The construction of the nation’s third domestically built Tuo Chiang-class corvette is on schedule, with the navy expected to hold a launch ceremony for the new warship before the end of the year, a military source said yesterday.
The Tuo Chiang is a Taiwanese-designed class of fast and stealthy multipurpose ships built for the Republic of China Navy.
A prototype of the corvette named Tuo Chiang (PGG-618) was commissioned in 2015. The first full version of the vessel, the Ta Chiang, was launched in December 2020, while the second, the Fu Chiang, was launched in September.
Photo: Tien Yu-hua, Taipei Times
A military source said that the third Tuo Chiang-class ship would be launched before the end of the year as scheduled.
Tuo Chiang-class ships have a maximum speed of 30 knots (56kph), a displacement of 685 tonnes and an operational range of 1,800 nautical miles (3,333km), the navy said.
It was developed to address a common weakness of traditional small warships, such as patrol craft and corvettes, which are not fit for use over extended periods in the rough seas around Taiwan.
The navy is set to build 11 Tuo Chiang-class corvettes by the end of 2026.
Tuo Chiang-class vessels are fitted with subsonic Hsiung Feng II missiles, supersonic Hsiung Feng III anti-ship missiles, a 76mm cannon and Tien Chien II air defense missiles.
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