Army of the Republic of China

Army of the Republic of China
Flag of the Army of the Republic of China
Lineup	June 16, 1924
Country	Republic of China (Taiwan)
Type	army
Strength	1990: approx. 400,000 2010: approx. 130,000
insignia
Logo of the Army of the Republic of China

The army of the Republic of China (Taiwan) comprises 200,000 soldiers. It is the largest branch of the state and is divided into three main armies: North Army (6th Corps , HQ : Taoyuan ), Middle Army (10th Corps, HQ: Taichung ) and Army South (8th Corps, HQ: Chisan ).

task

The main task of the Army of the Republic of China is to defend the territory of the Republic of China and ensure the integrity of its sovereignty. In peacetime, the defense of critical areas of strategic importance on Taiwan and its offshore islands, as well as constant training between all branches of service as well as the navy and air force, is their mission.

Around 80% of the army is located on the main island, while the rest is distributed on offshore islands.

history

In 1925 the National Revolutionary Army , or NRA for short, was founded, which was the military arm of the Kuomintang .

The National Revolutionary Army became the basis of the armed forces of the Republic of China after the withdrawal of National China to Taiwan. The change that the army was placed under the Ministry of Defense and thus under state control after 1947 resulted from the 1946 constitution of the Republic of China .

After the NRA had been driven from mainland China by the Chinese People's Liberation Army , the army, as well as the two other Taiwanese branches of arms, the Navy and Air Force, took part in the Battle of Kinmen , in which the first attack by the Chinese People's Liberation Army was repelled.

1958 saw the second massive attack by the People's Liberation Army to take Kinmen and the Matsu Islands . This attack was also successfully repelled.

Since the revocation of martial law in 1988, the Army's main mission has been reduced to the defense of Taiwan and its offshore islands - and no longer includes the recapture of mainland China. In the course of this change in strategy, the army's manpower has been steadily reduced since the 1990s. A conversion to a volunteer army is currently taking place.

organization

General Chen Pao-yu, Army Commander in Chief

The three armies North , South and Center are subordinate to seven tank brigades , two mechanized infantry brigades , ten infantry brigades , three mobile divisions and two anti-aircraft groups .

The command for airborne and special operations is subordinate to the 62nd Airborne Brigade , the 71st Airborne Brigade , the 601st Army Aviation Brigade , the 602nd Army Aviation Brigade , the 603rd Army Aviation Brigade and four groups of special units .

There are special command posts for the military police and individual islands . Seven light infantry divisions are available as additional military reserves .

Below is an illustration of the organization of the army, as of 2016.

equipment

Armored vehicles

CM-11 main battle tank (Taiwanese version of the American M60 )

A CM-32 Yunpao armed with a 105 mm cannon

• 376 CM-11 (M60A3)
• 100 M48A5
• 450 M48H "Brave Tiger"
• 230 M24 "Chaffee"
• 675 M41 / Type-64
• 225 CM-225 (M113 with 20 mm MK or 30 mm MK)
• 650 M113
• approx. 1000 CM-21 (Taiwanese M113 variant)
• 300 LAV-150 "Commando"
• approx. 100 CM-32 Yunpao
• 300 V-150S
• approx. 2000 Humvees

Anti-tank and heavy infantry weapons

• 500 anti-tank guns 106 mm M40A1
• 1000 anti-tank guided weapons BGM-71 TOW 2A / 2B (some on SfL)
• 60 "Javelin" anti-tank guided weapons
• Grenade launcher 81 mm M-29
• Grenade launcher 107 mm
• Anti-tank gun 90 mm M-67
• Anti-tank gun 106 mm Type-51

Pipe artillery

M110 howitzer and M109 self-propelled howitzer of the army

• 650 artillery pieces 105 mm T-64 ( M101 )
• unknown number of artillery pieces 155 mm M-4
• 90 artillery pieces 155 mm M59
• 250 artillery pieces 155 mm T-65 ( M114 )
• 70 artillery pieces 203 mm M115
• 100 self-propelled guns 105 mm M108
• 225 self-propelled guns 155 mm M109A2 / A5
• 20 self-propelled guns 155 mm T-69
• 60 self-propelled guns 203 mm M110
• 50 former ship guns 127 mm US Mk.32 coastal artillery

Rocket artillery

Multiple rocket launchers

• 126 mm "Kung Feng" III / IV
• 117 mm "Kung Feng" VI
• 117 mm RT 2000 "Thunder"
• "Ching Feng" field rocket launcher

Air defense

M42 anti-aircraft tank

• 400 anti-aircraft tank L / 70, M42
• 74 FIM-92A "Avenger" (SfL)
• 2 M-48 "Chaparral" (SfL)
• 25 MIM-104 PATRIOT
• 6 PATRIOT PAC-3
• 100 MIM-23 I-HAWK
• 465 FIM-92A "Stinger"
• 6 "Tien Kung" I / II

Helicopter Army Aviator

• 62 AH-1W "Super Cobra"
• 39 OH-58D "Kiowa Warrior"
• 80 UH-1H "Iroquois"
• 9 CH-47SD "Chinook"
• 30 TH-67A "Creek"

Hand weapons

T86 assault rifle

T91 assault rifle

• Pistols
  • T75 pistol (Taiwanese model based on the Beretta 92 )
  • Glock 17
  • HK USP
  • T51 pistol (Taiwanese model based on the Colt M1911 )
• Submachine guns
  • Uzi
  • Type 77 submachine gun
  • Calico M960
  • HK MP5
  • FN P90
• Rifles
  • M1 carbine
  • SPAS-12
  • Benelli M4
• Assault rifles
  • M16
  • T65 assault rifle
  • T86 assault rifle
  • T91 assault rifle
  • HK G36
  • Steyr AUG
  • Colt M4
• Sniper rifles
  • M24
  • T93 sniper rifle
  • SIG Sauer SSG 2000
  • DSR-precision DSR 1
  • HK PSG1
  • Barrett M82
• Machine guns
  • FN Minimi
  • FN MAG
  • Browning M2
• Grenade launcher
  • M203
  • Milkor MGL
  • 40 mm machine grenade launcher Mk 19

Web links

Commons : Army of the Republic of China  - Album containing pictures, videos and audio files

• Army Command Headquarters, MND. Army of the Republic of China, accessed May 7, 2017 . 
• Country information from the Austrian Ministry of Defense
• Republic of China Army (ROCA). GlobalSecurity.org, accessed May 5, 2017 . 

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b c} Republic of China Army (ROCA). GlobalSecurity.org, accessed May 5, 2017 . 
2. ^ Taiwan's Threat Perceptions: The Enemy Within. Denny Roy, accessed May 5, 2017 .