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| Republic of China Army | |||||||||||||||||||
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| Traditional Chinese | 中華民國陸軍 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 中华民国陆军 | ||||||||||||||||||
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The Republic of China Army (Chinese: 中華民國陸軍; pinyin: Zhōnghuá Mínguó Lùjūn) is the largest branch of the armed forces of the Republic of China (Taiwan). An estimated 80% of the ROC Army is located on Taiwan, while the remainder are stationed on the smaller islands of Kinmen, Matsu and Penghu.
As the final line of defense against a possible invasion by the People's Republic of China, the primary focus is on defense and counterattack against amphibious assault and urban warfare.
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| Republic of China Army | |
|---|---|
ROC Army Flag |
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| Active | 1924-present |
| Country | Republic of China |
| Size | 130,000 (2008 est.) |
| Insignia | |
| Insignia | |
The ROC Army's current operational strength includes 3 armies, 5 corps. As of 2005, the Army's 35 brigades include 25 infantry brigades, 5 armoured brigades and 3 mechanized infantry brigades.[1][2][3] All infantry brigades stood down and transferred to Reserve Command after 2005.
This update reflects the ROCA ORBAT at the conclusion of the Jinjing Restructuring Plan in 2008.
A new type of units called defense team (守備隊) is being introduced. These are formed by elements of de-activated brigades under each area defense commands. The strength of a defense group may vary from one or more reinforced battalions, making it roughly equal to a regiment. The team CO is usually a full colonel.[4]
ROC Army's former Army Missile Command was transferred to ROC Air Force in 2006.
The Republic of China Army was founded as the National Revolutionary Army, the armed wing of Sun Yat-sen's KMT in 1924. It participated in the Northern Expedition, the Second Sino-Japanese War (during World War II) and the Chinese Civil War before withdrawing with the ROC government to Taiwan in 1949. After 1949, the ROC Army has participated in combat operations on Kinmen and the Dachen Archipelago against the PLA in the Battle of Kuningtou, and in the First and Second Taiwan Strait Crisis. In addition to these major conflicts, ROCA commandos were regularly sent to raid the Fujian & Guangdong coasts. Until the 1970s, the stated mission of the Army was to retake the Mainland from the People's Republic of China. Following the lifting of martial law in 1988 and the democratization of the 1990s, the mission of the ROC Army has been shifted to the defense of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu from a PLA invasion.
With the downsizing of ROC armed forces in recent years, the Army has endured the largest number of cutbacks as ROC military doctrine has begun to emphasize the importance of offshore engagement with the Navy and Air Force; subsequent to this shift in emphasis, the ROC Navy and Air Force have taken precedence over the ROC Army in defense doctrine and weapons' procurement.[6] Recent short term goals in the Army include acquisition and development of joint command and control systems, advanced attack helicopters and armored vehicles, MLRS and field air defense systems. The Army is also in the process of transitioning to an all volunteer force.[3]
From the 1990s onwards, the Republic of China Army launched several upgrade programmes to replace out-dated equipment with cutting-edge state of the art advanced weapons, also increasing its emphasis on forces that could be rapidly deployed and were suited for combat in Taiwan's heavily urbanized environment. Orders were placed with the United States for M60A3 Patton tanks, M109A6 "Paladin" howitzers and AH-1W SuperCobra attack helicopters, as well as updating existing equipment.
Along with the other ROC military branches, the ROC Army has extensive experience in the construction and utilization of underground tunnels and bases gained during the People's Republic of China's bombardments of Kinmen and Matsu during the Cold War and many facilities are rumoured to be located underground in undisclosed locations.
In July 2007 it was reported that the ROC Army would request the purchase of 30 AH-64D Apache Longbow attack helicopters from in the 2008 defence budget.[7] The 2008 defense budget also listed a request for 60 UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters as a partial replacement for the UH-1Hs currently in service.[8] It has been reported that the ROC Army will seek new third generation main battle tanks, as the M60A3s are aging. The possible tanks under consideration are the US M1A2, UK Challenger, German Leopard 2A6, French Le Clerc and the Israeli Merkava. However it is expected to procure the US M1A2 due to closer military ties.[9]
The U.S. government announced on October 3 that it plans to sell $6.5 billion dollars worth of arms to Taiwan ending the freeze of arms sales to Taiwan. Amongst other things, the plans include $2.532 billion dollars worth of 30 AH-64D Apache Longbow Block III Attack helicopters with night-vision sensors, radar, 173 Stinger Block I air-to-air missiles and 1000 AGM-114L Hellfire missiles.[10] and 182 Javelin missiles will also be available with 20 Javelin command launchers and is estimated to cost $47 million.[11][12]
1-29-2010, US government announced 5 notifications to US Congress for arms sales to Taiwan. Of the total 6.392 billion US dollars in the 5 announcements, ROC Army will received 60 UH-60M and other related things for cost of 3.1 Billion.[13]
On August 31, 2010, it was announced for next year's defense budget, ROCA plan for next generation MBT has been put on hold, due to lack of budget.[14]
| Vehicle | Origin | Type | In service | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| M60A3 TTS | United States | MBT | 480 | Some are transferred to ROCMC[15] |
| CM-11 (M48H) | Republic of China | MBT | 450 | Assembled in Taiwan 1988-1994. Some transferred to ROCMC |
| CM-12 | Republic of China | MBT | 250 | Modified in Taiwan from M48A3[16] |
| M48A3 | Republic of China | Medium tank | 50 | Received 309 M48A1/A2 in 1970s, modified in Taiwan to M48A3, 250 upgraded to CM12 standard[16] |
| M41 | United States | Light Tank | 775 | 50 M41D Modified in Taiwan, some M41 are in used by ROCMC |
| CM-32 | Republic of China | Eight-Wheeled IFV | ~100 | In production, first batch of 600, first unit will be 200th MIB in Central Taiwan.[5] |
| CM-21 | Republic of China | M113 APC Variant | 1,000+ | Various variants produced from 1982 to 2009. CM-21/A1 personnel carrier
CM-22 mortar carrier for 107mm/120mm mortar(similar to M106) CM-23 mortar carrier for 81mm mortar(similar to M125) CM-24/A1 ammo carrier, can carry either 90 rounds of 155mm or 42 rounds 203mm CM-25 TOW launcher CM-26 Command Track(similar to M577) CM-27/A1 Recovery |
| M113 | United States | Tracked APC | 650 | Various variants, including personnel carrier, mortar carrier, ammo carrier, TOW launcher(retired), command and recovery [17] |
| V-150S | United States | Amphibious APC | 300 | With Southern Army Group, 298th Mech Inf Brigade |
| AM General Humvee | United States | General Purpose Armoured Vehicle | 2,000-2,500 | Various variants, including to carry local made machine guns and TOW 2A launchers, and others. |
| Vehicle | Origin | Type | In service |
|---|---|---|---|
| M110 | United States | 203 mm Self-Propelled Howitzer | 60 |
| M109A2/A5 | United States | 155 mm Self-Propelled Howitzer, some transferred to ROCMC | 197/28[18] |
| M108 | United States | 105 mm Self-Propelled Howitzer | 225[18] |
| M115 | United States | 203 mm Towed Howitzer | 90[18] |
| M59 "Long Tom" | United States | 155 mm Towed Howitzer | 390[18] |
| M101 | United States | 105 mm Towed Howitzer | 650 |
| M1 | United States | 240mm Fixed/Towed Howitzer | 30+, stationed in Kinmen/Quemoy and Matsu |
| Kung Feng VI | Republic of China | 117 mm Tracked MRL | 72, 24 per Corp [19] |
| Thunderbolt-2000 | Republic of China | Wheeled MRL | 57 ordered |
| Aircraft | Origin | Type | In service[3][20] | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boeing AH-64D Apache Longbow Block III | United States | Attack Helicopter | 30 | On order |
| Bell AH-1W SuperCobra | United States | Attack Helicopter | 62 | |
| Boeing CH-47SD Chinook | United States | Transport Helicopter | 9 | |
| Bell OH-58D Kiowa | United States | Observer/Light Attack Helicopter | 39 | |
| Bell TH-67A Creek | United States | Training Helicopter | 30 | Training helicopters |
| AIDC UH-1H Iroquois | United States | Utility Helicopter | Fewer than 40 | 118 built under licence by AIDC |
| UH-60M Black Hawk | United States | Utility Helicopter | 60 | Announced/Order. Delivery starts 2013 |
| Platform | Origin | Type | In service | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| M1097 Avenger | United States | Short-Range Air Defense | 74 | In service with Northern and Central Army Group only, came with 1299 Stingers purchased in the same deal [18] |
| FIM-92 Stinger | United States | Dual Mounted (not shoulder-launched) SAM | 116 | 55 Stinger DMS launchers with 465 RMP rounds, from US Army stockpile and rebuilt/refurbished, sold to Taiwan May 1996 for 80 million.[21] 61 Stinger DMS launchers with 728 rounds, delivered between 1996 and 1998 for 180 million, some transferred to ROCMC [18] |
| AIM-92 Stinger | United States | Air to Air Stinger AIM-92 Stinger | 173 | Block I, ordered for AH-64D Block III APACHE Longbow Attack Helicopters[22] |
| MIM-72/M48 Chaparral | United States | Tracked short range SAM | 40 | In service with Southern Army Group only. With 646 rounds of MIM-72F and 302 rounds of MIM-72E/G/J [18] |
| AIM-9 Sidewinder | United States | Air to Air | 300 | AIM-9S. Carry by AH-1W[23] |
| M42 Duster | United States | Tracked twin 40mm AAA | ?? | Still in service with Northern and Central Army Group anti-air units, 1 battalion each.[24] |
| M55 | United States | Towed Quad 12.7mm MG | ?? | Limited number still in service with anti-air units.[5] |
| Platform | Origin | Type | In service | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| M72 LAW | United States | Rocket-Propelled Grenade | Produced locally as the Type 66 | |
| M136 | United States | Anti-Tank Weapon | ||
| APILAS | France | Anti-Tank Weapon | 1,000 | Over 1,000 delivered by 1998 |
| FGM-148 Javelin | United States | Anti-Tank Guided Missile | 360 and 40 launchers | 182 with 20 launchers on order |
| BGM-71 TOW-2A/B | United States | Anti-Tank Guided Missile | 3,100+ rounds and 163+ launchers[25] | Used by ROC Army and ROCMC on HUMVEE, M-113, CM-25, and on AH-1W and OH-58D helicopters. After 1997, Taiwan purchased 1786 TOW-2A and 290 TOW-2B[26] |
| Hellfire AGM-114C | United States | Anti-Tank Laser Guided Missile | 684 | Carry by AH-1W and OH-58D[18] |
| Hellfire AGM-114K3 | United States | Anti-Tank Laser Guided Missile | 240 | Carry by AH-1W and OH-58D since 1999 |
| Hellfire AGM-114M3 | United States | Anti-Tank Laser Guided Missile | 449 | Carry by AH-1W and OH-58D, ordered 9/2002[22] |
| Hellfire AGM-114L | United States | Anti-Tank MMW Radar Guided Missile | 1,000 | On order to be carry by AH-64D |
| Weapon | Origin | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| T75K1 | Republic of China | 9 mm Pistol | Based on M9/Beretta 92 |
| T51 | Republic of China | .45 ACP Pistol | License-produced M1911A1 |
| Glock 17 | Austria | 9 mm Pistol | |
| T77 | Republic of China | 9 mm Submachine Gun | |
| Calico M960 | United States | Submachine Gun | |
| MP5A5 | Germany | Submachine Gun | |
| Uzi | Israel | Submachine Gun | |
| M1014 | Italy | Semi-Automatic Shotgun | |
| Franchi SPAS-12 | Italy | Combat Shotgun | |
| T65 | Republic of China | Assault Rifle | |
| T86 | Republic of China | Assault Rifle | Evaluation Only |
| T91 | Republic of China | Assault Rifle | Current Standard Issue |
| M4A1 | United States | Carbine | |
| Type 57 | Republic of China | Battle Rifle | License-produced M14 |
| M24 Sniper Weapon System | United States | Sniper Rifle | |
| DSR-1 | Germany | Sniper Rifle | |
| M82A1 | United States | Sniper Rifle | |
| PSG-1 | Germany | Sniper Rifle | |
| SSG-2000 | Switzerland | Sniper Rifle | |
| T74 | Republic of China | General Purpose Machine Gun | Based on FN MAG |
| FN Minimi | Belgium | Squad Automatic Weapon | |
| M2 | United States | Heavy Machine Gun | |
| T85 | Republic of China | 40 mm Grenade Launcher | |
| MGL Mk-1 | South Africa | 40 mm Grenade Launcher | |
| Mk-19 Mod 3 | United States | 40 mm Automatic Grenade Launcher | Licensed production in Taiwan |
| Weapon | Origin | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| XT-97 | Republic of China | Assault Rifle | Designed in 2008 due for service in 2011 for Special forces[27] |
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