S. Korea : Experts Reading U.S. Military Exercises (sending messages to N. Korea!)

Chosun Ilbo ^ | 05/22/03 | Yoo Yong-won

[TigerLikesRooster]

Experts Reading U.S. Military Exercises

by Yoo Yong-won (kysu@chosun.com)

The U.S. Forces Japan conducted an exercise this week in which it moved a marine battalion from Okinawa to Pohang on Korea's southeast coast via high-speed ship; the exercise coincided with a public exhibition by U.S. Forces Korea of its intelligence equipment at Camp Humphries in Pyeongtaek, south of Seoul. USFK officials said the two events were unrelated to the North Korean issue, but analysts are saying that the activities were unusual enough to conjecture that they had been designed as a message to send to North Korea. About 600 marines from the 3rd battalion, 8th regiment of the U.S. Expeditionary Force arrived in Pohang on Thursday morning a day after they left Okinawa aboard a high-speed vessel, or HSV, loaded with equipment, including 50 humvees. The exercise marks the first time such a modern high-speed ship was used for a marine exercise on the Korean Peninsula. In the past, with conventional ships, it would take two to three days to move a battalion from Okinawa to Pohang.

The exhibition at Pyeongtaek was staged by the 501st Intelligence Brigade and attended by 200 people, mostly trainees from the Korean Army intelligence school. The brigade monitors North Korea's activities with surveillance and communications equipment, intercepting the North's radio communications. On display were reconnaissance planes such as the Guardrail RC-12 and the RC-7, which is equipped with the HI-SAR radar system. On hand were intelligence teams such as the Air Reconnaissance Support Team and the Go-Team.

[TigerLikesRooster]

Messsages are being sent to N. Korea. Would N. Korea get it? Probably not yet.

[R. Scott]

I wonder if the “high speed ship” was the Army’s newest?

[wretchard]

The High Speed Vessel (HSV) is positioned to fill the gap between airlift and traditional sealift. It can replace a dozen airlifters when troops need to moved over a distance of  400 miles and sea access is available. This meakes it ideal for operations in the North Asian littoral, where coast to coast amphibious operations between Japan, or between the South and North Korean coasts may be contemplated. It is not an assault vessel, but it could bring fairly heavy equipment rapidly to anywhere a Ro-Ro vessel can operate.

[opbuzz]

Same type.

The Marines used them 2-3 years ago in Oki. I think they are leased from the aussies.

[R. Scott]

That’s highly probable. The ship has been tested by the US Army – the recent Iraqi war was a good “real world” test – and has been accepted by the Army.
“The HSV is a leased commercial, high speed, aluminum catamaran hulled ocean-going vessel. The HSV is rapidly re-configurable and can perform a variety of missions, principal among them the ability to ferry up to 325 combat personnel and 400 tons of cargo up to 3000 miles one way at speeds in excess of 40 knots. Other potential capabilities of the HSV are not limited to but include:
 Advanced logistics to replenish forces ashore quickly from a large ship offshore
 Command and control
 Amphibious operations
 Special operations forces insertion/redeployment
Launch/Recover: Various SEAL platforms/craft
Support/Sustain: MK V's, Advanced SEAL Delivery System
 Operate CH-46/MH-60/MH-6 helicopters”

Our Army has been updating transport vessels over the last few years, and this is the latest acquisition. For more on our Army’s fleet –
http://rscott3355.homestead.com/Armyvessels.html

[R. Scott]

While I was still on active duty, every time reinlistment time rolled around I was promised that the new ships would arrive next year. They finally arrived – the year after I retired.
The trend has been to ever larger vessels – and we are rapidly losing the capability to work small rivers. The newer vessels are strictly for oceans and large rivers.