AFW - Japan

Armed Forces of the World
Iapcill
- 1951 the Americans approved the forma-
C
: cn in Japan of the National Police Reserve,
-ainly for internal security duties, so allowlng
-merican occupational troops in Japan to be
sent to South Korea. This new force was soon
-:named the National Safety Force and was
:ren merged with the Maritime Safety Fo_rce,
:nd this ih tgS+ became the Japanese Self-
Jefense Forces. ln the 1950s much of the
:quipment came from the USA, but in the
-960s
the Japanese started to design and de-
. elop systems to meet their own specialized
'equirements and today most equipment is
cullt in Japan. ln the case of high-technology
equipment such as aircraft (for example the
'u4cDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle and the Lock-
^eed P-3C Orion), this is licence-produced
-ainly from the USA.
The army
-ne Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force
.iGSDF) has a strength of about 150,000 men
and is organized into one armoured and 12
rfantry divisions, plus five engineer, one sig-
'al, one airborne, two composite, one artillery
and two air-defence brigades. 57-mm, 75-mrr a.:'le -'- 'ires.
^c lding Jeep-
Over 850 tanks are in service, including the mounted) stanor'J -:. - ::s
rdigenously designed and built Type 61 with a Air defence o' :-: - lSl= -2 s Provided bY
90-mm gun and the Type 74 with a 105-mm obsolete M42 :--^'" .^) 7-mm self-
qun (this latter type will remain in production propelled ant -: ':':': ;-^s SPAAGs), im-
rntil the late 1980s). APCs include the older proved rrAV\r =': =.:=.= S-Ms, Oerlikon
type SU-60 and about 150 of the more recent iwin 35-n^r -*- -- '." -5 .rm M51 and
Type 73. Artillery includes 105-mm M101, 90-mm M' : '-: - ':raf t guns. The
155-mm M114 and 203-mm M115 towed Japanese-de. )^.. .^ SAN'l s expected to position. A second truck carr es s
howitzers and a few 155-mm M59'Long Tom' enter ser\'a: - :-: ^eai f;t;re, while the rockets, each with a range c'
guns, all of which date from World War ll. American C=-:': -:, nar cs Stinger man- (30,600 yards).
Self-propelled artillery includes 10 'l 55-mm portable S-'.' - :' :: -ade under licence as a The JGSDF also operates a r:., -, - ---'
M44, 30 'l 55-mm M52, 20 105-mm TYPe 7 4 replacer=-: '-'-.'= .:e'Fedeye. To replace craft and helicopters. The {orrre' '- ,.=
(no longer in production) and over 50 155-mm tne Mz12 ---^-* Sr:-C a new twin 35-mm Mitsubishi LR-1 , Fuji LM-1 ard J:.--= :,
Type 75 (currently in production) self- svste- : . -'-=': . 3: r'g Ceveloped under the Bird Dog, which lastwas bl lt ^ -:::- :.
propelled howitzers. Japan is expected to desiq-;: -' . -= - 'A, -\ prodlction systems asthe L-19. Helicopters includet-= f : --
undertake licensed production of the Euro- w,ll ls+ r-: .r= -J V3T cnassis. HueyCobra (to be built under ce-
pean 155-mm FH-70 and the American 203- Japa-es= -'ar'!ry r/eapons include the old 107 (Boeing Vertol made under c:-,=
mm M 1 0A2 self-propelled howitzers. Also in
'1
Arne.::i , -: n (11.43 mm) M3A'l sub- 160 UH-'1 B/UH-lH lroquo's uI t, -
service are some 50 Type 75 multiple rocket- n ac. re c-^ ine 7.62-mm (0.3-in) Type 64 (now being produced under ce'::
launcher systems. ll e.I -62-:--,0.3 in) Type 62 and Browning numbers of the Hughes TH-55 .
Huqhes TH-55
Anti-tank defence is provided by about 250 O 5- r 2 i--:^nt M2 HB machine-guns; the Huqhes C --:
H-'1 3s and some 150 of Hughes
Type 60 self-propelled equipments armed 60-r-- \i", 81-mm M1, 8'l -mm TYPe 64 and series which are produced f or t- = ^-
with twin 106-mm recoilless rifles; Type 64, 'ai',r:- '4.2:tn) M30 mortars. The 81 -mm for civil operators by Kawasa<
Type 75 and Hughes TOW ATGWs; the Swed- rcrtar s a so mounted in the Type 60 APC
ish 84-mm Carl Gustav light anti-tank weapon J.der tne designation Type SV 60 self- The air force
:
(now being made under licence in Japa.); and prope led moTtar carrier, while the 107-mm The Japanese Air Self-Def e-s= -' -
mortar is mounted in a similar vehicle desig- has a strength of 45,000 me^ :- I -:
nated Type SX 60. 300 combat aircraf t organ:ze: -
TheTTpe 61 Main BattleTankwas the first post- The JGSDF also has the Type 67 Model 30 airwings, one composite a' l . : -- .'
warJapanese tank, and served from 1962 (560
rocket-launcher in service. This is fitted to the reconnaissance squadron, \'! i :- - ::':
p roduced). M ain amamen t was a J apanes e -
rear of a Hino (6x6) 4{onne truck chassis, and McDonnell Douglas RF-4: tr-.-:-
-'
developed 90-mm rifled gun. The.Tlpe 6 ) is now
being steadily replaced by the Type 74. carries two rockets in the ready-to-launch three fighter/ground-attac< s I -: --l' .
equipped with the Mitsrb s- =-.

version of this being tr: - i -:
=
defence squadrons are ec-:::l

4EJ built under licence ir -zcz- -
A'Yuushio'-classpafrolsubm artr.e .: ::.. .
Maritime Selt-Defense Force. J apa:. .;.:.

locally-built conventional subrna: ::.. s .'. .
further boats on order.
Armed Forces of the World Japan -
The Japanese Air Self-Defense Force operates the

Lockheed F- I04J single-seater in the interceptor
role, and also the F-|14DJ trainer. Both are
assembled by Mifsubr'shi.
ron). There are also three transport squadrons

which operate 30 Japanese-built Kawasaki C-
'I and 10 NAMC YS-1 1 transport aircraft, one
search-and-rescue wing with a variety of f ixed-
wing aircraft and helicopters, plus the usual
trials, weather-reconnaissance and training
units. New equipment on order includes four
Lockheed C-130H Hercules transport aircraft,
more F-l fighters andT-2 trainers, Grumman
E-2C Hawkeye airborne early-warning aircraft
(which should prove a valuable asset in
countering Soviet aircraft in the Far East) and
additional F-15J fighters and F-1 SDJ trainers.
The navy
The Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force
(JMSDF) has a personnel strength of 45,000
including a very important naval air arm of
some 4,000. Major surface ships include 33
'1
destroyers, 6 f rigates, f ive large patrol craft,

'1
The Shin Meiwa US- I is an amphibious adaptation Order of Battle
over 1 0 coastal patrol craft, five fast attack of the PS- I flying-boat, configared for search and
Ground Self-Defense Force
craft, almost 40 mine-warfare vessels includ- rescue duties with theJMSDF. Eight aircraft were
ordered, serving with N o. 7 I S AR S qn o{ the J M SDF. One armoured division
ing three MCM support ships, over 40 amphi- 12 infantry divisions
bious warfare craft including six tank landing One airborne brigade
ships, and the usual support vessels. There Two composite brigades
are 14 conventional submarines in service and craft to provide protection against anti- -wo a,r defence artillery br;gbdes
another three on order. Many of the des- shipping missiles. One artillery brigade
troyers and frigates are equipped with the The naval air arm includes seven maritime Five engineer brigades
One signals brigade
American ASROC anti-submarine warfare sys- reconnaissance squadrons with almost 68 Eight SAM groups
tem and carry a helicopter for ASW. Missiles Kawasaki P-2J Neptune and 21 Grumman One helicopter wing (Kawasaki KV-10711)
fitted to the warships include the Sea Sparrow S-2F-1 Tracker landplanes, and 'l 9 Shin Meiwa 24 squadrons of aircraft and helicopters (Hughes
and Standard SAMs and the Harpoon surface- PS-'l flying-boats. There are six ASW helicop- OH-6, Bell/Fuli UH-1 B/H, Mitsubishi LR-1)
to-surface missile. The Amerlcan General ter squadrons equipped with some 50 Mitsu- Air Self-Defense Force
Dynamics Phalanx 20-mm close-in weapon bishi-built SH-3 series helicopters, one mine- Three FGA squadrons (Mitsubishi F-1)
system is being fitted to a number of surface countermeasures squadron with seven Kawa- 1'1 interceptor squadrons (F-4EJ Phantom, F-104J
saki-built Boeing Vertol KV-107 helicopters, Starfighter, F-1 5J Eagle)
plus transport, training, test and evaluation, One reconnaissance squadron (RF-4EJ Phantom)
and search-and-rescue flights equipped with a Three transport squadrons (Kawasaki C-1A, NAMC
The anti-submarine destroyer Asakaze r's unlrke YS-1 C/E)
earlierJapanese destroyers in that she has an up- variety of fixed wing aircraft and helicopters. 1
One search and rescue wing (Shin Meiwa US-1)
to-datemrssi/e-based air defence in addition to There is no national service in Japan and One air test wino
p ote n t an ti- su bm a r ine we a pon ry. service is voluntary. For some years the USA One weather grdup
has been putting increasing pressure on Japan Five training wings with 10 squadrons (Fuii T-1A,
to increase spending on defence, which repre- Mitsubishi T-2A, Fuji T-3 etc)
sents only 0.9 per cent of the gross national '19 SAM squadrons
product. This compares with 6.1 per cent for Maritime Self-Defense Force
the United States, 4.3 per cent for West Ger- 49 destroyers and frigates
many and 3 per cent for Australia (all based on 20 patrol craft include five large and five fast attac<
1981 figures). Japan spends less of her GNP craft
on defence than any other country in NATO, 40 mine warfare vessels
Europe and the Far East. Many of the systems 40 plus amphibious warfare craft. including six LS-s
used by the Japanese armed forces are built in 14 submarines with three more on order
Seven MR squadrons with more than 100 aircra':
very small numbers and are therefore very (including P-2J Neptunes, S-2F-1 Trackers, Sh:
expensive; and it is Japanese government Meiwa flying-boats Lockheed P-3C Orions)
policy to build equipment in Japan rather than Six ASW helicopter squadrons with 50 SH-3s
to obtain it from abroad. One MCM helicopter squadron with seven KV-10-s

AFW - Japan

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

AFW - Japan

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

AFW - Japan

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Armed Forces of the World

equipped with the Mitsrb s- =-.

defence squadrons are ec-:::l

A'Yuushio'-classpafrolsubm artr.e .: ::.. .

Maritime Selt-Defense Force. J apa:. .;.:.

The Japanese Air Self-Defense Force operates the

ron). There are also three transport squadrons

destroyers, 6 f rigates, f ive large patrol craft,

You might also like