BILLED JSDF JOINT TRAINING | OPERATION: HELIX | MAY 1996

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JSDF JOINT TRAINING | OPERATION: HELIX | MAY 1996

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TRAINING OBJECTIVE: LANDING AND SECURING A FRIENDLY PORT, UNLOADING MILITARY EQUIPMENT, EXPANDING THE BASE OF OPERATIONS
CLASSIFIED

JAPANESE GROUND SELF-DEFENSE FORCE​	JAPANESE MARITIME SELF-DEFENSE FORCE​	JAPANESE AIR SELF-DEFENSE FORCE​	JAPANESE AMPHIBIOUS SELF-DEFENSE FORCE​

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BLUEFOR	REDFOR
1st MARINE TASK FORCE 400 x SIMBAS AFSV-90 80 x EE-T1 Osório​	JGSDF Reserves x12,000 Starter Troops ​
JAPANESE MARITIME SELF-DEFENSE FORCE Shirane-Class Destroyer x 2 Murasame-Class Destroyer x 3 Yaeyama-Class Minesweeper x 5 Osumi-Class Tank Landing Ship x 2 NL LCU MK I. x 8 Towada-Class Replenishment Ship x 2 European Highway-Class RO/RO (25 Complement) x 3 Merchant Ships: JS Shachi Maru - (5,000 Soldiers) JS Sake Maru - (5,000 Soldiers) JS Same Maru - (10,000 Soldiers) JS Koi Maru - (10,000 Soldiers) JS Goma Soba Maru - (10,000 Soldiers)​	NL LCU MK I. x 16 ​
1st DIVISION JAPANESE GROUND SELF DEFENSE FORCE​ Type 90 Kyū-maru x 80 Type-96 x 252 Type 89 x 60 Type-87 x 150 Type-82 x 163 Type-74 x 8 Type-76 x 8 Type-99 x 32 Type-73 x 10 Type-60 x 60 Type-87 SPAAG x 24 Type 81 SAM System x 8 Type 93 SAM x 24 Buk Air Defense System x 2 Type 75 MLRS x 16 Toyota HMV x 50 Hitachi Artillery Tractor x 60 Honda XLR250R x 100 ATsTV-10 Water Tanker x 600 KrAZ-6322 AF1 KUNG Armored Transport x 600 ATs-12-63221 Fuel Tanker x 600 KrAZ-6322 Soldier Cargo Truck x 600 Type-91 Armored Launched Bridge x 10 Type-92 Mine Clearance Vehicle x 50 Nebo SVU Radar x 5 Type-73 Ambulance x 240 Type-90 Armored Recovery Vehicle x 20 Kawasaki OH-1 x 12 Elbit Hermes 450 UAV x 50	2nd Division JGSDF
JAPANESE AIR SELF DEFENSE FORCE​ Su-27 x16 Tu-22M3 x 12 Mitsubishi F-1 x 24 F-2B (Su-25) x 50 F-2T (Su-25T) x 24	YS-11 x 3 Kawasaki T-4 x 4

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MISSION BRIEFING

The goal of this mission is to train the military to work together to deploy in a location and quickly secure the landing for the rest of the military then, immediately engage in military operations with little downtime. The Navy and Air Self-Defense will attempt to secure the landing. The Air Force will presume its ability to land in the friendly port or nearby so that it can help cover the landing. The Navy will attempt to provide an umbrella of coverage that would discourage enemy planes, missiles, and forces from attempting to approach the landing.

LOGISTICS
A section of the Port of Chiba would be used for the exercise. All assets were fully fueled, inspected, and maintained. Reserve supplies and equipment would be on hand as necessary. All soldiers would be rested and ready, fully equipped. All assets were equipped with laser based simulation equipment that would simulate firing.. Pilots would begin their training from the airbase located in Tokyo Japan. BLUEFOR would move to the Pacific Ocean to begin their assault. Ground control would monitor the exercise and recall any pilots, ships, or other assets with any issues. Pilots would not be permitted to operate below 30% fuel capacity.Any logistical needs would be consumed and/or addressed as needed.

 

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Training Phase I: Securing the Approach

In this phase, the initial push would be covered. The theory behind this was that the JMSDF ships, along with the JASDF would form a screen in front of the transport ships. Control of the skies would be prioritized, along with scanning the landing for long range missiles and artillery that could threaten the approach. JASDF fighters would be ordered to stay within 30 miles of the fleet, running interception of enemy fighters and CAS/ naval bombers that would threaten the ships or the landing. Once the immediate skies were claimed, Japanese CAS would fly with fighter escorts to locate and eliminate enemy AA, Artillery, and armored elements that posed an immediate threat to the landing. Pilots would also report back enemy positions for SSM missiles from the Navy to strike targets the pilots couldn’t get to or when they needed more support on a target.

JMSDF ships would use a mixture of SAM and SSM to support the mission objective of creating a safe zone for the landing. Other vessels and personnel would remain several miles away from the combat zone until provided the green light by the navy.

The OPFOR LCUs is okus be stand-ins for potential enemy vessels in the approach. The navy and Air Force would practice targeting the ships and destroying them.

Once the Navy has given the green light, the Yaeyama-class minesweepers would check the path ahead for mines.

the first ships to land would be from the Osumi ships, with their LCUs inside. Marines in their SIMBAS would be the first out, with the EE-T1 tanks behind.

 

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Training Phase II: The Landing

Each Osumi would disgorge 4 LCUs at a time, each with 2 SIMBAS ASFV-90 vehicles. This allowed for 16 SIMBAS ASFV-90s to wheel off the LCUs combat ready. The Osumis were able to perform this landing twice, allowing for 32 SIMBAS ASFV-90s to be combat-landed. When the first 16 SIMBAS's hit the port, they would fan out to secure the beach-head. The Marines inside the SIMBAS would unload via the rear with the front of the SIMBAS facing the port. Each SIMBAS could deploy 11 Marines, while the SIMBAS vehicles covered them. The Marines would seek to secure nearby buildings to establish vantage points to approaching enemies, as well as to provide more accurate communications and coordination of fire. The Kawasaki T-4s would imitate approaching enemy jets, requiring the Fighter support to target them.

Once the Marines had secured the beachhead in a combat-ready manner, the merchant ships and the RO/RO vessels would alternate depositing their contents onto the docks. Soldiers would be unloaded first, and seek to secure the beachhead with small arms while their vehicles were unloaded next. Units were unloaded together and were given discrete rallypoints. The 1st Mechanized Brigade was unloaded first, followed by their vehicles. Then the 3rd Armored, followed by their vehicles, followed by the remaining brigades. Once a brigade was fully equipped, they would fan out to their defensive rallypoint outside of the dock. Each brigade would have a position in the dock city to hold until the full landing operation was performed. The 1st Mechanized would immediately travel to the nearby airfield and secure it.

Once all equipment was landed and each unit was in their defensive position, the next phase could begin.

 

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Training Phase III: Landing Repeated

In this phase the entire landing operation would be repeated once again to ensure that every soldier had the operation down perfectly. Once the full operation was repeated twice, Marines would be rotated in so that they could each have an opportunity to combat-disembark from the LCUs. However, priority was given to the 1st Marine Regiment and the 2nd Armored Marine Regiment as elements of those units would be the first to deploy.

While the Marines were practicing disembarking, the ground based units would be drilled on fortifying the area surrounding the port and monitoring it so that the landing can go smoothly. A central forward operating base would be constructed near the port to establish a headquarters for the landing.

Naval elements would practice targeting enemy fighters via the Kawasaki T-4s as well as continue to drill on providing fire for the Infantry.

Air elements would practice patrolling the area, engaging the Kawasaki T-4s and YS-11s and performing ground strikes on targets called in by the ground forces. The Tu-22M3s and the Su-27s would also begin long range bombing missions centered from the air base.

 

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Training Phase IV: Securing the Landing Zone

With the immediate landing zone secured and the Marines having drilled their landing procedures, the next phase would begin. The ground units would assemble at their rally points and hold while the Marines would form support. The ground units would now coordinate and practice pushing out from their immediate positions while the Marine units took over the defense of the fortifications. Primary targets would be to capture and secure key enemy positions such as forward command stations, air bases, AT emplacements, Radar, etc. Strategy would be to maneuver around static enemy formations using the total mobility of all the JGSDF forces. Statics, slower enemy forces would be cut off from their back lines and rear elements of the JGSDF would attempt to pin down the JGSDF. Precision, concentration of fire, and mobility were the pillars of the attack. Soldiers were drilled on pace, communication, and application of fire. Constant communication and coordination with the HQ unit would give all involved the practice with strategic cooperation. Game planners would create unexpected obstacles for the units to problem solve. AA units would practice targeting the Kawasaki T-4s. Recon units would stay ahead and practice providing proper scouting. Engineering units would be drilled on providing constant support to the ground forces, adjusting terrain, fixing equipment, etc. AT units would continue to practice targeting and firing on dummy targets and tracking live targets.

The overall objective was to throw enemy units back far enough so that they were no longer any threat to the port and the forward operating base.

 

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Training Phase V: Repeat the Drill

The final phase of this training was to breakdown everything done the first few times and to do a final run-through of the mission. Job-specific trainings would continue so that soldiers would be at least proficient in their specialized weapons and roles (i.e. Recon, engineering, AT, AA, etc.) All aspects of the prior four phases would be repeated until each unit had their assigned roles down to a science. The initial landing, to securing the landing zone, to pushing forward, would all be practiced and timed so that units achieved a level of comfort and sophistication with a naval-unloading and assault mission. Branches achieved competence coordinating in order to accomplish this mission. Once the planners were satisfied with the timing and efficiency of the operation, units were freed to go back to their assigned posts and prepared to board their craft.

TRAINING COMPLETE