The Republic of China Army Aviation and Special Forces Command ( zh, 中華民國陸軍航空特戰指揮部) is the

special operations Special operations (S.O.) are military activities conducted, according to NATO, by "specially designated, organized, selected, trained, and equipped forces using unconventional techniques and modes of employment". Special operations may include ...

force of the

Republic of China Army The Republic of China Army (ROCA), previously known as the Chinese Nationalist Army or Nationalist Revolutionary Army and unofficially as the Taiwanese Army, is the largest branch of the Republic of China Armed Forces. An estimated 80% of th ...

. It is intended to be a highly mobile force that can quickly respond to PRC attacks against Taiwan's government.

History

The command traces its origin to the 1st Airborne Division that was founded on January 1, 1944, in

Kunming Kunming (; ), also known as Yunnan-Fu, is the capital and largest city of Yunnan province, China. It is the political, economic, communications and cultural centre of the province as well as the seat of the provincial government. The headqua ...

Yunnan Yunnan , () is a landlocked province in the southwest of the People's Republic of China. The province spans approximately and has a population of 48.3 million (as of 2018). The capital of the province is Kunming. The province borders the ...

. The division was part of the

Republic of China Air Force The Republic of China Air Force, retroactively known by its historical name the Chinese Air Force and unofficially referred to as the Taiwanese Air Force, is the military aviation branch of the Republic of China Armed Forces, currently based ...

before being transferred to the

Army An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...

on May 1, 1951. The Army Special Forces Headquarters was created on March 1, 1958, and was combined with the Army Airborne Headquarters on April 1, 1974. In 2006 it was renamed the Army Aviation and Special Forces Command.

Organization

Army Aviation and Special Forces Command staff 20221015

The command includes five special operations battalions (forming the 862nd Brigade), two helicopter brigades, two training centers, and separate units. *862nd Special Warfare Brigade *

101st Amphibious Reconnaissance Battalion The 101st Amphibious Reconnaissance Battalion (), known as the Sea Dragon Frogmen, is an elite special operations unit of the Republic of China Army. The members of the 101st Amphibious Reconnaissance Battalion are commonly known as Sea Dragon ...

Airborne Special Service Company The Airborne Special Service Company (ASSC; ), alternatively known as the Liang Shan Special Operations Company (), is an elite special forces unit belonging to the Republic of China Army (Taiwan Army). The ASSC is the most elite unit in Taiwan ...

*Army Aviation Training Center *Army Special Forces Training Center

Notes

References

* {{ROC Special Operations Forces Military units and formations established in 1958 Republic of China Army