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ARMING WITHOUT AIMING? CHALLENGES FOR JAPAN'S AMPHIBIOUS CAPABILITY
ARMING WITHOUT AIMING? CHALLENGES FOR JAPAN’S AMPHIBIOUS CAPABILITY
BENJAMIN SCHREER Oct 2, 2020
War on the Rocks from Texas National Security Review
Editor’s Note: This is an excerpt from a policy roundtable “The Future of Japanese Security and Defense” from our sister publication, the Texas National Security Review. Be sure to check out the full roundtable.
A centerpiece in Japan’s defense modernization efforts designed to deter a resurgent China is the development of an amphibious warfare capability. The Japanese Self-Defense Force (JSDF) is building up an Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade (ARDB). Its primary mission is to “conduct full-fledged amphibious operations for swift landing, recapturing, and securing in the case of illegal occupation of remote islands.” This is a direct reference to China’s growing power projection and assertiveness around Japan’s southwestern Nansei Islands. Deterring China has evolved into a key task for the JSDF and amphibious forces are considered to play an essential role in this strategy. This focus is hardly surprising since Japan is a “frontline” state within the “first island chain” straddling the Western Pacific, and it lies directly within the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) inner threat ring of precision strike and other systems.
more:
https://warontherocks.com/2020/10/arming-without-aiming-challenges-for-japans-amphibious-capability
Fairly lengthy article about the structure, challenges, limitations and future direction of Japan's amphibious operations capability.
A centerpiece in Japan’s defense modernization efforts designed to deter a resurgent China is the development of an amphibious warfare capability. The Japanese Self-Defense Force (JSDF) is building up an Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade (ARDB). Its primary mission is to “conduct full-fledged amphibious operations for swift landing, recapturing, and securing in the case of illegal occupation of remote islands.” This is a direct reference to China’s growing power projection and assertiveness around Japan’s southwestern Nansei Islands. Deterring China has evolved into a key task for the JSDF and amphibious forces are considered to play an essential role in this strategy. This focus is hardly surprising since Japan is a “frontline” state within the “first island chain” straddling the Western Pacific, and it lies directly within the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) inner threat ring of precision strike and other systems.
more:
https://warontherocks.com/2020/10/arming-without-aiming-challenges-for-japans-amphibious-capability
Fairly lengthy article about the structure, challenges, limitations and future direction of Japan's amphibious operations capability.