A Tuo Chiang-class catamaran corvette of the Republic of China Navy during an exercise off Keelung, January 26, 2022 Republic of China Navy
Naval Ships

Taiwanese builder delivers new catamaran corvette

Will Xavier

Taiwan's Lung Teh Shipbuilding handed over a new catamaran corvette to the Republic of China Navy (ROCN) on Wednesday, March 11.

The future ROCS Tan Chiang is the eighth ship to be built under the Tuo Chiang-class, which has been in service with the ROCN since 2014 with the commissioning of lead ship ROCS Tuo Chiang that same year.

Variants of the Tuo Chiang-class corvettes have also been built for the Taiwan Coast Guard Administration (TCGA) as the Anping-class patrol vessels. The first two vessels in the class, Anping and Chenggong, were delivered to the TCGA in 2020 and 2021, respectively.

Like her Tuo Chiang-class sisters, the future Tan Chiang has a displacement of over 560 tonnes and a maximum speed of 45 knots.

The corvette's armament will include Hsiung Feng II and III anti-ship cruise missiles and the Sky Bow III air defence missile system, which is also capable of intercepting ballistic missiles.