The Taiwanese Navy on Oct. 1 put into service the first locally
designed stealth missile boat to boost the islands defense
capabilities against rival China.
The 186-metric-ton missile boat, designed by the Navy, joined the
fleet during a ceremony presided over by naval commander-in-chief
Adm. Miao Yung-ching.
The ship made its debut in the nations biggest war games, held
Sept. 4. A Hsiungfeng II ship-to-ship missile, designed with a
range of 150 kilometers, was launched from the vessel and hit the
target.
The Navy plans to build 30 such missile boats under the Kuanghwa
Six Project.
After an evaluation, the Navy decided to build a fleet of fast
missile boats at reasonable prices, and the construction can be
completed within a short period of time. The boats are designed to
serve as a deterrent, the Navy said in a statement.
The Navy said the stealthy boat, designed to reduce the reflection
of radar waves, measures 34.2 meters and is capable of cruising at
a maximum speed of 33 knots.
Analysts said the boat may be able to passively receive
intelligence collected by other Taiwanese warships and enable the
fleet to launch missile blitzes against targeted enemy warships
without exposing their location.
Each missile boat will be armed with four locally made Hsiungfeng
II missiles.
The fleet is to replace dozens of aging 50-metric-ton Seagull
missile boats, each of which is fitted with two 40-kilometer-range
Hsiungfeng I missiles.
Vice Adm. Hsu Chu-sheng had said the new ships will play a critical
role in the next few years, when the military balance between
Taiwan and China is expected to tip towards Beijing.
China has repeatedly threatened to invade Taiwan should the island
declare formal independence, prompting Taiwan to push for an arms
build-up. Taiwan and China split in 1949 at the end of a civil
war.
