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Japanese tanks


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Type 90s of the 7th Division carrying out live fire winter training at the large training grounds in Shimamatsu district, Hokkaido, in January 2019.

 

Watching this video, I kept trying to rotate the view thinking I was in Steel Beasts. :)

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In April last year, the King of Jordan requested to Foreign Minster Kono an old tank for the Jordanian Royal Tank Museum. On August 6th this year, the request was decided to be carried out. A Type 61 tank on display at JGSDF Camp Takigahara was sent over. The cannon had already been filled and disabled and the engine had already been removed. It received a new paint job before being shipped off. Japan is to receive a Jordanian developed armored vehicle for display.

At Camp Takigahara

[image]

 

Being shipped off at Yokohama.

[image]

 

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https://trafficnews.jp/post/88652

https://www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/press/release/press4_007679.html

 

In Jordan.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhQ7aNmJMBo

 

On display in the museum.

type61jordan1.jpg

Two more in the spoiler

 

type61jordan2.jpg

 

type61jordan3.jpg

 

 

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6 hours ago, Adam Peter said:

The Japanese Centauro

 

The content is fairly good for the vehicle itself. The title with "controversial" is a bit of a click bait I think. But I guess the rest of my post makes it look controversial too. Towards the end some things could be said. In the video he says that the JMSDF and JASDF are the real defenders of Japan. Naturally they are first stage defense for Japan. He still points out that the Type 16 is designed for rapid deployment throughout Japan but still concludes with it being more of psychological reassurance to the public than tactical value. But it goes the other way too in that Japanese ability to defend on the ground against an amphibious assual adds a layer to overall defense. Multiple layers makes for greater deterrence. The JGSDF also operates the ground based anti-ship missiles such as the Type 12 and so as the JSDF forces continue to develop the interoperability within the branches, those Type 12 missiles will surely be able to add a force multiplier against PLA Navy, particularly around the Southern islands. That role will grow larger as Japan introduces new versions that it recently said to develop with 900km range. Anti-ship missiles have already been deployed to the southern islands that surround the main island of Okinawa such as Miyako. With Type 12 missiles deployed throughout the island chain, the entire water way through that chain between Taiwan and Kyushu is covered by JGSDF missiles. When new missiles with 900+ km range get introduced, those units will be able to cover Taiwan itself even and while not officially stated, the reinterpretation of the constitution in 2014 enables "collective self-defense" which means japan can aid a friendly country if still deemed to have direct result to Japan's security. This can easily lend its self over to the defense of Taiwan, regardless how Pro-PRC CCP arguments will say that "Japan doesn't recognize Taiwan at UN so blah blah". Japanese think tank sorts all recognize and express the importance of Taiwan safety. This sort of leds to one other point to make from the video.

 

That other point being that he said that Japan does not send combat troops abroad. But along with the reinterpretation of the constitution in 2014 came with a bunch of new defense laws that enable such possibility. There was some complaints by coalition partners, if I recall, the dispatch group from the Netherlands was net to the JGSDF dispatch but they had some complaints that the Japanese dispatch actually couldn't come to their aid if they needed combat assistance because of the Japanese constitution. But that's no longer that case as new laws permit use of weapons for defense. That will be important for the JMSDF as well since Japan sends their ships to many ASEAN countries and for linking up with other navies of the US, Australia, India, etc but it would have no weight if the JMSDF was also constrained by same sort of old laws that limit Japan to strict self defense like in Iraq and thus would carry no weight towards putting a check on China PLAN influence throughout the Indo-Pacific.  So in that way, I do think that should the day come, I think the Japan would deploy elements of newly restructured "mobile divisions" that included Type 16s into Taiwan by invite of Taiwan government to help push back any actual PLA force build up right across the straight that suggest imminent invasion attempt.

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  • 4 weeks later...

 

 

TWo3P2.jpg

The latest volume of Coast Defense Journal has an article by expert researcher and Philippine defense specialist Glen Williford on the "Manila Bay fortifications and defenses of the Philippines Harbor Defenses through the Camera of the Conqueror."  Of interest to some of us perhaps is this pic of US M3 light tanks obtained by the Japanese with the unconditional surrender of the Philippines by the US commander. The terms of surrender in those days usually included the turnover of all arms and equipment intact. The first five or so tanks in the foreground are clearly M3 light tanks, but it will be difficult to identify the remainder, which could include M3 'flattop' variants or JA tanks. The Japanese source is translated as Philippine Expeditionary Force by author "Gasei." Most of these self-congratulatory tracts were published in 1942-43 and made no use of high quality materials.

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6 minutes ago, Ken Estes said:

 

 

TWo3P2.jpg

The latest volume of Coast Defense Journal has an article by expert researcher and Philippine defense specialist Glen Williford on the "Manila Bay fortifications and defenses of the Philippines Harbor Defenses through the Camera of the Conqueror."  Of interest to some of us perhaps is this pic of US M3 light tanks obtained by the Japanese with the unconditional surrender of the Philippines by the US commander. The terms of surrender in those days usually included the turnover of all arms and equipment intact. The first five or so tanks in the foreground are clearly M3 light tanks, but it will be difficult to identify the remainder, which could include M3 'flattop' variants or JA tanks. The Japanese source is translated as Philippine Expeditionary Force by author "Gasei." Most of these self-congratulatory tracts were published in 1942-43 and made no use of high quality materials.

The remaining tanks are Type 97 Shinhoto Chi-Has as far as can be seen until the furthest ones become unrecognizable. Several of the US M3s were used in a philippino-japanese propaganda movie in 1943/44 btw to portray the US Army in 1941, together with atleast one halftrack and a british carrier.

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From the renders shown in World of Tanks, I agree with Tony. Blowing up the image, there is a square-ish protection, probably of the recoil mechanism, where the gun joins the turret that is characteristic of those Japanese tanks.

Corregidor is a treat for those interested in US coastal defense. Lots of guns, and mortars one could see from close. Caballo Island, South of Corregidor, allegedly has artillery in better preservation status, as the scrap dealers that carried away pieces of Corregidor guns, especially balance weights of disappearing mounts, did not get into Caballo.

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Lot of "WTF" moments:

- 2-section rifle platoons... Beyond strange.

- AT and AD "platoon" with two vehicles for a whole Rgd...

- 7-vehicle Type 16 "light tank" companies...

- 6 x 120mm mortar for a whole "regiment" (in reality barely Bn sized)...

Well, at least they have 81mm at co level.

 

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7 hours ago, bojan said:

Lot of "WTF" moments:

Another way to look at this is that they've reinvented the Pentomic Battlegroup. 

  • 5 maneuver companies
  • The original PENTANA concept emphasized air portability and low manning levels (8600 for a division)
  • The HHC design is very similar to the original Pentomic design as is the separate heavy mortar battery at battlegroup/regiment level
  • The idea is for the battlegroup/regiment to operate "dispersed" from other units, more or less on its own

Pentomic was not exactly a success story, so I'm certainly not discounting your criticisms, but it's interesting that some similar operational ideas have resulted in very parallel organizational developments 50 years or so apart.

There are also some "total TO&E" similarities to the old US 9th Motorized Combined Arms Battalion (light), though that had two triangular infantry companies and one triangular assault gun unit.  The 9th ID seemed relatively happy with that organization, though it was never supposed to operate off on its own.

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Pentomic reinforced companies as there was no Bn level. Here Cos are barebones (through at least rifle cos have 81mm mortars...)

2 sections per plt is really surprising, since you can not do basic "contact - support - reserve/overwatch" drill.

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1 hour ago, bojan said:

2 sections per plt is really surprising, since you can not do basic "contact - support - reserve/overwatch" drill.

The 5/2/2 arrangement is unusual and I agree with your point.  The only other organization I can think of that used it is a UK Commando.  The 1945 Commando TO&E had 5 Troops (companies), each with two sections (platoons), each with two squads. 

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Some points..

- I can't confirm two sections per platoon, seven Type 16s in a company, or the other specific composition make ups described in the video. Some buts... These are newly reorganized units, made out of what was a normal infantry regiment. Its possible that they were not fully equiped yet when the reoganized unit got stood up. Two of these four regiments were established in 2018, the other two in 2019. Type 16 procurement started in 2016, 36 for that year, 33 for 2017, 18 for 2018, 22 for 2019, 33 for 2020. Type 16s are planned for these "Rapid Deployment Regiments" and reconnaissance battalions. An example of a unit being stood up short on equipment is the Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade in 2018. It was stood up before having all its required AA7Vs as some were yet to be delivered. The photos used in the video are not provided with dates. But mobility is heavily emphasized for quickly reinforcing the southern islands so if the size of the platoons are indeed this small, it might be for ease of inserting them into the islands on short notice.

- JGSDF infantry battalions or 大隊 don't exist but armored and reconnaissance battalions do. Instead infantry regiments or 連隊 exist for the scale size above companys. The unit name is related to rank of commanding officer. 

- The term "light tank" or any "tank" term is not used for Type 16s. They are called 機動戦闘車 or if broken up, 機動 moble, 戦闘 fighting, 車 vehicle.

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49 minutes ago, CaptLuke said:

The 5/2/2 arrangement is unusual and I agree with your point.  The only other organization I can think of that used it is a UK Commando.  The 1945 Commando TO&E had 5 Troops (companies), each with two sections (platoons), each with two squads. 

There were others historical examples, but they had their wartime excuses. At some moment during WW2 Soviet heavy tank companies had 2-tank platoons, but that was due the organizational issues. There are probably other examples.

I have some local examples of 2-section platoons, but those are usually very specialized units (SMG platoon tasked with close protection of Bn HQ, Bn level recce platoon and such).

Edited by bojan
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