CAMP SCHWAB, Japan - Students from the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force Tactical Administrative School in Tokyo visited Combat Assault Battalion on Camp Schwab Feb. 3 to study the amphibious assault vehicle.
The school sent the joint operations group to conduct research all over the Asia-Pacific region on foreign military vehicles.
Combat Assault Battalion is part of 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force.
“We were sent from the school to study and learn about the amphibious assault vehicle for possible future use,” said Maj. Kosuke Suzuki, a student at the school.
The school sent the joint operations group to conduct research throughout the Asia-Pacific region on foreign military’s vehicles.
The 16-man group’s mission was to learn as much as possible about the amphibious assault vehicle, because the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force does not have an amphibious assault vehicle of their own.
The students were first introduced to the importance of an amphibious landing force.
“The majority of the world’s population lives near the coast,” said 1st Lt. Peter A. Bose, an amphibious assault vehicle platoon commander with Combat Assault Battalion. “Over half of the world’s population lives within 200 km from the coast. These population trends, combined with instability, demonstrate why amphibious operations will continue to be important in the future.”
Bose told the students that when planning an amphibious raid, there are many factors to consider before action, including personnel, logistics and advancement past the beach head. In addition to the planning, Bose taught students the sequence of events during an assault.
The students learned amphibious assault, amphibious raid, amphibious withdrawal, amphibious demonstration and amphibious support to other operations. Each one serving an important role in today’s military operations.
“An amphibious assault force is capable to operate without the need for bases, ports, and airfields in rapid responses,” said Bose. “It uses the world’s oceans as operational maneuver space.”
After introduction to the amphibious assault vehicle, the students were taken down to the Combat Assault Battalion’s motor pool to get a firsthand look at the vehicle. The students saw all of the capabilities the amphibious assault vehicle can perform. The students were shown three different types of amphibious assault vehicles. Each one serves a different role in a landing team.
When the students were finished looking through the vehicles they donned flak jackets and helmets and loaded into amphibious assault vehicles. The students were taken on a short ride around base and presented with a grand picture of how the amphibious assault vehicle runs.
Following the ride, the students thanked Combat Assault Battalion for their hospitality and for allowing them the privilege to study their vehicle.
“We are very impressed with the AAV,” said Suzuki. “It was very beneficial for us to know how the AAV works. We now know the specifics of the AAV that could help us in the future with the decision of using them in our fleet.”