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JGSDF SHOOT 81MM MORTARS, IMPRESS PENDLETON MARINES
By Cpl. Garrett White, 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit

Exercise Iron Fist 2016: 81mm Mortar Shoot
U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Justin Urbany (Right,) 81mm mortar section leader, 1st Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, gives a range safety brief to Japan Ground Self-Defense Force Soldiers, prior to a live-fire mortar range, aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., Feb. 1, 2016. This mortar range is a part of the second of four phases of training the soldiers of the JGSDF and USMC will be conducting during Exercise Iron Fist. This phase focuses on small unit skills and tactics before moving on to larger scale operations.

Exercise Iron Fist: 81mm Mortar Shoot
A Japan Ground Self-Defense Force mortar team demonstrates misfire procedures during an Exercise Iron Fist 2016 training event, aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., Feb. 1, 2016. Exercise Iron Fist is an annual bilateral training exercise where U.S. and Japanese service members train together and share one another’s skills and tactics to improve their combined operational capabilities.

Exercise Iron Fist 2016: 81mm Mortar Shoot
A Japan Ground Self-Defense Force mortarman sites in on a target during a live-fire exercise, aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., Feb 1, 2016. U.S. Marines facilitated the use of the range acting as safety personnel, to allow the Japanese soldiers to hone fundamental skills and techniques they would be using throughout Exercise Iron Fist 2016.

Exercise Iron Fist 2016: 81mm Mortar Shoot
Japan Ground Self-Defense Force Forward Observers, call out targets to their mortar teams during an Exercise Iron Fist 2016 training event, aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., Feb. 1, 2016 Exercise Iron Fist is the largest bilateral exercise conducted by I Marine Expeditionary Force and is aimed at improving the combined amphibious operation capabilities of the U.S. and Japan.

Exercise Iron Fist 2016: 81mm Mortar Shoot
A Japan Ground Self-Defense Force mortar team adjusts their targeting stakes during a live-fire mortar range, during Exercise Iron Fist 2016, aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., Feb 1, 2016. As a part of Exercise Iron Fist, this training was conducted to prepare the JGSDF soldiers for more advanced, bilateral combined arms training aboard Marine Corps Air-Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms later in the month.

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Exercise Iron Fist 2016: 81mm Mortar Shoot
U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Cody Bruyere, squad leader with Weapons Company, 1st Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, discusses mortar skills and techniques with his Japan Ground Self-Defense Force counterpart during Exercise Iron Fist 2016 at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., Feb 1, 2016 U.S. Marines facilitated the use of the range, acting as safety personnel to allow the Japanese soldiers the opportunity to hone the fundamental skills and techniques they will be using throughout the rest of Iron Fist.

Exercise Iron Fist 2016: 81mm Mortar Shoot
A Japan Ground Self-Defense Force mortarman drops a round down the tube of an 81mm mortar, during a live-fire training exercise, aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., Feb 1, 2016. This mortar range is a part of the second phase of training the soldiers of the JGSDF and USMC will be conducting as a part of Exercise Iron Fist, which focuses on small unit skills and tactics before moving on to larger scale operations.

Exercise Iron Fist 2016: 81mm Mortar Shoot
A Japan Ground Self-Defense Force mortar team fires an 81mm mortar during an Exercise Iron Fist 2016 training event, aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., Feb 1, 2016 Exercise Iron Fist is an annual bilateral training exercise where U.S. and Japanese service members train together and share one another’s skills and tactics, and improve their combined operational capabilities.





MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDELTON, Calif -- U.S. Marines and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force Soldiers conducted a live-fire mortar range aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., Feb 1, 2016.

The training event was a part of Exercise Iron Fist, the largest bilateral exercise conducted by I Marine Expeditionary Force, which is aimed at improving the combined amphibious operation capabilities of the U.S. and Japan.

“The goal is to conduct basic fire training in preparation for the live-fire training scheduled at Twentynine Palms,” said JGSDF Maj. Tomotake Nagamura, company commander with the Western Army Infantry Regiment.

Throughout the day’s training event JGSDF soldiers established their mortar and observation positions, acquired their targets, and dropped quick and accurate indirect-fire on top of them.

Nagamura explained, that in order for infantry units to conduct fire and maneuver, it is important to coordinate accurate fire in accurate timeframes making this kind of training extremely important.

While the JGSDF soldiers conduct similar training in their home nation, the range aboard Camp Pendleton offers a new environment for them to test their skills.
“One of the most beneficial factors of this training area is that compared to Japan, our forward observers were able to observe [targets] over a much greater distance,” said Nagamura. “Just as we have conducted similarly in our home country, we believe we were able to accomplish the same kind of training in a quick and efficient manner [at Camp Pendleton].”

While the Marines at the range were acting as safety officers and not actively participating in the training, it still allowed them to observe and learn from the allied nation.

“It was a lot of fun to watch these guys,” said 1st Lt. Andrew Owens, 81mm mortar platoon commander, 1st Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment. “They are very proficient, very impressive, very organized, and you can tell each of them knows their jobs very, very well and it was a real privilege to watch them today.”
As a part of the first phase of training events for Exercise Iron Fist, the skills shared at this exercise will be built upon in larger-scale training events conducted by the U.S. Marines and JGSDF soldiers in the second and third phases of Iron Fist.

“This is also important so the United States Marine Corps, and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force can establish trust between each other’s skills,” added Nagamura.

Over the course of Exercise Iron Fist, JGSDF soldiers and U.S. Marines of all ranks and occupations will be able to share their skills and abilities with one another to strengthen bonds between the two militaries.

“It’s all about relationships,” said Owens. “As long as we keep strong relationships with our allies [and] learn how they train, they get to see how we train [and] we can become a stronger team. We are always trying to learn … we all have our own tactics, techniques and procedures that make us good at our jobs, and we will be looking to incorporate some of the things they did here today to make us better at what we do. ”

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test bd said:

JAPAN

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Japan, UK Announce Increased Defense And Security Cooperation

Britain and Japan are to take further steps to broaden their defense and security cooperation, including investigating the development of an existing air-to-air missile and joint combat jet exercise, senior UK ministers announced during a visit to Tokyo on Jan. 8.

“Japan is our closest security partner in Asia and I want to significantly deepen defense cooperation between our two nations” UK Defence Secretary Micheal Fallon said in a statement released to coincide with the visit.

Fallon listed defense equipment cooperation, joint exercises, reciprocal access to military bases and military personnel exchanges among the areas the British want to see deeper cooperation on.

The defence secretary was in Tokyo alongside British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond for meetings with their Japanese counterparts, Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida and Defense Minister Gen Nakatani. Hammond also met with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

In a joint statement released at the end of the visit, the two sides said they were taking forward a project known as the Joint New Air-to-Air Missile (JNAAM) to a second feasibility stage, having successfully concluded a first phase of work.... to read more

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New advanced, electronically scanned seeker technology involving Mitsubishi Electric is one possible development, according to the reports.

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SamuraiBlue said:

Here is an interesting deck I dug up.
It's a Introduction of Ishikawa-Harima Heavy industry(IHI)'s Jet Engine development in both military and civilian projects.

That is going to be some engine if realized.

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Jeff Head said:

any more news on the progress for the 25DD

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siegecrossbow said:

Did the name Iron Fist have anything to do with the Marvel Comics character of the same name or did they just mean a fist made of iron?

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