Republic of China Marine Corps
Encyclopedia
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| Republic of China Marine Corps | |
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| Personnel | 15,000 (2009 est.) |
The Republic of China Marine Corps (中華民國海軍陸戰隊; pinyin
Pinyin
Pinyin is the official system to transcribe Chinese characters into the Roman alphabet in China, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. It is also often used to teach Mandarin Chinese and spell Chinese names in foreign publications and used as an input method to enter Chinese characters into...
:Zhōnghuá Mínguó Hǎijūn Lùzhàndùi) is the amphibious arm of the Republic of China Navy
Republic of China Navy
The Republic of China Navy is the maritime branch of the Armed forces of the Republic of China . The ROC Navy's primary mission is to defend ROC territories and the sea lanes that surround Taiwan against a blockade, attack, or possible invasion by forces of the People's Republic of China...
responsible for amphibious combat, counter-landing and reinforcement of the main island of Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
, remote
Kinmen
Kinmen , also known as Quemoy , is a small archipelago of several islands administered by the Republic of China : Greater Kinmen, Lesser Kinmen, and some islets. Administratively, it is Kinmen County of Fujian Province, ROC. The county is claimed by the People's Republic of China as part of its...
islands
Matsu Islands
The Matsu Islands are a minor archipelago of 19 islands and islets in the Taiwan Strait administered as Lienchiang County , Fujian Province of the Republic of China . Only a small area of what is historically Lienchiang County is under the control of the ROC...
, defense of ROCN facilities, and also functions as a rapid reaction force and a strategic reserve.
Organization
- Marine Corps Command: Marine Corps Command is subordinate to Navy GHQ, the General Staff, the Minister of Defense, and the ROC President.
- Brigades (formerly divisions)
- 66th Marine Brigade (先鋒 (Pioneer), Taipei area, receiving M60A3TTS to replace M41 tanks)
- 77th Marine Brigade (鐵衛 (Iron Guardian), Garrison brigade, CCK and other area all over Taiwan)
- 99th Marine Brigade (鐵軍 (Iron Force), Kaohsiung
- Groups
- Amphibious Armor Group
- 4 Amphibious Transport Squadrons, 24+ tracks per squadron. 1st(AAV-7), 2nd(AAV-7), 3rd(LVT-5), 4th(LVT-5).
- 2 Amphibious Artillery Squadrons(mortars), 1st(LVT-5) and 2nd(LVT-5).
- Amphibious Reconnaissance Group (over half of the 600 troops of this battalion are aboriginal Taiwanese)
- Combat Support Group(combined formerly the Beach Logistics Group and the Communications, Information, and Electronic Warfare Group)
- Amphibious Armor Group
- Wuchiu Garrison Command
- Tri-Service Joint Combat Training Base
- Corps HQ Battalion
- Brigades (formerly divisions)
Amphibious Reconnaissance Group: nicknamed "Frogmen" and regarded as the ROC Military's counterpart to US Navy SEALs
History
The ROC Marine Corps were formed from the former Navy Sentry Corps in December 1914. In 2004, the ROCMC redeployed a brigade near the TaipeiTaipei
Taipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean...
area to defend against a possible PRC
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
decapitation strike
Decapitation strike
In the theory of nuclear warfare, a decapitation strike is a first strike attack that aims to remove the command and control mechanisms of the opponent, in the hope that it will severely degrade or destroy its capacity for nuclear retaliation....
.
The Marine Corps used to be 2 divisions, 66th and 99th divisions, in size, when its doctrine focused on retaking mainland China. Since its transition to a defensive posture, the ROCMC has been downsized.
The ROC Marine Corps' official motto
Motto
A motto is a phrase meant to formally summarize the general motivation or intention of a social group or organization. A motto may be in any language, but Latin is the most used. The local language is usual in the mottoes of governments...
is "永遠忠誠" (Always Faithful), modeled after the USMC's "Semper Fidelis
Semper fidelis
Semper Fidelis is Latin for "Always Faithful" or "Always Loyal". Well known in the United States as the motto of the United States Marine Corps , Semper Fidelis has served as a slogan for many families and entities, in many countries, dated to have been started no later than the 16th century...
".
Equipment
! style="text-align:left; background:#acc;"|Type! style="text-align:left; background:#acc;"|Make/Model
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| Tanks || M60A3 TTS || ||
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| Tanks || M41 Walker Bulldog
M41 Walker Bulldog
The M41 Walker Bulldog was a U.S. light tank developed to replace the M24 Chaffee. It was named for General Walton Walker who died in a jeep accident in Korea...
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| Armored fighting vehicles || AAV-P7A1 amphibious assault vehicles
Amphibious Assault Vehicle
The Assault Amphibious Vehicle —official designation AAV-7A1 is a fully tracked amphibious landing vehicle manufactured by U.S. Combat Systems .The AAV-7A1 is the current amphibious troop transport of the United States Marine Corps...
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| Armored fighting vehicles || LVPT5A1 amphibious assault vehicles || || 84
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| Armored fighting vehicles || CM-25 AFV(CM-21 with 1 x TOW
BGM-71 TOW
The BGM-71 TOW is an anti-tank missile. "BGM" is a weapon classification that stands for "Multiple Environment , Surface-Attack , Missile ". "TOW" is an acronym that stands for "Tube-launched, Optically-tracked, Wire command data link, guided missile"...
launcher) || ||
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| Artillery || M101 howitzer
M101 howitzer
The 105 mm M2A1 howitzer was the standard light field howitzer for the United States in World War II, seeing action in both European and Pacific theaters. Entering production in 1941, it quickly entered the war against the Imperial Japanese Army in the Pacific, where it gained a reputation...
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| Artillery || M109 howitzer
M109 howitzer
The M109 is an American-made self-propelled 155 mm howitzer, first introduced in the early 1960s. It was upgraded a number of times to today's M109A6 Paladin...
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| Anti-Tank || BGM-71 TOW-2A/B
BGM-71 TOW
The BGM-71 TOW is an anti-tank missile. "BGM" is a weapon classification that stands for "Multiple Environment , Surface-Attack , Missile ". "TOW" is an acronym that stands for "Tube-launched, Optically-tracked, Wire command data link, guided missile"...
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|Anti-Tank ||MK-153 SMAW
Shoulder-Launched Multipurpose Assault Weapon
The Shoulder-Launched Multipurpose Assault Weapon is a shoulder-launched rocket weapon, based on the Israeli B-300, with the primary function of being a portable assault weapon and a secondary anti-armor rocket launcher. It was introduced to the United States armed forces in 1984...
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|Anti-Tank ||FGM-148 Javelin
FGM-148 Javelin
The FGM-148 Javelin is a United States-made man-portable third generation anti-tank missile fielded to replace the Dragon antitank missile.-Overview:Javelin is a fire-and-forget missile with lock-on before launch and automatic self-guidance...
Anti-Tank Guided Missile|| ||
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| Anti-Tank || M40A1 recoilless rifle
M40 recoilless rifle
The M40 recoilless rifle was a lightweight, portable, crew-served 105 mm weapon intended primarily as an anti-tank weapon made in the United States...
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| SAM || Stinger DMS(Dual Mount Stinger)
FIM-92 Stinger
The FIM-92 Stinger is a personal portable infrared homing surface-to-air missile , which can be adapted to fire from ground vehicles and helicopters , developed in the United States and entered into service in 1981. Used by the militaries of the U.S...
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| SAM || MIM-72/M48 Chaparral
MIM-72/M48 Chaparral
MIM-72A/M48 Chaparral was a US Army self-propelled surface-to-air missile system based on the AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missile system. The launcher is based on the M113 family of vehicles. It entered service with the US Army in 1969 and was phased out between 1990 and 1998...
locally upgraded FLIR by CSIST|| ||
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| Helicopters || Hughes OH-6 Cayuse
Hughes H-6
The Hughes OH-6 Cayuse is a single-engine light helicopter with a four-bladed main rotor used for personnel transport, escort and attack missions, and observation...
500 Defender || || 6
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| Assault Rifle || T65K2 assault rifle
Type 65 Assault Rifle
The T65 is an assault rifle developed and manufactured by the Combined Service Forces of ROC Army in Taiwan. Originally patterned after the Armalite AR-18 that has the short-stroke gas system, prototype unveiled in 1975 showed a rifle that is externally very-heavily influenced by the M4/M16,...
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| Assault Rifle || T91 combat rifle || ||
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| Squad Automatic Weapon || T75 squad machinegun
FN Minimi
The Minimi is a Belgian 5.56mm light machine gun developed by Fabrique Nationale in Herstal by Ernest Vervier. First introduced in 1974, it has entered service with the armed forces of over thirty countries...
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|Sniper Rifle||SSG-2000
SIG-Sauer SSG 2000
-Service use:The SSG-2000 sniper rifle is a joint effort by Swiss company SIG Arms and German company J.P.Sauer & Sohn. Production of the SSG-2000 started in 1989 and it is still in production.-Description:...
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|Sniper Rifle||T93 || ||
See also
- Republic of China Armed Forces
- People's Liberation ArmyPeople's Liberation ArmyThe People's Liberation Army is the unified military organization of all land, sea, strategic missile and air forces of the People's Republic of China. The PLA was established on August 1, 1927 — celebrated annually as "PLA Day" — as the military arm of the Communist Party of China...
- People's Liberation Army Marine CorpsPeople's Liberation Army Marine CorpsThe People's Liberation Army Navy Marine Corps is marine corps of the People's Republic of China's People's Liberation Army Navy...