Project Sword
Major General David B. Womack, commander of the U.S. Army in Japan, shook hands with Captain Miata Schenaker, commander of the 5th TC, at the official opening ceremony of the unit at Yokohama's North Pier on February 8. ）
As the latest move to strengthen its presence in the Indo-Pacific region, the U.S. Army commissioned the Fifth Composite Ship Company on Monday at the North Pier in Yokohama, Japan.
The unit was active between 1917 and 1997, also known as the Fifth Transport Company, and its last mission was to operate the unit's logistics support vessels in Hawaii, according to information released by the U.S. military.
Twenty-six years later, the unit was reorganized into a composite ship company, which today is primarily responsible for the U.S. Army's maritime transportation in Japan. The 5th Composite Ship Company is the second of its kind and the first to be deployed forward outside the United States.
First deployed by the Army in 2021, the composite ship company consists of 200 to 300 personnel and can support command and control, maintenance, and operational planning for up to 16 vessels.
According to U.S. Army documents, the unit will be able to perform a variety of tasks, including theater transportation, water dock or port operations, water tactical and joint amphibious operations, river operations, and shore logistics operations.
While the exact number or composition of the vessels is not listed, the company may also include a combination of logistical support vessels, including universal landing craft, light mechanized or mobile support ship landing craft, and even small tugboat detachments.
In a *** meeting last April, the commander of the U.S. Army in Japan, Maj. Gen. Joel Warwell, told reporters that the Fifth Composite Ship Company would receive up to 14 ships in the coming years to support the joint forces.
The U.S. Army's establishment of the Fifth Composite Ship Company in Japan is part of a broader effort by the service to expand logistics support throughout the Indo-Pacific region, with the aim of enhancing the importance of landcraft in the Indo-Pacific theater to better respond to regional emergencies and further enhance mobility at sea.
Notably, Japan and Australia are planning similar actions, following a meeting last July, with the Australian Army planning to rotate ships and establish a permanent logistical support zone for pre-deployed equipment; The joint "Maritime Transport Group" consisting of soldiers from the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force and the Ground Self-Defense Force is expected to be launched in 2025.