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Further Reading

Republic of China Marine Corps [ROCMC]

The Republic of China Marine Corps [ROCMC], in peacetime, assumes naval base defense, guards appointed offshore islands and acts as a rapid reaction force. In wartime, the Marine Corps, as the strategic preparation forces, are engaged in combat missions.

The Marine Corps was formerly organized on the basis of two divisions, the 66th and 99th, supported by one amphibious regiment and one logistics regiment. Under the armed forces re-organization plan, details of which were announced by the Ministry of National Defense (MND) in August 2000, the divisional commands were phased out - the key units are now the Marines Brigades, a Base Security Guard Brigade and a Garrison Brigade.

Under the armed forces re-organisation plan, (which was announced by the Ministry of National Defence (MND) in August 2000), the divisional commands were phased out and the key units are now three combat Brigades:66th Marine Brigade in Linkau, northern Taiwan: 3,500 strong, includes one tank battalion (equipped with M41s and may re-equip with Yunpao, wheeled 105 mm-armed AFVs), three infantry battalions, one cadre infantry battalion, one artillery battalion (with M109A2 SP 155 mm howitzers) plus anti-tank, air defence and support companies. Equipped with M113, M-733, LARC-5, LVTP 5 personnel carriers and LVTH 6 armored tractors, the marines are based at 99th Marine Brigade at Tsoying Naval Base at Kaohsiung in southern Taiwan: as 66th Brigade except that the tank battalion may re-equip with ex-army CM12 MBTs and the anti-tank company is part of the tank battalion. 77th Marine Brigade at Tsoying naval base with battalion-sized units at Tsoying, Makung, Keelung and Suao: defensive formation includes tank, air defence and SP howitzer battalions. Each naval base has a defence company with Chaparral surface to air missiles, Stinger SAMs (on dual mounts) and static 40 mm and 5 inch coast defence guns taken from Yang class destroyers.

A coast defence detachment was also at Pratas in the South China Sea. The Spratly Islands Marine Corps detachment has been replaced by men from the paramilitary Coast Guard command. The ROCMC deployed eight SAM platoons, equipped with Chaparral SAM quad-launchers, to the offshore island of Wuchiu (Spratly) and the Pratas islets in the South China Sea. The ROC Marine Corps defended Pratas Island and Itu Aba Island, and straight succession of jurisdiction under the administration of present government. Pratas Island and Itu Aba Island are at an important location, and have beautiful seascapes and special reefs.

In 2004 one Marine brigade was redeployed near the Taipei area to defend the capital in the event of a suprise attack by the People's Liberation Army. Marines were also be used to guard major Naval and Marine Corps buildings in Taipei.

The Marines in Taiwan are drafted and serve an average of 18 months. They also have very limited training grounds. Because Taiwan is so small, it's hard to find places in to train. For example, Tawain Marines have trouble finding places to do live-fire exercises. Because of the size of the United States, there are many places U.S. Marines can train. Tawain Marine Corps do not have combat experience as many American Marines do. They aren't as involved in world events as the US Marines here are. And because Tawain Marines only serve a year and a half, thei combat readiness is decreased.

ROCMC is worldwide renown for it's tough training and as one of the best force in world. The ROC Marine elite corps of frogmen are officially called the Amphibious Searching Unit of the ROC Marine Corps. Their motto is: "Let the high mountains bow and the deep seas give way before us." In war, they serve as a spearhead of the armed forces. They must slip into enemy occupied territory before a major attack. Their task is to destroy the barriers facing a landing force, pinpoint enemy pillboxes and map airports and sandbars. On the sea, they are taught to maneuver rubber boats while combating the enemy and detonating targets. On the land, they are trained in long-distance jogging, demolitions, searching, surveillance, hand-to-hand fighting and guerilla warfare. In the mountains, they learn to scale cliffs and cross ravines.

The Taiwan Marine Corps has used the Landing Vehicle, Tracked, Personnel, Mark 5 for many years. The LVTP5 is a large vehicle with an inverted V-shaped bow that was built for a more efficient water operation and its date of acceptance was 1956. Since then many advances have been made in equipment technology and vehicle capabilities. The equipment Taiwan uses is very old, but the budget is very limited and it is difficult to procure new equipment.

The AAV Reliability, Availability, Maintainability/Rebuild to Standard Program, for the Marine Corps Maintenance Centers and in Barstow, Calif., was approved in June 1997 as a new start-acquisition program beginning in October 1998, with a maximum four-year production duration. Additionally, industry is expected to remain in its current location within the Logistics Command in support of this work effort and future FMS requirements should they arise. The contract between the U.S. Marine Corps and the Taiwan Marine Corps is an estimated $180 million.

In October 2002 the US Defence Security Cooperation Agency notified the US Congress of a potential Foreign Military Sale (FMS) package worth $520 million with the government of the Republic of China (RoC - Taiwan). The proposal includes 48 rebuilt "Standard Assault Amphibious Personnel Vehicles", four command vehicles, two recovery vehicles, and enhanced Position Laser Remote Sensor Radios at an estimated value of $250 million. The vehicles, expected to be AAV-7A1 Amphibious Assault Vehicles, replace Taiwan's ageing LVTP-5 for the RoC Marine Corps. United Defense LP Ground Systems won the contract.

The Taiwan Marine Corps Vice Commander, Maj. Gen. Chin-Hsiang Yeh, and several other Taiwan Marine officers visited Marine Corps Logistics Command Albany 26-28 August 2003 to participate in a Taiwan Marine Corps and U.S. Marine Corps Logistics and Provisioning Conference. The Albany Maintenance Center will build 54 Assault Amphibious Vehicles for the Taiwan Marine Corps. This is a huge leap in equipment capabilities for the Taiwan Marine Corps. The Taiwan government purchased 54 AAVs (48 AAV P7a1's, 4 AAV R7A1's and 2 AAV C7A1). A letter of Agreement was entered into by the Marine Corps and the Taiwan Governement to refurbish the 54 AAVs under the Marine Corps AAV Reliability, Availability, and Maintainability/Rebuild Standard (AAV RAM/RS). The workshare between UDLP and Maintenance Center Albany is to rebuild and upgrade the Taiwan Governements AAV. The Marine Corps Logistics Base is providing warehouse space in accordance with a facility use agreement between UDLP and the MCLB Albany base. Maintenance Center Albany is disassembing, blasting, cleaning, and preparing the Taiwan Government AAV's to be provided to UDLP for modification upgrade for the suspension assembly. Maintenance Center Albany will receive vehicle back fro UDLP and install new or refurbished parts. The Maintenanc eCenter Albany will reaasembly the AAVs and perform operational checks. They will then verify vehicles are ready for delivery to Taiwan Government. UDLP will machine the AAV hull to accommodate the Bradley Fighting Vehicle Suspention System as part of the RAM/RS upgrade. They will purcahse and provide new RAM/RS to Maintenance Center Albay for the reassembly of the Taiwan Government AAVs.