In order to determine suitability of the rifle, it was issued in limited numbers to the Japan Self-Defense Forces for field testing purposes. After the data collected from the field testing stage of the AR-18 was examined, formal development of the next-generation assault rifle began with its designation as the HR-16 (HR1604). The HR-15 was the first version of the experimental rifle that would eventually become the Type 89, but was developed concurrently with the HR-10, HR-11 and HR-13 by 1989.
Assault rifle
An assault rifle is a selective fire rifle that uses an intermediate cartridge and a detachable magazine. Assault rifles are the standard infantry weapons in most modern armies...
used by the Japan Self-Defense Forces
Japan Self-Defense Forces
The , or JSDF, occasionally referred to as JSF or SDF, are the unified military forces of Japan that were established after the end of the post–World War II Allied occupation of Japan. For most of the post-war period the JSDF was confined to the islands of Japan and not permitted to be deployed...
, the Japan Coast Guard
Japan Coast Guard
The , formerly the Maritime Safety Agency, is the Japanese coast guard. Comprising about 12,000 personnel, it is under the oversight of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, and is responsible for the protection the coast-lines of Japan...
's Special Security Team
Special Security Team
The is the official counter-terrorist unit of the Japanese Coast Guard. Formerly known as the Kansai International Airport Marine Guard, it was renamed after a period of reorganization...
units, and the Special Assault Team
Special Assault Team
The is a paramilitary counter terrorism unit under the Japanese National Police Agency. The SAT is mandated, along with the Anti-Firearms Squad and the Counter-NBC Terrorism Squad, for counterterrorism missions and incidents involving firearms or criminals which require an armed response beyond...
. It was never exported outside of Japan due to its strict anti-hardware export laws. It is known in J.G.S.D.F service as Buddy.
It has replaced the Howa Type 64
Howa Type 64
The , is a Japanese battle rifle used exclusively by the Japan Self-Defense Forces and the Japanese Coast Guard. It is a gas-operated, selective fire weapon which is chambered for the 7.62x51mm NATO round and uses a detachable 20-round box magazine. The Type 64 was never exported outside of Japan...
battle rifle in frontline units.
History
During the Vietnam WarVietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, the United States military
United States armed forces
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard.The United States has a strong tradition of civilian control of the military...
replaced the M14
M14 rifle
The M14 rifle, formally the United States Rifle, 7.62 mm, M14, is an American selective fire automatic rifle firing 7.62x51mm NATO ammunition. It was the standard issue U.S. rifle from 1959 to 1970. The M14 was used for U.S...
with the M16
M16 rifle
The M16 is the United States military designation for the AR-15 rifle adapted for both semi-automatic and full-automatic fire. Colt purchased the rights to the AR-15 from ArmaLite, and currently uses that designation only for semi-automatic versions of the rifle. The M16 fires the 5.56×45mm NATO...
for a variety of reasons, one of the most important being the advantage of increased rate of fire, light weight, and lower recoil of the 5.56x45mm NATO
5.56x45mm NATO
5.56×45mm NATO is a rifle cartridge developed in the United States and originally chambered in the M16 rifle. Under STANAG 4172, it is a standard cartridge for NATO forces as well as many non-NATO countries. It is derived from, but not identical to, the .223 Remington cartridge...
round over the larger 7.62x51mm NATO round. Despite the fact that this shortened the effective range of the average infantryman during a firefight, the 5.56x45mm round (SS109) eventually became the standard of ammunition type for all NATO member assault rifles. In accordance with this, the Japanese Defense Agency began development on their next generation assault rifle to replace the 7.62x51mm Type 64
Howa Type 64
The , is a Japanese battle rifle used exclusively by the Japan Self-Defense Forces and the Japanese Coast Guard. It is a gas-operated, selective fire weapon which is chambered for the 7.62x51mm NATO round and uses a detachable 20-round box magazine. The Type 64 was never exported outside of Japan...
assault rifle after its 25-year span of service.
Development was handled primarily by Howa
Howa
) is a Japanese machinery manufacturer. The company is known internationally for their production of military and civilian firearms. However, they also manufacture civilian products such as industrial tools, construction vehicles and windows and doors....
since it was already licensed to produce the AR-180 version of the Armalite AR-18 rifle for commercial purposes. In order to determine suitability of the rifle, it was issued in limited numbers to the Japan Self-Defense Forces for field testing purposes. After the data collected from the field testing stage of the AR-18 was examined, formal development of the next-generation assault rifle began with its designation as the HR-16 (HR1604). The HR-15 was the first version of the experimental rifle that would eventually become the Type 89, but was developed concurrently with the HR-10, HR-11 and HR-13 by 1989.
Features
- One of the most advantageous features of the Type 89 rifle over the Type 64 was the ability to ease the load on the individual soldier in relation to the amount of ammunition that he could carry. Also, due to the use of aluminum and thermoset plastic as opposed to the steel and wood construction of the Type 64 rifle, the speed with which a soldier could react to a threat was increased. The fixed stock version of the rifle contains a storage space covered by a rubberized cap that may be accessed by pulling the cap away from the body for the rifle and rotating it in either direction. Although the typical issue model is equipped with a fixed stock, a small number of the steel tubing folding stock version were produced for AFVArmoured fighting vehicleAn armoured fighting vehicle is a combat vehicle, protected by strong armour and armed with weapons. AFVs can be wheeled or tracked....
crews and paratroopers.
- It is believed that the rifle is at least as accurate as the Type 64 rifle, but it has not been verified since the information has not been released officially by the Defense Agency. The Type 89 rifle is equipped with an integrated bipod as its predecessor the Type 64 was in order to facilitate accuracy. However, unlike the bipod on the Type 64, the version on the Type 89 is easily removable as it is clamped onto the barrel behind the bayonet lug with a clothes-pinClothes-pinA clothespin is a fastener used to hang up clothes for drying, usually on a clothes line. Clothespins often come in many different designs.-Design:...
style spring mechanism and retained with a lever-like lock. Also, the Type 89's handguard is molded with inlets along its lower edges in order to accommodate the legs of the bipod if they are folded inwards for storage.
- Fit and finish of the Type 89 was improved greatly over the Type 64 due to the use of forged aluminum, molded thermoset plastics and stamped steel manufacturing methods pioneered by the processes used to produce the AR-18 and Heckler & Koch G3Heckler & Koch G3The G3 is a 7.62mm battle rifle developed in the 1950s by the German armament manufacturer Heckler & Koch GmbH in collaboration with the Spanish state-owned design and development agency CETME ....
series rifle. Also, because the rifle was designed from the beginning for the Japanese physique it shares the ergonomic and weight advantages of the Type 64 rifle over similar weapons of its type.
- The Type 89 was designed with simplified operation and minimal number of parts due to the understanding that the complex structure and large number of parts were responsible for the often defective operation of the Type 64 rifle. Because of this, the cost of the Type 89 rifle was roughly half that of the 870,000 yen Type 64 rifle in 1989. According to the Defense Agency, the unit cost of the Type 89 rifle was reduced to about 340,000 yen by fiscal year 2005. Despite this, it is still considered too expensive for general issue as the ideal price required by the Japanese Government for general production is between 10,000 to 100,000 yen per unit. This is further complicated because the procurement method for the weapon is limited to single fiscal year accounting and further reductions in manufacturing process costs are currently non existent.
- Type 89 rifle ammunition is interchangeable with the 5.56x45mm SS109/M855 round used by the U.S. Military and NATO. Along with the 7.62x51mm round used in the Type 64 rifle, this allows for interchangeability with ammunition stockpiles of U.S. forces stationed in Japan. Since the ammunition developed for the Type 89 rifle is produced in Japan, it is head stamped with the sakuraSakuraA cherry blossom is the flower of any of several trees of genus Prunus, particularly the Japanese Cherry, Prunus serrulata, which is sometimes called sakura after the Japanese . Many of the varieties that have been cultivated for ornamental use do not produce fruit...
mark of the Self Defense Forces instead of the typical NATO circle-cross used on the SS109/M855 round.
- The Type 89 can accept magazines designed for the M16 series of rifles. However, the magazine produced specifically for the Type-89 uses a follower that has a special shape to hold the bolt open after the final round is spent. If an M16 series magazine is used, the bolt will not lock back after the final round is expended. The magazine designed for the Type 89 also differs from ones produced for the M16 because it has holes in the sides of the body to indicate if it has been loaded with 30 or 20 rounds of ammunition. Unfortunately this feature is considered a bit of a nuisance because it allows sand and other foreign bodies to enter the magazine easily and cause malfunctionsFirearm malfunctionA firearm malfunction is the partial or complete failure of a firearm to operate as intended. Malfunctions range from temporary and relatively safe situations, such as a casing that didn't eject, to potentially dangerous occurrences that may permanently damage the gun and cause injury or death...
in the operation of the weapon.
- Unlike the M16, the magazine well of the Type 89 is not beveled or tapered to ease loading because the lower receiver is only slightly wider than that of the magazine body. This is a point of considerable dissatisfaction by S.D.F members since it was discovered during recent urban combat training scenarios that it increases the time it takes to reload the rifle under certain combat situations.
- The selector switch is located on the right side of the lower receiver and is often referred to as the "Atare 3," (アタレサン Ataresan アタレ(Atare) means "hit it") referencing the different selection positions. The markings and associated feature are as follows in functional order:
- ア (capital letter ofアンゼン=Safe) → レ (レンシャ=Auto) → 3 (Three-Round Burst) → タ (タンパツ=Semi)
- Its 3-round burst feature is built separately from the rest, so as to prevent the selector switch from being totally useless in case it can't be used due to accident or a malfunction.
- The bayonetBayonetA bayonet is a knife, dagger, sword, or spike-shaped weapon designed to fit in, on, over or underneath the muzzle of a rifle, musket or similar weapon, effectively turning the gun into a spear...
manufactured specifically for the Type 89 rifle can be used as a wire cutter by connecting it to a lug on the scabbardScabbardA scabbard is a sheath for holding a sword, knife, or other large blade. Scabbards have been made of many materials over the millennia, including leather, wood, and metals such as brass or steel.-Types of scabbards:...
. Furthermore, the end of the bayonet scabbard can be used as a bottle opener. The US Military M9 bayonetM9 BayonetThe M9 Bayonet is a multi-purpose knife and bayonet officially adopted in 1984 by the United States. It has a blade and is issued with a sheath designed to double as a wire cutter. It was designed and developed by Charles A. "Mickey" Finn at his R&D company, Qual-A-Tec. He later produced it under...
may also be affixed to the rifle.
- The Type 06 rifle grenadeType 06 rifle grenadeThe is a rifle grenade used by the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force. It can be launched from the Howa Type 89 or Howa Type 64 rifles without other attachments.-History:The JGSDF did not adopt the US-made M203 grenade launcher after a thorough examination...
is designed for Type 89 and Type 64 rifle. And attachment of the M203 grenade launcherM203 grenade launcherThe M203 is a single shot 40 mm grenade launcher designed to attach to a rifle. It uses the same rounds as the older M79 break-action grenade launcher, which utilize the High-Low Propulsion System to keep recoil forces low. Though versatile, and compatible with many rifle models, the M203 was...
is possible with the proper adapter.
- Special forces units of the J.G.S.D.FJapan Ground Self-Defense ForceThe , or JGSDF, is the army of Japan. The largest of the three services of the Japan Self-Defense Forces, the Ground Self-Defense Force operates under the command of the chief of the ground staff, based in the city of Ichigaya, Tokyo. The present chief of ground staff is General Yoshifumi Hibako...
are additionally issued a pressure switch activated targeting laser and flashlight which are mounted on the barrel end of the weapon ahead of the front sight assembly. Regular members of the Self-Defense Forces may also obtain these, but must pay for them out of their own funds.
Recent improvements
A number of recent modifications have been made to the Type 89 due to the recent armed deployment to Iraq of J.S.D.F members as well as an overall concern over counter-terrorist and possible future combat deployments.- In accordance with the "Iraq Revival Support Law on Special Measures on Land for the U.S. Military" (イラク復興支援特措法) or the "Self-Defense Forces Iraq Dispatch Law," a selector switch has been manufactured and installed on the left hand side of the lower receiver for ambidextrous use for rifles issued to J.S.D.F members in Iraq. However, this is only a temporary modification and the rifle must be returned to its original state (with the selector switch on the right side only) when it is returned to Japan.
- In 2004, JSDF elements that had the possibility of seeing combat were issued an optic (an unmagnified red dot sightRed dot sightA red dot sight is a common classification for a type of non-magnifying reflector sight for firearms that gives the user an aimpoint in the form of an illuminated red dot...
) with their Type 89 along with a mounting bracket in order to decrease target acquisition time. However, since the use of the sight is still in its provisional stage individual J.S.D.F members are expected to purchase their own commercially available model for use in a possible combat theater. Among the commonly used optics include the MD-33 manufactured by Tasco Optics Japan under license.
- During the initial deployment in Iraq, JSDF elements that had the possibility of seeing combat (for example the Western Army Infantry Regiment) were issued a removable foregrip and a 25 mm Weaver rail was installed under the front handguards of their Type 89s to accommodate it. Shortly afterwards, the restriction was lifted and all units began to receive foregrips despite common complaints about damage to the handguards that were caused by the mount.
- A three-point slingSling (firearms)In the context of firearms, a sling is a type of strap or harness designed to allow a shooter to carry a firearm on his/her person and/or aid in greater hit probability with that firearm...
was issued to J.S.D.F elements that had the possibility of seeing combat due to the positive testimonials of various international military and police forces. Individual J.S.D.F members were also allowed to purchase their own commercially available models for their own use if they wished.
- Overall, individual J.S.D.F members that were not issued combat based improvements to their Type 89 rifles were allowed to purchase and install commercially available accessories at their own convenience. Nevertheless, those that had the accessories issued to them were required to reimburse their quartermasters from their own pay.
- As part of the JSDF ACIES Development, some Type 89 Rifles have been modified to include a Foursided Rail system, a polymer based retractable stock and shortened Carbine length barrel, Although there is some evidence of Evaluation of Other Assault Rifles as a possible replacement for the Type 89.
Variants
The only variant of the Type 89 is the Type 89-F rifle, which has a folding stock with the original Type 89 having a solid stock. The former has been referred to as the Type 89 Para.See also
- Type 06 rifle grenadeType 06 rifle grenadeThe is a rifle grenade used by the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force. It can be launched from the Howa Type 89 or Howa Type 64 rifles without other attachments.-History:The JGSDF did not adopt the US-made M203 grenade launcher after a thorough examination...
- Howa Type 64Howa Type 64The , is a Japanese battle rifle used exclusively by the Japan Self-Defense Forces and the Japanese Coast Guard. It is a gas-operated, selective fire weapon which is chambered for the 7.62x51mm NATO round and uses a detachable 20-round box magazine. The Type 64 was never exported outside of Japan...
- Type 62 Machine GunSumitomo NTK-62The is the standard issue GPMG of the Japan Self-Defense Forces. Known as the Type 62 GPMG, It is similar to the Belgian FN MAG, but not a variation of it. It is actually a heavily modernized version of the M1919 Browning machine gun...