Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade (Japan)

The Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade (水陸機動団) is a marine unit of the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) responsible for conducting amphibious operations. It incorporates the former Western Army Infantry Regiment, which was the dedicated amphibious warfare unit of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force.

The ARDB is based at Camp Ainoura in Sasebo, Nagasaki Prefecture.

History


In light of tensions over the Senkaku Islands and the decision for putting the Chinese Coast Guard under military control, Japan started the process of creating an elite marine unit. This brigade was designed to conduct amphibious operations and to recover any Japanese islands taken by an adversary.

In 2006, Japan devised a plan to respond to this threat as outlined in the Defense Programs and Budget of Japan. Thus Japan prepared an amphibious force with the necessary know-how, acquired amphibious and other vehicles for such warfare. Prior to this, training was conducted with the U.S. Marine Corps such as "Iron Fist" and the integrated exercise "Dawn Blitz" in which the JSDF participated.

In the Rim of the Pacific Exercise of 2014, the Japan Ground Self Defense Force participated for the first time with amphibious warfare training between the U.S. Marine Corps and the GSDF for multilateral exercises. In Japan, joint exercises are also conducted by inviting the U.S. Marine Corps at JGSDF Camp Soumagahara (Gunma Prefecture) and training with the dispatch of GSDF members to the U.S. Marine Corps in Okinawa Prefecture.

In 2016, 300 WAIR soldiers were sent to Camp Pendleton for marine training. They were also trained to prepare for the ARDB's establishment.

On 7 April 2018, Japan activated its first marine unit since World War II. The marines of the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF)'s Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade, gathered at a ceremony activating the brigade at JGSDF's Camp Ainoura in Sasebo, on the southwest island of Kyushu, Japan. The Brigade is trained to counter invaders from occupying Japanese islands along the edge of the East China Sea that Tokyo considers vulnerable to attack.

150 ARDB soldiers were deployed for the first time in an overseas training exercise with American and Filipino marines in Operation Kamandag in October 2018.

The ARDB suffered its first casualty when a 38-year old JGSDF soldier, Suguru Maehara, with the rank of Sergeant 1st Class, was killed in a vehicular accident after the vehicle he was in collided with another vehicle in Subic Bay.

Organization


The ARDB is composed of the following:


 * Brigade HQ
 * Combat Landing Battalion
 * Artillery Battalion
 * Reconnaissance Battalion
 * Engineer Battalion
 * Signal Company
 * Logistic Support Battalion
 * 1st Amphibious Rapid Deployment Regiment
 * 2nd Amphibious Rapid Deployment Regiment
 * 3rd Amphibious Rapid Deployment Regiment (to be formed)
 * Amphibious Rapid Deployment Training Unit

Infantry weapons
ARDB forces are equipped with light infantry weapons, including:


 * Carl Gustaf recoilless rifle
 * Middle range Multi-Purpose missile


 * Hirtenberger M6C-210 Light mortar
 * L16 81mm mortar Medium mortar
 * M120 RT Heavy mortar


 * Minimi 5.56mm Light Machine guns
 * Howa Type 89 Assault rifles
 * M24 SWS Sniper Rifles
 * Minebea PM-9 Machine pistol



Vehicles
ARDB are also equipped with US and Japanese-made military vehicles and aircraft such as:


 * Assault Amphibious Vehicle AAV7A1 RAM/RS
 * Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey MV-22B Tiltrotor aircraft
 * Combat Rubber Raiding Craft
 * Komatsu LAV
 * Mitsubishi Type 73 Light Truck
 * Toyota Type 73 Medium Truck