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| BAE SUPER AV....I absolutely love the way this vehicle looks. |
via Marine Corps.mil
“Everything we have learned about the AAV is important,” said Master Sgt. Yasahi Yamakawa, a member of the JGSDF, who is currently a student in the Amphibious Assault Crewman Course. “We have learned radio communications, driving on land, driving on water, and preventative maintenance. It is all very important because we are the first soldiers to train on AAVs.”You can look up the story on your own to read it all. The meat of it is above. The part left out is from what I'm assuming is some hot chick that added nothing to what the reporter was trying to convey.
The members of the JGSDF have two missions during the course, according to Yamakawa. The first is to learn about AAVs and the second is to report everything they have learned to the JGSDF to prepare for receiving their own vehicles.
“It is rare for us to take a course like this,” said Sgt. First Class Yoji Yamaguchi, a member of the JGSDF, who is currently a student in the Amphibious Assault Crewman Course. “This is a great opportunity and experience for us not only to learn but to maintain a good relationship between the Japanese and U.S. forces.”
How long before the Japanese fund a Marine Corps? Soon I bet. After all, the S. Koreans have one and the Japanese will never lose face to them.
"...You can bet your house that soon after getting their AAVs, the Japanese will be working to develop their own version of the beast..."
ReplyDeleteVery likely, but I'm worried about how much is going to cost an indigenous Amtrak. There is two possible outcomes:
1 - The MoD request a high-end vehicle that take a long time to design and is very expensive or...
2 - The MoD play it safe and request an unimpressive, conservative but reliable and affordable (by japanese standards) design in small batches that introduce small improvements (AKA fixes) in every batch.
"...Wouldn't it have been better to be able to offer them slots on the Marine Personnel Carrier or Amphibious Combat Vehicle instead of refurbished AAVs that we plan on getting rid of (if the Commandant's lying ass office is to be believed) in the next 10 or so years?..."
Normally I say that is the best option, but if the programs are cancelled (for use the money in the F-35B) or suffer delays we japanese are screwed because I think that we need the vehicles rather soon (for training reasons of course).
"...How long before the Japanese fund a Marine Corps? Soon I bet..."
Traditionally in Japan changes happen at glacial speed (2 meters per year), by our standards is going fast, but there is still some hurdles ahead (leftists and red tape), so I rather don't hold my breath.
"...After all, the S. Koreans have one and the Japanese will never lose face to them..."
I don't know from where that idea come from, ROK have marines since 1949 so with that logic Japan is 64 years late. For the record: I have a high respect for the ROKMC, but we are not competing with ROK in any way. This is not for show ( i.e. "look mine is bigger"), if the PLA invade any of our islands japanese should be the "first in and the last out", anything else will be deeply humiliating.
Actually Japan wanted to buy new build KAAV-7s from Korea, but the deal fell apart due to worsening territorial disputes. The last Korean president was a shady moron who did a lot of harms to his country, because Japan's leftwing administration was almost ready to close on one of two outstanding disputes with Korea at the time, the comfort women issue by offering an official apology letter in Japan's name and a compensation with Japanese government money(The previous offers of compensations used private donation funds to not hold Japanese government liable and was rejected), and putting the territorial dispute in ice indefinately. But the last Korean president screwed that up by bringing the territorial disputes forefront to boost his sagging approval numbers. With the rightwingers now in power in Japan, the relations are reaching a new low each day.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.rjkoehler.com/2012/08/30/japan-abandons-effort-to-buy-korea-amphibious-assault-vehicle-report/
With the KAAV-7 option out of question, Japan's only choice then is refurbished AAV-7s, because Japan wants its 2,000 men strong marine corp ASAP to counter a possible Chinese landing on Diaoyu Islands.
That AV does look impressive it's too tall though.
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