Future of Taiwan's Navy: Inside the Tuo Chiang-Class Missile Corvettes

Summary: Taiwan's navy has strengthened its fleet with the delivery of two additional domestically constructed Tuo Chiang-class guided-missile corvettes, the An Chiang and Wan Chiang. This event marks the completion of the first six vessels in this class, designed specifically for asymmetrical warfare against larger adversaries like the PLAN. President Tsai Ing-wen highlighted the significance of domestic defense capabilities, emphasizing the rapid pace of naval development as a cornerstone of Taiwan's security strategy. The Tuo Chiang-class features advanced stealth technology, a catamaran hull for improved stability and speed, and a formidable arsenal, including anti-ship and anti-aircraft missiles.

Taiwan's Naval Upgrade: Welcoming the Tuo Chiang-Class Missile Corvettes

The Republic of China Navy is significantly smaller than that of mainland China’s People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN). But this week, Taiwan’s navy got a boost when it received two additional Tuo Chiang-class guided-missile corvettes. These ships could be proverbial slings in Taiwan’s arsenal if it finds itself engaged in a David vs Goliath battle against the PLAN.

Taiwan's naval force took delivery of the fifth and sixth domestically constructed corvettes in a ceremony on March 26 at the Lung Teh Shipbuilding Company. The small but heavily armed vessels – the An Chiang and Wan Chiang – followed the introduction of the island nation's third and fourth 4,000-ton cutters earlier this month. Taiwan has increased its shipbuilding capability significantly as the island resolves to defend its democracy and freedom.

"Four years ago, I named the first high-performance vessel as the Ta Chiang. The character 'ta' symbolizes the work of building national defense capabilities domestically,” Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen said on Tuesday during the ceremony. “As long as we persist, sand will accumulate into a tower. Over the past few years, we have steadfastly implemented national defense autonomy, with domestically built vessels being named, launched, and delivered at an increasingly faster pace."

Final Two of First Six – More Coming

These are the final of the six Tuo Chiang-class corvettes ordered by the navy. The lead vessel, Ta Chiang, was delivered in 2014. 

The vessels were designed specifically to take on Chinese warships.

According to Janes, the Tuo Chiang class features a catamaran hull with a wave-piercing form factor and reduced radar cross-section exteriors. It was developed by the country's National Chung-Shan Institute of Science & Technology with local shipbuilder Lung Teh. Every vessel since the second-of-class is based on an improved design, with a longer overall length of 65 meters and a higher displacement of 685 tons. The first-of-class displaces about 600 tons and has an overall length of about 60 meters.

Each of the Tuo Chiang-class corvettes is equipped with an OTO Melara 76mm naval gun on its forward deck and is armed with Sea Sword II anti-aircraft missiles, eight subsonic Hsiung Feng II anti-ship missiles, eight supersonic Hsiung Feng III medium-range missiles, one Phalanx close-in weapons system, two 12.7 mm Browning M2HB machine guns, and two Mark 32 Surface Vessel Torpedo Tubes. 

The corvettes are also the first small Republic of China Navy ships to be equipped with defensive missiles. Each has a top speed of around 40 knots, while its stealth capability reportedly has a radar cross-section as small as the size of a fishing boat.

In a conflict with the PLAN, the corvettes would employ hit-and-run tactics, striking enemy vessels using speed and stealth to reduce the chance of detection. 

While these are the final two corvettes from the original order, the navy signed a deal last March for five additional Tuo Chiang-class vessels. Subcontractor Marine Jet Power was awarded a contract last August to continue its strategic partnership with the Lung Teh Shipyard. 

Author Experience and Expertise: Peter Suciu 

Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: Editor@nationalinterest.org.