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Republic of China Army

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The Republic of China Army (中華民國陸軍; pinyin: Zhōnghuá Mínguó Lùjūn) is the largest of the military branches of the Republic of China (Taiwan). Roughly 80% of the ROCA is located on Taiwan proper, while the remainder are stationed on the offshore islands of Kinmen, Matsu and Penghu. As the final line of defense against a possible invasion by the People's Republic of China, the primary focus is on defense and counterattack against amphibious assault and urban warfare.

Republic of China Army
Personnel	200,000 (2004 est.)
Armour	1,831 (2005 est.)
Armoured fighting vehicles	1,175 (2005 est.)
Artillery	1,465 (2005 est.)
Helicopters	220 (2003 est.)

The ROCA's current operational strength includes 3 armies, 5 corps, and 27 divisions. As of 2005, the Army's 35 brigades include 25 infantry brigades, 5 armoured brigades and 3 mechanized infantry brigades.^{[1] [2] [3]}

• Army General Headquarters (陸軍總司令部)

The ROC Army GHQ is headed by a 3-star general and is responsible for overall command of all ROC Army assets. Army GHQ is subordinate to the General Staff (military), the Minister of Defense (civilian) and the ROC President.

• Internal Units: Personnel, Combat Readiness & Training, Logistics, Planning, Communications, Electronics & Information, General Affairs, Comptroller, Inspector General, Political Warfare.
• Aviation and Special Forces Command (航空特戰司令部)

• 3 Air Cavalry/Airborne brigades
• 1 Special Warfare brigade

• 6th Army Corps (第六軍團司令部): Northern Taiwan

• 7 Infantry brigades
• 1 Motorized Infantry brigade
• 1 Armoured Infantry brigade
• 2 Armour brigades

ROC Military Police special forces disembarking from a UH-1H helicopter from the ROC Army 602nd Air Cavalry Brigade during a counter-terrorism exercise.

• 8th Army Corps (第八軍團司令部): Southern Taiwan

• 5 Infantry brigades
• 1 Motorized Infantry brigade
• 1 Armoured Infantry brigade
• 1 Armour brigade

• 10th Army Corps (第十軍團司令部): Central Taiwan

• 6 Infantry brigades
• 1 Motorized Infantry brigade
• 1 Armoured Infantry brigade
• 1 Armour brigade

• Hua-Tung Defense Command (花東防衛司令部): Eastern Taiwan

• 2 Infantry brigades

• Kinmen Defense Command (金門防衛司令部)

• 3 Infantry brigades
• 1 Armour brigade

• Penghu Defense Command (澎湖防衛司令部)

• 2 Infantry brigades
• 1 Armour brigade

• Matsu Defense Command (馬祖防衛司令部)

• 2 Infantry brigades

• Tungyin Defense Command (東引防衛司令部)

• 1 Infantry brigade

• Armed Force Reserve Command (後備軍人司令部)

• 24 Reserve brigades (Not active in peace time)

• Logistics Command (後勤司令部)
• Education, Training and Doctorine Command (教育訓練暨準則發展司令部)
• Military Academy, Training & Command Schools, Chemical Warfare Corps, Engineering Corps, Arsenal Development.

ROCA's former Army Missile Command has become an independent command subordinate to the General Staff, commanding assets from the ROCA and ROCN.

A soldier in ceremonial dress stands guard at the Tomb of Chiang Kai-shek in Cihhu.

The ROCA was founded as the National Revolutionary Army, the armed wing of Sun Yat-sen's KMT in 1924. It participated in the Northern Expedition, the Second Sino-Japanese War (during World War II) and the Chinese Civil War before withdrawing with the ROC government to Taiwan in 1949. Until the 1970s, the stated mission of the Army was to retake the Mainland from the People's Republic of China. Following the lifting of martial law in 1988 and the democratization of the 1990s, the mission of the ROC Army has been shifted to the defense of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu from a PLA invasion.

In the defense of Taiwan, it has participated in combat operations against the PLA in the Battle of Kuningtou, and in the First and Second Taiwan Strait Crisis. In addition to these major conflicts, ROCA commandos were regularly sent to raid the Fujianese coast.

With the downsizing of ROC forces in recent years, the Army has endured the largest number of cutbacks as ROC military doctrine has begun to emphasize the importance of offshore engagement with the Navy and Air Force.^[4] Recent short term goals in the Army include acquisition and development of joint C2 systems, advanced attack helicopters and armored vehicles, MLRS and field air defense systems. The Army is also in the process of transitioning to an all volunteer force.^[3]

An example of the M60A3, on display at the War Memorial in Lake Charles, Louisiana.

From the 1990s onwards, the Republic of China Army launched several upgrade programmes to replace dated equipment, also increasing its emphasis on forces that could be rapidly deployed and were suited for combat in Taiwan's heavily urbanized environment. Orders were placed with the United States for M60A3 Patton tanks, M109A6 "Paladin" howitzers and AH-1W Super Cobra attack helicopters, as well as updating existing equipment.

Along with the other ROC military branches, the ROCA has extensive experience in the construction and utilization of underground tunnels and bases gained during the PRC bombardments of Kinmen and Matsu during the Cold War and many facilities are rumoured to be located underground in undisclosed locations.

The CM-32 Armoured Vehicle, currently under production (mobile-gun platform variant is shown).

In June 2007, the Taiwanese legislative approved the upgrade of the existing PAC-2 batteries to PAC-3 standard. In July it was reported that the ROCA would request the purchase of 30 AH-64D Apache Longbow attack helicopters from in the 2008 defence budget.^[5] The 2008 defense budget also listed a request for 60 UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters as a partial replacement for the UH-1Hs currently in service.^[6] In November, the Pentagon notified the US Congress of PAC upgrade order^[7]

Vehicle	Origin	Type	In service	Notes
M60A3	United States	main battle tank	480
CM11 (M48H)	Republic of China	main battle tank	450	modified in Taiwan
CM-12	Republic of China	main battle tank	100	modified in Taiwan
M41D	United States	light tank	675

Vehicle	Origin	Type	In service	Notes
CM-32	Republic of China	eight-wheeled armoured vehicle	600	in production
CM-31	Republic of China	six-wheeled armoured vehicle
CM-21	Republic of China	M113 APC variant	225
M113	United States	tracked APC	650
V-150	United States	amphibious APC	300
AM General Humvee	United States	general purpose armoured vehicle	2,000-2,500

Vehicle	Origin	Type	In service	Notes
M110	United States	203 mm self-propelled howitzer	60
M109A6 "Paladin"	United States	155 mm self-propelled howitzer	225
M108	United States	105 mm self-propelled howitzer	100

Vehicle	Origin	Type	In service	Notes
M115	United States	203 mm towed howitzer	70
M59 "Long Tom"	United States	155 mm towed howitzer	90
M101	United States	105 mm towed howitzer	650

Aircraft	Origin	Type	Versions	In service[3] [8]	Notes
Bell AH-1 SuperCobra	United States	attack helicopter	AH-1W	62
Boeing CH-47 Chinook	United States	transport helicopter	CH-47SD	9
Bell OH-58 Kiowa	United States	observer/light attack helicopter	OH-58D	39
Bell UH-1 Iroquois	Republic of China	utility helicopter	UH-1H	80	built under licence by AIDC
Bell TH-67 Creek	United States	utility helicopter	TH-67A	30

Platform	Origin	Type	In service	Notes
PAC-2 batteries, with 200 GEM missiles	United States	surface-to-air missile	3	upgrading to PAC-3; 6 more PAC-3 batteries offered
Sky Bow I/Sky Bow II batteries	Republic of China	surface-to-air missile	6	Sky Bow I missiles to be phased out by 2015; Sky Bow III missiles to be introduced
Antelope air defence system	Republic of China	surface-to-air missile
MIM-23 HAWK	United States	surface-to-air missile	20	replaced by 12 x Sky Bow II batteries from 2010
M1097 Avenger	United States	short-range air defense	70
FIM-92 Stinger	United States	shoulder-launched SAM	unknown

Platform	Origin	Type	In service	Notes
M72 LAW	United States	rocket-propelled grenade
M136	United States	anti-tank weapon
APILAS	France	anti-tank weapon		used by Marine Corps
MK-153 SMAW	United States	anti-tank weapon		used by Marine Corps
FGM-148 Javelin	United States	anti-tank guided missile	360	40 launchers
BGM-71 TOW-2A/B	United States	anti-tank guided missile	2,076	unknown number of launchers

Weapon	Origin	Type	Notes
T75	Republic of China	9 mm pistol
T51	Republic of China	.45 ACP pistol
USP	Germany	9mm pistol
Glock 17	Austria	9 mm pistol
T77	Republic of China	9 mm submachine gun
M12	Italy	9 mm submachine gun
Calico M960	United States	submachine gun
MP5	Germany	submachine gun
Uzi	Israel	submachine gun
M1014	Italy	Semi-automatic shotgun
T65	Republic of China	assault rifle	standard issue
T86	Republic of China	assault rifle	T65 with M4 carbine
T91	Republic of China	assault rifle	planned to replace the T65[citation needed]
M4A1	United States	carbine
M24	United States	sniper rifle
T93	Republic of China	sniper rifle
M82A1	United States	Sniper rifle
PSG-1	Germany	Sniper rifle
T74	Belgium	general purpose machine gun
T75	United States	squad automatic weapon
T85	Republic of China	40 mm grenade launcher
Milkor MGL	South Africa	40 mm grenade launcher

Main article: Republic of China Armed Forces rank insignia

The rank system of the Republic of China Army is based on the Wehrmacht during the Sino-Germany cooperation era. Currently, the rank structure is similar to the United States Army.

• Military of the Republic of China
• Political status of Taiwan
• People's Liberation Army

• ROC Army webpage (Chinese)