Taiwan to receive five Tuo Chiang-class warships by 2023: MND

Taiwan's military expects to take delivery of five new Tuo Chiang-class stealth multi-mission corvettes by the end of next year, the Ministry of National Defense (MND) said Wednesday.

In a report submitted to the Legislature for budget review, the MND said Lung Teh Shipbuilding Co., which is building the vessels, has increased the manpower working on the project from 460 to 500.

This, along with the workers' learning curve, has reduced construction time per ship from 27 months to 17 months, which should allow for the handover of the five locally-designed vessels next year, the ministry said.

Meanwhile, the MND said that a missile factory being constructed by National Chung Shan Institute of Science & Technology (NCSIST) will be completed in June, boosting production of the combat systems and ammunition used on the Tuo Chiang-class ships.

Combat systems purchased for three of the ships from abroad -- including STIR radar systems, Phalanx close-in weapon systems, and integrated navigation and bridge systems -- will also be transferred to the shipyard during the construction process, the ministry said.

Taiwan's inaugural vessel in the ship class, the Tuo Chiang, entered service in 2014, with an arsenal that includes Hsiung Feng II and III anti-ship missiles and a 76 mm cannon.

Last year, the military took delivery of the first upgraded ship of the class, the Ta Chiang, which is equipped with the Sea Sword II air defense missile system developed by the NCSIST.

The Ta Chiang, along with the remaining five vessels being constructed by Lung Teh Shipbuilding, comprise the first batch of a total of 11 Tuo Chiang-class corvettes ordered by Taiwan's military.

In January, the Legislature passed a special budget to provide NT$236.95 billion (US$8.1 billion) in funding over the next five years to buy military equipment, including Tuo Chiang-class vessels, to improve Taiwan's defensive capabilities.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel