The Republic of China Army () also known as the ROC Army (ROCA); colloquially the Taiwanese Army () by western or mainland Chinese media, or commonly referred as the National Army () by local Taiwanese people, is the largest branch of Taiwan's military, the Republic of China Armed Forces.
An estimated 80% of the ROCA is based on the Main Island of Taiwan, while the remainder are stationed on the Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu, Dongsha, and Taiping Islands. This branch was also referred to historically as the Chinese Army and the Nationalist Chinese Army during and after World War II and the 1949 retreat.
Since the Chinese Civil War, no armistice or peace treaty has ever been signed between the Republic of China regime and the communist regime, so as the final line of defense against a possible invasion by the People's Liberation Army (PLA), the primary focus of the ROCA is on defense and counterattack against amphibious assault and urban warfare.
Organization
The ROC Army's current operational strength includes three armies, five corps. As of 2005, the Army's 35 brigades include 25 infantry brigades, five armoured brigades and three mechanized infantry brigades. All infantry brigades stood down and transferred to Reserve Command after 2005.
This update reflects the ROCA order of battle at the conclusion of the Jinjing Restructuring Plan in 2008.
A new type of unit called defense team () is being introduced. These are formed by elements of de-activated brigades under each area defense command. The strength of a defense team may vary from one or more reinforced battalions, making it roughly equal to a regiment. The team CO is usually a full colonel.
In the event of war most of the high command would retreat to underground bunkers, tunnel complexes, and command posts.
Republic of China Army Command Headquarters The ROC Army CHQ () is headed by a 3-star general and is responsible for overall command of all ROC Army assets. Army GHQ is subordinate to the Chief of the General Staff (military), the Minister of National Defense (civilian) and the ROC President. Internal Units: Personnel, Combat Readiness and Training, Logistics, Planning, Communications, Electronics and Information, General Affairs, Comptroller, Inspector General, Political Warfare. Aviation and Special Forces Command () 601 Aviation Brigade (original special force battalion assigned transferred back to Special Forces Command) 602 Aviation Brigade (original special force battalion assigned transferred back to Special Forces Command) Army Flight Training Command (Converted to the 603 Aviation Brigade during the war) Special Forces Command (, originally 862nd Special Operation Brigade) Head Quarters Company Sniper Company Communications Information Company Airborne Special Service Company 101st Reconnaissance Battalion (better known as Sea Dragon Frogman, has a company station in Kinmen, Matsu, 3 in Penghu, and other frontline islands) Special Force 1st Battalion Special Force 2nd Battalion Special Force 3rd Battalion Special Force 4th Battalion Special Force 5th Battalion Airborne Training Center Special Warfare Training Center
6th Army Corps (): Northern Taiwan Guandu Area Command Lanyang Area Command 269 Mechanized Infantry Brigade 542 Armor Brigade 584 Armor Brigade 21 Artillery Command 53 Engineer Group 73 Signals Group 33 Chemical Warfare Group
8th Army Corps (): Southern Taiwan 333 Mechanized Infantry Brigade 564 Armor Brigade 43 Artillery Command 54 Engineer Group 75 Signals Group 39 Chemical Warfare Group
10th Army Corps (): Central Taiwan 234 Mechanized Infantry Brigade (will receive CM32 "Clouded Leopard" wheeled IFV beginning of 2011) 586 Armor Brigade 58 Artillery Command 52 Engineer Group 36 Chemical Warfare Group 74 Signals Group
Hua-Tung Defense Command (): Eastern Taiwan Hualien () Defense Team Mixed Artillery Battalion 1st Combined Arms Battalion 2nd Combined Arms Battalion Infantry Battalion drone squadron Taitung () Area Command Mixed Artillery Battalion 1st Combined Arms Battalion 2nd Combined Arms Battalion drone squadron
Kinmen Defense Command () Kiman (, Kinmen) Defense Team Beiding Garrison Caoyu Garrison Houyu Garrison Tank Battalion Mechanized Infantry Battalion 1st Infantry Battalion 2nd Infantry Battalion Jin Dong Reserve Infantry Battalion Jin west Reserve Infantry Battalion Lieyu () Defense Team Infantry Battalion Tank Company (M60A3tts tank) Mechanized Infantry Company Mixed Artillery Company Garrison:Dadan Garrison, Erdan Garrison, Menghuyu Garrison, Dongding Garrison, Shiyu Garrison, Fuxingyu Garrison. Field mixed artillery battalion
Penghu Defense Command () 1 Infantry Battalion, 1 Armored Battalion, 1 Armored Infantry Battalion, 1 Armored Cav Battalion, 1 mixed Artillery Battalion
Matsu Defense Command () Nangan () Defense Team Beigan () Defense Team Juguang () Defense Team
Dongyin Area Command ()
Logistics Command () Ordnance Maintenance and Development Center Automobile Base Service Plant Missile Optoelectronics Base Service Plant Communications Electronics Equipment Base Service Plant Army Aviation Base Service Plant First Regional Support Command Second Regional Support Command Third Regional Support Command Fourth Regional Support Command Fifth Regional Support Command Kinmen Regional Support Battalion Matsu Regional Support Battalion
Education, Training and Doctrine Command () Republic of China Military Academy Army Training North Joint Testing and Examination Center Army Training South Joint Testing and Examination Center Artillery Testing and Examination Center Infantry Training Command Armored Training Command Artillery Training Command Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Training Center Engineer Training Center Communications, Electronics, and Information Training Center Signature Training Center Logistics Training Center Airborne Training Center () Special Forces Training Center () Winter and Mountain Training Center () Unmanned Systems Training Command (originally UAV Training Center)
Armed Force Reserve Command () 11 infantry brigades 101 Infantry Brigade (tactical command: 10th Army Corps) 104 Infantry Brigade (tactical command: 10th Army Corps) 109 Infantry Brigade (tactical command: 6th Army Corps) 117 Infantry Brigade (tactical command: 8th Army Corps) 137 Infantry Brigade (tactical command: 8th Army Corps) 153 Infantry Brigade (tactical command: 6th Army Corps) 203 Infantry Brigade (tactical command: 8th Army Corps) 206 Infantry Brigade (tactical command: 6th Army Corps) 249 Infantry Brigade (tactical command: 6th Army Corps) 257 Infantry Brigade (tactical command: 10th Army Corps) 302 Infantry Brigade (tactical command: 10th Army Corps)
Northern Area Reserve Command Keelung City Reserve Brigade Taipei City Reserve Brigade New Taipei City Reserve Brigade Taoyuan City Reserve Brigade Hsinchu Reserve Brigade Yilan County Reserve Brigade Hualien County Reserve Brigade Lianjiang County Reserve Brigade Northern Region First Reserve Force Training Center
Central Area Reserve Command Miaoli County Reserve Brigade Taichung City Reserve First Brigade Taichung City Reserve Second Brigade Changhua County Reserve Brigade Nantou County Reserve Brigade Yunlin County Reserve Brigade Chiayi Reserve Brigade Central Region Reserve Forces Training Center
Southern Area Reserve Command Tainan City Reserve Brigade Kaohsiung City Reserve First Brigade Kaohsiung City Reserve Second Brigade Pingtung County Reserve Brigade Taitung County Reserve Brigade Penghu County Reserve Brigade Kinmen County Reserve Brigade Southern Region Reserve Forces Training Center
24 Reserve brigades (Activated only in time of war)
ROC Army's former Army Missile Command was transferred to ROC Air Force in 2006.
Ranks
Commissioned officer ranks The rank insignia of commissioned officers.
Other ranks The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel.
Training The Republic of China Military Academy, established in 1924, trains officers for the army in a four-year collegiate course of study, after which they graduate with an officer's commission and a bachelor's degree.
In 2025 the Army opened a dedicated unmanned aerial vehicle training center. The center is located in Tainan and offers training to both operational and support personal.
History The Army of the Nationalist Chinese regime
The Republic of China Army originated from the National Revolutionary Army of the Nationalist Chinese regime, which was founded by Sun Yat-sen's Kuomintang (KMT) in 1924, when the Whampoa Military Academy was established with Soviet military assistance.
Whampoa Military Academy, which was presided by Chiang Kai-shek, was tasked with the objective of training a professional Chinese revolutionary army () to unify China during the Warlord Era. It participated in the Northern Expedition, the Second Sino-Japanese War (during World War II) and the Chinese Civil War before withdrawing of the ROC government to Taiwan in 1949.
Retreat to Taiwan After 1949, the ROC Army has participated in combat operations on Kinmen and the Dachen Archipelago against the PLA in the Battle of Kuningtou, and in the First and Second Taiwan Strait Crisis. In addition to these major conflicts, ROCA commandos were regularly sent to raid the Fujian and Guangdong coasts. Until the 1970s, the stated mission of the Army was to retake the mainland from the People's Republic of China. Following the lifting of martial law in 1987 and the democratization of the 1990s, the mission of the ROC Army has been shifted to the defense of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu from a PLA invasion.
Modern Era With the reduction of the size of the ROC armed forces in recent years, the Army has endured the largest number of cutbacks as ROC military doctrine has begun to emphasize the importance of offshore engagement with the Navy and Air Force. Subsequent to this shift in emphasis, the ROC Navy and Air Force have taken precedence over the ROC Army in defense doctrine and weapons procurement. See "Reforming the Armed Forces", page 5. Recent short-term goals in the Army include acquisition and development of joint command and control systems, advanced attack helicopters and armored vehicles, multiple launch rocket system and field air defense systems. The Army is also in the process of transitioning to an all volunteer force.
During the COVID-19 pandemic Army chemical warfare units were used to disinfect public areas and to do spot disinfections around known disease clusters. In January 2021 the 33rd Chemical Warfare Group was deployed to Taoyuan City to deal with a cluster of infections around a hospital there.
Equipment
From the 1990s onwards, the Republic of China Army launched several upgrade programmes to replace outdated equipment with more advanced weapons, also increasing its emphasis on forces that could be rapidly deployed and were suited for combat in Taiwan's heavily urbanized environment. Orders were placed with the United States for M60A3 Patton tanks, M109A5 "Paladin" howitzers and AH-1W SuperCobra attack helicopters, as well as updating existing equipment.
Along with the other ROC military branches, the ROC Army has extensive experience in the construction and utilization of tunnels and bases gained during the People's Republic of China's bombardments of Kinmen and Matsu during the Cold War and many facilities are rumoured to be located underground in undisclosed locations.