Ministry of National Defense Republic of Korea

[2016 Hoguk exercise] Laying a stepping stone toward Korean solo amphibious operations

A task force was assemble and conducted refugee management and support drills for the first time

Assault amphibious vehicles occupied the beach in an instant

Marines armed with individual weapons charged like a flash of lightning

Multiple simultaneous parachutes dropping from a mobile helicopter

The first operation of private vessel, ‘Deck Carrier’, a success

Demonstrated perfect enemy strike capabilities without assistance from the U.S.

On November 3, at Dogu seashore in Pohang, Gyeongsangbuk-do, a biting winter wind blew. Korea Amphibious Assault Vehicles (KAAVs) made an abrupt appearance on the silent sea. As a smoke bomb goes off with a ‘btoom’ sound, the view becomes less clear. When the KAAV which occupied the beach in an instant opened its lamp (an entrance) marines armed with individual weapons such as K2 rifles, K3 light machine guns, K201 grenade launchers, etc. charged like a flash of lightning to take the target spot. The first group reached the land first, followed by the second and third groups, and the beach was filled with marines in less than no time.

At the same time, an air charge was conducted, covered by Cobra attack helicopters (AH-1S). And while mobile helicopters such as CH-47, UH-1H, UH-60, etc. are flying over the target spot in order to hit the enemy directly and deeply, marines made their descent with parachutes. This multiple simultaneous charge from the sea and air to strike the core of enemy finished like a flash.

The Navy and Marine Corps who participated in the 2016 Hoguk exercise continued to polish Korean independent landing operations. Those navy and marine corps engaged in ‘decisive action,’ one of the best 2016 patriotic joint amphibious training sessions in Pohang, Gyeongsangbuk-do, on the same day.

Having continued since October 29, this training was significant in that a private vessel, Deck Carrier, was being operated for the first time. The Navy and Marines has arranged the training to have enemy-striking capabilities while performing landing operations under our own power anywhere and at any time without assistance from the U.S. depending on the circumstances around the Korea Peninsula during war. Private vessels built with our own vessel technology were utilized for the training and it focused on applying and verifying a military operation system which integrates civilian and military assets.

Deck Carrier, which appeared on the sea 1 kilometer away from shore, is a 160-meter long large vessel that can load 17,700 tons of equipment and supplies. Significantly, its large deck capable of KAAV and amphibious mobile helicopter loading is built to give it an advantage for throwing equipment quickly. When attacking seasides where harbor facilities are destroyed or it is difficult to come alongside the pier, it can also support the landing forces by inputting massive equipment that is difficult to use in maritime actions such as tanks, vehicles, self-propelled gun, etc, using an air-cushion vehicle or river-crossing supporting ships.

This training is dedicated to naval forces and marines in order to improve our solo mission capabilities. It is mobilized with around 2,600 troops from regimental level landing forces and mobile logistics battalion, 1st Marine Corps and 300 equipment including 36 KAAVs, K55 self-propelled guns, K1 tanks, etc. 130 infantry and battery company troops of the U.S. 3rd Division, Marine Corps, and a 120mm mortar also participated in the training for combined mission capabilities and interoperability improvement. There were also 3 naval new landing ships including Cheonwangbong (LST-II) and Birobong (LST), and 20 other vessels for guarding and covering. For a smooth air charge, Cobra attacking helicopter, UH-60 mobile helicopter, tactical aircraft, C-130 transport were also mobilized as the combined task group of army, navy and air forces.

The landing forces who succeeded in decisive action with simultaneous landing for front back landing target seized core facilities and targets on the ground and sea, while conducting training for continuous follow-up material supply, emergency evacuation of emergency patients, evacuation and load. Lieutenant Colonel Kim Chang-hwan, a battalion commander of the landing forces, said, “This training was an opportunity to establish a Korean solo landing operation model by applying a private vessel to military operation for the first time and confirming its utility.”

Meanwhile, the Navy and Marine Corps also had their first training in the management and support of refugees. They organized a task force for civil-military operations and performed the training. There were U.S. Marine experts for civil-military operations on hand as well, who had actual experience in accepting and supporting refugees. Following the landing operation, civil-military operation forces had a training session on accepting refugees who are brought into the area of operations from its front and back, and giving them humanitarian support. In particular, they used tent-type deployable medical systems for patient classification which were adopted for the first time in the entire military system, and practiced procedures for patient management from patient classification to treatment of general patients, emergency surgery for urgent patients, etc.

An official of the Marine Corps spokesperson said, “The U.S. Marine Corps stationed in Okinawa, Japan, have a civil-military mission capability. This training became an actual practice in which we shared the U.S. army’s experiences of refugee acceptance and support that they have gained from various environments, such as the Afghanistan war.”

By Su-Yeol, Maeng < guns13@dema.mil.kr >
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